2 Battalion OB 8 August 1918
2 BattalionOB. 8th August 1918
2 Battalion had 35 tanks in action on 8th August 1918 (W21):
A Company – Major Diamond HV MC (H2)
1 section
9016, 2Lt Clarke AJ
9302, 2Lt Clarke ADM
9067, 2Lt Greenwood P
2 section
9019, 2Lt Somper JJ
B14, 9299, "Bodecea", 2Lt Harrison HD
9066, 2Lt Baxter ES
3 section
9327, 2Lt Cann WG
9257, 2Lt Whitehead A. MM
9002, 2Lt Stammers AE
4 section
9312, 2Lt Deans JK. MM
9305, 2Lt Teale FA
9031, Lt McLean RC
B Company – Major Scrutton AE (H2)
5 section – Captain Hoylans, (W2)
B26, 9034, "Buffalo III", Lt Cornish W
B28, 9017, "Bison III", Lt Wright WTC
B36, 9300, "Byon II", Lt Martin A
6 section – Captain Ramsden (w18aus)
B37, 9035, "Bushranger III", Sgt Hadlow BW
9041, Lt Coe HJ
A third tank which failed to start.
7 section - Captain Porter (w19aus)
B21, 9414, "Belicoze II", Lt Todd AS
B22, 9402, "Bantam II", Lt Allison JA
B23, 9094, “Baronet”, Lt Craig WA
8 section – Captain Auden (w17aus)
B33, 9013, "Blighty II, Lt Samuals TR
B34, 9415, "Bunty", Lt Botterill GV
B27, 9309, "Buffoon II", Lt Rothery A
C Company – Major Crouch TA DSO (H2)
9 Section
9432, 2Lt James AS
B4?, 9004, 2Lt Tattersfield
9314, 2Lt Cahill JJ
10 Section
9401, Sgt Smith WE
9325, 2Lt Rendle NC
9009, Lt Percy-Fade PR
11 section
9398, 2Lt Gorringe PH
9010, 2Lt Albertson AH
9077, 2Lt Dearburg SG
12 section
9359, 2Lt Hedges WR
9256, 2Lt Green WT
B56, 9003, "Barrhead", 2Lt Cameron D
Also, possibly spare tanks:
B31, 9006, "Buccaneer II"
B32, 9320, "Blackleg II"
B39, 9046, "Bandit II"
Supply tanks
1 section (6 tanks) of Top towers attached from Maj. Watsons 4 Tank Supply Company (originally from 5 tank Supply Company). (W2a)
5th and 7th Australian Brigades - One Gun Carrier Supply tank each (w28Aus)
1 Section, 1 Gun Carrier Company. (w28Aus)
112, “Auld Reekie” (w28Aus)
137, “Leeds” (w28Aus)
8th Australian Brigade (W15bAus)
5 GC tanks, listed in 13th Battalions Narrative.
15th Australian Brigade – 4 Gun Carrier supply tanks (W15bAus)
135, “Eastbourne”
109, “Bath”, 2 Lt W Saunders
146, “Jarrow”
101, “Charlton”, Capt HC Raxton
Notes
Section allocations a guess.
B46, "Britannia", male, filmed behind British lines: IWM 286: 2.35 - 3.14 http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060022769
presumably one of "C" company's males: 9009 or 9010, though 9004 can't be ruled out.
B6 photographed moving forward with other male tanks, unknown date: IWM Q 46130: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205280259
First part of 9004 crew number from photograph;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/937584518/in/set-721Lt Coe's tank57601074581465
One “C” Company tank was knocked out by shellfire on the night of the 5/6th. It was replaced by a spare tank that had been painted up as a Comic tank and used as a side show at the recent brigade sports. (H2)
B56 details from narrative (S42.p148) and photograph (X52 cover)
All other crew numbers and names, and all possible spare tank details, from Provisional Tank Identification List, A Huygelier (SBv BMA)
B39, 9406, may be Lt Coe's tank or it may be the tank which broke down and failed to start.
Sources
W2 – 2ND Battalion War Diary, Report on Operations of 8th August 1918. Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.
W2a – 2ND Battalion War Diary, Report on Operations of 8th August 1918 and
Account of Action of 2nd battalion form Afternoon 8th August to evening of 9th August 1918
H2 – 2nd Battalion War History, Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.
W25 – 5th Tank Brigade War Diary – Relevant report on operations. PRO WO 95 / 112
W25bg – 5th Tank Brigade War Diary – Relevant Battlegraph. PRO WO 95 / 112
OH – Official History, 1918, Vol IV, pg.62ff
W5bAus – War Diary of 5th Australian Infantry Brigade. Downloaded.
Initial report of operations 8th August 1918.
Fifth Australian Infantry Brigade Order No. 207.
W7bAus – War Diary of 5th Australian Infantry Brigade. Downloaded.
Seventh Australian Infantry Brigade Order No. 211.
Report of operations carried out on the morning of 8th August 1918.
W17aus – War Diary of 17th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W18aus – War Diary of 18th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W19aus – War Diary of 19th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W20aus – War Diary of 20th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W26aus – War Diary of 26th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W27aus – War Diary of 27th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
W28aus – War Diary of 28th Australian battalion. Downloaded from AWM.
SBv BMA - Provisional Tank Identification List, A Huygelier