71st Anti-Tank Regiment, 53rd Division, use of 6Pdr

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Smudge, May 15, 2014.

  1. Smudge

    Smudge Member

    Hi guys

    As I understand it the RA AT Regt’s handed down their AT guns as they received new models I.E. the 6Pdr was passed on to Infantry Division AT Platoons as the 17Pdr became available.

    Have we a definite or probable timeline for this; for example…?

    When did the 6Pdr get passed on to Inf AT Pltns or when did RA AT Regt’s get the 17Pdr? By D-Day did the RA Regt’s all have 17Pdr?

    In particular I’m thinking of the photo below.

    View attachment 122062

    IWM labels it as © IWM (B 11262) 71st Anti-Tank Regiment, 53rd Division, drives along a railway line outside Hertogenbosch, 25 October 1944 (Normandy).

    What I’m seeing is the AoS 61 of the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment (from 26 August 1944); does the IWM often make mistakes or am I mistaken?

    Smudge
     
  2. Thundergrunt

    Thundergrunt Active Member

    Smudge

    I too am looking for info on the 6 PDF use in the infantry Battalions.
     
  3. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    First off excellent spot on that image - I had never questioned it, so seems like another photo of illusive 1 East Lancs. Bad news is its another one less of 71 ATR.

    6 Pounders arrived in 53 Divs ATK Platoon in mid 43 ( I believe May off the top of my head). On D Day each Battery had 2 Troops of 17 Pdr and 1 Troop of 6 Pdr. In September (or so) they received their Valentine 17 Pdr SPs (popularly known by its postwar name 'Archer').The arrival of the 17 Pdrs shook things up to 1 SP Battery, 1 17 Pdr and 1 6 Pounder (again off memory.) Their history is covered (reasonably well) in Red Dragon by PK Kemp and John Graves, but its a stub really.

    The exact issue date of 17 Pdr is one I am digging up on 71 ATR to confirm this at the moment as I too wanted to tie it down. And yes there are tons of unit ID mistakes on IWM images...

    They do get very good coverage in my forthcoming 53 Div book...
     

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