Oh! Almost forgot. Since I was passing, I took these pics for our resident military history buffs.
The disaster of Exercise Tiger at Slapton Sands on the Devon coast, was utterly tragic, but this tank was recovered and stands as a memorial to the lives lost. Salute o7
@stueytheround @Render @FrankCannon I am familiar with the Slapton Sands debacle.
@JolieSaboteuse I presumed you would know about it.
@stueytheround An absolute shitshow. @Render @FrankCannon
@JolieSaboteuse @stueytheround @FrankCannon
I've long had questions about that particular tank.
The DD tank frames for the flotation screen are missing. As are the props. Long submergence in salt water could explain the missing screens, but not the missing props.
It is a stock M4 75mm Sherman and its recovery location confirms that it belonged to 70th Tank Battalion (2 DD companies, 1 standard M4 company).
I suspect that Sherman came off of one of the sunken LST's.
@Render
Story goes it was accidentally discovered by a fisherman getting it caught in nets. Recovery may not have been very professional leading to extra damage? @JolieSaboteuse @FrankCannon
@stueytheround @Render @FrankCannon Now I begin to understand where it came from.
@Render @stueytheround @FrankCannon All of the DD stuff that could be removed was removed, and survivng DDs fought with distinction in Normandy. Props were often seen left in place.
Unless it's the camera angle, that's one long barrel for a 75.
@JolieSaboteuse Camera angle. 76mm armed Shermans didn't go into service until July, 1944.
@Render @stueytheround @FrankCannon Yes, which is what threw me. Must be camera angle.
@Render @stueytheround @FrankCannon Clearly not a 76 with a cast hull. No such thing.
@JolieSaboteuse @Render As far as I know,they recovered what they could and cobbled it together from odds and sods they had lying around. @stueytheround
@stueytheround @Render @FrankCannon Weirdly hybrid Sherman in tnat pic, too. M4A1 76W turret with a cast hull, which was not a British thing.