Porpoises

[George Moore]

I'm not sure if this is any help, and may have appeared before.

The book "The Funnies" by G W Futter has a section on the porpoise, some photo's and a drawing.

It states there were two sizes.

The book is way out of print, my copy is 1974 (?).

George.

[GeoffLeese]

Thanks for that George, it's a start.

Looks as though we may have to fabricate smaller covers from the ones that we found - shouldn't be too difficult as at least we have a pattern to work to now.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Geoff,

Excellent to hear a genuine Porpoise was found! I am looking forward to seeing it behind the Sexton at Ver-sur-Mer.
The publication that George scanned is also the only printed info I can remember of the Porpoise that has any specific info...furthermore there are some beach pictures that show discarded Porpoises (run over?) and there is a Pathe movie that shows an ammo depot started with Porpoises.

Alex

[GeoffLeese]

Hi Alex.

Thanks for that - early days yet, but the restoration will DEFINITELY be done for the 2014 commemorations.

We'll have a beer together in the bar opposite and a photo taken by the Porpoise.......

Do you have any references for that information please?

Here are a couple of pictures of the recovery.

Wrong order, but I think the sense is obvious!

BR

Geoff

[Alex van de Wetering]

but the restoration will DEFINITELY be done for the 2014 commemorations.

We'll have a beer together in the bar opposite and a photo taken by the Porpoise.......

Sounds like an excellent idea!

Attached you will find some scans...all shots from the IWM archive. I am trying to find the film footage showing the porpoises stacked in a Normandy field in use as an ammo depot, but haven't found it yet.

First picture shows Shermans of 13/18th Hussars backing into the LCT with the porpoises being pulled backward with a chain. After the LCT landed, a special tow bar/frame was used to take the Porpoise onto the beach as can be seen in th picture with the Centaur. The first and second picture show the bar stowed on front of the Sherman hulls. The last picture shows at least two abandoned porpoises on the beach (St Aubin-sur-Mer???)


Alex

[Alex van de Wetering]

I was sure there was pic somewhere of a Sexton and Porpoise in the same shot. Couldn't find it in any of my books, but here it is on the IWM website:

IWM 44931.jpg
http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib...e.jpg?action=d

source: http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk

[GeoffLeese]

Thanks for those Alex.

I've passed them on to our curator.

BR

Geoff

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Could this be one of 86 Field Regt RA (Hertfordshire Yeomanry), "the only regiment to land Sexton SP Guns on D-Day (Juno Beach)"?

As per the link above: 86 Field Regt RA found that their Porpoises caused less trouble than expected. The C Troop diary records: "The Porpoises - those misbegotten children of the "War House" proved to be quite amenable to a wet landing and all were landed without any trouble. Perhaps this was as a result of the language used on them previously....".

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

I was sure there was pic somewhere of a Sexton and Porpoise in the same shot. Couldn't find it in any of my books, but here it is on the IWM website:

IWM 44931.jpg