Argyll Roger - a true enigma?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

The marks all along the side of the hull and turret appear to be remains of welding spare track links to the hull. It could be why its difficult to find a wartime picture of the tank

Indeed, it must have been fitted with spare track welded to the sides. A good example of the extensive use of spare tracks as extra/ stand-off armour is shown in the left hand picture. It shows Sherman tanks of the Governor Generals Horse Guards Regiment while advancing over the Hommelseweg, Arnhem on 15 April 1945 (note: the second tank is commanded by Capt. Robert Murray - source). This picture was taken about 7 km. from where Argyll Roger stands today, but it is not the same Sherman. After WW2 ended, most tanks were stripped from any additions, repainted and serviced to be paraded and then handed in.

On the right: a picture of Argyll Roger's two distinctive spare track links welded to the RH final drive housing. Here's hoping one day someone comes across a picture with showing this distinctive feature!

2608.jpg beeldbankWO2_141255-2-redlined.jpg

[maple_leaf_eh]

Like a dog with a bone! You are tenacious.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Like a dog with a bone! You are tenacious.

Grrr - one day I will find out!

And thanks

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Two more pictures, showing Mr. Nick Robey's aunt Annie from Wolfheze on top of Argyll Roger back in March 1948:

23380005_1484769761613093_6713951239810083138_n.jpg 23319405_1484771474946255_240209103403429689_n.jpg

Source: https://www.facebook.com/airbornemus...30160630345327

[David Dunlop]

This is intriguing, Hanno.

Some random questions:

- Is there any evidence on the tank to indicate it was knocked out of action in combat? Then abandoned in the area.

- You note it was found in the area in 1945 after the area was liberated. When did the Deelen Dump become active? That might help rule out a ‘joy ride’ from the dump if no Shermans had been placed there yet.

- Can the tanks registration number be traced at all?

- If additional track armour was added to a tank, did it normally stay on until the end of action for said tank, or was it common to have it removed while fighting was still going on? If some units were having their tanks rotated in for track removal, could it be traced that way?

- The recent photo you added shows RIA on the turret side. Does this have any significance?

- Have any Deelen Dump records survived indicated what came in, when? From what I have heard, records for items leaving might be a bit unreliable.

- Have the front and rear of the tank ever been studied up close to look for traces of additional ‘owner information’?

- With the name starting with the letter ‘A’, this might have been an A Squadron vehicle from some regiment. Can anyone spot other marking traces on any of the older photos that might support this possibility?

Sorry, Hanno. That’s all I’ve got.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Found another picture from it's early days at Hartenstein.

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Source: Picture by J.C.W. Massink, Doetinchem (location wrongly identified as Doetinchem)