The 2nd Royal Tank Regiment is descended from 'B' Company Heavy Section Machine Gun Corps and was originally formed at Bisley Camp, Surrey, in May 1916. The company, which comprised 250 all ranks, moved to Thetford in September and began extensive tank training under the command of Major T R M McLellan, Cameronians.
On 18th November 1916, the Company was renamed 'B' Battalion, Heavy Branch machine gun corps and moved to France. The Battalion was located at Pierremont whilst its headquarters was at Wavrans.
Throughout the winter, crew training was carried out within companies and officers instructed their own sections in map reading and sketching, visual training, revolver and pigeon handling. Following this intensive training, the Battalion received its first Mark IV tanks on 18th May 1917 and at 3.30 am on 7 June 1917, went into action for the first time, attacking ground east of the Nessines-Wytschaete Ridge. Shortly after this engagement, the HBMGC was renamed the Tank Corps.
On 20 November 1917, 'B' Battalion, Tank corps, took part in the battle at Cambrai; it had a frontage of approximately 2000 yards in the centre of the attack with its right flank based on Gauzecourt. The battle continued for 3 days and the fighting was centred on the towns of Cantaing, Noyelles and Fontaine. During the remainder of the war, the Battalion was involved in seventeen separate actions of which eleven were operations on a large scale.