First Cdn Army Tank Deliveries

[Tony Viste]

Well I finally have something to show after my two year effort.

http://www.stcloudmac.com/z6159/phot...adr/index.html

I've exported the WD numbers into html tables by vehicle type. Then the WD numbers are listed by numerical order. Someday I hope to also sort things by chronological order and to post the war diaries for the various squadrons.

I have also included tables showing the deliveries of C & D Squadrons (only a few months, I'll update as time allows)

Things to note: Only Army & Corps Squadrons (F, E, B, 259) kept a Daily Tank State that showed WD numbers. Forward Squadrons (C, D, A, G) did not (if they did, they are not on the microfilm available from the Library & Archives of Canada).

I can't believe how obsessive one can become while studying tank deliveries. If anyone has access to 259 Corps Del Sqn war diaries, please let me know.

And finally, these pages are on a hidden folder on my employer's website until I can find a more permanent home. If bandwith is too much or if it is 'discovered' I'll have to take it down.

I welcome all corrections and comments.

Thank you,
Tony Viste

A few interesting points:
1. Stuart VI deliveries started in late Oct 44.
2. One Chaffee was delivered to 4 Cdn Armd Div in late Apr 45. Anyone know how it was used??
3. How were the Locusts to be used? Were they to go to the Armd Regts and replace the recce Stuarts? or to the A/Tk regts and replace the Stuart Chargers?
4. I was surprised by the large number of Sherman Ic and the relatively small number of Sherman Vc.
5. Archer deliveries started in early Jan 45.
6. The vast majority of the Ram GPO (Sexton GPO) are listed as CT-******. Anyone know for sure if it supposed to be CT or S.
7. Several Sherman V DDs soldiered on into 1945. (as regular gun tanks I presume).
8. Has anyone seen pictures of a Sherman III with WD number of 229*** or 230*** ? What kind of features would they have? Would they have gone through the remanufacture program and have applique armor in front of the front hatch hoods? Maybe large hatch hulls? I was surprised by the large number of these higher WD number Sherman IIIs delivered in 1945 after I thought the III was being phased out.
9. And finally (not really, just out of time) what was the plan for the Priest 105mm SPs delivered to 18 Cdn Armd Car Regt on 29 Aug 44. (they were returned the next day). I think these were howitzer equipped and not Tp Carrying SPs. I haven't yet seen the war diary for the Manitobas.

[Roddy de Normann]

Tony -

Welcome to the wonderful world of the WD number !

I have been doing the same for the UK - and Canada, Poland & S Africa and am including all T Numbers.

In the A Sqn, 25 CADR files I found two numbers - 2 x Stuarts.

Am currently going through B Sqn for the end of the War, giving me the regimental holdings as they were handed in. F & E I have done but quite boring - v few regt holdings as your listings show.

But what of the Carriers ? Who did they come through and do those listings survive ? Also we need to track down the early issues fm UK sources in 1941/42 - all the Matildas/Grants etc that were used for trg. To that end I am also going through all the War Diaries as well but not getting very far.

Ref your storage prob, I use a 'stick' to keep everything on - can you do that at work ?

Keep up the excellent work - a real treat to see all this.

Roddy

[kevinT]

Tony,

This is superb work!
My vehicle name database has over 3800 records, once I sort things do you have any room to add names?

Cheers
Kevin

[servicepub (RIP)]

Tony,
Good work. May I use your data on my Ram Tank page?

[kevinT]

Hi Tony,

A couple of points.

T228614 ( "Jeanne D'Arc" 1st RTR ) and T228494 are both listed as Fireflys in "Firefly" by Mark Hayward, where you have them as Sherman V. There is infact a photo of T228494 showing houseboat fittings.
Have also noticed that T289*** numbers are listed as Sherman V and VC. Which is correct?
Great piece of work though.

Cheers
Kevin

[Tony Viste]

Kevin,

You were right, the Sherman V T289*** page contained both V and Vc. I've now made the changes.

I have also changed T228614 and T228494 to Sherman Vc.

And also, the Weasels are listed as 'Weasel, M29'.




Clive,

You can use any data you want for your Ram Tank website.

[tankbarrell]

Tony,

you are a star! You have listed Sherman V T-146309, that's mine! Do you have any idea which units it served with and perhaps any thoughts as to how it ended up on a range here in the UK?

The source numbers you quote, what do they refer to? Sorry for all the questions but I've been hoping to find something about her for years.

Thanks and regards,

Adrian Barrell

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Tony Viste
Well I finally have something to show after my two year effort.

http://www.stcloudmac.com/z6159/phot...adr/index.html

I've exported the WD numbers into html tables by vehicle type. Then the WD numbers are listed by numerical order. Someday I hope to also sort things by chronological order and to post the war diaries for the various squadrons.

..............................
..............................


And finally, these pages are on a hidden folder on my employer's website until I can find a more permanent home. If bandwith is too much or if it is 'discovered' I'll have to take it down.

I welcome all corrections and comments.

Thank you,
Tony Viste

Outstanding work, Tony!

If you so wish, I would be pleased to host this on MLU on your behalf; simply mark up the various html pages identifying and copyrighting the work as yours - or I can do that for you - and give me the go-ahead. Your call, sir, but I would be happy to suck up the bandwidth for you. Slide me an email or PM and we'll sort it out.

Cheers,

Jif

[servicepub (RIP)]

Originally posted by Tony Viste

Clive,

You can use any data you want for your Ram Tank website.

Many thanks. Can you tell me how to decypher your sources? Are these LAC Microfim reel numbers?
Clive

[kevinT]

There are a number Sextons or should I say Ram SP 25 pdr, listed as 95th Field Regiment RA.
I cannot find any reference to this Regiment. Is it a Canadian or British Regiment?
Anyone any thoughts?
Thanks for any help.

Cheers
Kevin

[Tony Viste]

Kevin,

Since all the references to "95 Fd Regt" are made on one day (20 Mar 45), I'm going to assume the clerk made a mistake and meant 90 Fd Regt RA, the SP Fd Regt of 50 Inf Div. I will update the Sexton pages soon.



Adrian,

It looks like your tank was never assigned to a forward fighting unit. F Sqn 25 Cdn Armd Del Regt after receiving it sent it to the workshops for the last month of the war. F Sqn only kept a Daily Tank State through the end of May 45. What they did with it in the summer of 45 I can't say for sure. Starting in May 45 many tanks were returned to 2nd British Army and I assume that is how yours ended up back in the UK.

From the pictures I've seen on the internet of your tank and its restoration, I have to say you did an amazing job. Very inspirational.




The numbers starting with 0's are the frame number on the microfilm and the 127*** numbers are the microfilm reel number, available from the Library and Archives of Canada.



Tony

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Tony Viste
Kevin,

Since all the references to "95 Fd Regt" are made on one day (20 Mar 45), I'm going to assume the clerk made a mistake and meant 90 Fd Regt RA, the SP Fd Regt of 50 Inf Div. I will update the Sexton pages soon.

Hi Tony;

... you beat me to it, I was going to post this in answer to Kevin's question:

Hi Kevin;

I think that the '95 Fd Regt RA' listed as the receiving unit on 20 Mar 45, should actually read '90 Fd Regt, RA' (90th (City of London) Field Regiment RA(TA)) who replaced 150 Fd Regt, RA (150th (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA(TA)) within the 4th AGRA (British I Corps) approx. Jan 1945.

For the 9 equipments in question (census numbers listed below), the entries are all more or less the same:

Date: 19 Feb 45, Issued to: 259 Corps Del Sqn (1 Corps) From: 17 Veh Coy
Date: 20 Mar 45, Issued to: 95 Fd Regt RA; From: 259 Corps Del Sqn (1 Corps)

with all 9 equipments being issued to the regiment on 20 Mar 45, probably as replacements for vehicle casualties of one form or another suffered by the regiment.

NOTE: 259 Corps Del Sqn was the British I Corps delivery squadron

S233735
S233783
S233830
S233901
S234014
S234045
S234152
S234494
S234818

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[kevinT]

Tony / Mark,

Thanks for clarifying the above for me. I had cross checked with Derek Bartons RA site
http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

and could not find 95th Field.

Tony,

I am trying to sort the WD serials into a Regimental order, if you will excuse the pun, so some anomalies are bound to turn up.

Cheers
Kevin

[tankbarrell]

Tony,

thanks for clarifying. I assume it's possible the tank was transferred from 2nd British Army to 1st Canadian Army and F sqdn were the recipients.

Does anybody have any thoughts as to what happened to 11th Armoured Divs Shermans after they changed to Comet? Did 1st Can. receive an influx around the new year?

Adrian

[Mark W. Tonner]

It is interesting to note the issue of eight M7 Priest 105mm self-propelled guns to the armoured car regiment (18th Cdn Armd Car Regt) of the II Canadian Corps from the Corps delivery squadron (E Sqn) on 29 August 1944 and their return to the same squadron on 30 August 1944. Although there is no mention of these 8x M7 Priest 105mm SPGs in the Manitoba Dragoons history, I wonder what their War Diary has to say about it. Perhaps there was a plan afoot to establish a 'Heavy Support Squadron' within the Corps armoured car regiment based on these eight equipments that never came about.

The eight equipments in question are:

S214534
S214541
S214591
S214635
S215857
S215890
S215911
S230563

all of which have the same notation within the table:

- 29 Aug 44 - issued to: 18 Cdn Armd Car Regt - from: E Sqn (2 Cdn Corps)
- 30 Aug 44 - issued to: E Sqn (2 Cdn Corps) - from: 18 Cdn Armd Car Regt


... food for thought ...

Cheers

[kevinT]

Could anyone confirm if the Delivery Squadrons of the delivered to specific Regiments or all Regiments?

Cheers
Kevin