Unidentified Vehicle in the Invasion Area

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Totalise, May 11, 2021.

  1. Tom OBrien

    Tom OBrien Senior Member

    If you mean the document I posted up, I'd caution caution!

    It does say "It has NOT been found necessary to use the LVT's hitherto" - and that was written on 27 June 1944. I think, and it is only my supposition, that the "existing allotment for NEPTUNE" means that they were held ready in depots in the UK to be issued if the clay patches were creating major problems on the Normandy beaches.

    I'll see if I can rustle up anything more - I've got a load of 21 Army Group admin documents copied over the years and never really looked at in depth other than for Austin K5! o_O

    Regards

    Tom
     
  2. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    At least one of the Weasels were purloined by 33 Field Regiment.
    This is from a deleted section in Gunners in Normandy - edited out to save wordage.
     
  3. I think the object must be a landing craft. See other, vertical shots from later Sortie US7/1761 below. The oblique view of US7/1738 S_0099 makes it look shorter, plus the fore part might have been flattened and thus underwater during this Sortie. Red denotes mystery object, green is another, similar object. Both look like a LCA to me, but the shape of the shadow on the mystery craft suggests a LCM(1). However, the craft is too small for a LCM(1)...

    LCA comparison.jpg

    Michel
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2021
  4. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    I think it might be an AVRE.

    Regards

    Danny

    1  e.jpg 2  DSCF8893.jpg 3   PICT0798 Normandy.jpg
     
  5. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    WO 229/97/1 has a number of references to LVT (and a few to M 29) from May to December 1944. 479 are noted as being in the UK by 14/6/44, 115 of these being with 21AG, but there is nothing to suggest that any had crossed the channel and I think Tom has called this correctly: they were probably a contingency that wasn’t needed in the event.

    upload_2021-5-18_0-28-27.png

    The attached pdf is a poor copy of a memo dated 18 July from Colonel Boon of SHAEF - I have transcribed it as best as I could for ease. It reveals that although 85 LVT (1) had been delivered from North Africa they were “not considered practical” and that only 3 M 29c were on hand by then. It is also interesting to note that conversion kits to bring the M 29 up to M 29c standards had been produced but were not available in theatre (yet?). Were any subsequently converted in the ETO?

    Please provide your sources Danny and Ewen.
     

    Attached Files:

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  6. Ewen Scott

    Ewen Scott Well-Known Member

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  7. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    The information is mainly from WO 219/2794 - M.29 Cargo Carriers: general correspondence - 1944 Aug.- Dec.

    I have not found any information in the documents that I have looked at for the distribution of Weasels to British or US units for Op Overlord.

    Thanks for all of the links provided.

    Below are a few extracts about the number of Weasels in use.

    Regards

    Danny


    July 1944
    Status of Cargo Carriers, M29 and M29C.
    On Hand - 10th July 1944
    US
    M29 - 1605
    M29C - 0


    British
    M29 - 334
    M29C - 0


    Note. US resource figures include 330 obtained from British which will probably be returned.


    15th August 1944
    1   PICT5136   EDIT  15  8  44.jpg


    22nd September 1944
    British request 125 M29C from US Forces.


    22nd September 1944
    2   PICT5129   EDIT 22  9  44.jpg

    24th September 1944
    SHEAF have allocated 125 M29C from US stocks now in UK depots subject to later repayment

    23rd October 1944
    Lost of M29 First US Army
    6th - 17th June - 26
    17th - 24th - 10
    25th June - July 1st - 10


    Total 6th June to 5th October - 372


    October 1944
    21 Army Group has on hand.
    M29 - 433
    M29C - 320

    In Transit and assigned.
    M29 - nil
    M29C - 523



    12th November 1944
    21st Army Group
    On Hand M29 - 433. M29C 320


    12th Army Group (ETOUSA)
    On Hand M29 - 857. M29C 11
    Loaned to British (to be replaced) M29C 125


    6th Army Group (MTOUSA)
    On hand and in transit from Italy M29 - 324
    Allotted by War Department M29 - 576


    15th November 1944
    3   PICT5046   EDIT  15 11  44.jpg

    LVT - Normandy
    4   PICT5569  EDIT  LVT.jpg

    From the Manual on the Weasel

    1  M29.jpg 2   M29C.jpg 3   M29  &  M29C.jpg
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2021
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  8. Arty

    Arty Member

    Just random thoughts...

    From the pics that Michel posted this mystery 'thing' apparently didn't move all day after it came to grief. The pics taken later in the day all but dismiss it being an amphibian. It appears to be about the length of an LCA or LCVP or LCV. But only one of these might cast a shadow from the stern - which was an LCV. It seems that LCV 719, which was part of 470 Ancillary Flottila, was based in Southampton as of 05 June 44. LCV 719 was listed as lost, cause and place unknown, June 1944.

    Just for entertainment here's a pic of an LCV alongside an LCA (IWM A29897)

    IWM A29897.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2021

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