CHAPTERXI

chapterxi

peoplewhoreadmywardespatcheswillremembermyfirstdescriptionsofthetanksandthoseofothercorrespondents.theycausedasensation,asenseofexcitement,laughterwhichshookthenationbecauseofthecomicality,thegrotesquesurprise,thepossibilityofquickervictory,whichcaughtholdoftheimaginationofpeoplewhoheardforthefirsttimeofthosenewenginesofwar,sobeast-likeinappearanceandperformance.thevaguenessofourdescriptionswasduetothecensorship,whichforbade,wiselyenough,anytechnicalandexactdefinition,sothatwehadtocomparethemtogianttoads,mammoths,andprehistoricanimalsofallkinds.ouraccountsdid,however,reproducethepsychologicaleffectofthetanksuponthebritishtroopswhentheseenginesappearedforthefirsttimetotheirastonishedgazeonseptember13th.oursoldiersroaredwithlaughter,asidid,whentheysawthemlollopinguptheroads.onthemorningofthegreatbattleofseptember15ththepresenceofthetanksgoingintoactionexcitedallthetroopsalongthefrontwithasenseofcomicalreliefinthemidstofthegrimanddeadlybusinessofattack.menfollowedthem,laughingandcheering.therewasawonderfulthrillintheairman'smessage,“tankwalkingupthehighstreetofflerswiththebritisharmycheeringbehind.”woundedboyswhomimetthatmorninggrinnedinspiteoftheirwoundsatourfirstwordaboutthetanks.“crikey!”saidacockneyladofthe47thdivision.“ican'thelplaughingeverytimeithinkofthemtanks.isawthemstampingdowngermanmachine-gunsasthoughtheywerewasps'nests.”theadventuresofcremedementhe,cordonrouge,andthebyngboys,onbothsidesofthebapaumeroad,whentheysmasheddownbarbedwire,climbedovertrenches,satongermanredoubts,andreceivedthesurrenderofgermanprisonerswhoheldtheirhandsuptothesemonstersandcried,“kamerad!”werelikefairy-talesofwarbyh.g.wells.

yettheirromancehadasharpedgeofrealityasisawinthosebattlesofthesomme,andafterward,moregrievously,inthecambraisalientandflanders,whenthetankswereputoutofactionbydirecthitsoffield-gunsandnothingofhumankindremainedinthembutthecharredbonesoftheirgallantcrews.

beforethebattleinseptemberof'16italkedwiththepilotsofthefirsttanks,andalthoughtheywereconvincedofthevalueofthesenewenginesofwarandwereouttoproveit,theydidnotdisguisefrommenorfromtheirownsoulsthattheyweregoingforthuponaperilousadventurewiththeoddsofluckagainstthem.irememberoneyoungpilot—atinyfellowlikeajockey,whotookmeononesideandsaid,“iwantyoutodomeafavor,”andthenscribbleddownhismother'saddressandaskedmetowritetoherif“anything”happenedtohim.

heandothertankofficerswereanxious.theyhadnotcompleteconfidenceinthesteeringandcontroloftheirengines.itwasadifficultandclumsykindofgear,whichwasapttobreakdownatacriticalmoment,asisawwhenirodeinoneontheirfieldofmaneuver.thesefirsttankswereonlyexperimental,andthetailarrangementwasveryweak.worsethanallmechanicaltroubleswastheshort-sightedpolicyofsomeauthorityatg.h.q.,whohadinsistedupona.s.c.driversbeingputtothisjobafewdaysbeforethebattle,withoutpropertraining.

“itismadandmurderous,”saidoneoftheofficers,“thesefellowsmayhavepluck,allright—idon'tdoubtit—buttheydon'tknowtheirengines,northedoublesteeringtrick,andtheyhaveneverbeenundershell-fire.itisaskingfortrouble.”

asitturnedout,thea.s.c.driversprovedtheirpluck,forthemostpart,splendidly,butmanytanksbrokedownbeforetheyreachedtheenemy'slines,andinthatactionandlaterbattlesthereweretimeswhentheybitterlydisappointedtheinfantrycommandersandthetroops.

individualtanks,commandedbygallantyoungofficersandservedbybravecrews,didastoundingfeats,andsomeofthesemencamebackdazedanddeafanddumb,afterfortyhoursormoreoffightingandmaneuveringwithinsteelwalls,intenselyhot,filledwiththefumesoftheirengines,joltedandbangedaboutoverroughground,andsteeringanuncertaincourse,afterthelossoftheir“tails,”whichhadsnappedatthespine.buttherehadnotbeenanythinglikeenoughtankstosecureanannihilatingsurpriseovertheenemyasafterwardwasattainedinthefirstbattleofcambrai;andthetroopswhohadbeenbuoyedupwiththehopethatatlastthemachine—gunevilwasgoingtobescotchedweredisillusionedanddejectedwhentheysawtanksditchedbehindthelinesornowhereinsightwhenonceagaintheyhadtotrudgeforwardundertheflailofmachine-gunbulletsfromearthworkredoubts.itwasafailureingeneralshiptogiveawayoursecretbeforeitcouldbemadeeffective.

iremembersittinginamessofthegordonsinthevillageoffranvillersalongthealbertroad,andlisteningtoalongmonologuebyagordonofficeronthefutureofthetanks.hewasadreamerandvisionary,andhisfellow-officerslaughedathim.

“afewtanksarenogood,”hesaid.“fortyorfiftytanksarenogoodonamodernbattle-front.wewanthundredsoftanks,broughtupsecretly,fedwithammunitionbytankcarriers,bringingupfield-gunsandgoingintoactionwithoutanypreliminarybarrage.theycansmashthroughtheenemy'swireandgetoverhistrenchesbeforeheisawarethatanattackhasbeenorganized.uptonowallouroffensiveshavebeenfutilebecauseofourpreliminaryadvertisementbyprolongedbombardment.thetankscanbringbacksurprisetomodernwarfare,butwemusthavehundredsofthem.”

prolongedlaughtergreetedthisspeech.butthecelticdreamerdidnotsmile.hewasstaringintothefuture...andwhathesawwastrue,thoughhedidnotlivetoseeit,forinthecambraibattleofnovember11ththetanksdidadvanceinhundreds,andgainedanenormoussurpriseovertheenemy,andledthewaytoastrikingvictory,whichturnedtotragedybecauseofriskstoolightlytaken.