WW2 Canadian troops from DDay to germany 1 hr dutch TV

Here is a history TVshow on dutch TV that was aired yesterday:

http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/afleveringen/1424437

A lot of , to me, unseen footage of canadian action..(but also mixed with british troops ..especially at normandy -of course- as there isn't much film from all the landings) from DDay to Netherlands and beyond in Germany.


With dutch commentary, and sometimes canadian letters read in dutch, but much with original canadian/english spoken text.


Two things I found interesting:

1) I see a Sherman Tank (in supposedly Groningen) with a very tight camouflage netting at its sides at time 38:38 - 39:44.
It is not loosely draped or held by a few wires , but it looks as if it is tightly nailed to a board which is fixed to the hull side.
Is this a correct understanding ?
Anyone having a better (drawing/sketch) picture of this particular netting fixation ? (for inspiration for another Sherman model building job)

2) An OMG moment at 42:45 - 43:45
a dutch couple Van Brakel gets help from Canadian engineers.
You see and figure out if we should sympathise or detest the Van Brakels !

 

turns out the show was aired also in 2005 (!)...and many more people reacted as I did on point 2) ;

see the followup:
http://www.geschiedenis24.nl/nieuws/2005/mei/11-mei-De-schat-van-de-familie-van-Brakel.html (but in dutch)



(conclusion; the Canadian CBC commentator was very likely to be wrong...and the family of van Brakel responded with a true (?always uncertain?) version of the story )

 

Arnhem44 - Here's another one, photographed at Groningen with the same camouflage:



From the top of my head, these Shermans belonged to the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade and were supporting 2nd Cdn Inf Division.

See also this link for more examples: http://www.battlefieldtours.nu/pictures/

 

This type of camouflage obviously was not restricted to Canadian units, as is evident by this picture of another Sherman which was photographed at Hengelo (Overijssel). This is a British one belonging to the 8th Armoured Brigade in support of the 43rd Wessex Division:

 

What kind of camouflage is it ?

It looks like today's fake/artificial grass but glued on the hull (or on the TV film on a wooden board and that fixed to the hull).

It looks very "modern" for a 1945 situation.

 

Arnhem44,

Thanks very much for posting this excellent documentary.

Cheers from Canada.

 

Hi,
I believe the material on the tanks is “steel Wool”.

It could be painted/coloured and photographs show it being used in a variety of roles.

From here http://www.google.st/patents/US2278898

CAMOUFLAGE MATERIAL Filed April 24. 1941 ma m7 Patented Apr. 7, 1942 UNlTED STTES PATEN OFFICE Application April 24, 1941, Serial No. 390,209 In Great Britain October 28, 1939 a Claims.
This invention relates to camouflage materials.
There is a need to-day for a camouflage material which is pliable so that it can be made to take up any desired shape in use and so that it can be stored conveniently, for example in the form of rolls, which can withstand rough usage and which is fireproof and weather-resistant. The main object of the invention is to provide such a material.
Another object of the invention is to render steel or other metal wool suitable for camouflage purposes.
Yet another object of the invention is so to combine steel or other metal wool with a wire mesh base as to provide an excellent camouflage material.
I have discovered that steel or other metal wool attached to a base of wire netting or similar open-mesh'material forms an excellent camouflage material and is adequately resistant to ing to such an extent as to cause it to break up into small pieces which will not hold together. It is very difficult to paint it effectively because paint will not adhere to its very fine edges. The difliculty is however wholly removed if the steel wool is provided with an insoluble phosphate coating. Such a coating may be applied in any suitable way, but particularly advantageously by the well-known Parkerizing process.
When steel wool isParkerized, there is no difficulty in painting it and the resultant material is one which, for camouflage purposes, has surpassed all expectations.

Regards

Danny

 

I'm curious over the intent of that steel wool camouflage. Being a solid, consistent colour and texture, it doesn't appear to be overly effective in either breaking up the shape of tank or disguising the tank against any
particular background. I wonder if applied in a certain manner, it might have a muting effect on strikes from a Panzerfaust or Panzerschrek.

 

DannyM - I think you're right. Look at this picture of steel wool applied to the end of the gun barrel and the shield to left of this 6-pounder AT Gun.