Landships II

Tim R · Hero

Looking for Tank information that took place during the Battle of Cambrai

Centurion · Legend

Tim R wrote:

Hello Gentleman Here is a long complicated question, which I am sure some one can answer. I am searching for a comprehensive list of Tanks used at the Battle of Cambrai. Male to Female ratio Tanks destroyed. Number and name of each tank. Crew names, and those that passed away. Also if any of the official histories, have any thing on the tank crew speaking of either being shot at or destroyed by truck mounted artillery. I would appreciate any and all help on this project. All the best Tim R

I don't think there is such a thing Tim. Acounts of the basic number of tanks at Cambrai vary wildly let alone the id of individual tanks (or even the sex distribution). The most realistic set of numbers seem to be those of Jones, Rarey and Icks with 378 fighting tanks and 98 others (wireless, supply, wire cutting, cable laying). These figures don't quite tie in with 9 batts being used which would have a nominal strengh of 324 fighting tanks but do closely match the numbers of fascines produced at Central Workshops. The discrepancy could be answered by the practice of batts in having a 'mechanical reserve' of tanks to replace breakdowns etc. These would swell the numbers if counted (although one wonders where the crews would come from).

I haven't seen any official reports of tank crews being fired on by lorry borne artillery. However there is an account by Lt Spremberg of the 5th Co Infantry Rgt 52, who was defending Fontaine, that describes two such guns opening fire on 9 British tanks approaching from Bourlon Wood, knocking out a number and causing others to be abandoned. Fontaine was being atacked by tanks from C Battalion (Spremberg's men had already disabled C47 and killed its crew) However there is good reason to believe that one of these tanks was F30 Flaming Fire II (there are photos of it in this location). F Batt's war history is usually very good at describing the fate of every tank so this might yield the official acount you're looking for. Unfortunately only the history up to and including the battle of Ypres appears to be available on the Web. Does anyone out there know how to get hold of the rest of it?

-- Edited by Centurion at 12:59, 2006-07-22

-- Edited by Centurion at 11:10, 2006-07-23

Centurion · Legend

Apologies I made some howlers in my previous posting which I've now corrected (getting C and F confused) I can only blame the heat. (it was in the 90s when I wrote it.)

Tonys · Field Marshal

The definitive book on the Cambrai battle is "Following the Tanks Cambrai".
In my research (had a Great-Uncle killed there) I have found the Bovington Museum's library to be incredibly helpful. They sent me the War Diary and the History of the 5th Bn (E), and recommended the book,which is the best source.
All personnel killed in the RTR are recorded in the Roll of Honour at Bovington, and the Librarian will copy any particular person.
All the tanks and their commanders are listed, a full list of those killed is given; many of the tanks have photos, so their identity can be seen. The figure quoted of the full number of tanks tallies with previously posted info, but only some of the supply tanks are mention on the Order of Battle.
Regarding the comment about mounted artillery, there is a picture of a lorry-mounted K.Flak. It also gives a table of the number of tanks taken out by each battery.
Tony