Does anyone know if 55 Anti-Tank Regiment had M10s while they were stationed in the UK? In July 44 in a letter giving feedback on the subject of the Archer, the commander of the regiment stated that they had "considerable previous experience in SP Equipments." I can only suppose that they did have M10s for some period before the D-Day assault divisions were selected, and then had to revert to towed guns.
Not just some, but 49th Infantry Division were selected equipped and trained as the assault troops. The field artillery were trained with sextons which were then handed over to 90th field. Major Gooch's the regimental 2IC kept a diary which forms the basis of The history of Suffolk Yeomanry at war.(55 anti tank regiment) He is scathing about the inadequacy of the towed 17 pounder and comments on the M10s from the Corps Atk Regt as being far superior. I haven't checked the war diaries for pre D Day but I suspect that 55 anti tank may have been issued M10s which were then withdrawn.
Hi Ramacal, Thanks for those, though I had them, but I feel certain that 55 AT Reg't did not have M10s between June and November 1944. So far as I know the only such units were 20 AT Reg't and 3rd Canadian which were in infantry divisions which landed on D-Day. If they had M10s I do not think the commander would have written what he did in paragraph 4 of this letter (from the July war diary) Cheek!
I will look for their war diaries when I next visit Kew. The 49th Division had been training for the assault role since July 1943 and were switched with the 50th Division by Montgomery who wanted at least one experienced division in the assault. One reason for the selection for the original selection of the 49th Division is that their infantry had undergone arduous training in Iceland and were possibly considered fitter and with few duds.
So they might have had M10s for close to a year. If you do look at their earlier war diary I would be very much obliged!!
49 (West Riding) Division under command of Major General E.H. "Bubbles" Barker (From L.F. Ellis - Victory in the West). See divisional troops below.
The later more aggressive Polar Insignia used by 49 Division. The German's started to call them the Polar Bear Butchers during the Normandy campaign.
So I now have Delaforce's book on 49 Division, and he mentions that they started training as an assault division sometime in '43 so that they went north to Scotland with 3 and 50 Divs in July 1943. Then he writes that they were sort of de-selected as an assault division after they moved to East Anglia in January 44. But he writes the latter part in an odd sort of way, saying that Monty picked 3 and 50 Divs to be the assault divisions after Jan 44, but the previous part suggested that all three trained for the assault simultaneously. He says that veteran Rex Flower said that "We had been training for it for a year."
Chris, 50 Division were taking part in invasion of Sicily in July 1943, not training in Scotland. Regards Tom
Ahem! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Loyal-Suffolk-Hussars-Yeomanry-1794-1967/dp/1908916451 It might be quicker to buy one than rely on me finding mine - Amazon says I've purchased this - but I will have a go later...
Does anyone have sheets 1 & 3 of July 1944 War Diary of 55 Anti-tank Regt, Suffolk Yeomanry that they can show me? Many thanks Bill
