Deborah and the War of the Tanks Read online

  To my wife Kim

  Who joined me on this journey

  First published in Great Britain in 2016 by

  Pen & Sword Military

  an imprint of

  Pen & Sword Books Ltd

  47 Church Street

  Barnsley

  South Yorkshire

  S70 2AS

  Copyright © John A. Taylor 2016

  ISBN 978 1 47384 834 4

  The right of John A. Taylor to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing.

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  Contents

  List of Plates

  List of Maps

  Acknowledgments

  Foreword

  Author’s Notes

  PART I: INTO THE SALIENT

  Chapter 1 A Vision of the World’s End

  Chapter 2 Temporary Gentlemen

  Chapter 3 A Very Fine Lot Indeed

  Chapter 4 Dracula’s Fate

  Chapter 5 Of Knaves and Jokers

  Chapter 6 The Sword of Deborah

  Chapter 7 In Honour Bound

  PART II: THE BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE

  Chapter 8 Ray of Sunshine

  Chapter 9 Crossing the Canal

  Chapter 10 Into the Pillar of Fire

  Chapter 11 Deborah, the Dead Man and the Drummer

  Chapter 12 Failure is an Orphan

  Chapter 13 The Dead Never Stirred

  Chapter 14 The Bogs of Passchendaele

  PART III: GATHERING FORCES

  Chapter 15 The Coming of Frank Heap

  Chapter 16 Heap’s Progress

  Chapter 17 ‘The Best Company of the Best Battalion’

  Chapter 18 Redundant Oddments

  Chapter 19 Out of the Salient

  Chapter 20 High Days and Highlanders

  PART IV: THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI

  Chapter 21 Into Hiding

  Chapter 22 On the Silent Front

  Chapter 23 ‘Things Fall Apart’

  Chapter 24 To Shake Mightily the Earth

  Chapter 25 ‘Now For It!’

  Chapter 26 Till the Last Man

  PART V: BEYOND THE GRAND RAVINE

  Chapter 27 A Mountain to Climb

  Chapter 28 The Crack of Doom

  Chapter 29 Into the Hurricane

  Chapter 30 Green Fields Beyond

  Chapter 31 Like a Boar at Bay

  Chapter 32 A Bitter Evening

  Chapter 33 The Chance Was Gone

  PART VI: ACROSS THE THRESHOLD

  Chapter 34 Sticking to their Guns

  Chapter 35 ‘The Fates Fought Against Us’

  Chapter 36 A Peaceful, Unexceptional Place

  Chapter 37 Varied Fortunes

  Chapter 38 Rosemary for Remembrance

  Chapter 39 Weapon of Friendship

  Appendix A: Order of Battle of D Battalion Tank Corps, and associated infantry and tank units, at Battle of Passchendaele (22 August 1917)

  Appendix B: Order of Battle of British and German units at Flesquières in Battle of Cambrai (20 November 1917)

  Appendix C: Order of Battle of D Battalion Tank Corps at Battle of Cambrai (20 November 1917)

  Notes

  Sources

  List of Plates

  Deborah in German hands in April 1918. Photograph from Jean Luc Caudron

  Germans inspecting the wreckage of Deborah. Photograph from Philippe Gorczynski

  Willie Anthony and friends at Flesquières, 16 March 1919. Photograph from the Anthony family

  The same view today.

  ‘Uriah’s bus’. Photograph from the Heap family

  ‘Burying of a tank’. Photograph from Tank Museum

  Second Lieutenant George Macdonald and brother officers. Photograph from Catherine Piper

  Aerial photo of battlefield after the attack of 22 August 1917. Photographs © Royal Museum of the Army and of Military History (Nr Inv KLM-MRA 201530003 & 20608-sintjuliaan)

  Second Lieutenant Frank Heap. Photograph from the Heap family

  Boy soldiers. Photograph from the Heap family

  Gunner George Foot. Photograph from Charles Foot

  Gunner Fred Tipping. Photograph from Mike Tipping

  Gunner William Galway. Photograph from the Galway family

  Gunner Joseph Cheverton. Photograph from the Summers family

  Cheverton’s fiancée Florrie Coote. Photograph from Derek Leland

  Lance-Corporal David ‘Bert’ Marsden. Photograph from David Melliar-Smith

  Colonel Christopher Baker-Carr. Photograph from Sue Peck

  Lieutenant-Colonel William Kyngdon. Photograph from Pemba, The Spice Island of Zanzibar, by Captain John Craster

  Major R.O.C. Ward. Photograph from Simon Ward

  Captain Graeme Nixon and Lieutenant Alfred Enoch. Photograph from Russell Enoch

  Lieutenant Enoch outside a captured German dugout. Photograph from Russell Enoch

  Officers from No. 12 Company. Photograph from Russell Enoch

  James Macintosh. Photograph from John Macintosh

  Major William Watson. Photograph from William Watson

  Major Watson’s officers at La Lovie. Photograph from Imperial War Museum (Q 2898)

  Aerial photo of Flesquières. Photograph from National Archives

  Prisoners taken before Cambrai.

  Tanks from D and C Battalions on trains. Photograph from Imperial War Museum (detail from Q 46940)

  Painting by Sergeant Claude Rowberry. Photograph from Royal Tank Regiment

  A German’s soldier’s view of the fighting at Flesquières.

  Postcard of the legendary lone gunner.

  German artist’s impression of the battle at Flesquières.

  Deborah emerges from the ground in November 1998. Photograph from Philippe Gorczynski

  Descendants of Deborah’s crew meet in 2009. Photograph from Press Association

  Deborah today. Photograph from Nord Tourisme

  List of Maps

  1. British sectors of the Western Front

  2. Into the Salient

  3. Attack by D Battalion on 22 August 1917

  4. Actions by D Battalion in the Ypres Salient 1917

  5. Into Hiding

  6. The start of the attack on Flesquières, 20 November 1917

  (a) Relief map with height in metres

  (b) German units, showing sector held by 84th Infantry Regiment

  (c) Artillery barrage

  (d) Overview of attack on the Hindenburg Line at Cambrai

  7. F
lesquières on the evening of 20 November 1917

  (a) Situation on the evening of 20 November 1917

  8. Situation at the end of the Battle of Cambrai

  Acknowledgments

  This book tells the story of D51 Deborah, a First World War tank which returned from the grave and is now preserved in France as a memorial to the men who fought in her. The task of discovering and preserving Deborah was led by Philippe Gorczynski, an authority on the Battle of Cambrai who combines his passion for history with the business of running a hotel in the town. In the subsequent project to unearth her human and military history, he has been supported by a small and equally passionate group of enthusiasts based in the UK.

  This book therefore represents the fruits of nine years’ research by a dedicated team that includes Vince McGarry, a tireless investigator whose journalistic skills have enabled us to track down a large number of families connected with D and E Battalions of the Tank Corps, and who provided invaluable support in the preparation of this book; Rob Kirk, another ex-journalist who originally brought the team together and has acted as co-ordinator and ‘master of ceremonies’ for the project; and Alan Hawkins, a genealogist whose expertise at untangling family trees has proved crucial in our research. Their wives Sandrine Gorczynski, Karen McGarry, Elaine Kirk and Margaret Hawkins, and my own wife Kim Badland, have also been active and enthusiastic supporters of the project from the start.

  As well as these core members of ‘Team Deborah’, many others have provided support, notably David Fletcher, Stuart Wheeler, Janice Tait and their colleagues at the Tank Museum in Bovington; Geoffrey Vesey Holt, the historian of the Royal Tank Regiment; and Johan and Luc Vanbeselaere, Dirk Vinck and their friends based in Poelkapelle in Belgium. Special thanks are also due to Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen May and Colonel John Longman for permission to reproduce a painting by Sergeant Claude Rowberry owned by the Royal Tank Regiment; to Dan Snow for his great support; to Jean Luc Caudron for permission to include his photograph of Deborah in German hands; to Iona Murray, an archaeologist at Historic Scotland who passed on vital eyewitness evidence from her great-grandfather; to Rosemary O’Neill at Christchurch City Libraries; to historians Gareth Davies, Gwyn Evans, Jean-Luc Gibot, Nigel Henderson, Nigel Jones and Stephen Pope who have generously shared their advice and research; and to Heidi Adler-Schrade, Norbert Schnitzler and Carina Syring for their help with the German translations.

  In addition, we have relied on the information and support provided by members of more than 100 families whose ancestors fought in the tanks of D and E Battalions, or were otherwise involved in the Battles of Passchendaele and Cambrai, notably Mary Baker-Carr and Tony Rundell; Julian and Nicola Bion; Roderick and David Bullock; Jim Christie; Paddy Clark; Dr Mary Coghlan and Noel Coghlan; Canon Ian Cohen; Sylvia and Stephanie Collinson-Cooper; Jenny and John Dodd; Brigadier Ben Edwards OBE; Russell and Etheline Enoch; Charles Foot; Stewart Galway; Chris and Mike Head; Will, Peter, Tim, Paul and John Heap; Rob and Sue Henshall; Deborah Howard; Derek Leland; Charles and Ken Macdonald; John Macintosh; Ian MacNiven and Peggy L. Fox; David Melliar-Smith and Deborah Palmer; Sue Peck; Anna Petrou; Alison and Catherine Piper; Corinna Robertson; Joyce and Bob Robinson; Paul Russell; Jean Smith; Doris and John Summers; Mike Tipping; Peggie Trei; Basil Vose; Simon Ward; William and Helena Watson; Ted Wenger; Derek White; Jim Yates; and others too numerous to thank by name.

  Despite the involvement and support of so many people, the opinions and interpretations in this book are mine alone, and I take full responsibility for them, and for any errors that may have occurred.

  In terms of written records, we have drawn on the rich resources of the National Archives in Kew, and many other collections including the Tank Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the National Army Museum, the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, the Liddle Collection, the London Library and the British Library, as well as the archives of various regiments, sports clubs, schools and colleges. In France we have drawn on the collection of Philippe Gorczynski, the archives of the Historial de la Grande Guerre at Péronne, and the letters owned by Mme Bacquet in Cambrai; and in Germany, on the official holdings of the Militärarchiv at Freiburg im Breisgau and the Hauptstaatsarchiv in Stuttgart. The Great War Forum and Landships Forum have provided a constant source of knowledge and expertise.

  The final key component in our research has been the largest, but largely hidden, archive of Great War material, namely the documents, photographs, artefacts and memories preserved by the many families who we have contacted, and which they have shared freely and selflessly with us.

  This book is therefore a testament to the knowledge and skills of a large number of people, and to the enduring power of Deborah as a unique relic of a war that continues to haunt our memories and imaginations.

  Foreword

  Tank commander’s impressions of the attack at Cambrai, 20 November 1917

  Action stations. Everyone inside – driver and officer side by side, front flaps half open – four gunners standing by, closed down – infantry runner sitting on oil container with back to officer – [carrier] pigeons in basket stowed under one sponson [i.e. gun housing on side of tank].

  Engine hot, probably been running for some hours; most engines run better once they have boiled, very difficult to guarantee engine would restart if stopped. Not advisable to throttle down too much as sheets of red flame crack out of exhaust pipe or through joints in pipe on roof. If engine kept running too fast exhaust pipes glow red.

  Once doors closed tank almost in darkness – similar to overhead yellow London fog – four festoon lamps illuminate interior dimly – used sparingly as visible from outside. Rear door left ajar as long as possible.

  Zero hour: comparative silence broken quite suddenly by crash of guns fired simultaneously, whistle and whine of shells overhead, a pause – whole of far side of No Man’s Land lit up in dawn light – smoke everywhere – company commander comes to front and shouts signal to start.

  Driver hammers one side of engine casing, holds up one finger, gearsman gets first gear, officer hammers other side, same procedure, tank lurches forward.

  Other tanks dimly seen on left and right – going good – occasional shell-hole has to be crossed, each time tank’s nose dips ammunition boxes, odd tools, etc. slide forward and then backwards with metallic crashes. Gearsmen and gunners hang on. Inside of tank getting hotter. Harsh tapping outside tank indicates hostile M.G. [i.e. machine-gun] fire.

  Black mass three feet high and as far as the eye can see appears in growing light – German wire. Tank goes up to it – looks terribly formidable – will it catch in tracks and wind round and round tank turning it into a cocoon, or will it spring up behind again and prevent infantry following? Glance through back shows broad lane through wire along which packets of infantry are following. Second belt rather less thick – front flaps opened to facilitate driving.

  Sudden tapping on port side of tank – gunner holds hand up, cut in many places with splash and flake [i.e. flying fragments of metal caused by bullets hitting tank]. Burst of M.G. fire had hit tank at spot where sponson turret joins tank and had ripped away felt packing, hitting gunner in hand – tank swung 10 degrees – all ports closed down.

  Vision of crew now restricted to: –

  Driver – a restricted view to the front through eight small holes drilled close together. A glance at the ground under the front horns of the tank through the front flap which has been left ajar.

  Officer – as for driver, in addition a thin periscope has been pushed through the top which does give an all-round view.

  Gunners – glass prisms. A glance through them gives a view to the immediate front only of a few yards of strange, green-coloured stygian gloom. An occasional spurt of earth indicates a shell burst.

  Gearsmen – nothing.

  The bell in the tank clangs, having been pulled by infantry N.C.O. at rear who indicates position of German post. Quickest method of directing fire: swing tank to bring two si
de guns onto target and indicate to gunners by putting burst from front gun near hostile post.

  Infantry advancing very slowly – difficult to see what is holding them up.

  Fire becoming intense. Tank on right flank stops and black smoke comes out.

  Same gunner hit again with splash. All vizors worn – these are steel masks with slits for eyes and chain [mail] attached covering mouth and throat – whole fixed by tape round back of head.

  Sweat causes tapes to slip, completely blinding crew – vizors abandoned.

  Bullet enters tank like angry bee. No damage.

  Hostile fire intense – splash flying all round – cannot be heard in noise, but suddenly dents appear in ammunition boxes – pieces of exhaust flake off as if torn off by invisible hand. Port unditching rail is hanging down in front of tank, cut through by M.G. fire.

  Cannot locate M.G’s – only just possible to see gearsman inside through smoke and fumes.

  Snipers in long grass cannot be seen – firing at loopholes – two gunners hit in hand through gun port, one whilst firing and the other trying to change [ammunition] drum. Tank turned in attempt to locate enemy. Only one M.G. seen and put out of action.

  Front gun [of tank] out of action – unable to withdraw it – subsequently found M.G. fire had split casing and splayed the end of Lewis gun like discarded cigarette end.

  M.G. fire intensive – driver’s flap partially cut through and hanging at an angle of 20 degrees. Front plates of tank hot. Petrol getting short, no other tanks near – impossible to report except by pigeon. Infantry in shell holes unable to advance.1

  * * *

  These were the vivid recollections of Second Lieutenant Horace Birks as he took his tank into action on 20 November 1917, in what would be one of the defining battles of the First World War, and perhaps of any modern war. During the attack Birks was only dimly aware of the other tanks advancing around him, but among them he could easily have caught a glimpse of D51 Deborah, the principal subject of this story. If so there would have been little to distinguish her, for Deborah was in a sense ordinary – just one of nearly 380 British fighting tanks that attacked the strongly-held German positions before the French town of Cambrai a century ago. In another sense, though, she is unique: for Deborah is thought to be the only one of those tanks still in existence, having been buried on the battlefield through a quirk of fate, and reclaimed through a miracle of archaeology.