A quick look at Wikipedia (always 100% correct!) tells me that 1st Northants Yeo were re-equipped with Buffalo and became part of 79th Armoured from the Rhine crossing onwards. Is this picture more likely to be of a Tiger in Normandy?
Hi Frank, The name on T334947 looks like a 4 digit name. It wouldn't be CALM or COOL by any chance? Cheers Kevin
Wrong type of Tiger for Normandy. I contacted the author but he could not source the photo. It was obviously an error. The heading photo is EPSOM.
Hi, sorry it's taken so long to reply...been a bit busy lately, hunting toilet rolls. I've scanned that part of the photo again hi-res, but the original is quite grainy, so it's not very clear, although I think ii's a C, H (half erased?)or L? E B or R? Then again, as I'm assuming it's Cherub, that's what I'm seeing! To the right it looks a bit darker, perhaps overpainted? Also, it's quite possible that my grandfather made a mistake and that's not his tank. Anyway, I've attached the hi-res pics, with the contrast boosted, although it doesn't help much...plus one inverted.
The poor lad was probably a replacement who had just turned up from one of the Training Regts in the UK and hadn't been issued with all his kit, bless him!
I found this one COMBATANT, which I think was an A Sqn tank:- I also had a look through the list of names of tanks that we had just prior to the amalgamation in 92 and the only name that is listed that I've seen on any Comets is COBRA!
How about CALAIS ? (Celerity was renamed to Calais in 1949 when she was serving with 3RTR in Hong Kong)
Andy Nice to know the name was keeping good company! Comet T335335 CALAIS was in RHQ as a Control Tank commanded by Lt PDE Galer and even had its photo published in a 1949 edition of 'Tank' magazine.
75th Anniversary today: The incident happened 75 years ago as this morning i.e. 'now'!. Thursday 12th April 1945. 1 Troop 'A' Squadron 3RTks/3RTR had been moved across the River Aller on a Bailey Raft at about 9.30am and then advanced up the Esseler Damm towards the Drebber Brook accompanied by infantry of the 4th Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Tiger F01 approached at about 11.30am. The crews of the various tanks were: Tiger F01: Franzen - Commander George - Driver Specht - Gunner Plaffelhuber - Loader Spahr - Operator Langdons Comet: Langdon - Commander Charlton - Driver Bourne - Operator Rice - Gunner Enever - CoDriver Elstobs Comet: T335335 Celerity (my late fathers tank): Elstob - Commander Pannell - Driver Holmes - Operator Gordon - Gunner Wilson - CoDriver Brindles Comet: Brindle - Commander Loynes - Driver Boyes - Operator O'Brien - Gunner Webster - CoDriver Brindles Comet was knocked out during the incident. Tiger F01 was knocked out the following day - Friday 13th April 1945 - by Sgt Harding's 'C' Squadron Comet. Fortunately, apart from the Comet and the Tiger, there were no casualties apart from minor burns to some of the Tiger's crew when it was KO on Friday 13th April 1945.. Tiger F01 (photo courtesy of Fred Preston ex 3RTR) Franzen (photo ex Saft 'Krieg in der Heimat') George (photo ex Saft): Specht (photo ex Saft): Elstob's tank: T335335 Celerity (photo: Dennis Pannell photo collection) Dennis Pannell standing with Celerity: (photo: Dennis Pannell photo collection) Dennis Pannell: (photo: Dennis Pannell photo collection) 1 Troop, A Squadron, 3Rtks: (photo: Dennis Pannell photo collection.) Whilst I can't be absolutely certain, this photo appears to be of 1 Troop. Bourne is kneeling front row and my late father - Dennis Pannell - is second row to Bourne's photo right. John Langdon: (photo: from Langdon's book 'The Sharp End') Langdon, Elstob and Bourne: (photo: again from Langdon's book 'The Sharp End'. ….and finally, what I believe to be Langdon's tank (photo: Dennis Pannell photo collection)
At approx 1030 hours today, and 75 years ago, Sgt Harding fired the AP round into F01's flank as the Tiger moved down the Ostenholz road. Attached is the diagram of the incident to feature in my forthcoming book (hopefully to be published in June) Theirs the Strife. Best wishes - and keep fit and healthy - to all following this thread. John
John Looking forwards to your book. That sketch map is a great 'teaser'. By coincidence, the IWM are also releasing a version of Peter Elstob's book 'Warriors for the Working Day'. Steve Edit: looks like it's just been released.
My copy's already ordered, Amazon shows its release date as 30 April.. looks like John's going to have another reader, as well. I am so seriously in trouble now, my domestic supervisor has already told me what will happen if she finds more books squeezed onto shelves...and sorry folks, ebooks don't do it for me..and it's not like I can escape, either!
I've just posted this message over on 'Facebook':- I wonder how many of us who were stationed in Fallingbostel knew that 3RTR's last possible action took place just down the road! As you drive up the Hannover- Hamburg Autobahn (A7) towards Fally and go past the Allertal service Station it happened over in the woods to the North West on the K149! I certainly didn't know anything about action until I paid a visit to 'Pup' Kevin Greenhalgh's museum just after the amalgamation and noticed a pic of Tiger with the caption 'Knocked out by 3RTR', Kev very kindly pointed out on a map of where the action took place and from there my interest in the event was spawned! Note the close proximity of 'Falling-Bar-Stool' to the North!