Operation Infatuate II: Sherman tanks at Westkapelle

[Jakko Westerbeke]

I got sent this the other day, it was apparently posted to Facebook:

T148656 1950s.jpg

It’s obviously T148656, and because it’s on grass and missing the flail drive shaft, it was probably taken in the 1950s when the tank was outside the war museum north of Westkapelle village.

[MicS]

Not sure whether I have already mentioned this before, but No.20 RHODERICK DHU (bogged on the beach at Westkapelle) appears on a Canadian photo, shot on 6 Aug 44 by Ken Bell near Thaon, Normandy (MIKAN No.3224832, negative PA-160834):
No.20 Crab 1LBY - Army Numerical 37897-38623 - NWE - 77 of 110 - 1944 08 07-1944 08 14 - R112 42.jpg
No.20 Crab - comparison.jpg


When first seeing the photo shot at Westkapelle, I initially thought that the fading of the turret number outline had been caused by seawater erosion, but it looks like it thankfully occurred much earlier, thereby enabling us to identify No.20 as the tank on the Canadian photo.


Michel

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by MicS

When first seeing the photo shot at Westkapelle, I initially thought that the fading of the turret number outline had been caused by seawater erosion, but it looks like it thankfully occurred much earlier, thereby enabling us to identify No.20 as the tank on the Canadian photo.

Nice find Michel!

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Good find Also interesting to see it has the full-bicycle-type flail chains there, while in the Westkapelle photo the type with balls on the ends is in the rack on the side.