Searched about here briefly and found nothing on this subject. My core questions concern how many of the Brit owned Buffalo LVT vehicles were present in the UK for use in Op Neptune, and second who thought to use them for the landings on Walchern or Beveland latter in 1944? Any refrences for the history of this vehicle in British use would be welcome, as will be any direct answers. Thanks
Their first use was 9 Canadian Inf Bde's assault on the Breskens Pocket 8-12 October 1944, manned by 5 Assault Regt, Royal Engineers. This snippet is from Futter's The Funnies. There's not much on where they came from, but comments that we had mostly LVT4s and that vehicles of post-March 1944 manufacture had armoured cabs, might suggest that the bulk weren't delivered until after Neptune.
Thread here discusses British use of the LVT Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: British use of the LVT (aka "Buffalo")
Personal Diary Thursday 22nd. March 1945 The 'Fantails' are now in the wood having been brought in one o'clock this morning. Weird looking things!. Spent greater part of day un-sheeting. Had to guide a new lot in at 9.30 pm. Friday 23rd. March 1945 Am now I/C grease point. Only got through four of the water buffaloes. Everyone needs a bath & some rest. At 8.30 met transporters, unloaded & guided in the 'jobs' Saturday 24th. March 1945 One solid day's work & then we had to go back after dinner till 8.30!. The staff officers are in one big flap. Parcel with wine in it. [FONT="]Regimental Diary [/FONT] [FONT="]By the 15th of March A Sqn was equipped with the long promised Priest Infantry carriers and on the 16th the Regt started to move up into an area where it could train Infantry units of 56, 78 and 8 Indian Divs as they were available from tours in the line. For the last 4 days of the month B Sqn, though only 3 Troops strong, was put in the line to support two Infantry Bde of 78th Div, to relieve two four-Tp Sqns of the Bays. Though this prevented training of our own protective armour with Kangaroos, it enabled B Sqn to get some valuable practice shooting live targets. All this month the ground has been dry enough for tracked vehicles to deploy and move across country. A high standard of driving and map reading has been attained. Ron ps Thought I'd better add a word of explanation here. According to my records, on the 19th March I was posted to the "E" FDS (Field Delivery Station) on my way to join my new regiment, the 4th QOH. Almost everyone who was at this unit at the time was employed on making ready these new "hush-hush" tanks ready for the amphibian type operations that were taking place at the time. As I remember it, it was hard back-breaking work and there was no attention given to time off and we seemed to work around the clock. [/FONT]
I'd have responded sooner to your answers, but my spam filter was detecting malware attached to the email alerts from this web site. I found the messages this morning and had to consult with my computer guru. Thanks for the information. There were a few LVT with the US 1st Army in Op Neptune, which were used as logistics or general transportation. I'd thought the Brits had some of the same, but evidently not.
There are photographs, must have them somewere standing a Duiven, near Arnhem during operation Quick Anger 1945
Just an extra snippet about British use of LVT. I found this mention in the War Diary for 50 Coy RASC (GT) when it was training on DUKWs at TOWYN on its return to the UK for D-Day: 13 May 1944 TOWYN 120 ORs stated 1 weeks LVT2 course. Regards
