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