Reposted from http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/message/1297304450/UK+tank+information+-+March+1944 http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1297303095/UK+tank+information+-+February+1944 UK tank information - February 1944 The following information comes from two Febuary 1944 war diaries: WO166/4717 1 Central Ordnance Depot, Chilwell - this was the main ordnance depot in the UK responsible for tanks/ WO165/100 Pt II Directorate of Warlike Stores
1/ I DO like the way the inability to consistently manufacture .303 MG barrels to standard has been turned into virtue! 2/ What are "Scorpions"? That's a name I'm not familiar with...
Cheers MK, Some nice little nuggets in there. Scorpion Moniker originally applied to the Tilly 2 Flail, also used for Valentine, M3 & M4 based flail systems. Not read all the papers yet, so can't tell which one they mean, but looking at that March '44 date, and remembering a recent chat elsewhere about M3/M4 Flails being finally inspected by the US in February (memory, so don't bank on that date), those might fit with that timescale. (There seems to be some suspicion that they (the septics) saw the M3 or M4 Scorpion Prototype and thought it was a crab, hence their caution about the idea for D-Day prep).
Scorpion is the early name for the mine flail. Matilda/Valentine 'Scorpion' that evolved into the Sherman 'Crab'.
More from ML Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Anti tank distribution Sept 1940 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Anti tank distribution January 1941 Anti tank distribution Sept 1940 Source document is WO 169/56 CRA WDF. Anti tank distribution January 1941 From WO169/949 HQ RA GHQ ME
Have been reading the diaries with interest. Thank you for posting. There is mention of the Staghound armoured car in two versions, the Control cars to Armoured Car Regiments and Command cars to HQ's Armoured Divisions. Has anyone information on what the modifications were? My interest is due to my late fathers unit receiving Staghounds. Regards Tom
British Artillery Situation in Middle East - 4 November 1941 Source is WO 169/949 HQ RA GHQ ME. Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Report on RA in the ME - April 1941
Tom, Wiki says that in the Command Car version of the Staghound "...the turret was removed and extra wireless equipment was installed." Ditto for a Chris Foss enclyclopedia thingy I've got. See here - DSC_0058 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! and here - DSC_0061 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Here you can see it bottom left on a modeller's reference sheet -
Shane Lovell continues to share his goldmine Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: More on LRDG vehicles - late 1940 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: UK tank information - June 1944 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Report on artllery in Tobruk - 23 May 1941 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: LRDG vehicles - August 1940 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: UK tank information - April / May 1944 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Anti-tank guns in the Middle East - May 1941 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: UK tank information - March 1944 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: UK tank information - February 1944 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Report on RA in the ME - April 1941 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: British Artillery Situation in Middle East - 4 November 1941 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Anti tank distribution Sept 1940 Allied WWII AFV Discussion Group: Anti tank distribution January 1941
