Hi Churchill tank friends, Here are is the first war 21 Tank Brigade. Those of 12 RTR next posting. Cheers, Gerry
Gerry, After you have 'Attach[ed] This File' you have to click the 'Add to Post' (on the right of the the blue bar in the stack of attached files) to insert it in or after the text.
Attachmemts are there when previewing post but something happens en-route. OK when attached to an e-mail to myself. Giving a rest until kicking the gremlins out. Tom, None of the 21st TB records at Kew start before 1942 - tried searching in 4th Infantry (Mixed ) Division records with success. Anyway, starting on 48 RTR diaries after a cup of Yorkshire tea. Apologies for cluttering up the topic.
Gerry - not too surprised as the 145th was created from the Dukes on 15th November '41 and was building strength until around April '42 when they moved to Cumnock in Ayrshire at which time they appeared to join with 21st ATB- and it was not until 21st April '43 that Captain Newton- Thompson's troops engaged their first Tiger and PzMk iv's at or near Medjez with 10th Bde 0f 4th Inf Div - then to 25th ATB- then it was fun from then on Cheers Tom
Sorry, chaps - D's just given me a heads-up about this. Gerry, Email 'em to me (I'll send you the address) and I'll get 'em sorted. ~A
Thank you Adam Right in the groove now - in about a week should have 21st TB, 12th RTR, and 48th RTR done ( then will send them) then its on to 145 RAC 25th TB and NIH are done - 51st is a whopper with about 200 plus diary pages to do, then with 142 RAC the Med is done. It is facinating to find so many transfers of personnel between the six units. Toying with the idea of doing the same for the Churchill units in Western Europe. Cheers, Gerry
Gerry same thing struck me about the transfer of Personnel in both bdes - we started off with a new Colonel from NIH - and he went back for the Hitler line do - then returned - then we had nine officers in "A" sqdn at the beginning of the Gothic and a month later we had lost 3 KIA - 3 wounded - and 3 promoted and transferred - sqdn leader Major Lyll Lusted to CO of 12th RTR - Major Ingram to "B" sqdn to be killed in first action - Major Newton- Thompson to "C" sqdn to be wounded - it was all go in those days Cheers Tom
Fun and games in Italy? "1630 hrs CRASC Band in B Sqn lines. Canadian Concert Party “Rapid Fire” arrived. 7 girls had lunch in HQ offrs Mess."
View attachment 78th-Infantry-Division-Longstop.doc Here is the 78th Infantry Division's Longstop report. To answer Ron's question. It is indeed "our" David Dawnay who became recognised as the foremost exponent of the Churchill tank. He ended his career as Major General Sir David Dawnay, CB, DSO. A gentle response to Tom's figures re NIH losses. The regiment went into battle with 39 Churchill View attachment 78th-Infantry-Division-Longstop.doc Mark IIIs and IVs and 14 Shermans. Of the 25 tanks that were put out of action 10 were destroyed - 5 each Churchills and Shermans - 'B' Squadron Leader's Ballyrashane which I was aboard having the dubious honour of being the first knocked out. The other 15 were quickly repaired by the RE chaps as the low level firing of the dug-in Panthers most times hit the tracks/bogeys.
