M3 Stuart Recce/ Command: pics & info required

[oztankboy]

Hi there!
I am after photos and info on the M3 Stuart rece/comand tanks. That a Stuart minus the turret as used in North Africa/Middle East. Not after info in M3A3~M5~M5A1.

To give you an idea what i'm looking for see the attached pics.

Thamks!

Phil...

[Auke]

Although not a Middle-East early war version there is a picture of a Canadian M3A1 Stuart without turret in the "Camouflage & Markings -Canadian Armoured Vehicles" book (Armor Color Gallery No.5) By Steve Guthrie and Barry Beldam.
The authors refers to it as a Stuart V, but it is clearly a Stuart IV (M3A1), it has the typical grouser box on the rear left side and the one on te right side is gone. It also shows the rounded rear engine deck, and the long front fender. The picture is from 18 April 1945 in Putten the Netherlands.

In the front of the picture is a Ram flame-thrower tank (Badger).

Regards,
Auke

[Hanno Spoelstra]

A rare picture of a Stuart M3A1 recce. These were quite common in the early stages of the war, but to see them in use in NW Europe in 1944 was very rare.

It is captioned as a British tank driving along the Kade (name of a road) after the liberation of Roosendaal, 30 October 1944.

Source: http://www.gemeentearchiefroosendaal.nl/
Titel: Roosendaal: Britse tank met bestuurder rijdt over de Kade na de bevrijding (foto genomen voor fotozaak Brenzo)
Nummer: K14012
Afdeling: Gemeentearchief Roosendaal
Datum inhoud: 30-okt
Jaar inhoud: 1944
Auteur: Brenzo, foto (Van den Broek en zonen) (Roosendaal)

[Auke]

That's a very nice picture Hanno! There is also a M3A1 Stuart OP or Recce used by the Canadians in Putten, April 1945 in a picture in one of the Canadian Armour books. In the book about the liberation of Hengelo there is also a picture of a turretless M3A1 in the distance.
We ran our M3A1 Stuart as an OP or Recce version too in the 5 May parade and in Mons this year. Auke

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Auke,

Great to see you restored an M3A1 as a Recce tank! Can you share more pictures?

Thanks,
Hanno

PS: I moved the postings from Stuart Recce replacement to here, as this is a more appropriate thread.

[Auke]

Hanno,
We removed the turret for a few events this year. We thought it would be something different for the public and a historic correct thing to do.
The turret is back on now because we needed the space in the shed for other vehicles.
We do not have many pictures of it without turret, but here is one that was made in Enschede, May the 5th this year.
Cheers, Auke

[pzrwest]

Does anyone have pics etc of the M5 Stuart recce version

[lssah2025]

Illustrated History of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps 2000 RCACA by John Marteinson and Michael McNorgan.

Caption states: "Honey Tank of the Strathcona Recce Troop at the 'Benedictine' Crossroads, on their way to seizure of a bridgehead over the Melfa River."

May 1944 in Italy.

It appears to have some type of MG ring attached to it too...

[Auke]

Lance,
That's a nice picture! It's a M3A3 recce.
Cheers, Auke

[Alex van de Wetering]

@Auke

Removing the turret for the occasion was a clever idea....well...I mean, I liked it!

Is your M3A1 one of the former Brazilian ones?

Attached are three shots from Tanks in Town 2010.

@ Phil
I am pretty sure the M3A3 Stuart Recce's have been discussed on MLU before, including pics/slides from British Pathe, so it could be worthwilde exhausting the search function.

[pzrwest]

Originally Posted by pzrwest

Does anyone have pics etc of the M5 Stuart recce version

The Stuart in the pics appears to be an M5

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Auke

Hanno,
We removed the turret for a few events this year. We thought it would be something different for the public and a historic correct thing to do.

Auke, and without a turret you can bring along some more friends for the ride! Well done.

For those interested in the M3A3 Stuart V and M5A1 Stuart VI Recce's, seach this forum to find threads like Stuart Recce replacement.

My web page on the surviving Stuart VI Recce "PRESS ON" CT271427 was taken off line. But thankfully the adage "once on the internet, always on the internet" indeed is true in this case, thanks to web.archive.org

[Auke]

@ Alex,

Nice pictures! I did not see them before. My friend Guido did drive the M3A1 and he ended up in the woods by mistake.. we knew that the notorious "hill" would be very slippery and it was not a good idea to try to climb it with the slippery worn rubber tracks.. He did make it after a few tries though.

Cheers, Auke

[Alex van de Wetering]

@ Alex,

Nice pictures! I did not see them before.

I don't think I posted any shots of Tanks in Town on the forum, this year, due to a lack of time, but maybe I will post a few more this weekend.

we knew that the notorious "hill" would be very slippery and it was not a good idea to try to climb it with the slippery worn rubber tracks.. He did make it after a few tries though.

I wasn't going to mention that , but my girlfriend and I witnessed the attempts of a number of vehicles to climb the slippery hill, including the M3A1. As a spectator it was entertaining, but also surprising to see that some vehicles climbed the ditch without much trouble, will others had lots of difficulty....I mean some M3 halftracks had lots of trouble, while others crossed the ditch easily with the same tyres and tracks..

Alex

[Lynn Eades]

Is that Freyberg there with Monty in that first photo?

[lssah2025]

Other pics.

[lssah2025]

Few more pics.

[maple_leaf_eh]

I've been reading the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment's Jun, Jul and Aug 44 War Diaries. They include Stuarts and 37mm ammunition in the entries. As a main force armoured regiment, even if the Stuarts were in Recce Tp of HQ Sqn, they sound like whole tanks to me, and not turretless varieties.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

My web page on the surviving Stuart VI Recce "PRESS ON" CT271427 was taken off line. But thankfully the adage "once on the internet, always on the internet" indeed is true in this case, thanks to web.archive.org

The current URL for my web page is https://www.mapleleafup.nl/cmpvehicl..._vi_recce.html

[Hanno Spoelstra]

"Field Marshal Montgomery in a turretless Stuart command vehicle"

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Another nice photo of an M3 Stuart Recce. Doing a quick search for LCT 1150 it seems this photo must have been taken after 17 Jun 1944, most likely in the Far East.

"Unloading military tanks off naval ship, men on beach. Great Britain. Between 1939 and 1946.
View of military tanks being unloaded off naval ship while a group of men stand on beach area."


Source: http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4171225