Hi there, i am new to this forum and am desperately seeking info on my Grandad, John "Jack" Laidlaw. If anyone can offer any info such as the type of tank he would have driven, or anything i would be massively grateful. He was in the 23rd Hussars not sure which division, all i know is he was instrumental in liberating Belsen. If anyone can help please get back to me. Thank you. Phil.
Hi Phil and welcome, He was most likely in a Sherman until January 1945. At this point 23H switched to the new Comet tank (they were the first unit to do so). Be warned - there are many claims about the liberation of Belsen. Although 23H were amongst the first units to reach the camp in April 1945, they did not stop there. I'll check my index tonight for any mention of your Grandad (I'm at work right now).
Phil, I've found: J.M.Laidlaw, B Squadron. Post-war Address: 13 Claudia Street, Liverpool 4 He was a friend of the late John Brunt (B Sqr) and is mentioned on the John Brunt website: http://johnbrunt.co.uk/23rd_hussars.html The excellent Regimental History describes what 23H got up to: http://www.scribd.com/doc/113764603/1946-The-Story-of-the-Twenty-Third-Hussars-1940-1946
Hi, Phil. Without Jack, my Dad would have died in his tank, see my updated site, already posted here. www.johnbrunt.co.uk. I've just received a short mail from Will about that action at Caen, here The scribd site has deleted the book, I'm working on putting another copy together in pdf format. Pete