Around February / March 1944 the regiments of the 8th Armoured Brigade received and tested their Fireflies on the UK ranges. Chippenham Park to Titchwell: Google Maps Other Links Operators during WW2: Sherman Firefly - Wikipedia The Firefly VC | The Sherman Tank Site The US Army Tests Firefly The US Army Tests Firefly - The Chieftain's Hatch PICTURE GALLERY: Tanks at Titchwell - rusting relics of wartime Norfolk | Latest Norfolk and Suffolk News | Eastern Daily Press Titchwell Marsh - Wikipedia With: "Between 1942 and 1945, the marsh was used by the Royal Tank Regiment;[10] an armoured fighting vehicle gunnery range was established and new banks were constructed for firing practice, with targets set at 900 m (980 yd) intervals. Some of the still extant islands were built to hold "pop-up" targets, operated by cables from winches in a building whose foundations lie below Island Hide. Remains of the triangular concrete track used by the tanks also survive" Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve, Norfolk - The RSPB World War 2 tanks buried in Titchwell... (C) Richard Humphrey Remains-of-two-World-War-Two-armoured-vehicles-Titchwell-Marsh - Norfolk Heritage Explorer ----- x ----- Tanks firing range gers a mention at around 3mins...
War Diary of 8th Kings Royal Irish Husssars 1944 Has.... March 1944 Links 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars - Wikipedia
3rd County of 4th County of London Yeomanry "War Diaries For 4th County of London Yeomanry : September 1939 To July 1944" Has for example:
Forgive the digression but I'm intrigued by the entry for March 16th ! Accurate or War Diarist sense of humour?
I was intrigued by that entry too SDP, it made me look a little further afield. Brother of this unfortunate maybe? Casualty Kind regards, always, Jim.
With that surname I feel like you'd be destined to be made Major, but subsequent promotion might be a bit of a demotion, from a major one to "just" one generally... :-(
There's a bit on early Firefly testing / training in here: "Sherman Firefly" By David Fletcher - Osprey - New Vanguard 141 : Bloomsbury Publishing, 20 May 2012 : Sherman Firefly e.g. Sherman Firefly And some refs to their earliest deployments and D-day use etc. Book description: "The most powerfully gunned tank fielded by the Allies during World War II was the Sherman Firefly. An ordinary American-built Sherman modified by the British, the Firefly had the firepower that could finally match the awesome German tanks that had dominated Europe. David Fletcher examines the controversy that dogged the Firefly and the psychological boost the tank provided to Allied forces. Exploring its successes and failures on the battlefield and providing a realistic assessment of the tank's worth, this is essential reading for anyone wanting to know the facts about a tank variant that quickly developed its own mythology."
There's a bit here too.... : Research – Sherman Firefly (VC) ...about one tank's "Journey" "the restoration pages of Sherman M4A4 s/n 4873, Census Number T-289477" e.g. " March 1944 Shipped in March as one of 104 M4A4s to England to be converted to the “Firefly” configuration with the 17pdr anti-tank gun at the *Royal Ordnance factories in Nottingham under ORD3/LL/04765 on convoy 4-G-5491. “June” 1944 to June 1945 History unknown – can you help please? " * ROF Nottingham - Wikipedia With... World War II production Nottingham had two main production lines during the war; the 3.7-inch medium anti-aircraft gun and the Bofors 40 mm gun. For the latter, Nottingham made the mobile mounts for the British Army from 1938 onwards, and was the main producer of mountings for British ships, including the Stabilised Tachymetric Anti-Aircraft Gun, STAAG. The 2 Pounder anti-tank gun was made at Nottingham from 1937 to 1939. The BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun (1940–42) and the 17 pounder gun, including conversions of the Sherman tank into the 17 pdr armed Sherman Firefly. The hull and suspension units for the first prototype A41 tank, later to be named as the Centurion tank, were built at Nottingham.
There's a lot about the Fireflies in: "Ironsides" "Ironsides": Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicle Museums and Monuments By Harold A. Skaarup And a bit further re. testing and training with the Firefly / Mayfly, e.g. in early 1944. "Ironsides"
Is there really? That seems... odd. I am reading Mark Hayward's book about the Firefly and he refers to the Grizzly Firefly at Borden, but I really feel a bit dubious about whether it can be considered evidence for anything outside itself. And I wouldn't have thought there were any other Fireflies in Canada.
I've not yet seen a very great deal on the early testing and training with the Firefly so just looking at whatever there might be. Accounts re. first impressions of them interest me too and the necessary secrecy prior to their deployment etc. and how that was dealt with in the relevant war diaries.
23rd Hussars Regimental History, pages 25/26: Page 27: During March 1944 the Regt was at Rowlston Range 1-2, Midhope Range 6-7, Fylingdales 9-11, Rowlston 13, Hornsea 21-22. War Diary, Apr 1944 (Aldershot): Apr 8 - "Firefly" gunners to Warcop AFV range.
Title: The first and the last : the story of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, 1939-1945 / Author: Stirling, J. D. P. Publication Date: 1946 The First and the Last: The Story of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards 1939-1945 Compiled From the Regimental War Diary, Squadron Diaries, Personal Narratives, and the Unofficial 'Actions of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards in France': J.D.P. Stirling, S. Oxley: Amazon.com: Books Continues (with just a little more on the next page).... "...heartening. We felt that in this very secret weapon we had something which really would be a nasty surprise for the Germans; as in fact was the case."
From The Tank Museum: Second World War Veterans: British - Part 3 Has... "Training for tank crews lasted 21 weeks. This was broken down into “so many weeks in each job in a tank, so many weeks driving, so many weeks gunnery, so many weeks as tank commander, and a couple of more weeks extra for … wireless operator, loader.” Slarks became an operator, Tout a gunner on the new Sherman Firefly: “I came down to Lulworth to do the transfer to the 17 pounder… but because the Firefly was only just being introduced our training on it was limited to one day on the ranges.”"
Re. Titchwell there are a few 1RTR refs here... https://m.facebook.com/groups/1RTR.NormandyRevisited/permalink/614722805281059/ With... "Wednesday 15th March 1944 - Sugar Hill Camp, Didlington Routine - Normal A Squadron will fire main armament at Titchwell Ranges, Kings Lynn on 20th March 1944, C Squadron will take their place on 21st March 1944. Newly issued 17pdr Shermans have priority." https://m.facebook.com/groups/1RTR.NormandyRevisited/permalink/615748145178525/ With... "Friday 17th March 1944 - Sugar Hill Camp, Didlington Routine - Normal B Squadron are to deploy to Titchwell Ranges on 22nd March 1944 for a days main armament firing." https://m.facebook.com/groups/1RTR.NormandyRevisited/permalink/617323211687685/ With... "Monday 20th March 1944 - Sugar Hill Camp, Didlington Routine - Normal Weather: Fine at first, cloudy with rain in the morning. Fair to fine later. Good visibility. A Sqn range day - Titchwell Ranges - 17pdrs fired for first time by the Sqn proved to be popular when fired at hards. Good penetration by AP round."
I recall reading Stuart Hills' account of his first test shoot with the Firefly. He was the startled by the blast and flash but impressed by the effect down-range.
4th7thRDG Friday 3rd March 1944... 3d3m1944... B Sqn fired on the Sanctuary Range & A Sqn on the A.P. range at TITCHWELL: the Valentines with 75 mm guns were used and fired well. A Sqn returned from TITCHWELL in the evening their place being taken there by C Squadron. Entry in the 4th7thRDG War Diary for - 16th March 1944... See also - Does anyone have a copy of "The First and the Last"?
