Sexton in Holland

[Hanno Spoelstra]

A Sexton 25-pounder self-propelled gun, obviously on a victory parade with lots of spit and polish, most likely just shortly after WW2. The reverse of this picture postcard has the imprint "Canadeesche tank - Stevens Photo - Haarlem", implying this is a "Canadian tank".

Anyone with knowledge about artillery markings to identify the unit?



Source: https://flic.kr/p/Sqb6XE

Edited to add a second source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...1-dcf30e614e9d
Captioned "Canadian tank. On its way to the center for the parade on Dam Square. "

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Canadian Sexton 25-pounder self-propelled gun, obviously on a victory parade with lots of spit and polish, most likely just shortly after WW2.

The reverse of this picture postcard has the imprint "Canadeesche tank - Stevens Photo - Haarlem".

Anyone with knowledge about artillery markings to identify the unit?

Hanno,

I don't think this photo represents a Canadian vehicle, and I say this for two reasons.

First, the soldiers are wearing uniform accoutrements identifying them as horse artillery. Take note of the cap badge, which is not the regular artillery cap badge, the use of collar badges and badges at the bottom of the epaulet. Canada only had one horse artillery regiment during the war, and it was equipped with towed 25-pounders serving in the 1st Canadian Infantry Division.

Second, niether of the field regiments in either 1st or 2nd Canadian AGRA had the AOS serial '338' like the Sexton in your photo.

However, according to Bouchery, 4 RHA in 5 AGRA was equipped with Sextons. But there is a glitch. Continuing with Bouchery, the AOS serial for 4 RHA was '1191'.

So, the bottom line to all of this is, I can't tell you to which unit the vehicle belongs but I don't think it's a Canadian one.

Cheers,
Dan.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks Dan. So it must be a British unit then. The search continues.

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

I consulted my friend Bert Lindeboom and he gave me some pointers, which helped me in my search.

AOS "338" denotes 98th (Surrey and Sussex Yeomanry, Queen Mary's) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. This unit served in Italy until it was attached to 21st Army Group fighting in North West Europe. So it was sent to Belgium in March 1945, and was re-equipped with Sexton 25-pounder SP guns. It was attached to 1st Canadian Armored Brigade, which supported both the 1st Canadian Infantry Division and the 49th British Division in the closing battles of the war in western Netherlands.

Reportedly, they moved to Germany before the end of WW2. I suspect that either a few units remained and/or came back to the Netherlands for the liberation parades.

Movements (source):
Mar 45 - Menin, Belgium (from Italy)
Apr 45 - Dunkirk, France
Apr 45 - Duiven, Holland
Apr 45 - Huissen, Holland
Apr 45 - Dodewaard, Holland
In April 45 the Regt moved to the Lubeck area of Germany as occupation forces.

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

I consulted my friend Bert Lindeboom and he gave me some pointers, which helped me in my search.

AOS "338" denotes 98th (Surrey and Sussex Yeomanry, Queen Mary's) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. This unit served in Italy until it was attached to 21st Army Group fighting in North West Europe. So it was sent to Belgium in March 1945, and was re-equipped with Sexton 25-pounder SP guns. It was attached to 1st Canadian Armored Brigade, which supported both the 1st Canadian Infantry Division and the 49th British Division in the closing battles of the war in western Netherlands.

Reportedly, they moved to Germany before the end of WW2. I suspect that either a few units remained and/or came back to the Netherlands for the liberation parades.

Hanno,

Great piece of research. I guess my horse artillery theory has been blown clear out of the water. The troops in the Sexton are obviously wearing Yeomanry badges. I wonder if they came to NW Europe with 1 Canadian Corps?

Cheers,
Dan.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Here is another "338" Sexton in Culemborg 1945 , this time clearly showing the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade formation sign.

source: https://regionaalarchiefrivierenland.nl/home

The reverse of this picture postcard has the imprint "Canadeesche tank - Stevens Photo - Haarlem".

@Hanno.....Looks somewhat like Santpoort or Driehuis maybe....
Alex

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Here is another "338" Sexton in Culemborg 1945 , this time clearly showing the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade formation sign.

@Hanno.....Looks somewhat like Santpoort or Driehuis maybe....

Thanks Alex, clearly they were putting up demonstrations and parades in many places.

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Marco Hogenkamp found another photo of a Sexton of this unit at the Amstellaan, Amsterdam Zuid:


Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...a-30022882627b

[MicS]

The photo in Hanno's previous post above is of the same C3 Sexton as in his OP:

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

I consulted my friend Bert Lindeboom and he gave me some pointers, which helped me in my search.

...

Reportedly, they moved to Germany before the end of WW2. I suspect that either a few units remained and/or came back to the Netherlands for the liberation parades.

...

I can only imagine the difference in the reception the Allies had parading in the Netherlands versus in Germany. And, the Dutch always know how to have a good party.

[Ed Storey]

The British, along with the Canadian Berlin Brigade, did hold a Victory Parade in Berlin along the StraBe des 17 Juni on 21 July, 1945. Not the cheering crowds associated with The Netherlands, but a pretty good turnout considering the city had been remodelled and fought over by the Allies.

[Alex van de Wetering]

There it is again! Parade in Dordrecht 1945.

Postcard/picture currently for sale here: https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/verzame...reviousPage=lr

Alex

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

There it is again! Parade in Dordrecht 1945.

Found the same pic of "C3" in the Dordrecht municipal archives: https://beeldbank.regionaalarchiefdo...AE5/showbrowse

"Parade of Canadian troops on the Krispijnseweg, Dordrecht"
Dated: 05-05-1945 ‐ 10-05-1945

[Richard Nixon]

My Grandfather served in 153rd Field Regiment RA, in Sextons. Sadly I never knew him, but recently I inherited some of his photos and momentos from his time in the 153rd.

There was a superb website; www.paoyeomanry.co.uk showing lots of Sextons and crews. Sadly this website seems to have disappeared.

Here are a couple of Christmas cards he sent in 1944, (I'll spare you of what he wrote to my gran!!) and a parade of the regiment being inspected after the war had ended.

[Ed Storey]

Second World War paper ephemora is always exciting to see.

[Mike Cecil]

The .50 cal M2HB MG is an interesting addition.

Mike