7 June 1917 - 5 Company
The Tanks at Messines. 7th June 1917.
5 Company. B Battalion with 4th Australian Division, ANZAC Corps and 11th Division, IX Corps (H2), 2nd Army
5 Company intended to get 12 tanks into action on 7th June 1917 (W21)
5 Section - Capt Dudgeon
B22, 2037, "Lucifer", Lt Williamson
B23, 2700, "Old Emma", 2Lt Ley
B24, 2019, "Rumblebelly", 2Lt Vans-Agnew
B25, 2663, 2Lt Brockwell
6 Section - Capt. Crouch TA
B26, 2007, Lt Philips
B27, 2672, 2Lt Hoyland, WL
B28, 2674, 2Lt Ramsden
B29, 2038, 2Lt Birme
7 Section - Capt. Diamond
B31, 2020, 2Lt Porter, GE
B32, 2039, "Baby Mine", 2Lt Thompson, GEV
B33, 2707, 2Lt Gordon-Clarke
B35, 2675, 2Lt Doyle
8 Section, Supply - Capt. Lambert
B37, 712, "Dodo", Lt Dalby
B40, 726, 2Lt Craig
Note
2037, 2700 and 2019 of 5 Section were called "Lucifer", "Old Emma" and "Rumblebelly" (OH)
Sketches were drawn indicating the location of hits on tanks, these are now in PRO WO 95-101 (W22), 2707, 2700, 2020, 2037, 2039 and "Rumblebelly" are the only tanks from 5 Company whose sketches are still extant.
Thus "Rumblebelly" must be 2019 as this is the only other male in 5 section; 2037 and 2700 must be "Lucifer" and "Old "Emma", presumably the female tank would be "Old Emma" and the male "Lucifer", though this may not have been the case.
2039's name from crew testimony (S78.p62)
A photograph http://www.flickr.com/photos/7700258@N05/2930537876/in/set-72157601073014868/ shows "Dodo" carrying supplies and bearing the Battalion / crew identity
B 5
8
3 7
the B5 at the top is the battalion letter and company number, the 8 is the section number and the 37 is the crew number.
"Dodo" also named in an account by Lt Dalby (S78.p61)
Orders
5 Company were in Army reserve. At 10:40am they were ordered to support the II ANZAC Corps attack on the Oosttarverne Line, south from Oosterverne to the River Douvre South East of Messines. (H2)
Once the black line was secured by the New Zealand and 25th Divisions the 49th and 52nd AIF Battalions would move forward from their positions of deployment in the old German support trenches and then capture the Green Line. 33rd Brigade on the left and 12th AIF Brigade on the right. (W13baus)
12 tanks were to support the attack, four moving south of Messines against the system of trenches in A4a and A4c; eight north of Messines against the line between O34a.6.6 and O22c.8.2. (W12baus)
5 section to support 12th Brigade, 4th Australian Division between O34 central and U4 central. (W2a)
12th Australian Brigade attacked with two battalions in line, 45th AIF on the left and 47th AIF on the right. (W12baus) (OH)
6 section to support 13th Brigade, 4th Australian Division between O28 central and O34 central. (W2a)
13th Australian Brigade attacked with two battalions in line, 52nd AIF on the left and 49th AIF on the right. (W49aus)
7 section to support 33rd Brigade, 11th Division between O28 central and the Wambeek. (W2a) (16th Division in 95-101 p 62)
At 11:30am it was communicated that Zero hour was 3:10pm
The infantry were told they would be operating with tanks, but the operation was planned to take no account of them. (W49aus)
Account of Operations
The company started forward at 11:45am. Two sections North of Messines and one to the south of the village. (H2) Eight tanks reached the Observation Line with the infantry. (OH)
5 section - The southern section
One tank ditched before reaching the Start point, the other three advanced ahead of the infantry (OH).
2663 ditched just before crossing the British Front Line, unditched after 25 mins, ditched again just before German front line, (W22) U3c.4.2 at 2:25am, unditched at 6pm, returned and rallied (W2a)
2037, 2700 and 2019 all took two and a quarter hours to go from the SP to Bethlehem Farm, and 20 minutes to get from there to the objective. (W22) en route, 300 yards from the Oosterverne line they helped capture Oxygen Trench and 120 prisoners therein (OH). They arrived ahead of the infantry (w22) 45th, 47th and 37th AIF Battalions (OH) about O34d.6.5 (W2a) and helped them capture the objective (H2) by firing on the enemy (W22bg). Whilst returning 2019 caught fire four hundred yards from the new German line, this was extinguished by the crew, who were outside the tank under heavy fire (H2) 2019 was at Huns walk for 40 minutes. All three tanks rallied (W2a)
A more detailed account of this section's actions was written by Lt Vans Agnew (S95.p61ff)
6 Section
Only three tanks from the two northern sections, 2020, 2039 and 2672, reached the Objective, and they only after the infatry had captured it. They helped the infantry consolidate and then rallied. Four tanks ditched near Despagne farm , some when they went to assist others whilst returning. (H2)
2007 ditched Just after Black Line (w22) at Despagne Farm at 4:20am (w2a)
2672 reached point halfway between Black and Green Lines, (w22) went form Despagne Farm to Oxygen Trench, returned to SP suffering a direct hit at O32c.6.7 at 7:50pm. (w2a)
2674 took three hours and fifteen minutes to reach Swains Farm where it ditched at 3:10pm (W2a) the tank rallied (w22) The Official History states a tank subdued Swains farm by crashing through it, it is not clear which tank this is but it may be 2674 (OH)
2038 ditched for one and a half hours just after Black Line, (w22) at Despagne Farm at 4:30pm (w2a) unditched then broke down for 15 minutes, repaired and returned (w22)
7 Section
2020 ditched in Black Line (w22), O28a.7.8 at 5pm for 20 minutes then rallied. (w2a)
2039 almost reached Green Line, (w22) O28b.2.8 at 5pm (w2a) Ditched between Black and Green Line whilst returning (w22) Rallied (W2a)
2707 engine trouble meant this tank took six hours to reach Despagne Farm where it ditched for half an hour. Rallied (W2a)
2675 took four and a half hours to reach Despagne farm where it ditched (W2a)
8 Section, supply
712 reached RP (w2a) halfway between Black and Green Lines (w22) , whilst returning (W2a) Broke down just after re-crossing German front line, (w22) ditched at U1d.4.9. (W2a) The tank was photographed several times: TM 53/G4, X76.p55;
726 took three hours to get to 5 Coys RP (w2a) halfway between Black and Green Lines, then rallied (w22) .
Supply tanks formed a dump at Swaynes Farm. (W2a)
One of 4 Company's supply tanks established a dump at U2d.1.5 for the use of 5 section. (W2a)
One officer (company RO) and one Other Rank were killed, 5 officers and 11 Other Ranks were wounded, 1 Other Ranks was missing. (W2a)
Summary
Intended: 12
At start: 11
Failed to start: 0
Engaged enemy: 3
Ditched / Broke Down: 4
Hit and Knocked out: 0
Rallied: 8
Aftermath
The surviving tanks were all renamed by 31st July.
2672 - no further record
2675, 2007 - both brought back from line on 14 June; in action on 31 July 1917
2039 - returned to Company from salvage on 20 July; in action on 31 July 1917
2700, 2707, 2663, 2674, 2019, 2020, 2037, 2038 - in action on 31 July 1917
712 and 726 both appear on the battalion list written in June or July 1917. 726 transferred from 5 coy to 4 coy in September. Both tanks probably remained with the battalion until October 1917 when they were presumably sent to Central Workshops and replaced with MK IV top tower supply tanks.
Sources
H2 – 2nd Battalion War History. Transcript from Bovington Tank Museum.
W2 – 2nd Battalion War Diary. Transcript from BovingtonTank Museum.
W22 - Messines Ridge Battlegraphs in PRO WO 95 / 101
OH - Official History, 1917, Vol. 2, Pg.63; Pg.67; Pg.70; Pg.79
S78 - Tank Action in the great War (2009) Ian Verrinder