11 Battalion. 23 October 1918
Battle of the Selle. 23rd October 1918
11th Tank Battalion, with 33rd and 21st Divisions, V Corp, 3rd Army (OH)
11th Tank Battalion was with 3rd Tank Brigade (H11)
11th Battalion had 6 fighting tanks in action on 23rd October 1918 (H11)
Composite Company – Maj. Wilson
6 tanks
Notes
The battalion had Mark V* tanks (H11)
Orders
3 tanks on the left with 21st Division, 3 on the right with 33rd Division. To follow the infantry until daylight, then attack any targets pointed out by the infantry and also engage anticipated targets. The villages of Forrest, Rechmont, Calntaux, Orviller and Vendegies were to be cleared as was the wood near Vendegies. (H11)
Account of Operations
The tanks arrived in time and attacked at Zero. (H11)
33rd Division’s tanks: one was hit and knocked out before reaching the front line, a second caught fire due to a faulty fuel pipe, the third made it to the 2nd Objective silencing a number of MGs it then broke down at the Slaughter house (F26a). (H11)
The 21st Division’s tanks were more successful. One reached the second objective in E12 central destroying several MG nests and firing 90 rounds of 6 Pdr at visible targets. It patrolled in front of the infantry then accidentally reversed into a 35 foot deep gravel pit; the crew escaped uninjured and joined the infantry. The second tank did great execution to the enemy in and around Orvillers then threw a track. The third tank, commanded by a new officer got lost in the dark and joined the 33rd Division with whom it advanced and reached the second objective the same time as the infantry. The tanks then returned to re fill and was ordered to rally by the Company commander. (H11)
The 62nd Brigade advanced on the third objective at 10:30am without tank support (OH)
Summary
Total Tanks: 6
Failed to Start:
Engaged enemy:
Ditched / Broke Down: 4
Hit and Knocked out: 1
Rallied: 1
Note
Broke down includes the tanks which caught fire.
Aftermath
This was 11th Tank battalions’ last action.
The Battalion, with 3 fit tanks, was withdrawn into army reserve on 28th October.
Sources
H11 – 11th Tank Battalion’s War History, PRO WO 95 / 100.
OH – Official History. 1918. Volume V. Pg.362 to Pg.364