British tank stowage item identification

[Jakko Westerbeke]

I don’t recall seeing it in photos of Normandy or beyond, or even Italy except Sicily, so it looks to me like a desert-only item, yes. But it’s unlikely to be a tent or shelter or similar, because first of all it’s very small even if the thick back folds open/out, and second, a good number of of tanks in the desert carried a rolled-up tarp along one side of the hull to use as a shelter — including some of those that also have this unknown item on them.

I suspect that I’ll just have to make something that looks like what I see in the photos (as the reason I’m asking about this thing is to put it on a 1:35 scale model).

[Lang]

Could only have been used in the desert as it would have been torn off in the first 30 seconds anywhere there were bushes and trees.

[Lang]

Just looked at hundreds of tank photos and the only ones I can find are related to landing operations.

The kit looks awkward and large enough plus only temporarily attached to be an inflatable life raft in case the landing ship sank Remember the tank crew could not wear lifejackets as were issued to most other personnel

[Jordan Baker]

I realize now that the pictures were enlarged on just the item in question. I see that the item is about the same size as a large pack.