2nd Battalion OB 21st March 1918
2nd Battalion OB March 21st 1918 and known prior history of tanks.
The battalion had 30 fighting tanks and 6 supply tanks when it moved to Haplincourt on 12, 13 and 14 March 1918. (W2)
On 20 March three of C Company's tanks moved to Achiet Le Petit for training with the infantry. (W2)
Unless otherwise indicated all the tanks listed below are listed by only by their serial number in the summary in WO 95-93.
2095, B48 was with the battalion at Cambrai where it was was handed to salvage on 30th November 1917, it was returned to the battalion when work on it was completed on 5 January 1918.
The following tanks were with 4 Company at Cambrai:
2555, B6 “Boadicea”
8029, B19, “Black Prince II”
The following nine tanks fought with 5 Company at Cambrai:
2037, B22, “Buccaneer”
2679, B25, “Blackleg”
4671, B26, “Bison II”
6017, B29, “Bijou”
2619, B31, “Bohemian II”
6013, B32, “Baron II”
2795, B34, “Buffoon”
4589, B35, “Bogey II”
2872, B37, “Bushranger II”
6013 and 6017 were supply (wire pulling) tanks at Cambrai and thus Top Towers (W2)
2650 may have fought at Cambrai, with 4 Company, as it was probably transferred from 6 to 4 Coy on 12 Sept 1917. 2560 is written in the transcript but 2560 was with "A" Battalion in Sept 1917.
2866 was with the battalion on 2nd January, no other data
B41 is only listed only by crew number in the summary, it was not 2035 which was lying derelict at Ypres
2 tanks had been with C Battalion at Cambrai:
2055, C57, “Cayenne”
2381, C19, “Clyde II”
2053, C13 was transferred from 3rd to 2nd Battalion on 12th March 1918 (W3), it is not listed in the Summary but was photographed after capture by the Germans, still displaying the crew number C13.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2239311830/in/set-72157601074582281/
3 other tanks had been transferred from 3rd to 2nd Battalion on 8th March 1918 (W3)
2334, had been with C Battalion crew C37 on 18th July 1917, it was hit by a shell and handed to workshops finally being recovered on 8th September 1917.
Source: C Battalion's War Diary
6024 is listed on the Provisional Tank identification list. (SBv BMA)
There is no data on the previous history of the following eight tanks:
2078
2631
2641, "Blacklook"
2735
2819
4570
8007
8027
8052
2862 was moved to a maintenance barn on 16 Jan 1918, and is not listed in Summary
30 tanks.
8116 and 6048 are also is listed on the Provisional Tank identification list. (SBv BMA), these tanks were with other battalions in March 1918
That 2641 was "Blacklook" name is extrapolated from the medal citation for Pte Dowdell in the Tank Corps Book of Honour (W99.p289) which states he drove "Blacklook" out of action on the 22nd March with a dead OIC and six wounded crewman. This description fits the summary entry for 2641 in PRO WO 95-93