Armoured bulldozer, Juno Beach

[sapper740]

In honour and commemoration of the valiant lads that landed on D day here is, I believe, a previously unseen photo of the Highland Light Infantry landing near Bernieres-sur-Mere. There is a tremendous amount of personnel, kit, and equipment on the beach, some of which is being pulled off by one of our armoured bulldozers. I'm not sure what is on the trailer being pulled by the dozer, anyone have any ideas?



CHIMO! Derek.

[Les Freathy]

Hi Derek

The load on the trailer could be gas cylinders for barrage ballons, they used these as a deterrant against low flying aircraft but in the end they proved to be good aiming points for German gunners. Its unusual to see cylinders on this type of trailer but that said every item of equipment was used to the full in the first few months of the landings
cheers
Les

[Noel Burgess]

I too have pondered over this, and other similar trailer loads, seen on D Day photos.
Les: hadn't thought of baloon cylenders before but I thought that the initial baloons were the smaller ones taken (ready inflated) from the landing craft which flew them on passage. have not seen any referance to vehicles/trailers associated with the initial BB units
Sapper: how about rolls of PBS as mentioned recently in relation to the possible Tar Boiler.

At this site http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/gold...page=69landing there are some fairly good landing tables for Gold Beach - these include 6 "Freuhauf" trailers landed for 235 Fld Pk Co and 3 of same plus 2 "20 Ton low loading Trlr" for 51 Mech Equip Sect but no mention of what any carried

See also this picture which I posted some time ago http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...4621#post64621 this trailer appears to be carrying some sort of trackway ?

Noel

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Noel Burgess

I too have pondered over this, and other similar trailer loads, seen on D Day photos.
Les: hadn't thought of baloon cylenders before but I thought that the initial baloons were the smaller ones taken (ready inflated) from the landing craft which flew them on passage. have not seen any referance to vehicles/trailers associated with the initial BB units
Sapper: how about rolls of PBS as mentioned recently in relation to the possible Tar Boiler.

At this site http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/gold...page=69landing there are some fairly good landing tables for Gold Beach - these include 6 "Freuhauf" trailers landed for 235 Fld Pk Co and 3 of same plus 2 "20 Ton low loading Trlr" for 51 Mech Equip Sect but no mention of what any carried

I don't think its PBS as all the pictures I have seen show it in rolls a few feet wide in order to fit through the "Stamp Licker". I'm leary of the balloon gas cylinder theory as most barrage balloons were ship mounted so disembarking the cylinders would be counter-productive. I know some balloons were tethered ashore but wouldn't the service life of the gas inside exceed their time ashore at Normandy, thus negating any need to replenish it? Just my thought, gentlemen.

See also this picture which I posted some time ago http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...4621#post64621 this trailer appears to be carrying some sort of trackway ?

The rolls in the front of the trailer look very similar to ARC matting which was used extensively by U.S. forces in the Pacific. I'm unaware of it's use by Commonwealth troops. It's difficult to identify the rest of the load on the trailer.

[ted angus]

Having attended Cardington on several occassions and watched demonstrations of the result of mishandling cylinders of Oxy and hydrogen there is no way hydrogen cylinders would be transported like that. As noted initial balloons were the mini variety which came ashore inflated. I have pictures of the MT used by the Balloon sqns that eventually landed and both the winches and cylinders were on fordson sussex 38-39 model. what is interesting is in late 1944 these Fordson's photographed on the Belgium Dutch border still bore their Middlesex CC reg numbers without a sign of an RAF number. Sqn support vehicles were Bedford QL and CMP 30cwt.
my money is on trackway matting being carried.
TED

[Les Freathy]

You are probably right Ted, as the photo is very fuzzy its not easy to see the load clearly. Mine was only a suggestion but the trailer and load did not seem to link, how about posting some of the pictures you mentioned
cheers
Les

[Ed Storey]

I recently found this 1945 article.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...45-BigPush.jpg

[sapper740]

Thank you very much Ed for an excellent and informative addition to the Armoured Bulldozer thread...I especially enjoyed the comment about RCE's charging for shaves with razors attached to the scraper! I've recently discovered another pic of an Armoured Bulldozer taken on Juno beach on or soon after DDay. A veritable beehive of activity in this pic.


CHIMO! Derek.

[Noel Burgess]

Just found this picture from a modelling forum here I think this trailer may be carrying somerfield track on the bottom and another type of temporary surface above it [cant remember the name for the wood strips wired together]. Later in the thread we are told the vehicle is - 50 Mech Equipt Sect - 3 men - 1 D10 + Trailer Jahn(?)
What do you think guys? Noel

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Noel Burgess I think this trailer may be carrying somerfield track on the bottom and another type of temporary surface above it [cant remember the name for the wood strips wired together

.
What do you think guys? Noel

Noel, I'm pretty sure the large load are Chespale fascines and Hessian mats, which were both used on Churchill AVREs and Bobbins during D Day. The loads carried by the Funnies would have to be replenished after being dropped, or, just as likely those mats and fascines came in handy anywhere there was loose sand or soil to be negotiated. The small rolls in the forefront of the picture are rolls of snow fence, something any good Canadian would be familiar with. Snow fence are Cedar slats wired together in rolls which would be temporarily installed upwind of a road, path or structure so as to get the snow to swirl and drift in the lee of the fence well away from other structures. It's also a light and handy way for infantry to cross soft or muddy ground. Derek.

[Noel Burgess]

Thats it of course "Chestnut Paling" - split chestnut sapplings orginally, apparently as the war porogressed there was a shortage of chestnut saplings as with everything else.
I'm sure I have seen a picture of this [with the wire (snow fence)] used as a road surface over the sand - showing a light utility leaving the beaches on D+?.
On the "other" forum the picture is higher resolution and I'm sure that the "hessian" is interleaved with wire mesh.
The uses for this load are probably many - throw it in a hole, make a trak for wheeled vehicles, as Sapper says "reload" an AVRE or light a fire for a brew up

Noel