Heres one from Port-de-bassin all these tanks have been recovered from the sea and are part of the american DD's that got swamped they are covered in a preservative to stop them rotting any more
Heres a pic of the DD drive propellers I think it came out quite clear considering it was sheeted and its was quite dark underneath in the shadows
The front of the DD if you look closely you can see the air pipes that were connected to a compressor which activated the ring of canvas Would love to have seen the Jerry's faces when that dropped and they looked down the muzzle of a 75mm Can only imagine my reaction 75mm = :p
Not long read this book, Amazon.co.uk: By Tank into Normandy (Cassell Military Paperbacks): Books: Stuart Hills He went ashore on D-Day in a DD tank. Lovely little book.
This next photo has a real history to it.. When the 155mm Priest was recovered the original driver that had tried to bring it to shore was there to watch the recovery... Apparently the landing craft dropped its ramp and they were told to drive off only to find themselves going straight to the bottom as they wer on a sand bank......he was the only one to survive the other all drowned You would have though that the driver would be the last to be able to survive as the rear was all open....
Ok I know I know its not a DD again but it is a Percy Hobart Funny... This was an amazing piece of equipment.....and for some strange reason the yanks did'nt want it....the only Hobert funny they took was the DD I always though that strange as they must have seen the tanks in action in trials before the invasion.... The flail tank the Crocodile & the bridge layer to name but a few... the man was a genious as was the man who used bits of anti tank steel girders for fitting to the tanks for cutting through the bocage hedge rows.
anyway got to go to work now typical got to go to kew to drop some stuff off but no time to go to the archive centre......lifes a bitch :icon_bye: one last one a Stuart light tank again from the
Are these the ones recovered in the 70's Cash? Or more recent. I see one was dragged out in Italy a few years ago, hadn't seen that. There's a lovely DD Valentine restoration that frequents Beltring.
anyway got to go to work now typical got to go to kew to drop some stuff off but no time to go to the archive centre......lifes a bitch :icon_bye: here just one more a Stuart light tank again recovered from the sea
The last DD is at Bovington tank museum.Though its skirt is a bit tatty (Bit like me, and the same age!) Sapper
Von Poop, the chap that owns the site won the contract from the french government to clear the beaches and the sea as well of any wrecks after the war and has sold nearly everything for scrap or sold them to museums around the world......there are finds from all decades......its a very small but personal museum and every part has a story to tell.....well worth a look....
