B Battalion OB. 31st July 1917

WORK IN PROGRESS

4 Company 23^rd August 1917 ^(W22):

1 Section - Capt Groves HBM

B3, 2520, “Blue Bird”, Lt Goodhall AH

B4, 2043, "Bulwark", 2Lt Chambers PC

B5, 2511, “Bystander”, 2Lt Colley EV

B33, 2707, f, “Bushranger”, 2Lt Lane WI

Notes:

Tank names and commanders from the Report on action of tanks ^(W2a)

B3 and B5 Crew numbers from the Summary of battle history sheets. ^(W22)

2043 is missing from the summary of battle history sheets, presumably because it failed to start.

2707 is not given a crew number in the summary of battle history sheets, it has the crew number B33 in the list in the war diary ^(W2) , it was possibly with a different crew on this date.

4 Company 22^nd August 1917 ^(W22):

2 Section ^(W22)

B11, 2771, “Bison”, Lt Dalby A.A.

B12, 2555, “Boadicea”, 2Lt Dickens D.T.J.

B13, 2567, “Bear”, 2Lt Simpson A.G.

B14, 2041, “Belladonna”, 2Lt Bentafield H.W.

Notes:

Crew Commanders names from list in B Battalion War diary, may not be correct for 22^nd August ^(W2)_.

B14 is given the serial number 2014 in the Battle report, but is listed as 2041 in both 7^th June (Messines) and 31^st July Battle graphs in 2^nd Brigade War Diary ^(W22).

All other information from Battle reports for 22^nd August in 2^nd Brigade War Diary ^(W22).

1 and 4 Companies attempted to get 7 tanks into action on 27^th August 1917

"B" Battalion section - OIC Capt Partington

3 unidentified tanks

One commanded by Lt Coulson ^(W2)

5 Company

Company Commander: Maj F. Tucker. 2IC: Capt G.B. Cokell. R.O: Lt S. Doward

5 Section Capt Dudgeon EB

B22, 2037, m, “Buccaneer”, 2Lt Crerar A,

B23, 2700, f, “Bandit”, Lt Simpson W,

B24, 2019, m, “Brigand”, Lt Vans Agnew F

B25, 2663, f, “Barbarian”, 2Lt Brockwell S.A.,

6 Section Capt Lambert RG in B29

B26, 2786, "Bayardo", 2Lt Cox L.H.

B27, 2007, m, "Bloodstone", 2Lt Hoyland WL,

B28, 2038, m, "Black Arrow", 2Lt Ramsden W.G.,

B29, 2674, f, "Ballyhackle", 2Lt Birnie W.J.G,

7 Section Capt Diamond HW

B31, 2020, m, "Bohemian", 2Lt Porter G.E.

B32, 2039, m, "Baron", 2Lt Thompson G.E.V.

B33, 2707, f, "Bushranger", 2Lt Gordon Clarke N.J.

B35, 2675, f, "Bogey", 2Lt Doyle J.E.

Supply

B39, 712, “Badger” 2Lt Thomas EA

B40, 726, “Buffalo”, Lt Craig WA

Notes:

Tank Names and Supply tank details from list in B Battalion War dairy ^(W2).

Tank Sexes from 7^th June (Messines) Battle graph in 2^nd Brigade War Diary ^(W22).

Other information from 31^st July Battle graph in 2^nd Brigade War Diary ^(W22).

In "Following the Tanks" Barbarian II" is given WD number 2663, it is possible the WD number is correct and the original "Barbarian" fought at Cambrai.

6 Company

9 Section. Lt Harcourt A.C.

B41, 2035, m, “Boomerang”, 2Lt Tuite MAW

B42, 2699, f, "Battle Axe", 2Lt Spedding RK

B43, 2008, m, “Buluwayo”, 2Lt Evans CM

B44, 2665, f, "Behemoth" , 2Lt Townsend FJ

11 Section Lt Scrutton A.E.

B45, 2015, m, “Blunderbuss”, 2Lt Dancy H

B48, 2664, f, "Blue Bow", 2Lt Boag H

B46, 2036

B47, 2561, f, "Bridget", 2Lt Palmer DA This tank fought with 12 section

12 Section Capt Morrison CF

B49, 2668, "Britannia", 2Lt Henderson T

B50, 2013, m, ”Brian Boru”, 2Lt Hamlet FA

B51, 2034

B52, 2774, ”Benbow”, 2Lt Clarke BR

Supply

B18, 775

B54, 746

Spare Tank (from 4 Company)

B13, 2718, f, “Backslider” - No crew or OIC.

Notes:

All the above tanks except B47, 2561 and B52, 2774 had been with the company at Messines. The crews had apparently been renumbered.

B51 and B46 are not listed on the Battle graph but are listed in the orders. Crew B51 were with tank 2034 at Cambrai, this tank had also been at Messines. B46 is presumably 2036 which had been with 6 Company at Messines but wasn't present at Cambrai.

Section numbers from 95-109.

2718 tank name from list in 2^nd Battalion War Diary ^(W2)_.

^{Names of B42, B48, B50 and B53 all from "Following the Tanks" (S37) and Ian Verrinder (S73.p198). B50's name also used by Signaller Sydney Fuller (X59.p120)}

Other tank names from "Notes on tank operation on 31st July ^(W73)

Tank Sexes from 7 June (Messines) Battle graph in 2^nd Brigade War Diary ^(W22)_.

Signaller Sydney Fuller witnessed the tanks advance and says four were called "Brian Boru", "Boomerang", "Britannia" and "Bentley" ^(X59.p120).

B47, 2668 and B49, 2561 were called “Bridget” and “ Britannia”, though which tank had which name is unclear, both tanks were knocked out. ^(W73). Ian Verrinder says B49 was "Britannia" and B47 was "Bridget" in his narrative ^(S78.p76f) but lists them the other way round in his list as does "Following the Tanks" ^(S78.p198)

In "Following the Tanks" B47, 2668, is called “Beaver”;- 2Lt Henderson T, with Crew B49, was in charge of "Britannia" 2868; - “Bridget” was tank 2034, B51, Lt Palmer ^(S37).

2034 cannot be Bridget as 2034 was still with the Battalion at Cambrai whereas "Bridget" was lost on 31st July ^(W73). It therefore seems likely "Following the Tanks" is wrong and Bridget was "2561"; "Beaver" is presumably "2034"

2034 had been with the battalion at Messines, and thus its identification as "Beaver" seems likely.

2668 didn't fight at Cambrai as it was was lying derelict near Hooge until after the war (numerous photographs). 2868 is too high a serial number for July 31^st and was "Blunderbuss II" at Cambrai ^S78

A photograph of the Knocked out 2668 may show the remains of the tops of letters on the front Glacis, they are presumably the top end "NNIA". (Britain at War (2009) Press Association, p.56).

^{Supply tank crew numbers may be swapped.}

^{31 July 1917 - Tank Battalion OB}