A few Tank questions please.

[John84]

A few questions please for our resident Tank experts.

Could I please ask you how many tanks formed a Tank Battalion.

What type of Tank served with the 16^th Tank Battalion.

What type of weapons did these tanks carry.

How many crew served with a tank.

I have asked this next question before, it relates to the action the 16^th Tank Battalion on the 29 September, 1918.

Gwyn (Sidearm) let me know from Page 251 of "The Tank Corps" by Williams Ellis says that 16th Tank Battalion of the 5th Tank Brigade formed part of 4th Army Reserve, along with 8th and 13th Battalions. Does anyone else know exactly what they were up to.

Its seems the 16^th Battalion got a mauling this day, SDGW shows 6 officers and 66 other ranks lost their lives with the Tank Corps on 29 September, 1918.

Of these 2 officers and 28 other ranks served with the 16^th Battalion, most of who are buried in Unicorn Cemetery, Vend'huile. It is interesting to note that no men from other tank battalions are buried in this cemetery that fell on 29 September, 1918….most of these are buried in Bellicourt British Cemetery…..I have put this list of the fallen of the 16^th Tank Battalion below for 29 September, 1918.

Thanks

John

UNICORN CEMETERY, VEND'HUILE.

CHRISTOPHER, RICHARD, Lieutenant.

ROBINSON, WILLIAM, Second Lieutenant.

ANDREW, DAVID SEMPLE, Private.

BARRON, ALEXR DAVIDSON, Private.

BAYNTON, HERBERT ERNEST, Private.

BOUCHER, HAROLD, Private.

BRITTON, WILLIAM MCKIM, Private.

CARTER, EDWARD, Private.

EASTON, DAVID, Corporal.

LANDLES, WALTER, Private.

LEE, ARTHUR HENRY, Lance Corporal.

LEVY, JONAS, Private.

MERCER, EDWARD, Private.

MOISE, EUGENE, Private.

MORRIS, JOHN, Corporal.

OWEN, WILLIAM HENRY, Private.

SCOTNEY, HAROLD LOUIS, Private.

WARD, HENRY BENGO COLLIER, Private.

WATERS, EDWARD, Private.

CABARET-ROUGE BRITISH CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ.

TINDLEY, ARTHUR T, Private.

SERAIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.

WALKER, CHRISTOPHER, Corporal.

VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL.

ADAMS, WILLIAM BLAINE, Private.

CALDWELL, CHARLES, Private.

CONNELLY, HUGH PATRICK, Private.

COPPENDALE, SIDNEY JOSEPH, Lance Corporal.

DEVIS, ARTHUR STANLEY, Sergeant.

INGLIS, JAMES, Private.

PULMAN, JAMES HENRY, Private.

RICHARDSON, THOMAS NEWTON, Private.

WEST, WALTER FREDERICK, Sergeant.

[centurion]

The action on 29th Sept was intended to break the Hindenburg Line in the sector of the US 2nd Corps. As far as I can tell at this date and action only the 12th Bat were operating Mk IVs so the 16 would be using Mk V or Mk V*. These would be armed with either 6 pounders plus Hotchkis Mg ( one per sponson and one in the cab plus at least one spare that could be mounted in a number of positions as required) (male) or all Hotchkis (two per sponson plus cab and the spare). The normal crew for a Mk V was Commander, driver plus 6 gunners.

Some British (and American) tanks were lost in this action because the tanks moved through an unmapped British anti tank minefield laid during the retreat from the March German offensive. These mines would probably have been formed by burying toffee apple mortar rounds fitted with a pressure fuze

The attack by the US 2nd Corps was unsuccessful as they reached their first objectives over 12 hours behind schedule by which time the light was failing and no further progress could be made.

[John84]

Centurion, thanks for the info, it is very much appreciated, especially about unmapped British anti tank minefield.....never heard of this before...great stuff. Thanks John.