“Under the skilled tactical leadership of Major-General (substantive) William Heneker, the defending British 8th Division’s sector protecting Villers-Bretonneux included 25th Brigade north of the Roman road, with its 2nd Rifle Brigade forward, 2nd Royal Berkshire in support, and 2nd East Lancashire garrisoning the town. The tanks met near Cachy, to the south.Īs David Higgins explains in ‘Mark IV vs A7V: Villers-Bretonneux 1918’: The tank clash was really a side element of the larger battle taking place largely in and around Villers-Bertonneux. One of these was a male, or ‘bull’ tank, equipped with two 6-pounder artillery guns and three machine guns those equipped entirely with five Lewis machine guns were in turn labelled as female tanks, or ‘bitches’. Those that would actually be at the forefront of the battle were the three British tanks of 1 Section, ‘A’ Company, 1 Battalion. Of course, the Allies anticipated an attack and a defending force of British, French, Australian and Moroccan troops was cobbled together, supported by Mark IV tanks, Mark A Whippets (light tanks) and French Renault FTs.
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