2^nd Tank Brigade’s Tank allocation at Cambrai

The exact number of tanks allocated to 2^nd Tank Brigade is a little unclear.

Fighting tanks

A Battalion – 36 tanks ^(W1a)

B Battalion – 36 tanks ^(W2a)

H Battalion – 36 tanks ^(W8a)

Spare tanks

A Battalion – at least 3 tanks ^(W)

B Battalion – 6 tanks ^(W2a)

H Battalion – 4 tanks ^(W8a)

Total Fighting tanks

A Battalion – 36 tanks ^(W1a) and 3 spare –39 tanks

B Battalion – 36 fighting and 6 spare – 42 tanks ^(W2a)

H Battalion – 36 fighting and 4 spare - 40 tanks ^(W8a)

Supply tanks

A Battalion – 3 tanks ^(W1a)

B Battalion – 2 tanks ^(W23a)

H Battalion – 2 tanks, W8a, W71b

Wire pulling tanks

A Battalion – 3 tanks ^(W1a)

B Battalion – 4 tanks ^{(W23a) (W2)}

H Battalion – 4 tanks, W8a, W71b

Total Brigade allocation (possible)

A Battalion 45 tanks ^(W1a)

B Battalion 48 tanks ^(W2a)

H Battalion 46 tanks ^(W8a)

Total – A = 45, B = 48, H = 46 = 139 tanks

Notes:

A battalion were detached to 3^rd Brigade on the 20^th.

The Wire Pulling tanks were all detached to form a separate company on the 20^th.

“A” battalion appears to have deployed one wire pullers as a third supply tank.

"B" Battalion deployed one wire puller as a cable layer for the cavalry ^(WHM)

14 Company had 14 tanks when they entrained at Plateau on the 16^th. This number excludes the companies’ two wire pullers which arrived later.

B Battalion entrained 4 train loads of 12 tanks each at Plateau, 12 for each company and 12 Spares / Wire pullers / Supply tanks. (W2a)

As the battalion is known to have received 2 Supply and 4 Wire pulling tanks ^(W23e) this leaves it with 6 spare tanks, 2 per company.

The author has been unable to determine the exact number of Spare tanks in A Battalion, but 4 or 6 seems likely based on other battalion's allocations.

Sources

W2 – War Diary of 2^nd Tank Battalion Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum

W2a – War Diary of 2^nd tTank Battalion PRO WO 95/113

Movement order No. 2

W8a – War Diary of 8^th Tank Battalion PRO WO 95/114

Preliminary report on Assembly and Movement Forward and Actions of 20^th, 21^st and 23^rd November 1917.

W71b - War Diary of 71 Infantry Brigade - Pdf Download from PRO Kew - PRO-WO-95-1619-5_2 p44

W23e – Train timetable prior to Cambrai PRO 95/104

1st Tank Brigade. Tank allocation at Cambrai

2nd Tank Brigade. Tank allocation at Cambrai

3rd Tank Brigade. Tank allocation at Cambrai

Cambrai Narratives