Landships II

Juanma · Corporal

Did the different allied tank models fight together in any battle?

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

Bapaume on 21st August 1918. Medium A (Whippet), Mark IV, Mark V and Mark V* used together. Whippet tanks exploited the breakthrough that the heavy tanks had made.

(Fletcher, 2007. British Mark IV Tank. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781846030826)

Tanker · Field Marshal

Bonsoir,

The French tank's units (Schneider, St Chamond and Renault FT)�never fought with British tank's units. Perhaps not faraway like in Picardie in August or September.

If it is possible to see photos with�Mark V* and French tanks, it was only in training camps like Bourron, Mailly-Poivres or Martigny-les-bains. The French Mark V*�units were not ready to fight before�November 1918.

I have not study American Mark history, and don't know if some of them were used�towards Schneider, St Chamond and Renault FT units, fighting for the American Army at the end of the war.

Michel

James H · Legend

I've had a look at Jones, Rarey, & Icks, and, to my surprise, it seems there were quite a few actions in which more than one type was involved. Of course, it all depends on how you define an action; some were spread over several days, and the different�types might have operated separately. I'd have to plough through the book to refine this chart, but it shows the occasions when more than one�type was, at least, present.

Same applies to the French. I've seen a claim that St. Chamonds were present at Chemin des Dames on April 16th but only operated in the rear. Note that St Chamonds were sent to Belgium to support FTs.

I can't remember, despite our lengthy discussion, whether the on-loan (unarmed) FTs actually operated�alongside British Tanks. Nor�could I remember whether the V*s lent to the French operated with any French types, but I'll take Michel's word.

I'm sure there will be faults in this. Pls feel free to argue. It doesn't include Supply Tanks, etc.

I hope this works.

-- Edited by James H on Friday 11th of December 2009 07:01:36 PM

Tanker · Field Marshal

Bonjour,

Of course, I only spoke about French tanks fighting with British tanks on the orders of the Same Infantry Units.
From July to October 1918, Schneider, St Chamond, and Renault FT were sometimes used together (or sucessively) for the same Division or for two or three Division in the same attack.

In Missy-au-Bois, From July, 18th to 23th, The Big Red One is a good exemple of a Division supported sucessively by schneider, St Chamond and Renault FT units.

In the last month of the war �some units like AS 14, AS 15 and AS 16 received Renault FT in place of Schneider. These tanks was used like Command tank for the Group and the 3 Batteries.
In the last weeks of the war, some Schneider's Group begun training on Renault FT.

About St Chamond in April 17. The only operational Group was AS 31. Don't used during Mont Cornillet attack from April 17th, 1917, this Group (with AS 1 ans AS 10)stayed in Baconnes wood for the end of April and go to Chemin des Dames for Laffaux attack from Mai 5th, 1917.

In this attack, Schneider and St Chamond were used by different infantry units and not mixed on the ground during Moulin de Laffaux attack.

Michel