British/Commonwealth performance

The Allies 1939-1945, and those fighting against Germany.

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Rich
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Re: Pantehrs

Post by Rich »

Gerry Chester wrote:Although Panthers were knocked out prior to 23rd May, both on the Eastern Front and at Anzio, those at the latter location were by means other than fire from a tank. It is on record that the two destroyed during the Hitler Line battle were the first by an Western Allies tank. Gerry
Duh? :( Yeah I was focused on the knocking out, rather than what knocked them out. I expect those (including as many as 4 on 17 February) lost were to artillery and TD, or to simply being mired.

Thanks

Rich
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Post by sid guttridge »

Hi Guys,

A red herring, but I was looking for an excuse to put this somewhere:

In the history of the Sacred Squadron, the Greek elite special forces unit allied to the early SAS, there is the description of the capture of a Tiger in Tunisia.

The Tiger had already lost mobility due to some track damage but was still obstructing the Allied advance.

Greek jeeps got behind the Tiger. Every time the crew tried to emerge to fix the track the Greeks chased them back inside with machine gun fire. By mid day the sun had rendered the inside of the Tiger so hot that the crew surrendered and the Tiger was captured almost intact.

I think the Greeks may have been attached to 2nd New Zealand Division at the time, but that would require double checking.

Cheers,

Sid.
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Post by Reb »

There was a Greek Brigade attached to 8 Army at Alamein - wonder if they were still there and these guys were attached to them?

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Post by Freiritter »

I'm curious: Were there other British airborne operations, other than Normandy and Market Garden?
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Post by sid guttridge »

Hi Reb and Freiritter,

No. The Greek brigade at El Alamein was a separate unit.

Other major British airborne operations of brigade size and above took place in North Africa in November 1942, Sicily in July 1943 and the Rhine Crossings in the last months of the war. There was also a drop on Rangoon in Burma 1945.

One might also consider most Chindit operations in Burma as essentially airborne, although somewhat different in character.

Cheers,

Sid.
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Post by Freiritter »

Thanks, Sid.
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Rodger Herbst
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Post by Rodger Herbst »

After all the BS about this tank or that tank or some other thing to harp on,I think the Brit/CW forces gave a creditable performance against a first class army.I think the Brit hi comand and a lot of the lower ranks had the Somme in the back of thier minds,and who could blame them?
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Post by Freiritter »

I second that. Since I read about the British/CW forces in the Desert, I've had a respect for them, if not a lot of knowledge.
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Post by Rodger Herbst »

When i think of the 8th army in the desert i also think of our Army of the Potomoc in the Civil War.They both started out with high hopes and moral only to see the roof cave in.New commanders would be appointed (not always the sharpest tools in the box)and sometimes things started out great,another disaster, and another commander and moral dipped a little more,the lower ranks went through this cycle many times and were losing faith,"it was a time that tried men's souls"as the saying goes.Then Lincoln found his Grant and Churchill his Montgomery and we all know the outcome.Grant and Monty had thier detracters"Grant was a drinker"Abe said" find out his brand and i'l send some to my other Generals".Monty seemed to have a knack to piss people off,on purpose or just Monty i have no idea,but they both pervailed and thats what counts in the end.
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Re:

Post by Byrden »

Gerry Chester wrote: Tue Feb 10, 2004 11:57 am "Tiger "712" (ex n°112 of the s.Pz.Abt 501) is touched with the turret by Churchill and is given up by its crew after having destroyed Churchill of 4 Troop Leader, 48th RTR. "

Is that verbatim from a German report or did you insert the part about "112" ?

Because Tiger "712" was never "112". In fact the two Tigers had different mudguards and other features, they cannot be mistaken for each other.

The prior tactical numbers of Tiger "712" were "221", then "21", then "81".

David
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