Chapter I: Front Matter

A Company of Tanks

"The words of an eye-witness, flowing naturally from first impressions, are frequently more expressive, and convey ideas more just than studied descriptions; though the language may often be such as it would scarcely be allowable in other persons to write."

CAPTAIN JAMES BURNEY, 1806.

A Company of Tanks

BY

MAJOR W. H. L. WATSON
D.S.O., D.C.M.
AUTHOR OF 'ADVENTURES OF A DESPATCH-RIDER'

_WITH SKETCH MAPS_

William Blackwood and Sons
Edinburgh and London
1920

_ALL RIGHTS RESERVED_

_TO

PATRICK AND DAVID._

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE

I. ON THE XIth CORPS FRONT 1
(_October to December 1916._)

II. FRED KARNO'S ARMY 14
(_January to April 1917._)

III. BEFORE THE FIRST BATTLE 26
(_March and April 1917._)

IV. THE FIRST BATTLE OF BULLECOURT 50
(_April 11, 1917._)

V. THE SECOND BATTLE OF BULLECOURT 73
(_May 3, 1917._)

VI. REST AND TRAINING 89
(_May and June 1917._)

VII. THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES--PREPARATIONS 111
(_July 1917._)

VIII. THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES--ST JULIEN 131
(_August 1917._)

IX. THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES--THE POELCAPELLE ROAD 148
(_September and October 1917._)

X. THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI--FLESQUIERES 162
(_November 4th to 20th, 1917._)

XI. THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI--BOURLON WOOD 182
(_November 21st to 23rd, 1917._)

XII. THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI--GOUZEAUCOURT 194
(_November 24th to December 1st, 1917._)

XIII. HAVRINCOURT TO HARROW 210
(_December 1st, 1917, to January 31st, 1918._)

XIV. THE CARRIER TANKS 224
(_January 31st to August 1st, 1918._)

XV. THE BATTLE OF AMIENS 237
(_August 1st to August 27th, 1918._)

XVI. THE HINDENBURG LINE 257
(_August 27th to October 8th, 1918._)

XVII. THE SECOND BATTLE OF LE CATEAU 275
(_October 9th to October 30th, 1918._)

XVIII. THE END OF THE WAR 290
(_October 31st, 1918, to January 12th, 1919._)

A Company of Tanks.