Re post #36 Aren't the vehicles from 102 OCTO/Westminster Dragoons? I think I can make out the regimental badge and the sign of Aldershot Command on the lead tank. Could well be, well spotted. The picture is from the 'skins' regimental museum but it does not state that it is them.
At the risk of hijacking this thread I have a couple more shots of that Officer Cadet Training Unit and their Light Tank Mk VI. From a 1941 publication, 'Engines of War, the mechanised Army in action', excellent picture reproduction for 1941 I think. and a nice picture of a driver training simulator.
I think the three tanks in post 39 appear quite a few times in the video just posted by DBF between 5-7mins http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/29818-dunkirk-operation-dynamo-evacuation-beaches-18.html
Dear Andrew - The attached ebay shot is a little murky but look at the rear of the centre tank next to the National Recognition Square - is it a 4th Div sign or a blob? Nick Nick Thanks. I have looked very closely but it is difficult to make out anything other than a blob. I have also tried to see if there is another view of the same thing on other pictures of these tanks but with no luck. Andrew
More Mark VI 's from eBay! The first picture was taken on the beach of Malo les Bains. The tugboat in the distance is the Port de Beirouth: Jan
Jan Nice pictures - I think they are Commander and Alpine Hut - which were paraded around a bit by the Germans. Note that they have a special type of front sprockets! I think it is all the same location. I guess the German (?) barbed wire must help to date this - July sometime? Andrew
Andrew The name on the tank in the first picture looks like Commander indeed. And here's another picture (dated "September 1940" at the back) that clearly shows Alpine Hut (also with the Port de Beirouth tugboat in the distance): Jan
Think Fletcher mentions the Aussies buying some? Can't remember if it was Cs or another type, or find the page now... Helpful eh. Definitely a MkVib still held at Puckapunyal Australian Tank Corp Museum Don't know about C's Steve
Also....I think a look at the 3rd Kings Own Hussars' war diary would be of benefit; when I see references to them - in North Africa, and on Crete - they're all referring to MkVIBs....yet we have the pictorial evidence from Malta of VICs! A breakdown of what the Hussars had when would be good... That's because the tanks did not come from 3 Hussars, they were shipped direct from England in October 1940 along with the Matildas from 44RTR from my notes: MALTA TANKS 1940 16th October 1940 unit formed at Lingfield surrey: Strength 3 Officers and 62 other ranks and attached to 44th Bn RTR pending embarkation. Called: No 1 Independent Troop, RTR, Malta 27 Oct: 1 sergeant and 4 Ors proceed to post of embarkation, “R.45” 28 Oct: Unit proceeded to port of embarkation – “B.1”, Destination “P” 29 Oct: embarked “B.1” 10 November: Unit disembarked at Destination “P” 28 November: tanks and vehs arrived ex “R.45” (4 “I tanks”, 2 Lt tanks, 4 M/C’s, 4 30-cwts lorries, 2 15-cwt trucks, 1 15-cwt. Truck (water), 1 car Utility.)
Excellent! You don't happen to know what ship or convoy they were delivered by, by any chance? According to Malta Convoys by Richard Woodman if they reached Malta on 28/29 November 1940 they must have been part of Operation COLLAR which was undertaken to, amongst other things, escort the two new 7350grt Clan cargo liners Clan Forbes and Clan Fraser from Gibraltar to Malta. Speaking of MkVI's the New Zealand Star was escorted from Gib to Suda Bay with a cargo of tanks and munitions as part of the same operation. Any idea what unit this would have been? I understand from other sources that the armour on Crete in May 1941 (C Sqn 3rd Hussars with 16 MkVI's and B Sqn 7 RTR with 6 Matilda II's) had only arrived a few days before the German attack on 20 May 1941. Cheers KRO
Speaking of MkVI's the New Zealand Star was escorted from Gib to Suda Bay with a cargo of tanks and munitions as part of the same operation. Any idea what unit this would have been? I understand from other sources that the armour on Crete in May 1941 (C Sqn 3rd Hussars with 16 MkVI's and B Sqn 7 RTR with 6 Matilda II's) had only arrived a few days before the German attack on 20 May 1941 Might they have shipped onwards from Suda bay to Greece?
Some info on the 'C's here: Axis History Forum • View topic - Light Tank MKVI C All the best Andreas
Bodston Ref your Lt Tk VIC - AoS 5 - this is fm 9th Lancers, not 10th Hussars (AoS 6). I suspect that this vehicle was initially with SHQ B Sqn, but was then transfered to SHQ A Sqn. The veh's VRN - RMY 502 - equates to T-5148 with an initial engine no of S/11444. These latter details are fm the BTM Ledger 623.438(41) WD Nos/8. Roddy
Bodston Ref your Lt Tk VIC - AoS 5 - this is fm 9th Lancers, not 10th Hussars (AoS 6). I suspect that this vehicle was initially with SHQ B Sqn, but was then transfered to SHQ A Sqn. The veh's VRN - RMY 502 - equates to T-5148 with an initial engine no of S/11444. These latter details are fm the BTM Ledger 623.438(41) WD Nos/8. Roddy Thanks for the correction Roddy.