So inspiring a little action was it, so well planned and executed in every stage, that the 2nd Brigade themselves felt that they had been privileged in playing even a relatively minor part in such an assault. Though Tanks proved useful in several phases of the battle, Tank Commanders are the first to attribute the successes of the day to the artillery, the tunnelling companies and the infantry. They had early established particularly cordial relations with the infantry, and it is said that a Maori Unit of the 2nd Anzac Corps gave expert help to the 2nd Tank Battalion in camouflaging its machines. Messines was to be a prelude to a more considerable attack in the Ypres Salient. The village of Messines itself and the Wytschaete Ridge were to be taken, thus securing the British Right for the Ypres attack, and depriving the enemy of dominating ground. The advance was to be a very short one, and the rôle of the Tanks was to be subsidiary to that of gunners, sappers and infantry. Land Mines were to be a special feature of the action. The explosion of twenty of these containing over a million pounds of ammonal was to be the signal for attack on the morning of June 7. Some of the mines had been ready for more than a year, and we had constructed nearly five miles of galleries. The Germans too had not been idle. At the time of our attack we knew that the enemy was driving a gallery leading to our Hill 60 mine. By careful listening we judged that if our offensive were launched on the date arranged the enemy’s counter-mine would just fail to reach us. He was, therefore, allowed to proceed. Altogether seventy-two Mark IV. Tanks were to be employed, and, the lesson of Arras having been learnt, twelve Mark I. and Mark II. Tanks had been converted into supply machines. Each of these was able to bring up sufficient petrol, ammunition and other stores to replenish five fighting Tanks. Forty Tanks were to cross the parapet at zero hour and the rest of the Tanks were to be held in reserve. They were to be distributed as follows:-- _To the North_: twelve Tanks were to work with the 10th Corps, whose objective was the Oosttaverne line. _In the Centre_: sixteen Tanks were attached to the 9th Corps, who were to capture Wytschaete. _To the South_: twenty Tanks were to fight with the 2nd Corps, who were to take Messines and a strong point named Fanny’s Farm, the reserves pushing on to capture the Oosttaverne line in the second phase of the attack. The weather had been fine and hot for nearly three weeks before the battle, and a heavy thunder shower which fell on June 6 hardly laid the dust which had hung for weeks in a hazy curtain over the approach roads. The Tanks were as usual moved up during the night before the action. It was very dark, with heavy thunder clouds hiding the moon. [24]“The last part of the approach march will never be forgotten by those who took part in it.