I recently acquired a copy of this essay by (then) Major-General Francis Tuker CB DSO OBE [Later Lieutenant-General Sir Francis Tuker], until recently the commander of 4th Indian Division. It seems to be an embryonic pass at the issues he addresses more fully in his later books, The Pattern of War (1948) and Approach To Battle (1963). The physical copy is actually with my family in the UK, but I intend to ask for photos of both the Freyberg and Martel articles listed in the contents; let me know if any of the other pieces are of interest. Hope you find this worthwhile: I attach also another essay by him that I have posted elsewhere. It covers 4th Indian Division's time at Mareth and is generally a good read. As a side-note, can anybody explain why Tuker was nicknamed 'Gertie'? Edit: preview is showing these images a little to small--click the top right corner for full-size.
Re Gertie Would it be a play on his name Tuker simlair to Turkey Nickname for Turkey. Is Gertie Just the way my mind works Also possibly a play on Gurkha Taxi
Article 5 ‘Epic Fights IV’ about Primosole Bridge is of great interest to me, CF. I’d be obliged if you could post that?!
I have no idea how well covered this action is elsewhere, but my first impression is that this is excellent:
On page 62 - is that a case of where the Germans where using a captured Sherman against Allied troops "As dusk fell a Sherman tank was seen approaching from the North. ............... When within 200yds it opened up of the forward companies, was engaged and withdrew." TD
It sounds like it--and sneakily as the turret was open and the commander waving his arms. That reads to me as if he was trying to dupe the defenders into believing he was friendly, not merely utilising salvaged materiel.
Many, many thanks for posting the Primosole article, CF. I have never seen/read that article or extracts of it (that I recall) before and it is excellent reading. That said, I do have a lot of material/information about this battle. The article was published in October 1944 and the Durham Light Infantry units involved were still fighting in NW Europe - north of Nijmegen, on The Island. The writers (or is it the censor) are, understandably, very circumspect about naming the said units. The brigade is the 151st Infantry Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. Battalion A = 9th Bn Durham Light Infantry Battalion B = 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry Battalion C = 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry I did not previously know anything at all about the rogue Sherman tank. Many thanks again! Best, Steve.
I'm pleased to have been able to help. I think I'm going to start hunting around for more wartime copies of this publication as the content is excellent--just look at the list of authors. This copy was bought pretty cheaply seven quid, I think, but the other copies available were three times the price.
Another good article from that collection: The Second NZ Expeditionary Force in the Middle East, by Freyberg.
Extracted from the full book by Ronald Lewin, available here: https://www.worldhistory.biz/download567/FreedomsBattle03-TheWaronLand1939-1945.pdf
A 'blue sky' speculation on the future of battle by Sir Francis Tuker. From India Quarterly Vol. 2, No. 4 (October-December 1946), pp. 346-352