Staghound - what is this part?

[peter simundson]

To hold a two piece cleaning rod for the gun?? Below the angles.

Peter S

[Jack Geratic]

Peter, thanks for that, and I suppose it's a possibility for post war? Looking at a number of WW2 period photos, have yet to see a set of brackets in that location. Oh wait, you mean below the area in question? Pretty sure those are the base points for attaching headlights.

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regards,
Jack

[David Herbert]

Those photos remind me of the obvious point that your brackets could only be steps if the tow rope was stowed elsewhere. If they are intended to be used with the tow rope they must be to lift it away from the hull which is a refinement that I doubt would have been regarded as important.
Come on Marco, we need your knowledge of Staghounds !

David

[maple_leaf_eh]

Is it reasonable to think the round bar stock could be a wear point for the shackle? The two upper fittings make sense, but would the resting shackle ends also bang against the armour and maybe someone thought there needed to be a protection point?

[marco]

I also think the brackets are ment as steps for the turret crew.
The idea is to get in the turret as fast as possible and in this way it will certainly go faster than climbing the side of a fully stowed car.
Quite similar to entering a Sherman turret.
I have not seen these steps on WWII period Staghounds (yet).

The bar stock pointing outward from the headlight socket actually is a 1/2” UNF bolt with an “elongated” hexagon head 3/4” AF.
There is just enough space between the edge of this head and the hull to hold the 3/4” diameter towing cable.

Btw: am still looking for this (20 ft) cable.
I have seen 5/8” , 1” and 1-1/4” cables but never a 3/4”.

Marco

[Ed Storey]

The fitting doesn't appear to be on this example on display in the For Freedom Museum in Belgium.

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[Wayne Henderson]

Step for front mounting, used on Australian Staghounds.