33rd Armoured Brigade / 148TH RAC

[scrimnet]

And still it comes!

“Totalize Battle” In Normandy by Ken Tout who has written a few books from his experience as a tank crew member of the Northampton Yeomanry which was in 33rd Armoured Brigade along with 144th and 148th R.A.C.

It is a fair account although somewhat repetitious, of the combined Tank assault by British – Canadian and Polish Armoured brigades to close the Falaise gap, and is an excellent account of some of the innovations made – again without too much rehearsal of the changes to established Tank warfare.

He makes the point – already well known – but ignored seemingly, from battles in Africa regarding the superiority of the Panzers to our Tanks – also the constant production of Shermans by the all powerful American production lines, knowing that they were inferior, whereas the British did produce the Churchill – Cromwell and finally Comet with a reasonable gun in the 17 pounder and finally for the Artillery – the late 3.7 anti tank gun.

He also quotes an old desert hand – “I have little patience with any who compares our Tank Crews unfavourably with the Panzer crews who always had the 88 on wheels to make a screen behind which they could withdraw…..Just look at the Valentines retrieved Kasserine against Mark 1V’s and Tigers by sheer good training and guts and with the help of our 25 pounders in the front line firing over open sights…….. and don’t tell me our air arm compensated for ground weaponry. In Tunisia until the final six weeks – air supremacy belonged to the ME and Stuka

Which is a fair bellyache as it was the Valentine with their two pounders of the 6th Armoured Div and the mix of two and six pounders of the 21st and 25th tank bdes which turned the tide along with the heroics of the 25 pounder gunners.
It was just before the final battle from Medjez that all British Tanks were issued with the 6 pounder. The American Sherman maintained their 75mm gun throughout and it was not until the British 17 pounder became more numerous that they were fitted as “Fireflys”.

The British Tank crew losses in the Totalize battle was in the region of 5.4% as opposed to the walking Infantry of 9.85% and the Carried on Ron’s Kangeroos of 7.4%…. I sometimes wonder why we managed to survive against even one they had so many of them !88.mm…
The "air supremacy of the Daf was only after boith Tedder and Coningham went ove to Algiers and Monty was able to get Broadhurst to institute the "Cab Rank" for th El Hamma battle.

[ANNICK]

SCRIMNET, YOU ARE A GOLD MINE !

Thanks so much for having done these research.
I read excerpts of Ken Tout “A fine night for tanks” and I have got “The road to Falaise” by Stephen Hart, as well as “Les blindés alliés en Normandie” by Yves Buffetaut.
Previously I got some info through a BBC forum devoted to WW2.
Apparently the 33rd AB was equipped with 157 Sherman M4s, 36 Sherman fiereflies
They fought in the Ardennes during the winter 44/45, but I have no details and this is what I would like to know and also what happened next in Holland and Germany.

Anyway, here are the photos : At the back of the one taken at Stanwick in March 1944, there are the following names :
J. Lomas (or Tomas (Lt)
Daniel Josephs
David D.    (Capt.)
Robert J. Buttler (Lt.)
J. ? (major)
A. J. Ensor (?) (Lt)
Another one I can’t decipher
and a number B2692.
My father-in-law was Edward John Storey (he is the one who wore glasses).

There is no date or place on the other photo.

If you can find other info I would be delighted. Thank you really for having spent so much time for me.

Best regards from France,

Annick

[scrimnet]

Hello again Annick!

Well...The photo is that of a Firefly...there was initially one per troop...which went up to x2 by the end of the war.

You can tell it is a Firefly by the box like bulge at the rear of the turret.

The second pic is probably around 1944 as there are nil medal ribbons...

Did you know the Germans called Shermans "Tommy Cookers" ? As that is what they did...

Have you tried the tank museum at Bovington?

http://www.tankmuseum.co.uk/library.html

I expect they would love copies of the pics as well...

Unfortunately, I'm not a Tankie Guru, but I'm sure the museum or a Guru will be able to ID the tank in the pic down to the commanders name!

[ANNICK]

AGAIN A THOUSAND OF THANKS AND ALL MY BEST WISHES,

ANNICK

[ANNICK]

Berty,

here is the back of the picture. Best regards,
Annick

[scrimnet]

I'm sure the Regt Museum and or the Regt Association would be extremely interested in that pic with all the names attached...

Perhaps there is someone on Roots Chat that may have a rellie there!!!

[ANNICK]

I am going to send a message to the tank museum. Thanks for your advice.
Annick

[Berty]

Hello Annick,

this is on the public section of RootsChat as my instant message facility isn't working, I don't know why?

Have found some more information on Storey and 148 RAC.

Try instant/private message to me and I will send you the information.

Berty.

[ANNICK]

Hello Bery,
How nice to get back to me. What have you discovered ?

Best wishes,
Annick