View Single Post
  #23  
Old 29-02-08, 07:58
Ron Goldstein Ron Goldstein is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 11
Default Turretless Stuart? Ah....I remember it well !

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra View Post
Although a turretless Stuart VI Recce exists, pictures of them in use are scare. Here are some Honeys with the turret removed as used by Recce Troop of the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars (RAC) (source)
Hi Gents

I know I've posted here before, but browsing the internet just now I came across these fascinating photos of Stuart tanks that had the turrets removed. I went back to my diaries and found the following:

My first shock on joining "A" Squadron was to find the following:
l. I had been assigned as wireless operator to the SSM (Squadron Sergeant Major), one Sgt. Major "Busty" Thomas, as Welsh as it was possible to be.
2. His tank wasn’t the nice, solid-looking Sherman on which I had been trained for the past three months, but was instead a Stuart tank from the 8th Army desert days. To make matters worse its turret had been removed and the only protection "up top" was a canvas hood that was designed to keep the rain off.
3. The SSM's job on the battlefield was to act as nursemaid to the squadron, and this involved anything and everything that no-one else had been detailed for, including picking up stragglers, prisoners, the wounded, and in fact every job that no one else could be spared for, or, would want to do.

Full article below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/s...a2310003.shtml

Cheers

Ron

ps
Sorry to confuse you good folk but I've just realised that my previous posting was made under my nom-de-plume of "49th Light Ack Ack"......that's the problem with changing horses in midstream
__________________
"Called-up" in Oct 1942
Served as a Wireless-Op with the 49th LAA (78 Div) from Apr 1943 to Dec 1944 (North Africa,Sicily,Italy, Egypt).
The Regiment was disbanded in Dec 1944 and I was retrained (in Italy) by the Royal Armoured Corps.
Served as a Loader-Op with the 4th QOH from Mar 1945 to Jan 1947 (Italy, Austria, Germany)
"De-mobbed" in Apr 1947

Last edited by Hanno Spoelstra; 02-12-08 at 16:27. Reason: Added link to profile
Reply With Quote