British 6-Pounder, Anti-Tank Gun

Came across this rather nice pic whilst having a search for something else.

From: War Chronicle D-Day contents

 

Yer great pictures for the germans coming around the corner look tommies sitting in the open like ducks sunning themselves let wander around the back of them and lob a stick grenade.......somehow I think its a posed photo! lol

 

Cash,

I think that you are correct about it being a staged photo.

Regards
Tom

 

Ddi it say where it was taken in Normandy????

 

Looks like they wouldn't have been covering that lane for very long - suicide shots !

Cheers

 

Nice pic alright but somehow it does seem a little posed - for the folks back home!

 

A little information on the weapon, which also shows the same photograph.

6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun

Regards
Tom

 

I certainly wouldn#t like to be part of he gun detachment, you may as well hand up a sign saying here I am shoot me!

 

TCS -
Both the 21st and 25th Tank bdes were the models for the introduction of the 6 pounder in Tanks and so were "volunteered" for the North African campaign - it took a while for us to get the APCBC rounds I think it was in the late winter of '43 - the Sabots didn't appear until late in 1944
Cheers

 

Owen -
This one apparently didn't - that looks like a gunner lying there to the right of the six pounder !
Cheers

 

Location: Caumont, Normandy.

 

From the History of the First Division - Florence to Monte Grande. It looks like they are in the thick of it. Original photo if you ask me.

 

It probably wasn't too difficult for photographers to take a photograph of a six pounder gun in action in a forward area. The battalion antio tank platoon was positioned to protect the battalion from tank attack and those in RA anti tank batteries were sighted to cover killing zones in depth. At any point in there must have been hundreds of these equipments in action but out of sight of the enemy.

The six pounder covering the lane near Linguievres on 16th June might have been temporarily dropped into action to cover a halted column or other guns being dug in or covering a flank, or it might have been staged for the camera.

 

The First Division did not go back into action until August 44, after they where smashed to bits at Anzio. Not sure what you mean by the six pound covering the lane near Linguievres on the 16th June. It may well be one of the most impressive staged photos that one will come across.The photo is not of the sharpest quality, but I think there is a white triangle on the right arm of the chap at the rear. I'm sure it was wise to have hundreds of these equipment's in action,'but out of sight of the enemy'! We could argue the toss about many photos that are out there (staged or posed).

Regards
Stu.