On this date the Sherwood Foresters claimed the destruction of seven German tanks. Does anyone have details of their opponents and of their tank combats on this day? James Holland gives a sentence to these encounters in his excellent new book "Brothers in Arms".identifying the tanks of A Squadron as claiming four. A Squadron was led by Maj. Geoffrey Makins MC with tank commanders including Capt. John Semken (2ic).and the tank ace Sgt Goerge Dring MM. Their opponents were possibly from 2 Panzer Division. regards Keith
Sorry, a brain to keyboard error, I would send an embarrassed emoji but.... if I had put SRY I would have spared myself looking stupid
Here are two pages from the regimental history, Lindsay, T.M. Sherwood Rangers. (The Story of the Nottinghamshire Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry in the Second World War). London: Burrup, Mathieson & Co., Ltd., 1952, from about the period around July 10th, 1944.
If A squadron were indeed credited with five tanks then perhaps the regiment claimed eight on total? Their best day as a regiment appears to be 26 June 1944 when they claimed thirteen Panzer IV, knocked out and a Tiger, a Panther and an SP gun captured. With Sgt George Dring claiming four. (according to Arthur Reddish. "Monty's Marauders" p.158). In "Brothers in Arms" by James Holland, Dring claimed five victories, the first a Panzer IV which "brewed up", then a Tiger which was ko'd, Dring and Lt Fearn knocked out Panther "204" of 12 SS-Panzerregiment, then Dring ko'd another Tiger and finally ko'd a Panzer IV. On this date Capt John Semken of SRY is also credited to have knocked out a Tiger of 2./SS-PzAbt 101. Dring apparently was following a dictum that rapid fire hits on an enemy tank neutralised it's defence and led to German crews abandoning their tanks. He does not seem to have been at any time a Sherman "Firefly" tank commander although several accounts present him as such. regards Keith
