The 144 RAC tank losses during the night advance to Cramesnil on early 8 August 1944?

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by Juha, Jul 20, 2019.

  1. Juha

    Juha Junior Member

    Hello, I have difficulties to ascertain the AFV losses of 144th Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps,/the British right-forward column during the night advance to Cramesnil on early 8 August 1944. According Fortin's British Tanks in Normandy 144 RAC losses, three tanks, were caused by German infantry using Panzerfausts but according to the net article, Operation Totalize 1st Tank Night Attack in Normandy 7th August 1944- Trooper Sid Moore - 144th Regiment RAC , "a number of Shermans and three Priests were lost to enemy action during the move in fire fights with German infantry equipped with anti-tank weapons in isolated pockets of resistance. The column did bump in to some German Panzers...", during the tank skirmish both sides lost two tanks. But was that before the battalion crossed the railway line? According the net article two tanks were lost to German infantry using panzerfaust at the site of railway crossing and one, also to panzerfaust, north of Cramesnil. The the last loss, also north of Cramesnil. "...there was another of those now all too familiar showers of sparks and one of the tanks in the leaguer began to burn. This is perhaps the worst moment of all. We were a perfect target huddled together in the field, the black outlines of the tanks clearly visible in the moonlight. The shot had come from behind us so perhaps some enemy tanks unseen in the dark, had trailed the column. We waited in suspense and one wondered, selfishly, whether one’s own tank would be next to be hit. But there were no other incidents and we never solved the mystery of that last shot. It is even possible that it came from a tank of a neighbouring allied column, lost in the darkness and mistaking us for enemy tanks. Whatever the explanation, four of our men were killed – Corporal A Skinner and Troopers T. Parker, R. Smith ‘10’ and J. Heren. Trooper Sid Moore was wounded but escaped.’ (The shot might have come from the third German Panzer tank that retreated into the darkness at the earlier engagement by the gap in the hedge. As it was a single shot it could also have come from a hand held single shot German infantry Panzerfaust Anti-tank weapon)" So according the article 3 or 4 tanks were lost to infantry A/T weapons and 2 or 3 to German tanks, altogether 6. What happened to the 3 defrocked Priests?

    TIA
    Juha
     

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