D Coy Heavy Section MGC - location of immobilised tanks near Flers on 16 Sep 1916

[delta]

The first tank which went into action on 15 Sep 1916 was the Male No 765 commanded by Capt Harold Mortimore.  The tank was known as Daredevil and its initial task was to clear a German field defence system, to the east of Delville Wood, known as the Brewery Salient. It was supported in this tasks by men of 6 KOYLI armed with grenades.

Once Daredevil, completed this task, she then headed north to support the attack by 14th Division who were ordered to clear four trench system and then, as their final objective, the village of Gueudecourt.  As the tank headed for the first of those objectives, it was hit on the starboard rear drive sprocket and knocked out. 

The exact final position of Daredevil is uncertain. Trevor Pidgeon, using RFC photographs, places the hulk at T13a 30,95 (Tanks at Flers map 8) whilst Woods’ tank location report, as of 29 Sep 1916,, states the tank was at T7c Central. A contemporary map ‘British Front from High Wood to Ginchy’ (1^st Printing Section RE IV Army 645 with printed corrections dated 10 Sep 1916 with manuscript markings dated 16 Sep 1916), shows a hulk at T7C 0,4 i.e., 200 yards north of Ale Abbey and 400 yards NNE of the northeast corner of Delville Wood.  This map is shown below and has been extracted from the papers of CO 10th Durham Light Infantry Lt Col Hubert Horatio Shirley Moran.

https://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/material/21/?fbclid=IwAR2vSKQ8VotQhgMEJbJImsKxprLrnnSOtosi4zwSIkI7wYcAr3acRkYtgrg

As the Morant map is not well known, I thought that members of the Forum might be interested in seeing it.

The other tanks on the map are to the east of Flers near the third objective (Bulls Road)and to the east of the Flers Road near the Rideau des Filoires.  The northerly of these is the female no 540 known as Dolphin (commanded by 2Lt Arthur Blowers) which was knocked out as she drove east towards to Flers in order to destroy a machine gun post.  It was never recovered.  The other cannot be confirmed - it was probably D3, commanded by 2Lt Harold Head which was recovered by 24 Sep.

  

 

 

 

Edited 10 December , 2021 by delta
Insertion of Dolphin's serial number

[pjwmacro]

Thanks for sharing. 

[johntaylor]

Very interesting Stephen - thanks for posting this.

All the best, John