H Battalion OB November 20 1917
Possible OB on 20th November 1917
22 company OIC -
1 Section. Capt Reay JK (in H1)
H1, 8014, m, Hilda, 2Lt Leach TH deB
H2, f , Hector, 2Lt Scott C
H3, Harrogate, 2Lt Ogden WF
2 Section. Capt the Hon Edwards C (in H4)
H4, ,Harvester, 2Lt Davis RC
H5, , Hornet's Beauty, 2Lt Maycock CH
H6, 2865, Hermit, 2Lt Ferguson JGW
3 Section Capt Batten PW (in H7)
H7, Harrier, 2Lt Hassell TG
H8, Huntsman, 2Lt Fraser EL
H9, 2870, f, Hoick Halloa, 2Lt Halbert ML
4 Section. Capt Jeffery CE (in H10)
H10, 2867, Huntress, 2Lt Farland JM
H11, Helen, 2Lt Fyffe DR
H12, 8021, m, Hielen Laddie, 2Lt Phillips AL
23 Company – Company Commander Maj Pearson (S61.p101ff)
5 Section. Capt Grounds GL (in H22)
H21, f, Harlech, 2Lt Jones EHH,
H22,, Hercules, 2Lt Mickle L,
H23, 2612, “Hong-Kong”, 2Lt Viviash WH,
6 Section. Capt Gerrard WD (in H25)
H24, Hotspur, Lt Bown CW,
H25, m, Harlequin, 2Lt Glanville LCH,.
H26, m, Honfleur, 2Lt Noonan EG,
7 Section. Capt Hickey DE (in H28)
H27, f, Hermosa, Lt Keay SG,
H28, 8027, m, Hadrian, 2Lt Hardy GD,
H29, m, Havoc, 2Lt Hughes KE
8 Section. Capt Edwards WH (in H30)
H31, , Hannibal, 2Lt Caffery JNS,
H30, , Hydra, 2Lt Buckbarrow N,
H32, f, Huguenot, 2Lt McAllistar,
24 Company – Company Commander
9 Section. Capt Davis RG
H41, , Horsa, 2Lt Mustard H
H42, , Hawk, 2Lt Deuchar JL
H43, 2875, Hengist, 2Lt Allwood JWS
10 Section. Capt Gibson E
H44, 8022, m, Hummingbird, 2Lt Hindhough H
H45, m, Hyacinth, 2Lt Jackson FH
H46, f, Hyena, 2Lt Rees-Brown WH
11 Section. 2Lt Rogerson H
H47, 8086, Henry VIII, 2Lt Lyness I
H48, f, Hypatia, 2Lt Hancock BC
H49, f, High Flyer, 2Lt Pitt G
12 Section. Capt Rogers JH
H50, 2894, f, Hurricane, 2Lt Jefford FR
H51, 2893, Hiawatha, 2Lt Jefferies ROG
H52, Heron, 2Lt Imerson CC
Spare tanks
4 spare tanks (H8)
Possibly:
“Honfleur II”,
“Havoc II”,
“Horsa II”
“Heron II”
Wire Pullers
HW1, 4580, f
HW2, 4563, f
HW3, 4565
HW4
Supply 1, 6018
Supply 2,
NOTES
2372, 2616, 2640, 2654, 2887, 2896, 2898 and 8008, 8017, 8018, 8055, 8095 were all with the battalion and in action on 1st December, they are not recorded thereafter. 6018 was also in action and hit and burnt out on this date. It’s identification as a supply tank is speculative based on the 60?? serial number most of which are supply tanks in other battalions.
8002, 8098, 8105 were with the battalion in March 1918 and not recorded as joining the battalion after Cambrai.
H1, HW1 and HW3 serial numbers from Jan War diary in PRO.
HW2 serial number an educated guess (4563 was at Cambrai but its crew number is unknown, it may have been HW4 or a fighting tank)
H1 sex from “The Boiler Plate War” p136
H2, "Hector" was a female tank : S94.p32 and two other photographs discovered by Gwyn Evans.
Note: The original “Hector”, 2900, f, had been burnt out whilst entraining on the 6 October 1917 (W8a).
H8 and H9 are listed with each others tanks in the preliminary report.
H9, H10 and H12 serial numbers and sexes from March 1918 Battle History sheets
H6 serial number an educated guess from March 1918 Battle History sheets
The orders have H24 and H25 with each other’s commanders; the hand written orders are as above, the Tabulated orders have the OICs with each other’s tanks.
H21, H26 and H32 sexes from report of operation on 1st December.
H23 serial number from March 1918. Hickey states (S61.p172) that 2lt Viveash took tank “Hong Kong” into action for the fourth time on 21st March. The War Diary states Viveash was with crew H22 on the 21st March, it is possibly the war diary is mistaken
H24: Crew H24 was with 4687 in March 1918. A photograph (X60.p66) shows 4687 named “Hotspur II”. The serial number is on the top of the Driver's cab, as seen elsewhere in March 1918 (X29.p96); also the serial number is very high for November 1917, other tanks in the 468* range were issued to "B" Battalion from Central Workshops on February 7th 1918. It seems likely that “Hotspur II” was a replacement tank for “Hotspur”.
H25 and H32 sexes from orders for 24th October 1917.
H29 and H30 sexes from S37.
H31’s OIC is given as 2Lt McAllister JL in S37
H27, H28, H29 and H32 sexes from “Rolling into action” (S61.p92)
H28 serial number from Battalion War Diary on 24th February 1918 when 8027 “Hadrian” swapped for 2844 (note photograph is unclear).
H44, and H49 sexes from S37
H46 and H48 sexes from photographs (X60.p66)
H50 serial number from H battalions War Diary entry in January 1918.
H50 sex implied in account given at S40.p116
H43, H44, H47 and H51 serial numbers an educated guess based on March Battle History Sheet
Spare tanks: The battalion should have had six spare tanks, two may have been used to replace 2098 and 2892 which repectively ditched at h21c.8.5 and broke down (Diff broke) at h22d.3.5 whilst proceeding to Ouderdom
The identities of the spare tanks are unknown. It seems likely they were “Honfleur II”, “Havoc II”, “Horsa II” and “Heron II” which are the only tanks listed as initially having a “II” post nominal on the morning of 20th November. “Hannibal” is recorded as “Hannibal II” in the afternoon. It is not known if any of the broken down tanks were repaired. The tanks may have been given the “II” post nominal, rather than different names in order to enable the infantry’s identification of the tank.
Note that all "H" Battalions known male tanks are numbered 80??
Prior to Cambrai Neither 2098 nor 2892 are recorded with the battalion again.