Then the ramp was lowered on to the pair of little wheels with which it was fitted. On these the Tank pushed it up the incline, wheelbarrow fashion, until further progress was stopped by the coping.
The two wheels were then immediately shed, and steel spikes on the under side of the work were driven into the concrete by the weight of the Tank, which now, disengaging itself, proceeded to climb up its own scaling ladder which it had thus placed in position. But the lorries and guns had still to be provided for.
The angle formed by the inclined plane and the level ground above the retaining wall was a sharp one.
Besides, it must be understood that the inclined plane used by the Tanks fitted in under the concrete lip. At the point of junction between the ground and the inclined plane there was, therefore, a considerable bump. Both the acuteness of the angle and this “bump” made it necessary to adopt some less back-breaking device for the four-wheeled vehicles. A strong gangway, like a see-saw, was therefore employed, and up this they were hauled, the weight of the gun or lorry gently tipping the board down when it passed the balancing point.
But the landing was never made, and for this many elaborate explanations have been put forward.
Two circumstances seem, however, sufficient to explain the apparent withdrawal of our hands from the plough.
The first was what seemed a trivial attack which the Germans made on July 10.
It will be remembered that the Belgian inundations stretched inland opposite Nieuport, almost from the mile-wide belt of dry ground next the sea which was formed by the sand dunes. Through these dunes cut the river Yser, and near the coast we held both banks of the river. When the time came, General Rawlinson could have moved his troops forward freely over the numerous bridges which had been made, to join hands with the landing party for whom he had so long been waiting.
In the dune and polder country trenches were impossible, and our defence here consisted of breastworks built in the sand.
Now it had been abundantly and constantly proved throughout 1915 and 1916 that any advanced trench system could be taken at any time by the side which was prepared to mass sufficient troops and guns for the purpose.