WW II Tank Battle

As a follow up to the story about the recon Spitfire

http://www.gt40s.com/forum/paddock/40908-recon-sp

Here is a short animated documentary, about one of the battles my Father fought in during WW II

He was in "A" Squadron, The 5th Royal Iniskilling Dragoon Gaurds, which were part of the 7th Armoured Division, A front line Division that fought from Normandy deep into Germany at the wars end. He never spoke much about his time in the tanks,( He was to suffer nightmares all his life until he died at the age of 84) but from the little he did tell us, we were able to work out that he was in the lead tank, that drove down the railway embankment mentioned in the documentary. It was potentially a suicide mission, but they had to do it, otherwise the infrantry in the town would have been wiped out as they had no tank support

In each troop they had 3 Cromwell tanks fitted with the 75mm gun, which used the same ammunition as the Sherman tank and 1 Sherman Firefly fitted with the 17 pounder gun, My father was a front machine gunner in the Cromwell tanks

Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on the video on the right

http://www.oisterwijk-marketgarden.com/battle_for_%20s-hertogenbosch_overview.html



Here are some pics of english soldiers taken during the battle
[/ATTACH] P1040433.JPGP1040436.JPG

P1040435.JPG

P1040434.JPG

And some pics of German soldiers

P1040428.JPGP1040429.JPGP1040430.JPGP1040431.JPG
 
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Keith

Moderator
Sorry missed that Mickey thanks for posting. Ye Gods what real heroes they were going into battle in a tin can armed with a pop gun.

The M10 Wolverine was not much better although the 76.2 mm gun had much better penetrating power, just sitting there in an open cockpit - I dunno how they did it.

The Achilles version had the trusty 17 pdr as per Firefly and if you were in a 'convertible' Achilles I guess you might have invented the 'shoot & scoot' tactics that are just as relevant today just to keep your noggin' on your shoulders.

It wasn't until we got the Meteor that the playing field leveled but it was all too late by then. Too many brave men in Tommy Cookers all gone.

The Meteor gave birth to the best British Tank ever in my view - the Centurion. What a service life! And what the Israelis did with it was how it should have always been.

MoD procurement Depts in Britain should be held as war criminals for the years of second rate substandard untried and untested kit they've foisted on their fighting troops for years.

I like tanks - they are like Battleships, now just as obsolete really. I remember HMS Vanguard, our last true battleship being towed out of Portsmouth on it's way to the scrap heap in 1959, running aground and the heart breaking ignominy of having 5 tugs pull her off.

Sad moment for me who grew up in the sunset of Empire, pink maps and a stiff upper lip which loosened considerably with age and alcohol.

 
The Tank Museum in South Dorset is a must see for those interested in this sort of thing. It is amazing to see a most complete history of those vehicles.
 

Keith

Moderator
Hey Jack, I met some of my old mates there last year......

Oooer...





Panther. Best of the lot but complex.



I like to think Telly Savalas drove this one in Battle of the Bulge before turret got blown off!




Mit Flasch!



I ain't sure, but I think that's a Firefly. Looks a bit T34 ish but they're quite different - bad angle to judge. Someone help me out? I know it's not a Sherman and that definitely looks like a 17 pounder muzzle brake right there. Of course, it COULD be a T34 85mm....



Hours of fun. Of particular interest are the WW1 machines. You can stand in an authentic trench, pretend you're a German with wet trousers looking up at these things. "Mother" is a sight to behold. Anyone going anywhere near it's so worth a visit. Maintained by the British Army in the middle of a Tank Driving Range. Awesome...
 
Hi Keith,

My dad did his tank training at Bovington

Here is a pic of my dad with his Cromwell Tank, dad is at the front of the pic, he said that when they came across Panthers , and Tigers, they would hide , and call up the Typhoons, the Typhoons ground attack planes would use thier rockets, and destroy the tanks

brighter.jpg

Towards the end of the war, dad was issued with the Comet Tank, it had the 77mm gun, which was basically a modified 17 pounder, with these tanks they could take on, and destroy the Tigers , and Panthers. Here is a pic of a Comet tank, being delivered to the front

Commet085.jpg

Im sure the mystery Tank, is a Pershing M26, fitted with a 90 mm gun, again these came into action near the end of the War, and could take on, and destroy Tigers, and Panthers. Here is some footage of a Pershing destroying a Panther

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7wnmMgMdVQ"]M26 Pershing vs Panther - The Battle of Cologne 1945 Interview - YouTube[/ame]
 

Keith

Moderator
Wow stories mate. Fantastic. You know, I think you're right about the M26. It's too low for a Sherman and a T34 (they are really tall buggers up close) and the mantle looks about right as does the muzzle brake. I'd forgotten they sneaked that in at the end of WWII being more familiar with the Pershing being used in Korea and of course, Vietnam.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do Bovi now unless I got someone to push me around in a wheelchair. It's all well and good buying one - that's the easy part, you've got to have some motive power, a) to get it out of the boot (nope) b) set it up (nope) and c) to get somewhere in it. Ah - I have a cunning plan. I've ordered these T-Shirts which just say "Push me Push me" on the back, then I plan to sit there waiting until my ride comes along :thumbsup: (providing I can achieve Plans a) and b) )

Anyway, I'd love to go back one day - too much to take in over one visit.. :) ironically, I live less than an hour away in the New Forest.
 
I first visited for several hours in 2008, went back again in 2009, spent the entire day. Learned a lot that day. Those WWI tanks were really crude.
 

Keith

Moderator
I first visited for several hours in 2008, went back again in 2009, spent the entire day. Learned a lot that day. Those WWI tanks were really crude.


So! You're not coming then Jack?

Damn. I've been sitting outside my shack in Lymington with my "push me" T on waiting for you.

You might have told me mate - I've been out here 3 weeks already... :(
 
Afraid not Keith. Not in the tight budget this year. Biggest disappointment is missing the Revival though. Had to give up my GRRC membership last year too. $$$$$$$.
And, of course, not meeting you in the New Forrest!
 

Keith

Moderator
Jack - you really MUST be careful how you say things like that. The New Forest can be a, er very strange place at times.....especially in some of the more remote car parking areas.....:shifty:
 
.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do Bovi now unless I got someone to push me around in a wheelchair. It's all well and good buying one - that's the easy part, you've got to have some motive power, a) to get it out of the boot (nope) b) set it up (nope) and c) to get somewhere in it. Ah - I have a cunning plan. I've ordered these T-Shirts which just say "Push me Push me" on the back, then I plan to sit there waiting until my ride comes along :thumbsup: (providing I can achieve Plans a) and b) )
.

I have a cunning plan...................
 

Keith

Moderator
Help for Heroes Keith? Surely THAT CANNOT possibly be PC can it?

I am patiently waiting for a black somalian muslim to come and attempt to behead me. It's a trap you see ..

Sorry, mustn't get carried away & lose my head over this.:)

In this picture, you will notice I always wear the poppy in my hat band all year around. If you want to know what is NOT politically correct, try that!

Ye God's, some people.....

Check the stare man - THAT's my weapon! Cool eh?

Been know to stop a Battalion of Special Forces Innits complete with ankle bracelet Locator Tags before now.

 
Sorry for the thread drift, back to track by bringing tanks and music together, this is what you can do on a Panther´s turret to boost the crew´s morale when engaging with a Pershing tank:
 

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