Great Britain. Army. Royal Tank Corps; Tanks (Military science)
I proceeded further east, still
parallel to the railway, and approached carefully a small valley
marked on my map as containing Boche hutments. As I entered the
valley (between Bayonvillers and Harbonnières) at right angles,
many enemy were visible packing kits and others retiring. On our
opening fire on the nearest, many others appeared from huts, making
for the end of the valley, their object being to get over the
embankment and so out of our sight. We accounted for many of these.
I cruised round, Ribbans went into one of the huts and returned,
and we counted about sixty dead and wounded. There were evidences
of shell-fire amongst the huts, but we certainly accounted for most
of the casualties counted there. I turned left from the railway
and cruised across country, as lines of enemy infantry could be
seen retiring. We fired at these many times at ranges of 200 yards
to 600 yards. These targets were fleeting, owing to the enemy
getting down into the corn when fired on. In spite of this, many
casualties must have been inflicted, as we cruised up and down for
at least an hour. I did not see any more of our troops or machines
after leaving the cavalry patrols already referred to. During the
cruising, being the only machine to get through, we invariably
received intense rifle and machine-gun fire. I would here beg to
suggest that no petrol be carried on the outside of the machine,
as under orders we were carrying nine tins of petrol on the roof,
for refilling purposes when well into the enemy lines (should
opportunity occur). The perforated tins allowed the petrol to run
all over the cab. These fumes, combined with the intense bullet
splash and the great heat after being in action (by this time) nine
to ten hours, made it necessary at this point to breathe through
the mouth-piece of the box respirator, without actually wearing the
mask.
[Illustration: MOVING UP. BATTLE OF AMIENS]
[Illustration: THE ARMOURED CARS GOING UP]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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