2nd Armoured Battalion Irish Guards, GAD, Tank Casualties, 1945 Regiment: 2nd Battalion Irish Guards Serial No.: A.32. Tank: Mark: V W.D. No.: 288475 Date: 22 Apr 1945 Photo No.: 7 Figure Nos.: 9, 12 2nd Armoured Battalion Irish Guards, GAD, Tank Casualties, 1945 Range: 400 yds. Cause of Damage: A.P. (75 mm. Kw. K. 40) penetrations and scoop. Fire Damage: Confined Other tanks involved in same incident: B.3 Circumstances: At Elsdorf in the morning, moving slowly forwards in a field, when fired at by an S.P. gun. Same incident as B.3. Turret at 11.30 o’clock. Position of Hit: a) penetration into left final drive; b ) penetration through lower edge of extra armour welded in front of Driver; c) penetration through centre of front of hull just above gear box; d) penetration through lower edge of 75 mm. gun mantlet to left of gun; e), f) and g) penetrations into left final drive; h) hit on front of left sprocket. Course & Effect of Projectiles: Remarks: Shot a) went into left final drive. This shot and/or e) knocked loose the plate separating the final drive and Driver’s compartment; b ) damaged exterior of forward left sponson ammunition bin, but did not explode any of the contained ammunition. Paths of individual shots were not traced, but an unexploded Kw. K. 40 APCBC. round was found on the floor of the turret. The engine of this tank was not burnt. Some 75 mm. rounds on the floor of the turret had burnt; but rounds in all three sponson ammunition bins had not burnt. Tank burned quietly for half an hour and then went out. Shot a) or e) was the first to hit, and injured the Driver and caused the crew to bale out. This shot did not penetrate into crew compartment, and the Driver must have been injured by secondary fragments. Fate of Crew: Tank seen. Information from Troop Leader.
