The Values of Cambrai: Recognised Today?
“It remains for unit Commanders and for Tank crews to complete the work by judgement and pluck in the battle itself.”
This was part of the message from the Commander of the Tank Corps, Brigadier-General H. J. Elles. CB, DSO, on 19 November 1917 … the eve of the Battle of Cambrai.
Although the word is no longer widely used today, the idea of ‘pluck’, i.e. ‘spirited and determined courage’, is still well recognised and accepted. Interestingly, more significance today is probably given to the idea of battlefield ‘judgement’.
There is much written about courage in the context of warriors in battle; much less about the role of judgement in this respect. While the idea of ‘divine judgement’ gets a good airing in the literature, it was obviously a different judgement that the Commander of the Tank Corps was wanting to encourage in his tank crews. Something to do with individual decision making, presumably.
Soldiers on the battlefield are used to being judged … usually on the basis of their bravery, sacrifice, and impact on the battle (as is frequently the case in warrior traditions). But, here, Brig Elles is exhorting his crews to make good decisions; saying, in effect, that the choices they make will be just as important to the outcome, as the courage with which they pursue them.
Elles makes the important point (one which all ‘tankies’ would support) it’s not just tank commanders whose judgement is vital … the whole crew carries that responsibility.
The success of 20 November 1917 was the direct result of ‘shock action’, achieved by the employment of tanks ‘en masse’ and by the sustained judgement and courage of their crews in action.
One has to wonder how long judgement can be sustained in terms of always making the right decision. There is no doubt that the decision to strip the tanks from 1 Armd Regt and make it a non-combatant Combat Experimentation Group after 75 years’ service, was absolutely wrong. Did the Chief of Army wake up one day and decide this is what he was going to do? Of course, not … this was action planned well in advance, albeit by a seemingly small group.
How could heritage and tradition, accrued over 75 years, be allowed to amount to nothing? Theoretically, consultation with those affected would prevent such a travesty … but obviously this didn’t happen. Indeed, 1 Armd Regt veterans and stakeholders were completely ‘ambushed’ in September 2023, when the Defence Strategic Review was released. This, at least, is their understanding … but, in reality, who knows what levers were being manipulated behind everyone’s back?
There had to be a separate agenda at work. As we now know, the Chief of Army needed a unit to make up lost time in managing emerging technologies. As a tank regiment, 1 Armd Regt’s operating costs would be more than that of any other RAAC unit (and pressure to make budgetary savings to pay for AUKUS subs was ‘extreme’). Furthermore, 1 Armd Regt was located in Adelaide and the South Australian Government was about to launch a defence industry initiative.
The real questions remain, however … those dealing with the trust and ethics issues involved. One used to be able to trust those in more senior positions to speak ‘on the level’, even about the most sensitive matters. This no longer seems to be the case.
In terms of stripping tanks from 1 Armd Regt, the RAAC Representative Honorary Colonel, Maj Gen Michael Krause, AM, explains that in his case: “there was zero consultation and zero pre-warning”. He was not invited to participate in any discussions, nor was he aware of any alternative options being considered.
So, where are we placed in terms of upholding the ideals demonstrated at Cambrai … today?
Sadly, without trust, there can be no basis for ideals.
—————–
To finish … General Krause has previously made the following observation:
“It remains your Corps’ expert’s view that the optimal way to train the tanks in Townsville is to provide a dedicated headquarters over them. It is also the optimal way to train 3 Bde’s cavalry. It is not that it is impossible to have 2 Cav look the way it is, it’s just not optimal. I appreciate that this requires careful timing and scarce personnel. Probably of more import is that … 3 Bde only has two Battlegroup Headquarters (BGp HQs). Raising another BGp HQ in 3 Bde should be given a greater priority to solve two problems”.
So … raise RHQ, 1 Armd Regt and have it command the tank squadrons in Townsville, freeing 2 Cav Regt to be a reconnaissance regiment.
It seems so logical … but how will the submarines be paid for?
Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Cameron, MC, RAAC (Ret’d)
.
.
FILE PHOTO: THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1917 (Q 6284) A British Mark IV tank at Wailly. This shows how it would appear to occupants of the German trenches during the Battle of Cambrai. This was the first occasion on which tanks were launched en masse in a surprise attack and it clearly demonstrated the potential of the armoured vehicle. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205124999
.
.
.
.
