Bruce & James,
When it comes to Italy the Polish sources mention about the GM Fox cars in the context of their rarity in the Polish Armed Forces. No doubt 31 Fox cars served between 1943 and 1944 in the 15. Pu³k U³anów Poznañskich (15th Poznan Ulan Regiment, where "Poznan" is the name of Polish city, and "Ulan" is pre-WWII Polish cavalrymen). It was armoured cavalry reconnaissance regiment belonged to the 5. Kresowa Dywizja Piechoty (5th Infantry Division "Kresowa").
15th Regiment veteran, Lt. Romuald Kobecki, mentions that they were incorrectly called by the Polish troops "Humber-Fox". Kobecki tells that in the midst of Regiment Fox operators nobody liked these cars. He states that there was a problem of balance in these cars and they were unstable, topheavy and it was easy to capsize the GM Fox. The Regiment used then the Staghounds, Humber Mk. IVs and Foxes that is why the Poles had an opportunity to compare those cars between them. 15th Regiment used the Foxes up to the end of 1944. Polish authors are not sure what happened with regimental Foxes later on. There is unconfirmed info that they were handed over to newly-formed 25. Pu³k U³anów Wielkopolskich, one more armoured cavalry reconnaissance regiment where "Wielkopolskich" in the name of 25th Regiment means the region of Poland and "U³anów" means the same as "Ulan" in the a.m. 15th Regiment. Unfortunately nobody researched much deeper what happened with ex-15th Regiment Foxes.
Source:
Janusz Magnuski
Wozy bojowe Polskich Si³ Zbrojnych 1940-1946
(The Combat Vehicles of the Polish Armed Forces 1940-1946)
Wydawnictwo Lampart, Warszawa 1998
(Lampart Publishing House, Warsaw 1998)
ISBN 83-86776-39-0
About the author Mr. Janusz Magnuski
http://www.explore-biography.com/sci..._Magnuski.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well,… let’s return ETO.
When it comes to the GM Fox cars in the Polish 1st Armoured Division, NW Europe, I do not want to be, and I can not be a kind of "oracle". I am also historic journalist and publicist so I know how hard task is deep historic research and therefore I appreciate good work done by Peter Brown in the PRO which is excellent source of information. On the other hand the author of the Polish 1st Armoured Division monograph is a professionalist as well. Mr. Jacek Solarz, PhD, the author of the monograph mentioned, is a historian who took his doctor’s degree of the Polish 1st Armoured history and the analysis of the books written by one of the Division veteran Col. Franciszek Skibiñski (during NW campaign he was Second-in-Command of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, main tank brigade of the 1st Armoured Division). This two-volume monograph was written in cooperation with PRO partner institution -- London-based The Sikorsky’s Institute and Polish Museum.
No doubt Jacek Solarz’s monograph is not focused on such details like the number of less typical weapon systems in the Division. The monograph is very well illustrated but also on the pics the Foxes can not be seen.
The question of the figures of vehicles in the Polish 1st Armoured is both simple and hard question simultaneously. The Division was in the 21st Army Group structure since March 1944. Theoretically the TOE for Polish 1st Armoured ought to be the same as for all other Commonwealth armoured divisions, but… There is always a "but" in history and my topic about logistics of the Canadian 4th Armoured and Polish 1st Armoured shows it very well. General structure of the Division changed several times because the unit had been planned for the Polish 1st Corps and its needs. The same goes for all types of the AFVs in the Divison -- they were replaced many times. Look at the following exapmple of 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade belonged to the 1st Armoured Div. and its Dingos:
January 1st, 1944 -- there is 47 Dingos in the Brigade;
April 15th, 1944 -- there is only one Dingo in the Brigade;
June 25th, 1944 -- no Dingos in the Brigade;
Falaise Gap, August 1944 -- the Dingos return but in unknown number.
I am working with Polish 1st Armoured Div. veteran who served in elite 10. Pu³k Strzelców Konnych (10th Mounted Rifles Regiment), the reconnaissance regiment working both for Polish Division and from time to time also in aid of Canadian 2nd Corps. I will ask him about these Foxes, if he remembers them.
James, of course you may be right that 37mm-armed Foxes may be taken as the other cars. I will try to check it and maybe I will add something in the weeks to come.
I did my best to explain a little and I hope it helps to some extent.
Best
C.
