Albaneta Farm Sherman

Discussion in 'WW2 Battlefields Today' started by Paul Reed, May 30, 2008.

Page 2 of 2
  1. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Where was she hit?
     
    Slipdigit, Jan 15, 2015
    #21
  2. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Another view
     

    Attached Files:

    4jonboy, Jan 15, 2015
    #22
  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I'll quote the caption from ropey's ATB book on Cassino page 317.


    ..the lead Sherman commanded by 2nd Lieutenant Ludomir Bialecki ran onto what is believed to have been a double or triple Teller mine. The blast caused the tank to burst into flames and the exploding ammunition inside completely blew the turret off. All five crew members - Bialecki and Corporals Edward Ambrozej, Eugeniusz Bogdajewicz , Boleslaw Karczewicz and Jozef Nickowski- perished . One man was blown clean out the turret but two other crew members never even got out the tank. Nickowski , jumping out engulfed in flames, was seen to run off into the night (he died from injuries seven days later.) Bialecki emerged from the turret burning like a torch. He rolled around in a vain effort to extinguish the flames but was eventually consumed by them.
     
    Owen, Jan 15, 2015
    #23
    Slipdigit likes this.
  4. Deacs

    Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

    Some oldies are goodies, I'm enjoying this.
     
    Deacs, Jan 15, 2015
    #24
  5. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    A couple of passages from Cassino, The Hollow Victory by John Ellis

    Para 14, II Polish Corps on Monte Cassino 11-18 May 1944:

    Pages 326-327

    In this attack much faith had been placed in the tanks that went forward with the infantry but it was still found that mines, bazookas and anti-tank guns gave the Germans a decisive superiority of fire. Hardly any tanks, indeed, were able to get forward to help reduce the Albaneta strongpoints:

    One tank from the support troop came to a stop amongst some rocks, the second one struck a mine and went up in flames, the third one received a direct hit by a heavy shell and had its track damaged. The leading tank of the tank troop following also struck a mine. Sappers engaged in clearing a path for tanks found that the....Gorge was unusually heavily mined and....they suffered such casualties that they were unable to continue their work.

    Of the twenty men in the attached sapper detachment, eighteen were either killed or wounded within a few hours. The fate of some of the tankmen was particularly horrific:

    Suddenly a fire began underneath one of the tanks. There was an explosion. A human rocket flew out from the top of the tank and a man wreathed in flames ran off into the night. Another man emerges from the turret-he looks like a human torch. He rolls around on the ground, shrivels, burns out, dies. No one else follows them out of the tank.


    edited: typo
     
    4jonboy, Jan 16, 2015
    #25
    Owen likes this.
  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Horrible way to die.
    :poppy:
     
    Owen, Jan 16, 2015
    #26
  7. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    Thanks for sharing Lesley, fascinating piece of history

    Lotus7.
     
    Lotus7, Jan 16, 2015
    #27
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Attached Files:

    Owen, Sep 21, 2015
    #28
    4jonboy and CL1 like this.
  9. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Well found Owen. Looks pretty good doesn't it?
     
    4jonboy, Sep 22, 2015
    #29
  10. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    I agree, well found Owen. The model looks excellent and a wonderful tribute.
    Regards
    Tom
     
    Smudger Jnr, Sep 22, 2015
    #30
  11. ropey

    ropey Member

    That would be mine. Thank you Tom.

    Perry
     
    ropey, Jan 4, 2016
    #31
Page 2 of 2

Share This Page