British tank stowage item identification

[Jakko Westerbeke]

I keep thinking it’s a thing to carry other things. None of the ones you see in photos are ever rolled up all the way, they all hang in a curve with the padded (?) side towards the vehicle. That makes me think it’s meant for something to be strapped between the panels — but what? And why would it need that thick panel on the side against the tank if it’s just a carrier for, say, a rolled-up tent? Not to mention that I haven’t so far found a photo of what seems to be this item with something being carried in it.

A folding stretcher does seem plausible, but I for the life of me can’t figure out how to research one of those in such a way that I actually find out about British Second World War ones.

[David Dunlop]

Jakko.

You mention you have seen this item on North African and Sicily photos.

Are they present at all on D-Day photos or any from the NW Europe Campaign?

If not, perhaps this item was specific to the armoured operations in desert conditions and was phased out. What comes to mind is some form of canvas crew shelter. If no tent poles can be seen on any of the photos, perhaps some form of lean to that was simply slung along a side of the tank to provide crew shelter/shade. One thing my Mum used to tell me from her time in the NAAFI in North Africa was that it 'got bloody cold' at night in the desert, quickly. The temperature would drop from the low 100's to 60 or 70 F, which does not seem that much but shocks ones body never the less and it is not uncommon to see troops at night in the desert wearing Great Coats, full Battle dress and even leather jerkins.

The item in the photos may not be padded at all, just a large bit of canvas work folded up.

Just a thought.


David

[Jakko Westerbeke]

I don’t recall seeing it in photos of Normandy or beyond, or even Italy except Sicily, so it looks to me like a desert-only item, yes. But it’s unlikely to be a tent or shelter or similar, because first of all it’s very small even if the thick back folds open/out, and second, a good number of of tanks in the desert carried a rolled-up tarp along one side of the hull to use as a shelter — including some of those that also have this unknown item on them.

I suspect that I’ll just have to make something that looks like what I see in the photos (as the reason I’m asking about this thing is to put it on a 1:35 scale model).

[Lang]

Could only have been used in the desert as it would have been torn off in the first 30 seconds anywhere there were bushes and trees.

[Lang]

Just looked at hundreds of tank photos and the only ones I can find are related to landing operations.

The kit looks awkward and large enough plus only temporarily attached to be an inflatable life raft in case the landing ship sank Remember the tank crew could not wear lifejackets as were issued to most other personnel

[Jordan Baker]

I realize now that the pictures were enlarged on just the item in question. I see that the item is about the same size as a large pack.

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by Lang

Could only have been used in the desert as it would have been torn off in the first 30 seconds anywhere there were bushes and trees.

Also, they always seem to be hanging from the Sunshield rails (the ones for the lorry disguise), which were not present on tanks elsewhere except those that had served in North Africa, too For all I know the item was on a lot more tanks but stowed somewhere else, where it wasn’t obvious.

Originally Posted by Lang

Just looked at hundreds of tank photos and the only ones I can find are related to landing operations.

In addition to the Shermans and Crusaders in the middle of the desert, you mean? The first photo I posted is of a Sherman around the time of El Alamein, the crew would hardly need a life vest there, I think. Also, just one life vest per tank seems a little … under-equipped? if that’s what it is — which I doubt.

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

I realize now that the pictures were enlarged on just the item in question.

Ah, yes, sorry — I had put a zoom tool over the item in question to show it better. Maybe I should have made that clearer. Here it is at normal size on Churchill as it came ashore in Sicily:

Sherman III “Churchill” (NA 4262).jpeg

[Lang]

Jakko

I was suggesting they were an inflatable raft capable of saving half a dozen people not a life vest.

The desert photos could be 100 metres from the beach after the North Africa landings or even Sicily

Certainly non operational photos at the start, Everything is in top order and clean. I would not wonder if they were lined up to load on barges in North Africa for the Sicily operation.

Once inflated it would be about this size.

[Jakko Westerbeke]

I’m not convinced, sorry The mystery item has straps on the outside that seem improbable for an inflatable raft or boat, and why would any tank in North Africa carry one even if it was? The tank merely being close to the beach would be an odd reason — would you pack a life raft every time you go to the beach? Even in an amphibious landing, carrying a life raft strapped to every tank doesn’t make that much sense, as it’d be much easier to rely on the landing craft’s.