These images of an AVRE named GRIMSBY have just been sent to me. The census looks like it could be T172483 and the AoS is 83 or ?83. Can anyone clarify either the census or the AoS or both. Cheers Kevin
Hi Kevin, Not an AVRE, but a regular Churchill. It looks like one of those used by 79 Armd Div in their trials. Are these stills from a film, and if so, do you know which one? Michel
With the fascine in the way there's no way to id it as an AVRE. Given the placement of the numbers on the flash I'd bet on there being a preceding number. Grimsby was a name in regular use with 7 RTR and it's definitely a 79th Arm Div flash! Lots of the 'funnies' trials were carried out on dis-armed gun tanks and a good few had those large turret numbers. What I would like to know is ....... Why an Army bar under the AoS? I do not remember seeing an Army bar on any other 79th vehicle (which was a GHQ formation in any case and never carried that distinction either) which makes it a VERY interesting photo. It does reinforce the case for a 3-digit number though.
