Dummy Tanks - 39th and 101st RTR

Discussion in 'RAC & RTR' started by BrianQ, Jan 5, 2022.

  1. BrianQ

    BrianQ Member

    Hi Everyone,

    This is my first posting and I hope I'm using the correct sub-forum.

    I am researching the life and death of my uncle, L/Cpl Sidney Hugo Quattrucci 2054320 who served at various times between 1939 and 1942 with 1st, 2nd and 9th KRRC (the latter originally known as the 1st Rangers). After training in the North African desert for a couple of months in 1941, he and his Battalion (1st Rangers) were whisked off to the freezing conditions in northern Greece. This soon led to a retreat and he was 'lucky' to embark from Greece to Africa with a small part of his Battalion on one of the first transit ships. The remainder of his Battalion were collected by a destroyer 24 hours later, but were taken to Crete to protect the island from the German advance. But a month later, the Germans controlled the island and only 1 officer and 13 others from The Rangers were rescued.

    I presume that his Battalion was not immediately reformed and he was posted to the 39th Royal Tank Regiment. He appears to have travelled to Cyprus with this regiment, as there were a couple of disciplinary matters there. On returning to N Africa in October he was briefly assigned to the 9th KRRC on an SO X(1) List (not sure what these lists were) and then immediately posted to the 101st RTR.

    Both the 39th and 101st RTRs are 'Dummy Tank Regiments' and I can find very little information on them other than the idea of deceiving the enemy into believing the vehicles they saw were trucks, for example, rather than actual tanks, or placing dummy tanks in locations to confuse the enemy as to tactics, etc. What I would like to know is how the Regiment operated. If anyone could help me with information about these units, I'd be very grateful. Would they have made the dummies or would they be the ones who transported them to various places or fitted them to real tanks? Obviously there was a lot of secrecy about these units, and my uncle didn't return to be able to tell us.

    Thanks,

    Brian Quattrucci
     
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  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  3. BrianQ

    BrianQ Member

    Thanks Owen. That seems to fit as he was posted to a unit at the same time.
     
  4. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Afraid I only have 38 RTR - another dummy regiment. But they were the units 'operating' the dummies as far as I can tell. Not sure if they also made them.

    All the best

    Andreas
     
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  5. BrianQ

    BrianQ Member

    Thanks Andreas, I thought it was more likely that they were only involved in the deployment of the dummies and not the construction.
    Brian
     
  6. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Last edited: Jan 5, 2022
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  7. BrianQ

    BrianQ Member

    Thank you Tony, my apologies for mis-typing the service number. Yes, Sid was killed on what I believe was the penultimate day of the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. According to his Service Record, he enlisted with the Territorial Army 31st City of London Royal Engineers at the age of 17 in April 1938 but was discharged under Para 204(3) T.A. Regs (?) 6 months later. This was apparently at his own request because he stated couldn't attend drills. He was allocated the Service No. 2054230. He subsequently signed up with the Regular Army and was attested on 21 August 1939, and posted to the Kings Royal Rifle Corps. I hadn't realised that he had been given his original Service No.
     
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  8. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Few notes. 38 RTR consisted of 77 ORs and 2 Officers, mixed bag from all sort of regiments, mostly infantry. They erected tanks, i.e. set up the dummies, material was carried on trucks. The unit reported to A Force, which was 8 Army's deception outfit.

    When deployed as deception before CRUSADER they were accompanied by PHANTOM patrols who simulated the radio traffic that would normally be associated with a larger force, to make the deception more believable.

    Haven't come across 39 RTR, but 38 RTR war diary mentions also "F" Squadron RTR and 37 RTR.

    All the best

    Andreas
     
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  9. BrianQ

    BrianQ Member

    Thanks Andreas. That's very useful.

    Brian
     
  10. Frog Prince

    Frog Prince Member

    Hi Brian.

    Can I recommend two books that will help your research.

    1. Special Weapons and Types of Warfare Volume 3. Visual and Sonic Weapons

    SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TYPES OF WARFARE: VISUAL AND SONIC WARFARE Official History Of The Second World War Army - Naval & Military Press

    This is a comprehensive post-war (1951) official report on the use of decoys, sonic warfare etc.

    2. The Deceivers

    The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War - Wikipedia

    This provides the wider context for the tactical deception used at the Second Battle of El Alamain, including OP BERTRAM.

    Operation Bertram - Wikipedia

    You might also try and find copies of these two auto-biographies for a better understanding of the work of the camofleurs:

    - Barkas, Geoffrey The Camouflage Story (From Aintree to Alamein) 1952
    - Sykes, Steven Deceivers Ever: Memoirs of a Camouflage Officer 1990

    I'll also see what else I have on file for 39 RTR and 101 RTR.

    Cheers,

    Andrew
     
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  11. BrianQ

    BrianQ Member

    Hi Andrew,

    Thanks very much for this information; I'll have a look at what you've mentioned.

    Since I posted the original question I've managed to get to the National Archives to read the War Diary of the 101st Royal Tank Regiment. My Uncle joined the 101 Btn RTR from 9 Btn KRRC, together with 5 officers and 152 other ranks, from its inception in November 1941 to the end of the following February. It seems that the Regiment used metal chassis and wood framed vehicles with canvas, disguised as 'tanks' to deceive the enemy. They were deployed in the desert around Tobruk, but seemed to be constantly on the move from one point to another. The 'tanks' were regularly damaged by rough terrain and a lot of time was spent repairing and maintaining them. After one overnight move, only 30 'tanks' reached the destination, with the rest being abandoned en route. Welding equipment was often not available. It seems that the units to which the Regiment was assigned, and there were several, were unclear how to deploy them. One entry from the end of January 1942 stated, "The Regiment now came under the command of 1 Armoured Div and its organisation was explained to the GI as it was unknown to him."

    Brian
     
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  12. Frog Prince

    Frog Prince Member

    Last edited: Jan 12, 2023
  13. Frog Prince

    Frog Prince Member

  14. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

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  15. Kevin Trott

    Kevin Trott Member



    Hi Brian ,
    I have also been researching my great-uncle Rifleman Horace Smith 6847953 who also served with 9th KRRC. He served in Greece and was evacuated to Egypt at end of April 1941. He was transferred to 2nd KRRC in August 1942 and was killed at Alamein on 27 October 1942.
    I don't know if you have seen it but there is a reference to the 'dummy tanks' in the 'Chronicles of the Rangers' by Major R. Bruce which you might find of interest. I will attach a copy.
    Best regards,
    Kevin Trott
     
  16. Kevin Trott

    Kevin Trott Member

    Hi Brian ,
    I have also been researching my great-uncle Rifleman Horace Smith 6847953 who also served with 9th KRRC. He served in Greece and was evacuated to Egypt at end of April 1941. He was transferred to 2nd KRRC in August 1942 and was killed at Alamein on 27 October 1942.
    I don't know if you have seen it but there is a reference to the 'dummy tanks' in the 'Chronicles of the Rangers' by Major R. Bruce which you might find of interest. I will attach a copy.
    Best regards,
    Kevin Trott
     

    Attached Files:

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  17. Frog Prince

    Frog Prince Member

    Hi Kevin,

    That is an extremely useful article.

    Very many thanks.

    Andrew
     
  18. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    IWM NA 15274
    Dummy Sherman tank in the Anzio bridgehead, 21 May 1944.

    large_000000-5.jpg
     
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  19. BrianQ

    BrianQ Member

    Hi Kevin, Many apologies for the late reply; I failed to see a notification of your message in January. This is an extremely useful article, thanks very much. It fits in very well with the War Diaries. Major Bruce was my uncle's CO at this time.
    Regards,
    Brian
     
  20. BrianQ

    BrianQ Member

    Thanks Ramiles, It's amazing to see the various versions of the 'tanks'.
    Regards,
    Brian
     
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