Poppy day

[Alan]

He worked on Sherman tanks ?

Not as far as I know. There was a book by an American guy involved with Shermans. Can't think of the name at the moment but I recall a show on it and it also mentions having to deal with knocked out Shermans and the fate of the crewmen.

As usual LG had to put his 'corporations are the ev0L' spin on it

Yeah well freedom of speech

 

[Ady]

May we never forget those that willingly sacrificed their lives!

 

[bodhi]

Not as far as I know. There was a book by an American guy involved with Shermans. Can't think of the name at the moment but I recall a show on it and it also mentions having to deal with knocked out Shermans and the fate of the crewmen.

Researching WWII armour is a sideline project I've been busy with for some 5 years now.

Managed to track down several examples of WWII armour in SA - including the 6 surviving Sherman Fireflies preserved in SA

 

[Alan]

Researching WWII armour is a sideline project I've been busy with for some 5 years now.

Managed to track down several examples of WWII armour in SA - including the 6 surviving Sherman Fireflies preserved in SA

Found the book.

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Traps-Survival-American-Division/dp/0891418148/ref=sr_1_1/203-7316573-3946336?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194794295&sr=8-1"]Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in World War II [/ame]


Only R53 @ Take2.

Haven't read it yet but I will soon

 

[ToxicBunny]

blueghost: not sure if it still exists, but a place you might want to go and look is "Natal Mounted Rifles" in durban.

They used to have a collection of tanks on the grounds. I remember as a kid playing in them, was great fun.

 

[bodhi]

blueghost: not sure if it still exists, but a place you might want to go and look is "Natal Mounted Rifles" in durban.

They used to have a collection of tanks on the grounds. I remember as a kid playing in them, was great fun.

Many thanks

Have already finished searching through Free State , Gauteng & Limpopo for WWII armour.

 

[ToxicBunny]

It are my pleasure... there are a couple of military museums around durban and in the midlands... they should hold some treasures for you I think..

 

[bodhi]

It are my pleasure... there are a couple of military museums around durban and in the midlands... they should hold some treasures for you I think..

My research is for non-commercial purposes - all relevant information that I gather is passed on to the National Museum of Military History, JHB.

Must get to KZN and start the tank hunting

 

[ToxicBunny]

Even better to hear that.

When I am back in DBN over xmas I shall dig thru my grandfathers stuff and see what I can find, he was heavily into the history of that area, but maybe he has some stuff on WWII and things that were in Natal. I do know there was a big battery on the bluff during WWII and a sub-killer type thing in the harbour entrance.

 

[Debbie]

ToxicBunny is your grandfather still alive? I wonder if our grandfathers knew one another... there seem to be a lot of similarities.

Browsing around: http://rapidttp.com/milhist/vol103aw.html

 

[Alan]

My research is for non-commercial purposes - all relevant information that I gather is passed on to the National Museum of Military History, JHB.

Must get to KZN and start the tank hunting

There's an old WW 2 era tank outside the Moth Cottages here in PMB. Can't remember what kind though

 

[bodhi]

There's an old WW 2 era tank outside the Moth Cottages here in PMB. Can't remember what kind though

It's a M3A1 Stuart light tank - armed with a 37mm gun.

Useless in the ETO , fared much better in the Pacific

 

[Koos Custodiet]

There's an old WW 2 era tank outside the Moth Cottages here in PMB. Can't remember what kind though

Same for the MOTH in Rugby. Can drive by and take a pic I guess (not an expert).

The Great War : who hasn't seen Gallipoli?

K

 

[Alan]

Same for the MOTH in Rugby. Can drive by and take a pic I guess (not an expert).

The Great War : who hasn't seen Gallipoli?

K

Busy reading about The Dardanelles campaign at the moment.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Debbie2 : Nope, unfortunately he died of colon cancer a few years ago. He was very heavily into the history of the Natal region, the Anglo-Boer and the Anglo-Zulu war.

Our grandfathers may have known each other if your grandfather followed a similar path.

 

[OhGats]

My grandfather was a Delville Wood survivor, and he suffered from ill health for the rest of his life as a result of his experiences. He also didnt speak about them readily. Sadly I dont think many people really know what Remembrance Day is about, there are no more WW1 survivors alive as far as I know, and the amount of WW2 survivors is getting smaller all the time.

I have been photographing war graves and war memorials in and around JHB and believe me its a very sobering experience.

Out of curiosity, the Sherman tank was known as the "Tommy Cooker" because it had a nasty tendency to catch fire when hit.

 

[Alan]

My grandfather was a Delville Wood survivor, and he suffered from ill health for the rest of his life as a result of his experiences. He also didnt speak about them readily. Sadly I dont think many people really know what Remembrance Day is about, there are no more WW1 survivors alive as far as I know, and the amount of WW2 survivors is getting smaller all the time.

I have been photographing war graves and war memorials in and around JHB and believe me its a very sobering experience.

Yes it must have been . A real shame so many know so little about the wars

Out of curiosity, the Sherman tank was known as the "Tommy Cooker" because it had a nasty tendency to catch fire when hit.

Yeah being a Sherman crew member was not fun at all

 

[bodhi]

Out of curiosity, the Sherman tank was known as the "Tommy Cooker" because it had a nasty tendency to catch fire when hit.

Problem was more or less corrected with the introduction of "wet" ammo storage.

It took a lot of nerve (and courage IMO) taking on a Panther or Tiger with a Sherman.

 

[Alan]

It took a lot of nerve (and courage IMO) taking on a Panther or Tiger with a Sherman.

Alone it was insanity.