"CB" Fireflies

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by John Tapsell
Various unpublished memoirs and sources identify the vehicles in question - including an online memoir from an RNVR Sub-Lieutenant from LCT (CB) 2337.

John;

In regards to the above link, this may sound dumb, but, he doesn't say if the 'Hussar Shermans' loaded on the raised after deck for the actual invasion were 17 pdrs or not, although, he does mention that during exercises before the invasion, these two positions were 17pdr Shermans. The two Shermans for the actual invasion may have been two 75mm Shermans.

Originally posted by John Tapsell
The CB Fireflies are also recorded in WO171/102 at the Public Record Office:

"Six Sherman 17 pdr are being issued to 1 Corps on a priority, to be used in LCTs for concrete busting. These vehicles are to be manned by First Reinforcements of 27th Armoured Brigade and 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. They will held on charge by 259 Delivery Squadron (1 Corps)"

(from Mark Hayward's "Sherman Firefly" - page 23)

John;

In regards to the above, is your source WO171/102, or is your source Mark Hayward's "Sherman Firefly" - page 23, regarding the quote.

Also, I found this, which you may find of interest, its from:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series - Victory in the West, Volume I, The Battle for Normandy, (by Maj. L.F. Ellis) - Appendix II - Allied Naval Forces in Operation Neptune - Part II, where it states the following:

"In addition to the bombarding forces listed above each naval assault force included landing craft equipped with various weapons to give additional close support to the assaulting troops. The type of craft and the nature of their armament is as follows:"

and under the column Type, is listed, for the Eastern Task Force -

'Landing Craft Tank' - and for number - '103(b)' - with a note regarding armament - 'temporarily mounting army weapons'; and under Notes, in regards to the '103(b), it states:

"(b) On the British front the following weapons were mounted in L.C.T.s to give close fire support: 80 Centaur tanks mounting 95mm howitzers; 20 Sherman tanks mounting 75mm guns; 240 self-propelled 25pdr or 105mm field guns. Three craft carried 17pdr high velocity guns for destroying concrete defences."

It does not say if these '17pdr high velocity guns', were 'tank mounted' or 'standard carriage mounted' 17pdrs.

Cheers