Harry Moon and eight fellow members of the Royal Sussex Regiment all volunteered to transfer to B Battalion Machine Gun Corps in January 1917, (later the Tank Corps) to serve in the revolutionary MK IV Tanks. After describing his experiences, training and fighting on the Somme, with the Royal Sussex the book concentrates on service in tanks. The first action was at Messines in the MKIV and Harry's story is embellished with accounts of gallantry by others and anecdotes. After the battle he took part in two tank demonstrations for Royalty. The 3rd Battle of Ypres followed in July 1917 resulting in the death of one of Harry's fellow volunteers. A full and thrilling account of the mass use of armour at Cambrai follows after descriptions of trials of fascines and barbed wire clearing equipment. The Battalion successfully achieved their first, second and third objectives. This was celebrated with a white table cloth lunch on the Hindenburg Support Wire! Disaster was to follow at the attack on Fontaine-Notre-Dame on 23 November where there were 70% casualties. This debacle is analysed in detail. AUTHOR: Ian Verrinder lives at Ash Vale, Surrey SELLING POINTS: ? Describes the experiences of a tank crewman on the Western Front. ? Covers tank actions at the battles of Messines, 3rd Ypres, Cambrai and at Fontaine-Notre-Dame. ? Uses personal accounts, Battle History reports and the Battalion War Diary. ? A superb description of the early use of armour in war and the dangers for the crews. ILLUSTRATIONS 16 pages of b/w plates
