Just came across a 2 reel film of various assault tanks being trialled by 79th Armoured Division. Film is for research and reference only. There are a few that I cannot quite make out, if anyone has some decent software and can make out anymore please let me know. 79th ARMOURED DIVISION [Allocated Title] Reel 1 BANNER, SARAH, DAVY FACH (not sure if this is a name or not) Reel 2 DAUNTLESS AoS 982 (SBG), DARING T172622/B, DICER? (SBG), FURY, SALOME and CHELMSFORD Cheers Kevin
There's a Crocodile called BANNER T17258 993 on Green (Vanguard #13 p9) The is a dis-armed Churchill MkIV called BANNER used for Bangalore Torpedo trials but no photo I've got shows any other marking than a '2' on the turret There a Churchill MkIV AVRE called SALOME T172660B (British Tanks & Fighting Vehicles p191) usually photographed with an "Onion" breaching charge I'm intrigued by the DAUNTLESS AoS 982. 992 in 79th were the Fife & Forfar which didn't use Churchills.( I don't have 982 in NWE at, only Italy where it was used by 1211 Indian Pioneer Coy!) Not much help there! cheers
Hi Christian, Attached are screenshots from IWM film 79th Armoured Division, images for research and reference only. Unidentified Turret No. 2 - name on turret Turret No. 4E - name on hull side Turret No. 13 - name on turret Unconfirmed Name Davy Fach ( little/small David?) Confirmed Names Banner Chelmsford Daring Dauntless Fury Salome Sarah Cheers Kevin
Hi Kevin I think that Davy Fach may belong to the Obstacle Assault Centre that worked with but wasn't a part of 79th. There's a slightly different view of her in Chamberlain & Ellis' "The Churchill Tank" p.76 pushing a OAC MkII mine plough. I've drawn a blank on the others! It doesn't help that my list is dictated by vehicle - serial prefix, number & suffix, or serial series or vehicle type. I didn't get around to putting in names & addresses until I'd been going for a few years when I discovered that there was a lot more information around than I had previously believed! For what it's worth SAGUM's serial number starts with T172------ which isn't very helpful! You are really doing a superb job with this project - I'm getting a lot more out of it than I'm ever likely to be able to put in! So, Thank you!! cheers Christian
From a movement order of 30 Jul 1943 (found in the War Diary of HQ 79 Armd Div - WO 166/10710), 77 Assault Sqn RE has the AoS number of 982. According to Hodges/Taylor, this was later changed to 1233 along with the other sqns of 5 Assault Regt RE. I believe that 982 was given to 23 Bomb Disposal Company RE. It certainly had this AoS number in July 1944. Dave
Great find Dave! In addition to BANNER (Wurlitzer), a couple other 'trial' Churchills also show this AoS 982: DARING T172622/B (OVERLORD by George Bernage, Ed. Heimdal, p59 & MGH 106, reel 2, 03:51): DAUNTLESS, as already mentioned by Kevin (OVERLORD by George Bernage, Ed. Heimdal, p61): Another mystery AoS Serial seen on tanks used by 79 Armd Div in their trials: Churchill IV AVRE 1F BANSHEE T68229/D wears Serial 429 (British Pathé 2847_02_452): Does the War Diary also mention this Serial 429? (Note: from 29 Apr 44, 'BANSHEE' was also the name for AVRE 4C, 77 Aslt Sqn RE) Michel
Churchill IV tanks with name in S..., turret number, AoS 40 and 79 Armd Div Fmn sign (thus normally HQ 79 Armd Div): No.2 SAGUM Turret No. & Name - ATB D Day Then & Now p195: Just the name visible - 28 Jan 44 - H35494: 79 Armd Div sign - 28 Jan 44 - H35468: No.3 SANS PEUR T172949/x Turret No. & Name - 27 Mar 44 - A70 5-1 02.01: T-No T172929/x [edit:] T172949/x (x=suffix, not legible) - 27 Mar 44 - A70 5-1 02.28: 79 Armd Div sign & AoS 40 barely guessable - 28 Jan 44 - H35451: Just the name visible - 28 Jan 44 - H35475 : No.6 SAILOR T172xxx Turret No. & Name - 28 Jan 44 - H35480: Turret No., 79 Armd Div sign & Aos 40. T-No T172xxx should be readable when (if) the IWM release better scans of this pic - 28 Jan 44 - H35471: No.12 SALOME T172660/B A Sqn Note the A Sqn symbol on the turret - 28 Jan 44 - H35489 (large version here): 11 Mar 44 - H36593 (large version here): No.13 SABREUR Turret No. & Name - HEIMDAL OVERLORD p63:
Hi Michel, IT seems that there is a mistake for this tank number : T-No T172929/x (x=suffix, not legible) - 27 Mar 44 - A70 5-1 02.28: . According to the picture it should be T172949, true?
Jean-François, You're right of course. I've just edited my post to correct the typo. Thanks for noticing it. Michel
I found additional tank numbers, but no names based on the following picture ref : Picture H 35483 and H 35456, Churchill SBG T172275/B Picture H 35469 and H 35491, fascine T172237/B Picture H 35491, T172952/B Maybe it can be usefull.
