With this second attack on Bullecourt ended, as far as the Tanks were concerned, the Battle of Arras. There were not many 1st Brigade Tanks to withdraw to Wailly nor many unwounded men to man them. It was, however, with feelings very different from those of the “veterans” of the Somme that officers and men left the battle. The careful training at Bermicourt with its well-planned courses, its boxing, and its games was justified. Men and officers could not have displayed a finer fighting spirit. The value of their work was recognised by all the units with whom they fought. Major-General Williams, commanding the 37th division, wrote of “C” Battalion’s work in the attack on Monchy: “It was a great achievement, and in itself more than justifies the existence of the Tanks. Officers and men concerned deserve the highest credit.” Lieut.-General Aylmer Haldane, commanding the 6th Corps, wrote to Colonel Baker-Carr, commanding the 1st Brigade, on April 13: “... I am really most grateful for all the Tanks and their commanders have done, and the great success of this Corps is only attributable to the help you have given us. This has been my first experience of the co-operation of Tanks, and I certainly never again want to be without them, when so well commanded and led.” Not only had the personnel done extraordinarily well, their conduct being “a triumph of _moral_ over technical difficulties,” but on the whole the general work of the Tanks had been a success. These were briefly the technical lessons of the battle: Tanks should be used in masses. They should be concentrated. A large reserve should always be kept in hand. Mark I. machines are not suitable for use on very wet or very heavily shelled ground. Signal and supply Tanks are essential. In fine, the chief obstacle to a still fuller measure of success had been that there were 60, and not 260, Tanks available. CHAPTER VII THE BATTLE OF MESSINES AND THE “HUSH” OPERATION “And little would’st thou grudge them Their greater depth of soul. Thy partners in the torch race, Though nearer to the goal.”--IONICA. I In many battles in which Tanks later took part, two or more Tank Brigades would be associated. But the Battles of Arras and Messines belong, the former to the 1st and the latter to the 2nd Brigade exclusively. The 2nd Brigade had been formed exactly like the 1st. That is to say, a nucleus of Somme “Tank Veterans” had been reinforced by picked volunteers from the other branches of the Service. Like the 1st Brigade they trained in France, in the Bermicourt area. The unknown author of the 2nd Battalion history gives an amusing account of this training in which sports of all kinds, rugger, soccer, snow fights, boxing and swimming, helped in the “edification” as well as the more serious courses. One feature of the period was, as usual, a shortage of instructional machines.