Sherman Crab T147955 “Avalon” Overloon. Regiment? Damage?

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Looks like the co-drivers position was also sacrificed with the flail installation, or got even more cramped than it otherwise was already!

The chain case fits behind the seat, just (though that could of course partly be due to my modelling skills, or lack thereof ). As Alex says, at least the bow machine gun was deleted, because the whole flail mechanism and blast shield are in the way.

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

That link to photobucket may not show up on all browers.

I couldn’t find any better, so I decided to link to it despite the huge banner over it. The weird thing is, earlier this year when building that Crab model, I had found that same site with better photos. I suppose they revamped it (it looks different than I remember) and moved the photos or something.

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

See my web page on Adrian Barrell's M4A4 restoration with interior photos here: http://www.mapleleafup.nl/sherman_sn5271/index.html

Thanks, much clearer that way

[David Herbert]

Regarding the bow machine gun, I was surprised to see that the mount is still present in Avalon - it is visible in one of the photos in post #29 - compare with the photo of Adrian Barrel's gun tank in post #45. I thought that the ball mounts were removed and the hole plated over or plugged but not in this case. There would be good reason for keeping the hull gunner as a crew member as another pair of hands when maintenance or repairs were required (or cooking or making camp).

As David Dunlop mentioned, the gap between the hole in the hull side and the chain case would have allowed vast amounts of dust to be sucked into the tank so I think that the crew would have very quickly plugged it with anything available - I have heard of socks being used to plug bullet holes, making the crew feel much safer as they couldn't see out then. The engine cooling system is designed in such a way that it sucks air from the tank interior through the propeller shaft tunnel and also the oil coolers on the bulkhead, then through the fan and the main radiator, past the engine and out of the back of the tank. This clears gun fumes from inside the tank but if hatches are open there is a huge flow of dusty or cold air into the tank. This can make head out driving quite unpleasant.

David

[David Dunlop]

Good Afternoon, Alex.

Do you have time for some ‘Wednesday Wisdoms’ from me before the ‘Wednesday Wines’ bell starts ringing here for me?

I noticed in your Post 31 you had listed your National Archive file findings for 1944 War Diaries of two of the 79th Armoured Division Regiments, but you had not listed anything for the 1st L and B Horse.

I am not sure if you are aware of this little wrinkle, or not, but even though the 1st Lothians and Border Horse are a Regiment within the British Army, they are in fact, a Scottish Regiment, headquartered in Edinborough. Consequently, it is very likely, their Regimental War Diaries for the Second World War are held at the Scottish National Archives, also in Edinborough. I would start any search for the War Diaries with that Archive.

The Regiment has a very long history and with the name ‘Lothians’ as part of their heritage, it is also quite possible their War Diary records could be held at County level archives, giving you three more possible alternate archive sites: East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian in Scotland. In any event the Scottish National Archive should be able to redirect you to the proper source.

One other small wrinkle. Make certain when searching, you use the name ‘1st Lothians and Border Horse’. Over the history of the Regiment, the name switched back and forth several times between, 1st Lothians and Border Horse, and 1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry. And on occasion both names were in use at the same time for two different Regiments, sometimes prefixed ‘1st’ and ‘1st’ and sometimes ‘1st’ and ‘2nd’.

Thought I would pass that on to you in case you were not aware.

Now to find my cork screw...

David

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by David Herbert

I thought that the ball mounts were removed and the hole plated over or plugged but not in this case.

The Crab preserved at Westkapelle, Netherlands (the one I’ve been building a model of) also still had its ball mount. Well, until 2018 anyway, when rust caused the shield to fall off. Looking at photos from the late 1940s, so did at least two other Crabs left behind there after the war, but I don’t have pictures of the other three where the MG mount is visible.

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

I noticed in your Post 31 you had listed your National Archive file findings for 1944 War Diaries of two of the 79th Armoured Division Regiments, but you had not listed anything for the 1st L and B Horse.

I’m not Alex, but courtesy of Michel Sabarly, I have a PDF of the 1944 war diaries of 1 Lothians. The words Overloon, Boxmeer and Broekhuizen do not appear in it, a quick ⌘F tells me.

Browsing on to 1 October 1944, it says:

0001hrs. Regt, with C Sqn 22 Dgns under comd, under comd 31 Tk Bde, in sp 3rd (Cdn) Inf Div. Located in area SW of Calais as under:
Tac RHQ - 807699 (Beauregard) Main RHQ & RHQ B Ech - 844583 (Boursin)
A Sqn - 812712 (Bonningues) B Sqn - 819563 (Le Wast)
C Sqn - 760650 (Uzelot) C Sqn 22 Dgns - 847583 (Boursin) Reserve detachment of 264SDS under comd RHQ
B Sec 30 Armd Bde OFP under comd RHQ.
Boursin
Pm. Tac RHQ rejoined Main RHQ. Warned of move to area Cassel/Poperinghe. SW of Calais
Day. RHQ and sqns - recovery and repairs. Rest and refitting.

The regiment spent the next month or so on or near the Belgian coast, which is, at a rough guess, 200+ km away from the Overloon area.

[MicS]

At least two details point to this Crab almost certainly belonging to Westminster Dragoons: firstly, the 79 Armoured Division Formation Sign on the rear is on the right side of the tank, which is a distinctive WD feature; secondly, the name AVALON, if genuine, does not fit the naming patterns of 22 D.
Alex, you mentioned a photo at the Museum showing the name. Did you by any chance copy/photograph it?

Michel

[Alex van de Wetering]

Michel,

I was hoping you would join the discussion! I was just reading your analyses of 22nd Dragoons Crabs in Normandy on ww2talk; very interesting.

Attached is a cutout of the picture I mentioned earlier; I can't show the whole picture, as I don't have the permission to do so. Please let me know what you think....it's hard to read, but I do read "Avalon"....or do I just want to read "Avalon"......?

Thanks for your thoughts on Avalon likely being a Westminster Dragoons tank; I was leaning towards the same thing, but I haven't found the "smoking gun" yet. I have contacted the National Archives for the War Diaries of both Westminster and 22nd Dragoons, but due to the Covid situation things take a bit more time than usual. I was hoping to find the war diaries online, but no luck so far.

Avalon name.jpg Avalon name2.jpg

[Alex van de Wetering]

Even though I haven't read the actual war diaries yet, I did buy and read some books on the battle of Broekhuizen, where the Westminster Dragoons were active.


"Slag in de Schaduw" by A. Korthals Altes actually writes that one crab got desperately stuck in the mud during the attack on Broekhuizen castle and was moved to the Overloon war museum shortly after the war.

"De Bevrijding van de Gemeente Broekhuizen" by P.W.L Weijs has a detailed account of the battle of Broekhuizen castle and Broekhuizen village. It mentions that after the battle 2 crabs were left behind, presumably (the?) 1 that got desperately stuck in the mud and one that was put out of action by a Panzerfaust.....the tank commanded by "William Hall", mentioned earlier.

"The story of Westminster Dragoons" sadly doesn't have too much detailed info on the battle in Broekhuizen, but I have to read the rest to see if it includes any info on census numbers and nicknames of tanks.


I have also contacted the local archive of Broekhuizen and the historical society for info....you would think that pictures would exist of the tanks that were left behind....or maybe a written account of one being picked up for a use as a monument in a museum....but sadly they couldn't help out. They did know what I was talking about and knew about the "lost" identity of the Overloon crab.

[Maurice Donckers]

As a sidenote I have Sherman T 211819 , named Spitfire II , And I think it has remnants of the 79th division marking on it . It must have been a command tank , because it has the extra aerial mount on the co drivers side , and an additional one on the turret side . Avalon also has the extra aerial mount on the co drivers side . Does anybody know what set was installed there ?
It would be remarkable if 2 Shermans from the same Battle would be still alive .

[kevinT]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Even though I haven't read the actual war diaries yet, I did buy and read some books on the battle of Broekhuizen, where the Westminster Dragoons were active.

"The story of Westminster Dragoons" sadly doesn't have too much detailed info on the battle in Broekhuizen, but I have to read the rest to see if it includes any info on census numbers and nicknames of tanks.

Hi Alex,

Thanks to you an Michel for getting to the bottom of this little mystery and solving it.

If you do come across anymore names or census numbers in the book will you please let me know.

Cheers

Kevin