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The Tanks at Messines. 7th June 1917.
2 Company. A Battalion with 16th and 19th Divisions, IX Corps, 2nd Army (OH)
2 Company intended to get 8 tanks into action on 7th June 1917 (W22)
2 Company - OIC Maj. Keating, 2IC Maj. Clough
5 section - Capt. Blackburn, Eric Dean
A21, 2022, Lt Henderson, Lionel Edward
A22, 2677, 2Lt McCrostie, Hugh Cecil
A23, 2678, 2Lt Green, Horace George William
A25, 2030, 2Lt Dunman , Charles Norman Innes
6 section - Capt. Carew, Hallowell
A26, 2687, Lt Blackwood, Walker Lennox
A27, 2681, 2Lt Munro, William
A28, 2027, 2Lt Wilson, Allan Stanley
A30, 2051, 2Lt Barker, James Steven
7 Section - Supply section (W1)
A32, 2Lt McLean
A34, 773, 2Lt De Faye
Note
8 section, A36, A37, A38 and A39, was in Army Reserve (IX Corps) and did not see action on 7th June 1917. (W1)
Crew A32 was possibly with tank 774 which is listed as being with crew A31, 2Lt McLean in the list in the Battalion's War diary dated to June or July 1917.
Orders
Zero at 3:10am
5 Section - With 19th Division, 56 Brigade (WO 95-101-2, p63)
Start point - New Farm, N6b.5.5 (W1) (N8b.5.4 (W22))
To time their advance to reach Catteau Farm at Zero plus 3 hrs 30 mins.
2678 and 2030 - Objectives: Zero house - Obtuse Keep - Onraete Farm - West of Onraete Wood to Estiminet.
2677 and 2022 - Objectives: obstinate trench - obtuse trench - Evans Farm - Bondulle farm
6 Section - with 16th Division, 47 brigade WO 95-101-2, p63)
Start point - Nichols point, N16b.5.8 (W1) (O17c.3.1 (W22))
2681 and 2051 - Objectives: Obvious trench - North house and Black line (system of trenches North East of Wytschaete).
2687 and 2027 - Objectives: Occasion trench - system of trenches East of Wytschaete to Black Line at Staenyzer cabaret and cutting. Also to assist infantry at Oil trench.
Rallying point Onraete Farm.
Account of Operations
5 section
2678 and 2030 both left New Farm at Zero + 40.They then got lost in thick mist on German front line, the tanks crossed the German second line at Zero + 70 mins; 2678 mistook Martins Farm for Catteau Farm and became ditched in marshy ground near Martins Farm. 2030 was just behinf the infantry by the Dammstrasse at Zero + 3hrs, it unditched 2678 but became ditched itself. 2678 then but then broke down and was handed to "A" Battalion Workshops. 2030 was unditched after several hours and then proceed towards Oostervern Wood but met an orderly for the section commander who told the tank to return and rally, which the tank did, ditching briefly en-route. (W1)
2022 and 2677 both started on time, at Zero + 40mins. 2022 got lost in the mist and crossed the German front line 100 yards further north than intended, the tank then ditched three times in the badly crumped ground at Piccadilly Farm. The tank was finally free by 11am when it was ordered to return and rally. Whilst doing so the tank broke down and was left at O14a.5.7. 2677 was hit by a small shell which did little damage just before crossing the German front line. It then may have assisted in unditching 2022 as it too crossed the German front line close to Piccadilly Farm. The tank reached the Blue line 10 minutes before then infantry, then advanced with them towards the Black line but ditched after going 50 yards. It took and hour to unditchd the tank by which time the infantry were far ahead so the tank retuned and rallied. (W1)
This section gave no assistance to the infantry due to the fog, unexpectedly poor going and the mistake OICs made of going to the assistance of their ditched consorts. (W1)
The 19th Division advanced and occupied their objectives, meeting very little opposition (OH)
6 section
2687 left start point at 3am; reached the Blue line half an hour before the infantry and then accompanied them to the black line; where the tank silenced MGs and thus allowed the infantry to advance and capture them. The tank then waited at the Black Line, received orders from the section commander for the afternoon's action and moved to the southern edge of Ostervern Wood to shelter for shellfire. The tank then followed the infantry to the Mauve Line but they did not need assistance. The tank ditched for half an hour at O15d.0.4 and then returned and ran out of fuel 300 yds from the rallying point. (W1)
2027 started at Zero + 20 mins and, using his 6pdrs knocked out two MG emplacements on the black line that had been firing on the infantry. the tank then proceed along Oostervern Wood (W1) before retuning and rallying (W22bg) .
2681 and 2051 moved north of Wytschaete (W22) 2681 joined the infantry on the blue line at 3 hrs 30 mins then advanced with them to the Black line, the enemy surrendered freely and the tank did not fire on them. The tank reached the Estaminet corner at Zero plus 5 hrs 10 Mins only to find the infantry had already advanced, ahead of schedule, the barrage time having been altered. the tank followed the infantry to the Mauve line and was able to observe they had occupied Oil Trench and Ostervern Wood, the tank stayed in support for 45 mins before withdrawing to the rally point. (W1) 2051 crossed the German front line at N18d.2.5 and then ditched twice for over an hour and a half on the western edge of Unnamed Wood. The tank was unditched proceeded to the Black Line and then returned to the rally point. (W1)
The 16th Division advanced and occupied their initial objectives then moved on Wytschaete; B60, 2682 apparently led the Divisions's attack on the village, an "A" Battalion tank, presumably A27, 2681, operating on its left. (OH)(W2a)
7 Section - Supply
A32, Ditched just after Black line
773, Broke down in no mans land was repaired and returned after crew manhandled water supplies forward.
The supply tanks were invaluable as they were the only source of petrol and other essential supplies. (W1)
Summary
Intended: 8
At start: 8
Failed to start: 0
Engaged enemy: 1
Ditched / Broke Down: 3
Hit and Knocked out: 0
Rallied: 5
Aftermath
“A” Battalion adopted official names sometime between the Messines battle and the start of 3rd Ypres on 31st July; these names all began with the Battalion’s letter (i.e. “A”). The following names were given to the following tanks.
2022, "Andromeda"; 2677, "Auldreekie"; 2678, "Aviatik"; 2030, "Aristotle"; 2687, "Adventuress"; 2681, "Aberdonia"; 2027, "Amulet"; 2051, "Argyle"; 773, "Albion".
All eight fighting tanks were in action again on 31st July 1917.
773 and 774 both appear on the battalion list written in June or July 1917, they probably remained with the battalion until October 1917 when they were replaced with MK IV top tower supply tanks and sent to Central Workshops.
Sources
W1 - War Diary 1st / "A" tank Battalion - Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.
W22 - Messines Ridge Battlegraphs in PRO WO 95 / 101
H1 – 1st Battalion’s War History. Transcription from Bovington Tank Museum
OH - Official History. 1917. Vol 2. Pg.59; Pg.64; Pg.68
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