British tank stowage item identification

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Does anyone know what this item is that is seen hanging off a good number of British tanks in North Africa and Sicily?



I’ve also seen it on some Crusaders, and it never seems to be rolled up more than in these two photos. I can’t work out what it is, or is for, let alone how it’s actually constructed. It seems to have two thin panels on one side and a larger, padded part on the side that’s always towards the tank?

[Philliphastings]

Looks to me like a folding or ‘soft’ stretcher

I have seen one or two among AFV parts lots.

Said to be for removing injured crew members

Just my guess

Cheers

Phill

[Jordan Baker]

It looks like the canvas carrying case for the artillery plotting board with a couple extra large straps for securing it to the side of the hull.

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Philliphastings

Looks to me like a folding or ‘soft’ stretcher

Do you have any photos of one of those? I tried looking and can’t find any

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

It looks like the canvas carrying case for the artillery plotting board with a couple extra large straps for securing it to the side of the hull.

The only photos I can find of such an item all show items like these:



That doesn’t look like the item on the tanks to me, unfortunately.

[charlie fitton]

I'm gonna throw in that it may be a sleeping bag - like a Mills Co "victory Kit"

[Jakko Westerbeke]

That is proving difficult to find a picture of, because the combination "victory" and "kit" results in a ton of hits for model kits of HMS Victory while adding "sleeping bag" produces all kinds of modern ones

But I think a sleeping bag is unlikely. Somebody on Missing-Lynx suggested a British officer’s sleeping bag, and I don’t think it’s that because the shapes don’t match. Plus, it seems an odd place to stow a sleeping bag, right where it will catch as much dust as it possibly can.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Intriguing question. Looking at photos it seems to be approx the same width as a large pack?

I'd say the folding stretcher is a lead to research further.

[Jakko Westerbeke]

I keep thinking it’s a thing to carry other things. None of the ones you see in photos are ever rolled up all the way, they all hang in a curve with the padded (?) side towards the vehicle. That makes me think it’s meant for something to be strapped between the panels — but what? And why would it need that thick panel on the side against the tank if it’s just a carrier for, say, a rolled-up tent? Not to mention that I haven’t so far found a photo of what seems to be this item with something being carried in it.

A folding stretcher does seem plausible, but I for the life of me can’t figure out how to research one of those in such a way that I actually find out about British Second World War ones.

[David Dunlop]

Jakko.

You mention you have seen this item on North African and Sicily photos.

Are they present at all on D-Day photos or any from the NW Europe Campaign?

If not, perhaps this item was specific to the armoured operations in desert conditions and was phased out. What comes to mind is some form of canvas crew shelter. If no tent poles can be seen on any of the photos, perhaps some form of lean to that was simply slung along a side of the tank to provide crew shelter/shade. One thing my Mum used to tell me from her time in the NAAFI in North Africa was that it 'got bloody cold' at night in the desert, quickly. The temperature would drop from the low 100's to 60 or 70 F, which does not seem that much but shocks ones body never the less and it is not uncommon to see troops at night in the desert wearing Great Coats, full Battle dress and even leather jerkins.

The item in the photos may not be padded at all, just a large bit of canvas work folded up.

Just a thought.


David