“Further north the attack had met with considerable success, except that the village of Beaumont-Hamel had held out for some hours. Tanks had been called upon to assist, and two of them had advanced along the road to Beaumont-Hamel; just about the time that they reached the village the remainder of the German garrison capitulated. Between Beaumont-Hamel and the river Ancre a considerable body of Germans were holding out in the enemy front and support trenches; although troops of the 63rd Division had reached the outskirts of Beaucourt well in the rear of this body of men, they continued to hold out throughout the day. Tanks were again called upon to deal with this situation. They reached the position the next morning, being led up by a trench mortar officer of the Division concerned. One Tank succeeded in crossing the very large German front trench, but, unfortunately, became stuck soon afterwards; the second Tank came to grief just before it reached the enemy front trench. It appeared that a deadlock had again been reached, and the crews of the Tanks were in a precarious position. On examining the ground about them the Officer Commanding the leading Tank (which incidentally was leading no longer, since it was stuck and all too stationary) noticed that the whole area appeared to be shimmering with white. On opening the front flap of the Tank and obtaining a better view, it was seen that all the German garrison, some 400 in number, appeared to have found something white to wave in token of surrender; those who could not produce anything better were waving lumps of chalk about or bits of board or rifle-stocks which they had rapidly chalked white. The situation was rather an embarrassing one for so small a number as the crew of Two Tanks to deal with; fortunately, however, it was possible by signs, and with the assistance of the infantry, to ‘mop up’ these 400 prisoners before they realised that both the Tanks were stuck and out of action. “Some of the worst of the ground was now in our line, and an effort was made to get the Tanks through this bad zone in order that they might continue to attack in the neighbourhood of Beaucourt. Efforts were made to prepare a track for the Tanks by means of a considerable digging party, but when the Tanks reached the very broken ground just north of the Ancre, they became one after another firmly stuck; with enormous efforts they were dug out, and succeeded in getting a few yards further, only to stick again. It was heart-breaking work, which would undoubtedly have been rendered far easier if the Tanks had then had the unditching beams which were only introduced some time later.