Kangaroo Photos wanted

[Bill Miller]

Hi Mark,

I have both files you mentioned. Though when I recieved hardcopy of:
1/Veh Armd Amn/1 (SD(E))
MEMORANDUM
10 Aug 44
SD, First Cdn Army
LAYOUT SKETCH

There was no sketch attached, though it is mentioned several times in related file documents.


Clive:
I had forgotten about the intial allotment of Rams to the British in July.
I made a count in the document:
13/AFV Ram/1/16: Memorandum to DDME: 3 Jul 44

241 Rams of the 39000-40000 series and 204 of the 159000 series. The earliest # was CT 39832 and the latest model was CT 159895.

This was a fair chunk of the early Mk.II's but some would still available.

Later memorandum, between October 1944 and January 1945, I have indicates a further 330 Rams to be sold to the British. However I cannot find confirmation of the shipment or a list of actual tanks (CT#'s) these memo also mention that some of these 330 Rams converted to Kangaroos would be given to 15 Army Group in Italy. That did not happen, so did the British army receive the additional 330 Rams before the end of the war?

Interesting related memos: In the files concerning the Badger flame throwers I found memos from Dec'44 and Jan'45 about the cannibalizing of early Rams at the CRU's for their auxillary turrets. Those turrets (47 in all, I think) were then used as hatches in the armouerd plate covering the turret rings on the Badgers. There is a rather famous photo of a Badger that quite clearly shows the auxillary turret/hatch. The amputee Rams at the CRU's were to have a tarp replace the missing aux. turret!

Bill.