Training for Anti tank Gunners 1940-1941

Discussion in 'Royal Artillery' started by Sheldrake, Jun 24, 2022.

  1. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    I have been looking at a service record that shows a gunner joining the army on 20 Nov 1940 and posted to 68 Anti tank Regiment, which at that time was the anti tank regiment for 59 Infantry Division.
    Was it common for a recruit to join an active unit?
     
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  2. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    I wonder if this reflected the stop-gap use of ‘French’ 75-mm field guns by many anti-tank units at the time. Do you know what they were equipped with?
     
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  3. Rothy

    Rothy Well-Known Member

    The 68th Anti-Tank Regiment, R.A.(T.A.) was formed by conversion of the 2/4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment. After the fall of France, in June 1940 the 68th Regiment assumed an Infantry role and moved to an area near West Hartlepool. There, it undertook airfield defence and road block duties. It spent the winter of 1940-41 in the same area and in the same role and it was only in early 1941 that the Regiment reverted to the Anti-Tank role. It trained for this role during the Spring of 1941 at Wolsingham with visits to Larkhill for firing practice.

    Steve
     
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  4. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    After the return from Dunkirk, the interim passed as it must have done for many, with exercises, invasion alarms and experiments. The Regiment produced a full length training film on
    A/T shooting with 25pdrs and initiated many forms of the now generally accepted Artillery Procedure.

    Excerpt from "A History of the 67th Field Regiment" by P.M. (Peter Mennell)
     
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  5. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    The 25pdr was it seems always controversial in several ways. I have lost count of the times that I have been told that it was not very effective in the anti tank role. Even with the upgraded Super Charge.
    My neighbour, now 90 was a Gunner in the 19th Field Regt in 1950. His instructors who had WW2 experience, whispered that the rounds bounced off so when engaging tanks it was best to hitch up and clear off, leaving it to the anti tank guns.
    The gun also suffered from a relatively short range and a low trajectory of fire. The modification to achieve in excess of 50 degrees (upper register) elevation came after WW2 but the gun still suffered from crest clearance problems in mountainous terrain so that whist it was a magnificent Field Gun it was not a "Jack of all trades." It satisfied many roles and was still in use in the late 1960's in TA Regiments possibly later.

    This one worked but look at the range!
    446 Bty were hit next. They were digging in and in no position to open fire.
    Lt Gilberg ordered his men to scatter taking the firing mechanisms from the guns. He and Sgt Knight stayed with one gun which they loaded, waiting for an opportunity.
    A tank narrowly missed them and as it passed they fired an armour piercing round with supercharge at point blank range (7 yards).
    The tank exploded blowing off the turret but the accompanying infantry reacted quickly, taking them prisoner.
    They were eventually freed when Tunis fell to the Allies.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2022

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