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Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Tanks -> Question about the Markings on this Mark 2
Post Info TOPIC: Question about the Markings on this Mark 2
Agatheron


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Question about the Markings on this Mark 2
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Here's a picture I came across, reportedly from the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917.

According to the order of Battle, eight Mark 2 tanks took part in Vimy, at the outset of the Battle of Arras. This was apparently one of them. The picture is from the Canadian Veterans Affairs. The tanks were largely ineffectual, being destroyed or bogged down by the ground/weather conditions. Even so I'm interested in this particular picture:



The markings on the side, as best as I can make it out is 794. Does anybody have a record of this tank? The tanks at Vimy would have been from D Battalion... but I don't see any "D" markings on this. I would think that the serial number would be toward the back of the tank... and its consistent with the Mark 2's...

Could this be a training tank pressed into service?

I'm curious, because the number doesn't seem to line up with the conventions of the day...

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Poniatowski


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From what I've read, all MkII's were mild steel training tanks pressed into service. So, that would be a correct assumption.

Ron

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Poniatowski
Mark Hansen


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As Ron pointed out, the Mk II's were meant to be used for training. However, they did get pressed into service with only 5 out of a total of 50 being kept in England for training and test purposes.
The one consistent thing about the WD numbers on the Mk II's is the placement. Males had theirs located ahead of the sponsons and females near the drive sprocket at the rear. The only battalion numbers I have seen on Mk II's appear on the stores box at the rear.

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philthydirtyanimal


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This old thread has some useful information:

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=63528&p=3&topicID=10426201

It is not necessarily the case that 'crew numbers' or 'D' markings would be painted on. Some crews in C battalion did, and D battalion did when they had Mark IV tanks, but the general consensus is that there isn't enough photographic evidence to conclude that all crews did.

If this tank had 'D' markings painted on in the same place that C battalion painted theirs (those that did paint theirs on), the markings would be on the stores box at the back of the tank and not be seen in this photo.


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Gwyn Evans


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Mark II Male 794 was at Vimy. It was D44 of 9 Section 12 Company D Battalion on 9 April 1917. It ditched during the action.

Gwyn

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Agatheron


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Wow... thanks for the information... That helps massively...

Do you know if this tank bore a nickname?

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Gwyn Evans


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Not to my knowledge. Naming tanks only became the norm from July 1917 onwards. Before that it seems to have been done at the whim of the tank commander or unit.

Gwyn

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