Chapter Six
After the amphibious Normandy assault on 6 June it was apparent that a stalemate would ensue inland unless the breakout of Allied forces was achieved quickly. Armour had to reach the beach first, and stay ashore implementing one of the major lessons from the Dieppe Raid of 1942. Clearly the armour required not only flotation aids, but also means of propulsion enabling them to spread out and avoid presenting a concentrated target while coming ashore. One experimental device that had been tested and proven was that fitted to a British Valentine Tank of the series originally considered to spearhead the assault on D-Day as far back as early 1943. However just as successful results on the Valentine DD tests were being tabulated the entire breadth of work on specialized spearhead armour (The Funnies) was being handed over to Major General P C S Hobart, at 79th Armoured Division in the UK who was a distant relative of Bernard Law Montgomery. Under Hobart’s direction he insisted that the Straussler Flotation Kit which had been so promising in tests, invented by a Mr Nicholas Straussler be fitted to first line Sherman Tanks as he knew the Valentine already to be obsolete.
Testing showed that the water displacement required for a 40-ton tank to float could be created by a collapsible rubberized canvas folding screen, mounted on a mild steelplatform around the standard hull if waterproofed well at the line the armour met the sand shields. Some of the photographs in the Normandy series demonstrate these screens, the thin steel platform and the rubberized canvas in raised and lowered positions. The screen was erected in the landing craft by inflating 36 tubular rubber pillars with compressed air, and as an additional support thirteen steel pillars locked it inplace in case of damage. The circumference of the screen was protected by three tubular steel frames which provided support against external water pressure from the sea. Once on the beach the floating tank could lower the screen and operate as a regular turret tank. Propulsion was dealt with by employing two 26-inch diametre propellers which ran off a bevel gear and pinion connection to the drive rotating the tracks. These propellers were disengaged and swung upwards out of the way when the tank was on the land to provide clearance for road or cross country travel. A small bilge pump was even fitted to remove ingressed water from the top of the Hull and from inside the vehicle. Lastly the steering had be addressed, and it was – by attaching a small platform to the rear of the hull the commander of each DD tank could stand overlooking the screen and control the direction with a hand operated tiller paddle.
General Eisenhower was impressed by a demonstration of these Duplex Drive (DD)Tanks in January 1944 and it was earmarked for Canadian, British and American use on 6 June. Hobart’s limited production facilities were unable to convert enough in the timescale so plans plus a DD expert were flown over to America the day following the demonstration resulting in a hundred American DD tanks arriving into Liverpool Dock within six weeks. As a rule, British conversions used M4A2 and M4A4 types and the later American converted DD’s were built on basic M4 and M4A1 variants. When the moment of truth arrived the DD faired well on D-Day for the British and Canadian forces who landed all of their tanks and got nearly all of them off the shoreline. However the American force of 29 DD’s experienced a loss of 27 in the water due to launching against the flow of the tide and at a greater distance from shore. Recent archeological work on the sea bed off the coast has located nearly all of the lost American DD tanks. Their success on British sectors however ensured their use in the Rhine Crossing of March 1945, and on the Elbe River crossing operation of April 1945. To achieve advancement inland from the beachheads there were going to be some large battles. Allied commanders knew this, and planned for them. German armour and re-enforcements had been rushed to the Normandy Front the moment they could be released from other duties, or had orders finally authorised and a face-off of proportion was imminent. Allied Forces were pouring from the beaches while German troops were being rushed to Normandy from the interior. Montgomery always claimed after the war that the Normandy Campaign had unfolded exactly as he had planned it, but this notion has been debated from the moment he made the claim I feel. Many factors demonstrate the reality was quite different. There were some serious problems with the advance into France shortly after 6 June as was demonstrated by the inexperienced British Commanders and formations at Villers Bocage among other face to face encounters with the enemy.
Villers Bocage was a demonstration of all that was inexperienced with British armoured force application at the beginning of the Normandy Campaign. Long spread out columns of tanks, light recce tanks to the front followed on by support vehicles and at the very rear the lorried infantry that should have been on call to protect the precious force. Stopping to celebrate with French villagers, a party atmosphere took over before the column began to advance up the single road which gently rose to the next way point. Michael Wittman, tank ace from Russian front experience, with other tanks of his unit were in position and waiting. Carnage and chaos followed in what has become one of the most infamous of armoured actions in the Second World War. Travelling in the opposite direction to the single British column Wittman was able to rumble down the entire column inside his 88mm armed Tiger, shooting at will, taking life and destroying machinery.
Monty’s scheme to kickstart the larger breakout, and avoid similar experience was formulated in Operation EPSOM and GOODWOOD. Hundreds of Allied Shermans with other armour, massed across the Orne Canal to move on Caen in the hope that all German armoured forces would counterattack and be drawn north to meet them. A pathway would be created for the American Forces in Southern Normandy to crack on with the breakout, pulling around to the North of Caen at speed and enveloping the German Forces. With the enemy totally destroyed in the Normandy region, Paris would be the next obtainable objective. From Paris the leapfrogging to Berlin would continue. GOODWOOD was abandoned however on 20 July after 11th Armoured Division lost some 400 tanks on the ground known as the Borguebus Ridge where they faced some of the best prepared defences the Axis created anywhere in the Second World War. GOODWOOD was not a total failure, it did expand the bridgehead seven miles inland and coupled with the Canadian Corps action ‘Atlantic’ achieved the clearing of Caen of German resistance.
Operation BLUECOAT, the breakout from Caumont eventually cracked the German resolve which became full-flight in attempts to escape around Falaise. After the collapse of German resistance at Falaise, and elation to be free of the Bocage countryside, huge advances were made by the British toward the Belgian border leaving only the long supply routes and rear camps in France. A distance of some 250 miles was covered in three weeks, and in particular the Irish Guards were able to motor ninety-seven miles in just twelve hours – one of the fastest advances in contemporary military history. An optimistic mood swept the Allied forces, a feeling that perhaps German resistance had been cracked by this total rout. This mood was prevalent across the breadth of the Allied Command structure, and lead to the floating of a new plan: MARKET GARDEN. In the late summer of 1944, Montgomery persuaded General Dwight D Eisenhower with a scheme that intended to capitalize on the German retreat and bring the war to a close by year end. The plan proposed a combined Allied airborne force dropping behind German lines in a lightning strike to capture crossing points over the Rhine. To consolidate he would push a vast ground force up a single road in support, and to help hold the crossing points (Bridges) until further troops could cross over the river and to strengthen the bridgeheads. The route to the Industrial Ruhr and heartland of the German war machine would be shortened, and control attained in the success of his noble suggestion.
‘Market Garden’, Monty’s ambitious battle-plan very nearly succeeded. ’Market’, the airborne phase was an enormous operation alone. Some 5,000 fighters, bombers and transport aircraft, towing more than 2,500 gliders. All were packed full of ammunition, vehicles, equipment and troops – their contents amounted to an entire Allied Airborne Army. The land based support for this air armada was massed on the Dutch-Belgian border. The ‘Garden’ forces were forming up for the dash to the bridges and XXX Corps’ Armoured formations were massed for the kick-off on 17 September when both components of Market Garden would go into action with the airborne forces preceding the ground by just an hour and five minutes.
We now know the form the battle took as the lightly armed airborne force found itself landing in an area heavily populated by the 2nd SS Panzer Corps. XXX Corps fought a slow and often delayed approach along the single road earmarked for the relief force and a bitter battle ensued. Panzerfaust, Nebelwerfer and Anti-tank guns flanked the road for most of the route. Parts of Arnhem town were completely levelled in the fighting, and the British evacuated the town on the night of 26 September, nine days after arriving. The 1st Airborne Division would never recover from the losses sustained during the battle, and it should be noted that the Allied armies took more casualties on this operation than they had assaulting the shore on D-Day. Airborne and Ground Force casualties combined to produce a figure of some 17,000 men. The British had to accept 13,226. Horrock’s XXX Corps were missing 1,480 and the 8th and 12th Corps an additional 3,874. German figures remain unknown but estimates touch 10,000 troops from Army Group B and up to a quarter of these may have been killed. Dutch civilian casualties were relatively light considering the fighting was taking place in the houses of the local populace – they were recorded as low at the time but figures are not known for sure. The US Forces also lost nearly 8,000 men including aircrew in wounded, dead and missing during the battle.
By 27 September 1944 Eisenhower knew Germany would have to be taken inch by inch, by troops on the ground and that the retreat exhibited by the Germans in Normandy had been turned around. They had certainly not lost any will in the fight, and would be a potentially even more dangerous foe when time came to defend their homeland. Fighting slowed in the winter of 1944 due to biting cold and heavy snowfall in one of the worst weather spells in recorded European history. On the 16 December the German High Command launched an attempt to reverse the direction of the European war in the Ardennes. During the ‘Von Runstedt Offensive’ or ‘Battle of The Bulge’ they intended to cross the River Meuse, retake Antwerp and isolate the British Army from the Americans. Montgomery was temporarily given command responsibility to repel the German advance in the north using 21st Army Group Forces, while Bradley would command US Forces. Monty ordered Lt. Gen Brian Horrocks and his XXX Corps to leave Holland immediately and swing toward the combat zone in order to occupy defensive positions between Givet and Maastricht, stopping the advancing Germans from crossing the Meuse. On 22 December the 51st Highland and 53rd Welsh Divisions and 29th and 33rd Armoured Brigades with the 43rd Wessex Division in the reserve arrived. Also 6th Airborne paratroopers were trucked to the area between Dinant and Marche-en-Famenne as bad weather prohibited a drop by aircraft. Fighting continued throughout the Christmas period with Shermans of RTR engaged in clashes against armour from 2nd Panzer. The Allied counter-offensive began on 3 January 1945 and by 8 January, the Germans were being ordered to withdraw from the Bulge and retreat. It was over by 16 January, when Montgomery decided to move XXX Corps to the Netherlands again for a refit and preparation for the planned offensive thrust across the Rhine: This is how the Sherman looked during the advance from Normandy into Belgium and Holland to the point of preparations for the Rhine crossings in March of 1945.
Making the Channel crossing, wading funnels and large turret numbers visible. This photograph taken by Sgt Mapham, AFPU, on the morning of 6 June 1944 provides a view of an LST upper deck loaded with tanks and men from 13th/18th Hussars (27th Beach Brigade) about a mile offshore from Hermanville Sur Mer. M4 or M4A4 ‘BALACLAVA’ and in ffont a strengthened turret of an ARV, note also the Despatch rider hitching a ride with his bike. IWM B 5110
This M4A4 fought with the 3rd Division approaching Lion-Sur-Mer on 6 June squeezing alongside a DUKW, note numbers on rear turret stowage box as well as either side of turret. IWM B 5025
Skirts lowered these DD (Duplex Drive Amphibious) Tanks move inland with commando teams from 1st Special Service Brigade to clear the roadways out of the immediate beach areas and to consolidate the Glider Forces who had been holding territory against counter-attack since 12.30am on 6 June. Troops stay in contact using a portable wireless transceiver at the roadside. IWM B 5055
Crab flail Sherman which also floundered on the beach. Note 79th Armoured Division badge to left of roller. It actually belonged to the Westminster Dragoons and came to grief during the landings. Barrage balloons now fill the sky in the background providing air protection to the fleet. IWM B 5141
Abandoned DD tank on the invasion beach, it’s skirt has collapsed and has been ripped away by tidal flow as men of the 13th/18th Hussars stop to survey the scene on the landing beach. IWM B 5190
DD tanks of 27th Armoured Brigade reach Airborne Forces and complete the link up with the Seaborne troops. Taken on 10 June 1944 by Sgt Christie as he came across these Paratroops of 12th Parachute Battalion. They help to extinguish a fire on the skirt of DD tank after a sharp engagement on the landing grounds near Ranville. The DD tanks had used the cover of the Gliders spread about to engage the enemy who counter attacked to cut the Ranville Road and in an attempt to seize the Caen Bridges. The paratroopers had been fighting a guerilla style war against the Wehrmacht for three days before heavier firepower from the beaches arrived! IWM B 5347
11 June 1944. Typical Normandy crossroads near Bayeux where an M4A4 advances along with men of A Company, Durham Light Infantry of the 50th Division. IWM B 5379
VC Firefly travelling up from the beaches on 10 June 1944. Turret is reversed and barrel protected in the gun crutch. The base of the wading trunk for exhaust expulsion remains at the rear. The Sherman V rear stowage box has been removed and probably refitted to the front hull to allow space for the wading gear before in the invasion. Unloaded at Juno beach, this VC travels through the village of Reviers. IWM B 5385
Not every 88mm shell strike resulted in total Sherman destruction. Double pump jack is used by the crew to replace damaged road wheels splintered and deformed by the explosion – this photograph demonstrates the hard physical labour aspect of tank crew life in the field. Self sufficiency was the key until rear base workshops could safely set up in the field. These men were from C Squadron, 13th/ 18th Hussars, 27th Armoured Brigade and had been supporting Airborne Forces holding the bridge at Benouville. (10 June 1944) IWM B 5423
Great shot of an M4A4 crew at rest in the field. Only a few days after D-Day and the white T number has already been blacked out through combat experience, no 69 on turret is still highly visible however and camo netting remains roped to the rear deck. Intercom headphones and microphone are draped within earshot of the commander. Having supported Airborne Troops at Benouville for four days without sleep they finally stand down for a few hours to rest. (taken by Sgt Mapham on 10 June, 1944) IWM B 5425
13 June, 1944. M4 Sherman in the 50th Northumberland Division area rolls on to Tilly-Sur-Seulles on Montgomery’s orders with the objective of outflanking Caen, and is seen down a typical Norman country lane. Note the degree markings painted on the exterior of the turret to assist infantry in calling in enemy positions they wanted neutralising using the BC-1362 Interphone Box mounted on the rear exterior panel of the tank. This consisted of a telephone handset with access to the commander’s intercom inside the vehicle – infantry could literally make a call in to request direct fire support. The gunners inside would be working to the same indication and parity in sighting the main gun was achieved. Centaur tanks follow on. IWM B 5454
Sherman VC Firefly of 14 Platoon, 1st Battalion, South Lancashires, with no attempt made by the crew to camouflage the length of the 17-pounder barrel confidently sitting out in No-Man’s Land. Rear panel stowage box has been moved to front hull to allow for wading funnels. The counterweight and turret stowage box can be seen from this angle at the rear of turret. (13 June 1944) IWM B 5546
BARV at work on 14 June 1944 towing a jeep through the surf, snapped by AFPU man Sgt Morris. BARV Commander protrudes from top hatch, microphone in hand. IWM B 5579
Pushing inland – Bren Carriers and Infantry of The Seaforth Highlanders intermingled with Shermans in this column advancing inland on the Vassy Road. Note spare track on the front hull of this Sherman and white ID star painted on the spare wheel carried on the hull of the lead Bren carrier. (4 August 1944) IWM B 8601
7th Armoured Division M4 knocked out in previous battle at Villers Bocage. Salvage Crews have already removed the main gun, but the tank will be towed away and rebuilt in a field workshop. The ferocity of this engagement is given away by the state of the village around the tank even though this photograph was taken weeks after the battle on 5 August by Sgt Mapham. The town is completely destroyed and in ruins after street fighting, aerial and artillery bombardment by both sides. The main advance had by passed the town and it was the job of the Royal Engineers to make the streets clear and safe from booby traps and mines left by the enemy. IWM B 8632
Hybrid 1C drives past Sgt Midgley, AFPU, in the chase after the enemy through Briquessard and Aunay-Sur-Odon. Summer heat and the heavy transport has turned the roads and tracks into dust. IWM B 8675
A BBC French reporter records the sound of a VC Firefly as it rumbles past at speed creating clouds of dust during the advance in August, 1944. He utilised a small transmitter built in a local building which would send his reports back to London for vetting and editing. They would then be re-broadcast in his native French language to listeners in France. IWM B 8710
6 August, 1944. A DD tank with remains of metal support network at the front of the tank has run through a hedgerow and misjudged the drop on the other side. Here recovery teams attempt to pull it out of the ditch which was located just behind the lines. The original caption records that ‘this tank would be put back into action as no task was too difficult for the recovery teams!’ IWM B 8741
Sharing out the rations before the attack south of Caen in front of HELMDON, an M4A4 on 7 August. IWM B 8796
Australian Officer briefs his crew next to ‘Lillingstone’ an M4A4 in preparation for the attack on Caen. Troop Commander Lt E H Brown of Queensland, Australia gives operational codes and orders to other tank commanders (l to r) Cpl S Upstone of Brackley, Lt E H Brown, L/Cpl A W Dwight of Whitchurch and Cpl Sumner of Sheffield. IWM B 8798
8 August, 1944. Polish Armoured troops before the advance on Caen have been directed to this staging area near their start line by Military Police. Here last minute adjustments are made and checked. Note white recognition stars and T numbers now blacked out. The Polish tanks supported the advance of 51st Highland Division during the attack. IWM B 8823
Polish Firefly, possibly a Hybrid 1C on the start line, 8 August 1944. Barrel is wound in rope in an alternative attempt to disguise its silhouette. IWM B 8826
Driver adjusts the rear view mirror on this Sherman, (rarely fitted in combat) leading a long column that has pulled up awaiting Op Goodwood to kick off. Scammell recovery truck is poised at the front of the column and one receives a clear understanding of the scale of this armoured advance. IWM B 8830
A row of Sherman Crabs await flailing duty to clear minefields before infantry and armour advance from 7th Armoured Division south of Aunay Sur-Odon. These flails headed the column and are about to move on Plessis-Grimoult, on the southern slopes of Mont Pincon. IWM B 8844
9 August 1944. Tank recovery and repair units kept close behind the lines to repair tanks damaged in action. Tanks were quickly repaired and put back into action by REME Craftsmen. Here men of an 8th Armoured Brigade w/shop are seen replacing a radial engine with new crated spare just behind the front line on an M4A1 cast hull. IWM B 8892
In the 8th Armoured Brigade workshops, August, 1944. A distinctive ‘egg shaped’ 17-pounder muzzle-brake is replaced on one Firefly barrel by S/Sgt F Hunt of Burgess Hill, Sussex and Cfn Shannan of Reading. This barrel has not been painted with the W/O Counter-Shaded scheme. IWM B 8894
Sherman ARV tows a disabled tank through the ruined village of Bourgebus in August of 44. The recovery crew happily sit on top of the ARV and smoke as they pass the wrecked church on their way to a Field Repair Workshop. IWM B 8910
Taken on 13 August by Sgt. Gee, AFPU, battle damaged broken vehicles are recovered to a repair centre. Scammel and trailer bring in a trackless Sherman for urgent attention. IWM B 9091
The M4 tank is checked in with the Workshop Repair Office and recovery crew report to the Officer in charge. IWM B 9092
The Scammel driver operates the winch from his cab which slowly releases this trackless Sherman down the trailer so that repairs can get underway. IWM B 9093
REME Officer discusses the work order and inspects damage. He also carries out an assessment of usuable parts. IWM B 9094
Brigadier ‘Pip’ Roberts (right), Commanding Officer 11th Armoured Division meets a fellow officer holding ply box lid in use as temporary map board next to ‘Kay’ his personal early version M4A4 Command Tank in the Bocage of Normandy. His tank features additional aerial mounting on the front hull slope, as well as aerial mounted on turret. A white Allied recognition encircled star is visible on the top of the turret. Note the machine gun shield on the right of turret gun mount, and crew kit attached to turret due to confined internal space.
Improvised wadding has been used in the barrel to seal it from debris as it rolled into these concealed positions. 11th Armoured Divisional bull on yellow background insignia is apparent on the left side of the three piece transmission cover and the ‘50’ indicates a Brigade HQ vehicle painted on right. T54E2 type steel tracks are fitted, notable by the rounded edges of the track block cuffs and absence of three large round headed rivets which kept the two halves of the track blocks together on the T62 track. IWM B 9184
Sherman M4A4 leads a column of Guards Armoured Division tanks through the village of Thilliers. Note that German helmets have been fitted over the headlights to afford some lens protection, additional T62 track segments are affixed to boost frontal armour and air raid siren is still mounted to front driver’s side wing not often retained on British Shermans. The wet and muddy conditions have obliterated all allied marking. (31 August 1944) IWM BU 288
Sherman VC of the Guards Armoured Division cross country near Les Thilliers, to the west of Beauvais. Note the workshop scratch-built gun crutch, additional extra track armour and road wheel mounted on the front plate. The 17-pounder barrel appears neither wrapped in hessian camo strips or War Office camouflage scheme painted. This photo provides an excellent view of one version of the armour plug welded hull .30 MG modification. The crew position was deleted to allow for extra ammunition stowage. This is potentially the first item other than the barrel to examine when determining Fireflies in original photography. IWM BU 298
FFI (French Resistance Fighters) chalk messages of goodwill on the sides of passing M4A2 Sherman column. Note the bomb thrower mounted in the commander’s turret hatch, British adaptation of tool box mounted on rear panel, and stowage bin mounted on the rear of the turret. An additional container has been strapped on to the bin. IWM BU 303
Dead horses and discarded German steel helmets litter this country road near Arras. Another Cullin device fitted to the lead tank, which has also utilised plenty of spare track to protect the driver’s area. IWM BU 261
Guards Armoured Shermans advance passed a WW1 memorial on the The Somme at the hilltop which overlooks Fouilloy. A Sherman VC with hessian wrapped barrel overtakes another in the stationary column. Welded hull MG ports can be seen on both tanks, while the M4A4 in the front is fitted with the American designed Culin hedgerow device. Rarely are British Shermans seen with this fitting which is detailed in the American Service Chapter elsewhere in this book. Note other than divisional insignia all allied recognition stars have been painted over or removed entirely by this crew. A large white star provides an appealing targetting aid to anti-tank gunners! IWM BU 269
Churchill track sections are applied to the outer hull by this experienced crew as they also pass a First World War memorial on the Somme. Siren remains intact on the front wing and allied stars have been painted over along the side of the hull. The aerial from the turret has been ‘hoop painted’ in contrasting black and white to break its outline up. The additional loader’s hatch in the Firefly behind it is in use demonstrating the improved access to the turret areas when 17-pounder was fitted. Kit bags are stowed on the rear engine deck out of the crews’ working space. IWM BU 272
M10 Tank destroyers parked up in a Brussels square are met by a column of Shermans as the crowds turn out to celebrate. The liberated people of Brussels gave the British tanks a tremendous welcome! IWM BU 506
The populace of Brussels celebrating Liberation after a four year wait. Some twenty-five civilians crowd onto this heavily camouflaged British Sherman. Note the board on the front lower hull which aided equipment storage. IWM BU 508
The reality of daily advances toward the Fatherland. Here British tanks cross the Albert Canal at Berringnen. The original bridge had been blown by the Germans and had been repaired by the British under fire. Dutch soldiers of the Princess Irene Regiment captured the bridge and held it. In this photo the recently taken bridge and approach road is protected by 17-pounder Anti-Tank Gun, and infantrymen (one armed with captured Mauser K98K Rifle.) The Sherman M4A4 is then waved on carrying spare road wheels mounted on the hull. Netting has been used to break up the outline of the hull, and slogans have been chalked along the side of the hull in morale boosting efforts. The troops in the foxhole are (from left) Irish Guards and Princess Irene Regiment (right.) IWM BU 719
A rare sight in picture reference books, but a common one for tanks crews during the war. The dead commander of an M4A4 (note the bar grill cover behind the turret where hull was extended to accommodate the A57 Multibank engine) lays slumped over the rear stowage box of his turret. Passing troops on the road to Eindhoven have laid a Great Coat over his body, but the severity of his head wound suggests there was no possibility of saving this life. Either a shell splinter or sniper had found its target silhouetted high in the turret, against a clear sky. (18 September 1944.) IWM BU 927
XXX Corps on the road to Eindhoven, stop briefly to chat with cheering crowds in the town of Valkenswaard the day after the enormous Airborne Force drop on Arnhem and surrounding areas. Note the rear stowage box attached to the rear of the hull on the M4A4 to the right. The First Aid Box has been moved to the far left of the rear panel, and a reel of telephone cabling attached to the right. (18 September 1944.) IWM BU 931
British tanks enter Eindhoven on 19 September. This photo snapped by Captain Malindine, AFPU, shows the liberated crowds flocking around XXX Corps vehicles as they pass through the town. Stowage boxes have been moved to the front. IWM BU 936
Infantryman watches as a Sherman speeds into Asten having crossed the Bois Le Duc Canal at Zomeren. The censor has obliterated tunic badges. (22 September 1944.) IWM BU 1084
Loading up an M4A4 with ammo before the Rhine Crossing operation in February 1945. Note track extenders used and camouflage attached to front glacis plate. T Number is still visible. The road led down to the banks of the Rhine. IWM BU 1966