Almost fixed-point-free automorphisms of order 2

Let φ be an automorphism of order 2 of the group G with C _G (φ) finite. We prove the following. If G has finite Hirsch number then G is (nilpotent of class at most 2)-by-finite but need not be abelian-by-finite. If G is a finite extension of a soluble group with finite abelian ranks, then G is abelian-by-finite.