Ede, Holland 1945

[Jakko Westerbeke]

I would say it’s probably the same Crab. It not only has the same type of bracket on the turret, but the chain stowage rack on the side is of similar construction (T-angle iron) and there is a long, narrow box on the rear of the engine deck of both tanks.

[Wout Jansen]

If you put my edited photo on the hard drive, and you enlarge the image on your screen, I think you can clearly see a "W" on the hull. The number is also easier to read.

[Jon McGrath]

I continue to be amazed by the detective skills of MLU members. In finding the story behind what otherwise might be simply a post-war photo of a damaged vehicle, you honour those who served. Thank you for your interest in my dad's photos. Jon

[David Dunlop]

Hi Jakko.

I think it is two different Crabs, but very likely the same Regiment.

In the first photo, side view, the photographer is standing in a roadway leading up to where the Crab is sitting. Look at the chain link fence just above the drooping gun barrel. You can see the top of the fence stop at the point where a slightly lower gate is located. This Crab was moving along a road parallel to the fence when it hit a mine. You can see daylight and ripped metal under the front portion of the hull where the first suspension assembly used to be and the top of the 2nd suspension is almost flush with the ground following the blast. The upper front slope of the hull also seems to lack the expected lines of a normal hull. The armour plate is flowing all over the place to my eyes.

In the second rear view photo, there is no trace of a chain link fence to the right of the Crab. Also, a large tree is growing just to the left of the spare chain rack. In the first photo, that portion of the tank is in full view at the intersection of the two roads.

My thoughts are the first Crab was a fatal event for the crew. The second crew were probably a lot luckier.

David

[Jakko Westerbeke]

In the second photo, the turret seems to be at a very odd angle, and the upper run of the track clearly slopes downward relative to the sponson bottom, which would be consistent with a missing suspension bogie. There also appears to be a road wheel lying just in front of and to the left of the tank.

I think what’s happened here is that the tank was blown up and then its tracks were removed by towing or pushing the tank forward off of them, which explains why it seems to be in a different location. In the photo from behind it’s right next to a tree, which isn’t in the side-on photo, but I would expect it to be just to the right out of shot there.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

I think it is two different Crabs, but very likely the same Regiment.

In the first photo, side view, the photographer is standing in a roadway leading up to where the Crab is sitting. Look at the chain link fence just above the drooping gun barrel. You can see the top of the fence stop at the point where a slightly lower gate is located. This Crab was moving along a road parallel to the fence when it hit a mine. You can see daylight and ripped metal under the front portion of the hull where the first suspension assembly used to be and the top of the 2nd suspension is almost flush with the ground following the blast. The upper front slope of the hull also seems to lack the expected lines of a normal hull. The armour plate is flowing all over the place to my eyes.

In the second rear view photo, there is no trace of a chain link fence to the right of the Crab. Also, a large tree is growing just to the left of the spare chain rack. In the first photo, that portion of the tank is in full view at the intersection of the two roads.

My thoughts are the first Crab was a fatal event for the crew. The second crew were probably a lot luckier.

David,

Don't take the location/ surroundings into account. This Crab was dragged from where it was knocked out to the short-lived museum at Ede.

[Wout Jansen]

Hanno,

sorry for the misunderstanding, but I see a letter W to the right of the turret (I think). A hull is different from a turret !!!! My mistake. I can't discover anything else.

Greetings, Wout

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Wout Jansen

sorry for the misunderstanding, but I see a letter W to the right of the turret (I think). A hull is different from a turret !!!! My mistake. I can't discover anything else.

Point it out with an arrow, please
I may be “kippig” (chicken eye sight) 😉

[Jon McGrath]

As requested by MicS, I have scanned at 600dpi, the highest resolution on my scanner, and applied some filtering to attempt clearer photos of the census number, turret and, possibly, the name "DERIN". I see the census number as T148167 I can't see a name nor reliably see a number or numbers on the turret. Jon

Ede Crab census number.jpg Ede Crab turret.jpg Ede Crab census number additional.jpg

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Jon McGrath

I can't see a name nor reliably see a number or numbers on the turret.

I think it says “24” on the turret:

Ede Crab turret copy.jpg

(Their poor alignment above is probably due to me missing parts of the numbers.)

[MicS]

Definitely not No.94 WANDERING WILLIE as I suggested, which was T150569.

See New Sherman Crab?

It is clearly Sgt Leishman's Crab, destroyed on 17th April, and the same one as posted by Tolbooth on ww2talk and captioned as Bill Wyatt's tank:

I think this may be the incident. The Lothians A Squadron WD has this entry for the 17th Apr

"[A] Sqn, with C Sqn 141 RAC, assisted SWB and Gloucesters, Bennekon - Renkum. The birds had flown. Sgt Leishman's tk blown up on a mine and burnt out - four cas to personnel."

And this comes from the after action report of Lt Byth, 1 Tp A Sqn

" Tue 17 Apr 45. The Tp was to operate as a sort of roving column, clearing up villages on the left of the main area of advance, together with three Crocodiles and nine carriers. This force was called GUY FORCE. Progress was painfully slow because of numerous road blocks and ruins, but the task was successfully completed without any enemy opposition.

We reunited with the main body at Oosterbeck and pushed on, now leading on the main axis. Still the only opposition was ruins and road blocks. Finally we encountered a minefield, which had to be flogged. Sgt Leishman's tk blew up on two R-mines, with cas to his crew: Tpr Wyatt severely burnt; Tpr Deryck wounded in foot (later died of wounds); LCpl Roberts burns on hand; Tpr Chisholm sprained knee."

As for its turret number, I tend to agree with Jakko that it might be 24, but am still at a loss regarding its name, which could then only be ROB ROY (or ROB ROY II or III) or RED DOUGLAS (more likely).

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Great input guys, one big step closer to IDíng this Sherman Crab

[m kenny]

Seems to have been a lot of Crab wrecks in Holland.

https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/en/r...8-003048976d84

https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/en/r...8-003048976d84

https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/en/r...8-003048976d84

https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/en/r...8-003048976d84

https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/en/r...8-003048976d84