C15TA: first deployment in combat

[Hanno Spoelstra]

"During the Battle of the Scheldt several innovative weapons, tools and tactics were specifically developed and implemented.

One of the more general innovations, was the first deployment of the Canadian made C15 Armoured Truck as a Armoured Personnel Carrier. Basically designed to replace the US made White Scout Car, an alternative role as APC was also foreseen. The first trucks had arrived from Canada only a few weeks before. Fresh from the factory, totally 30 were available for the offensive to get onto Zuid-Beveland the end of October.

In the night October 23, 1944, C Coy Essex Scottish mounted several C15 trucks and formed an ad-hoc Jock Force, that included a troop of tanks of the Fort Garry Horse and Armoured Reconnaissance cars from the 14th Hussars. The action of the force failed miserably. One German anti-tank gun outside of Rilland, hit two tanks and two Daimler cars from appr. 3.000 meters on the elevated dyke road. The 'poor bloody infantry' of the Essex debussed and did it in the end on the slow, but effective old fashioned way. The C15TA armoured truck was not to blame and saw effective use later in the campaign."


Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in South-Beveland. The back of these trucks was roofless. Only a tarp protected the passengers:



Traveling on top of the dykes towards the next canal. ...hurry up and wait... 6 Pdr A/T gun towed by a carrier follows suit..



The Kreekramdam, were the C15TA Armoured truck was first deployed on October 24, 1944:


Source: https://bftours.nl/ | https://www.facebook.com/share/p/gv1pnAQSmCJznL1w/ |

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Here is the original caption and source of that well known photo:

"Infantrymen of The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in General Motors C15TA armoured trucks, Krabbendijke, Netherlands, 27 October 1944."
Credit: Lieut. Ken Bell / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-137145 (http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redire...05115&lang=eng)

[Hanno Spoelstra]

"Lance-Corporal J.C. O'Connor of the 2nd Provost Company directing traffic on the Beveland Causeway"

Date(s): 27 Ot. 1944
Place: Krabbendijke, Netherlands
Credit: Ken Bell/Canada. Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada/PA-138419

[Hanno Spoelstra]

I will continue this thread with photos of the C15TA in use during WW2.

See some in the thread: Canadian Motor Battalion using C15TA

Armoured truck of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division crossing the Guillotiers Bridge over the Rhone River during Operation Goldflake.
13 February 1945
PHOTO: BARRY G. GILROY, DND, LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA PA-142073

[Hanno Spoelstra]

C15TA during the Battle of Groningen, 14-18 April 1945.


Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/17750...-andere-tijden