Specialist Wing/Tanks

Discussion in 'North Africa & the Med' started by Kieron Hill, Feb 19, 2009.

  1. Kieron Hill

    Kieron Hill Senior Member

    I have a photo album from the North African Campaign
    and one of the sections in this album is headed
    "Specialist Wing" / "Gunnery Wing" Abbassia, has anyone
    got any reference to these kind of wings. As this section
    is fall of Allied and Axis tanks and artillery pieces would
    they be some sort of valuation/testing section? Earlier
    on in the album it mentions the 5th Royal Tank Regiment,
    unfortunately not much more to go on so I am having
    to put my guessing head on :)

    Below are a few of the pictures
     

    Attached Files:

    Bodston likes this.
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Nice Pics Kieron,

    I haven't got a clue but I'd guess the same as you.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  3. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Kieron -
    wrong end of Africa actually -more to do with the Middle East Forces as the Abassia Barracks were in Egypt and a well known training facility - hated by all - even sundry....... Built around the tenth century and was home to all the bed bugs known to man.....there was always a scramble to lay your blankets in the centre of the square... and the progress of the bugs could be measured by the screams of the various circle sleepers as the bugs made their way towards the centre before heading back to barracka as the sun came up.....one did not go to Abassia voluntarily....a form of punishment really

    Cheers
     
  4. Kieron Hill

    Kieron Hill Senior Member

    Cheers Tom and Andy

    Tom, so Abbassia wasn't like a stay in the Hilton
    then? :D My other chain of thought was maybe
    they went there for a refit.

    A few more of the pictures taken at Abbassia
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Kieron -
    It was said that skin grafts were badly needed after a stay in Abbassia - we fared better in Italy with better - and cleaner - barracks in Rieti and Gubbio for Tank training...note the brothel creepers on that Officer with the glasses on pics # 3 & 5
     
  6. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    Excellent pictures Kieron. With so many different types of tanks and guns, of both sides, it must be some kind of comparative testing unit.
     
  7. Kieron Hill

    Kieron Hill Senior Member

    Tom it sounds like a stay I had in a YMCA in
    New York :D.

    Here are a few more pictures, these are official
    photographs taken at the time and passed by
    Publicity Censor, probably seen many times but
    still very interesting.
     

    Attached Files:

    Drew5233 likes this.

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