Tank AA, 20 mm Quad, Skink

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

So the Skink did see some action, although it did not do a lot more than setting a large number of buildings on fire using HE IT ammunition.

From a defunct website we learn some more:

A First Canadian Army evaluation report on the Skink read "In a ground support role, the vehicle was an infantry mop-up weapon, advancing with the second wave of armour to clean out infantry positions bypassed by the first wave. Using HEIT ammunition, the Skink proved most valuable in setting fire to buildings, thus forcing the enemy out into the open."

Other field reports described the effects of a burst of 20mm HEIT rounds directed at enemy-occupied buildings or hedgerows. In one instance, the Skink attacked a building occupied by 50 enemy soldiers. Ten of them were wounded by HEIT fragments, the others surrendered in terror. Another time, the Skink commander was fired on by a sniper. Unhurt but furious, the commander directed the Skink's guns to fire in the direction of the sniper. The 20mm's blasted away everything in the surrounding area and in moments the shaken sniper emerged.