Operation Infatuate II: Sherman tanks at Westkapelle

[MicS]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

(...)
Of this Sherman V Crab, we only know it had Turret No.2. When zooming in on the photo, another 2 can be discerned, but it is not outlined in white. So this could also be Turret No.22.

The turret number is indeed 22. There was no Crab numbered just '2'. The lack of a visible outline on the first '2' on the right side of the turret is because it has faded.

On this photo, we can see that the outline on the lower part of the first '2' on the left side of the turret has begun to fade as well:

No.22 Crab - gahetna 487087_002.jpg
No.22 Crab - gahetna 487087_002
Source

Same happens to RHODERICK DHU's turret number (see the first photo in your second post above).

Michel

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks for the interest and for all the useful input!

Will get back on this subject later. Meanwhile, I leave you with an interesting documentary "Commandos strike at Walcheren", showing a great synopsis of Infatuate II - including the tanks in action.

Thanks,
Hanno

[Colin Alford]

Hanno,

While searching through Canadian War Diaries on a completely unrelated topic I stumbled across "Op INFATUATE - 4 SS Bde Outline Plan No. 3 - 18 Oct 44" which can be found at this link:

http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oo...69/488?r=0&s=5

Once you finish reading that document, you will get to "Op INFATUATE - 4 SS Bde Provisional Outline Plan No. 4 - 21 Oct 1944" at image 494.

These documents won't give you the level of detail about the Shermans that you are after but at image 489 there is a list of the Armoured units in support of the Operation. (also attached as an image)

I conducted a quick internet search for the 4 SS Bde War Diary but couldn't find anything.

I don't know the types of vehicles held by "27 Aslt Sqn RE", or "One Amphibious Aslt Regt RE/RAC" but I presume that the Shermans came from "'A' Sqn 1 Lothians"

My inclination would be to obtain a copy of the 1st Lothians War Diary as it may provide the level of detail that you desire.

Link to request the 1944 1st Lothians War Diary:

http://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/C4440967

Colin

[MicS]

Originally Posted by Colin Alford

(...)
I don't know the types of vehicles held by "27 Aslt Sqn RE", or "One Amphibious Aslt Regt RE/RAC" but I presume that the Shermans came from "'A' Sqn 1 Lothians"

"27 Aslt Sqn RE" does not exist. It's a typo for "87 Aslt Sqn RE", who provided the AVsRE.

The "Amphibious Aslt Regt RE/RAC" provided the LVsT (actually 5 Aslt Regt RE plus 82 Aslt Sqn RE and a number of LVsT from 11 RTR attached, hence the "/RAC" part).

And as you rightly presumed, 'A' Sqn 1 LOTHIANS provided the Sherman gun and flail tanks.

Michel