D-Day. Allied Vehicles, Aircraft & Equipment

The War Archives

D-DAY

£7.95

Allied Vehicles, Aircraft & Equipment

Archive photographs and contemporary drawings

OVERLORD

THE STORY OF D-DAY Re-live the story of D-Day with this new 128 page book lavishly illustrated with paintings and drawings by world renowned artists Robert Taylor, Anthony Saunders, Richard Taylor, Simon Smith and Chris Collingwood Travel through the pre-invasion preparation, the landings themselves, and subsequent battle for Normandy as seen through the eyes of the world’s leading military and aviation artists, creating a visual masterpiece commemorating the 70th Anniversary of D-Day.

Standard Book: £19.99 Limited Edition book and print: £100 Anniversary Edition with SEVENTY D-Day signatures: £245

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ASSAULT ON OMAHA BEACH BY SIMON SMITH Charging into a blizzard of unyielding machine-gun and mortar fire, elements of the 29th Infantry Division lead the assault on Omaha Beach, 6 June 1944. The scene is one of chaos and bloody carnage as the heavily laden troops begin the 200 yard rush across the bulletswept sands of what would become known as ‘Bloody’ Omaha. Each print is signed by veterans that landed on Omaha Beach and issued with a veteran signed matching numbered book with special edition slipcase. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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INTRODUCTION

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f the Allies were to defeat the Nazis, an invasion of occupied Europe was inevitable, and had first been mooted as early as January 1942. However, it was believed that the German U-Boat menace had first to be neutralised, and that the Allies must have virtual air superiority. The following year, the invasions of Sicily and the Italian mainland served as proving grounds for the concept of an air-supported amphibious assault... and the Allied superiority in men, equipment and materiel ensured the right result. The lessons that were learned in Italy served the Allies well during the invasion of Normandy, which began on 6 June 1944 (D-Day). The invasion of Europe was codenamed ‘Operation Overlord’, with the initial phase dubbed ‘Neptune’. Some 18 months in the planning, ‘Neptune’ was the largest such operation the world had ever seen, involving Allied land, sea and air forces. Some 6,939 naval vessels participated in the operation, of which 4,126 were landing ships or landing craft and, by the end of D-Day, 156,115 personnel had been put ashore on the five invasion beaches, or had been dropped by glider and parachute. The landings were supported by

11,590 aircraft, of which just 127 were downed by enemy action. By midnight 11 June 1944 (D+5) the five landing areas were close to being united in a single front, and the number of Allied soldiers in France had reached 326,547. When the assault phase ended on 30 June, there were 850,279 men, 148,803 vehicles and 570,505 tons of supplies in Normandy. Facing them was Rommel’s Army Group B, with 59 divisions, comprising around half a million men, stationed in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, but, crucially, with just 380,000 men in Normandy, or able to be easily moved to Normandy. There can be no argument but that the D-Day invasion was a pivotal point in the war, and a turning point in history. And, whilst the first few days were crucial, once the Allies were ashore, the beachheads were secured, and the separate invasion forces joined up, the outcome of the invasion was probably never in doubt. Germany lacked the men and resources that would have been required to push the Allies back into the sea and was desperately fighting the Soviet Union in the east. However, had the worst occurred, it is

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unlikely that the Allies would have had the will, or the ability, to fight on. This, in turn, would have almost certainly led to Soviet domination of mainland Europe, and the withdrawal of the USA to concentrate on the war in the Pacific... there would have been no Cold War and no European Union. In illustrating the machines and weapons that contributed to the Allied success in Normandy, and in the days and months that followed, this book is dedicated to the fighting men who made it all possible and to the sacrifices that they made... although the predictions of casualties were nowhere near as high as had been feared, there remained a considerable death toll. Total Allied casualties for D-Day itself amounted to around 10,000 men, whilst the Germans are estimated to have lost perhaps as many as 9,000. The total number of Allied and German troops killed, wounded or ‘missing in action’ during the ensuing Battle of Normandy exceeded 425,000. Pat Ware Editor

Placed high above the beach at the eastern end of the town of Arromanches, this Sherman M4A3 medium tank overlooks the site of Mulberry Harbour B. The British-designed artificial harbours were crucial to the success of the invasion plan and, whilst Mulberry A was abandoned following severe damage sustained during the fierce storms of the 19-21 June, Mulberry B remained in use for six months. (Warehouse Collection) The War Archives

Allied Vehicles, Aircraft and Equipment of D-Day Editor Pat Ware. Design and layout Rob Terry. Scanning assistant Lizzie Ware. Image restoration Paul Sanderson and Pat Ware. Picture credits All photographs from the Kelsey Archive unless otherwise credited. Published by Kelsey Publishing Group, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG. Telephone 01959 541444. Fax 01959 541400. www.kelsey.co.uk Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd, Willenhall, West Midlands. Cover illustrations show a Hamilcar GAL-49 heavy glider loaded with a Tetrarch light tank; British and US forces with a Daimler Dingo scout car; a Bofors anti-aircraft gun; and General de Gaulle in a Jeep, photographed near Ouistreham on 14 June. © 2014 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with prior permission in writing from the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or Publisher.

The War Archives D-Day: Allied Vehicles, Aircraft & Equipment

Contents 3

INTRODUCTION

6

PLANNING FOR ‘OPERATION OVERLORD’

6

The D-Day planners sought to identify a landing area in France or the Low Countries that would provide beaches suitable for an amphibious assault, and which were adequately served by a network of roads. The choice eventually fell upon the Baie de la Seine, with the date for the invasion set for early June 1944. The five beaches identified for the assault phase were codenamed Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.

12 AIRCRAFT

There is a tendency to think of the D-Day invasion simply in terms of the amphibious assault phase, but this presents only a part of the bigger picture. The Allies had achieved air superiority, and air support played a significant and essential part of the operation and, of course, troops were also delivered by parachute and glider.

38 INFANTRY WEAPONS

Infantry weapons include pistols and rifles, sub-machine guns, medium and heavy machine guns, mortars, rockets, and hand grenades, as well as chemical weapons such as flame throwers and smoke generators, all of which, of course, were also used by other branches of the services.

46 VEHICLES

There is little doubt that trucks played a significant role in the Allied success. During the period 1939-45, the USA, alone, manufactured more than three million soft-skin motor vehicles, whilst 680,000 trucks, vans and cars were produced for military use in Britain... and Canada managed a total of more than 810,000. By contrast, the German motor industry produced less than half a million transport vehicles.

68 ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

Although, in general, the Allied tanks were outclassed by the heavier German machines, the sheer numbers available meant that armour played a significant role in the Battle for Normandy and in the liberation of northwest Europe. On D-Day itself, amphibious duplex-drive Shermans were put ashore on all of the five beaches, and other tanks were delivered by landing craft; Tetrarch light tanks and tracked carriers were landed near the Orne Canal by glider. Huge numbers of tanks, and other armoured vehicles, continued to be shipped to France over the following weeks.

92 ARTILLERY

When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, artillery was considered to be at a pinnacle of development. Allied artillery comprised field artillery, typified by the British 25-pounder (87mm) gun or the US 105mm howitzer, and medium/heavy artillery, such as the British 5.5in (140mm) gun or the US 140mm howitzer; the US Army also deployed multiple rocket artillery, generally tank-mounted. Specialised guns were also produced for the anti-aircraft or antitank role, including the 40mm Bofors light anti-aircraft gun, and the British 17-pounder (76.2mm) anti-tank gun that was more than capable of defeating the German Tiger tank.

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38

68

92

46

6

PLANNING FOR ‘OPERATION OVERLORD’ In January 1943, the Combined Chiefs of Staff of the British and US Armies met with Churchill and Roosevelt in Casablanca to discuss the future strategy of the war. Stalin had been invited but declined to attend due to the dire situation in Stalingrad, where the Soviets were struggling against the might of the German Army. As a prelude to the invasion of occupied Europe, it was decided, that Britain and the USA would launch a combined bomber offensive with the objective of destroying the German industrial and military complex. At the same time, a planning staff for the invasion was established, with one of its first tasks being to build-up the numbers of US troops in Britain... an operation that was codenamed ‘Bolero’. Despite US pressure for action during 1943, it was eventually agreed that any invasion could not take place until 1944

and, under the direction of the Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC), the planners sought to identify a landing area in France or the Low Countries that would provide beaches suitable for an amphibious assault. It was important that the beaches should not be heavily defended, and that they were served by an adequate network of roads. The proximity of major port facilities was also considered essential, although it was accepted that such facilities would almost certainly have to be captured from the enemy. The choice eventually fell upon the Baie de la Seine, a 60-mile (100km) wide section of the Calvados coast, with the Cherbourg peninsula to the west, and the River Seine and the port of Le Havre to the east. The date for the invasion was set for early June, and the assault phase, codenamed ‘Neptune’, was planned to take place over five beaches – Utah, Omaha,

View across Utah beach, with US vehicles and equipment streaming ashore. Nearest the camera is an example of the ubiquitous GMC 2.5-ton 6x6 cargo truck – generally described as a ‘Jimmy’ – whilst Dodges, amphibious DUKWs and Jeeps are also very much in evidence. (US Signal Corps)

Gold, Juno and Sword. The beaches codenamed Utah and Omaha were assigned to the US 1st Army, whilst the landings at Gold, Juno and Sword were the responsibility of the 2nd British Army, together with significant elements of the Canadian Army, and smaller numbers of Polish infantry. The amphibious landings were to be supported by airborne operations, using paratroopers and glider troops. Drop zones were identified around the Orne Canal at the eastern end of the invasion area, and at the area around Sainte Mère-Eglise, to the west. Until such time that the port of Cherbourg could be captured, it was agreed that the supplies required to maintain the invasion would be landed via artificial harbours. Codenamed ‘Mulberry’, two such harbours would be constructed in Britain in pieces, and towed across the

PLANNING FOR ‘OPERATION OVERLORD’

7

Taken from 21 Army Group’s ‘Administrative History of D-Day’, this plan shows the sites of the five landing beaches in the 60-mile (100km) wide Baie de la Seine. Utah and Omaha were assigned to the 1st US Army, whilst Gold, Juno and Sword were allocated to the 2nd British Army, with the little fishing village at Port en Bessin at the centre. The locations of the airborne landings at the eastern and western flanks of the landing area are also marked. (Warehouse Collection)

A loaded British tracked carrier passing under the distinctive structure of Pegasus Bridge. Located on the eastern flank of the invasion area, and crossing the vital Orne Canal at Bénouville, Pegasus Bridge was captured by a glider-borne company of the British 6th Airborne Division during the night of 5/6 June.

Channel for reassembly in France. Fuel supplies were considered critical, with the daily fuel requirement for the advancing armies calculated at around two million gallons (nine million litres) a day. Trucks and tanks were to be landed with full tanks of fuel, as well as carrying full jerrycans, and, during the days following the invasion, fuel was to be pumped ashore from tankers at sea. Eventually fuel was brought to the Continent by means of pipelines laid on the seabed between France and Britain, with the first section operational on 12 August 1944. Clearly, the Germans were well aware that an Allied invasion was inevitable, but, under the codename ‘Operation Fortitude’, sophisticated deception measures had been implemented to prevent the locations of the landings becoming known. The Germans were convinced that the invasion would come in the Pas de Calais area. ‘Operation Neptune’ began just after midnight on 6 June 1944, when British and US pathfinder aircraft marked the airborne drop zones at the flanks of the invasion beaches. Close behind them came 23,400 paratroopers and gliders. RAF bomber aircraft attacked the gun batteries at Merville. By 06.30, following a massive naval bombardment designed to ‘soften’

8

‡ Having waded ashore from landing craft, these waterproofed Sherman tanks of the British Army are being guided across the beach to safety. Note the line of DUKWs on the left. † US Army half-tracks coming ashore from landing craft. Generally configured for use as armoured personnel carriers, or as so-called ‘gun motor carriages’, these half-tracked vehicles were produced to a similar design by Autocar, Diamond T, International, and White, with a total of more than 41,100 manufactured. (Warehouse Collection) German resistance, the assault divisions were being landed on the beaches. ‘Neptune’ involved 6,939 vessels: 1,213 naval combat ships, 4,126 landing ships and landing craft, 736 ancillary craft and 864 merchant vessels. During the preceding months, thousands of Jeeps and trucks had been waterproofed to allow them to be launched from landing craft into five or six feet of water, whilst special tanks were developed that could swim to the shore. Other special tanks, all of them often described as ‘funnies’, were designed to clear mine-fields, to breach sea defences, and to keep the beaches clear of disabled machinery. As the troops fought their way up the beaches, aircraft of the RAF and the USAAF provided cover to the men and the off-shore shipping, whilst others undertook bomber escort and fighter sweeps, as well as striking at targets inland from the landing areas. The Allies were up against Field-Marshal Rommel, Commander-in-Chief of German Army Group B. Rommel commanded half a million men and was tasked with defending 800 miles of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, but his main concentration of men was in the Pas de Calais area where ‘Operation Fortitude’ had convinced him

The 3rd Canadian Division and the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade landed on Juno beach on 6 June, where they overcame stiff opposition. In six days of fierce fighting, the 3rd Division took 2,831 casualties. These men are clustered around their tracked carrier taking a well-earned break. Note how the censor has removed identifying marks from the shoulder of the man to the right. (Warehouse Collection)

PLANNING FOR ‘OPERATION OVERLORD’

9

that the thrust of the invasion would come. With the element of surprise in their favour, by the end of the day, 57,500 American troops had been landed in Normandy, together with 75,215 British, Canadian and Polish. The stiffest resistance came at Omaha where the US Rangers had to scale cliffs under heavy fire, but, by the end of the day, all five beaches had been secured. Although Rommel still believed that it might be possible to drive the Allies back into the sea, the tide of war had surely turned against Germany. By 10 June, with the capture of Carenten, the invasion beaches had been linked into a unified front, but the advance inland proved to be more difficult than had been envisaged. The Allies finally achieved the breakout from Normandy in early August, and began the headlong rush towards Berlin.

•

… Work began on constructing the two Mulberry Harbours, each of which was the size of the port of Dover, on D+1, eventually requiring a workforce of some 10,000 personnel together with 132 tugs. Work was almost completed when storm damage led to the abandonment of Mulberry A. For the next six months, up to 11,000 tons of supplies per day were landed across Mulberry B at Arromanches. Hospital ships were also berthed alongside the harbour, allowing the evacuation of wounded men.

Photographed on 11 June, a British Army dump truck brings vital supplies of fuel ashore at Graye-sur-Mer. Located in the Juno beach sector, and allocated to the 7th Canadian Brigade, Graye-sur-Mer was defended by the 716th German Infantry Division. Alongside the dump truck, a Scammell Pioneer recovery vehicle brings a generator trailer ashore. (Warehouse Collection)

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† Sporting the distinctive sword patch of the 2nd Army, a group of British soldiers watch as the drama continues to unfold across the beaches, with barrage balloons providing some protection against air attack. The relaxed attitude of the men would suggest that the photograph was taken some days after D-Day itself.

ˆ American vehicles and equipment, including Jeeps, Dodges, M29 Weasel tracked vehicles, and GMCs – one clearly disabled. Note the anti-tank defences on the shoreline. (US Signal Corps)

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A Hamilcar Heavy Assault Glider deplanes a Tetrach Tank on LZ – N Normandy, D-Day 6th June 1944. The first tanks to be flown into battle. Signed Limited Edition Giclee Prints Available Approx size 24 x 17 inches Price £60 Commissions taken and original available.

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AIRCRAFT THERE IS A TENDENCY to think of the D-Day invasion simply in terms of the amphibious assault, but this presents only a part of the bigger picture. Allied air support played a significant and essential part of the operation and, of course, troops were also delivered by parachute and glider. For example, during the two weeks or so prior to the landings, the RAF and the USAAF were busy ‘softening up’ enemy strongholds in the Normandy area. This reached a peak on 5/6 June, when 750 B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators of the USAAF, together with a 500-strong fighter escort, attacked bridges, communications installations and railways. P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbolts mercilessly pummelled railway yards and intersections across the region. A total of 25 railway bridges and nine road bridges were destroyed, with only one rail bridge and

five road bridges across the Seine remaining intact between Paris and the sea. During the night of 5/6 June, RAF Bomber Command flew 1,000 heavy bombers in ten attacks against German coastal batteries and howitzers located along the French coast, dropping a total of 5,000 tons (5,090 tonnes) of bombs. The invasion began at around midnight on 5/6 June, when C-47 Dakotas of the USAAF started to drop men of the 82nd and 101st Airborne in the area around Sainte Mère-Eglise at the western end of the assault area. A fleet of 52 Waco CG-4 gliders subsequently brought heavy equipment, together with the first reinforcements for the 82nd. RAF Halifaxes served as tugs for the Hamilcar and Horsa gliders carrying Britain’s 6th Airborne Division and 9th Parachute Brigade to the eastern flank, dropping men and equipment around the River Orne. Once

The twin engined Armstrong Whitworth AW-41 was originally designed as a medium bomber, and made its first flight on 20 March 1940. Just 32 had been constructed as bombers before the design was adapted for use as a transport aircraft and glider tug; total production amounted to almost 600 aircraft in 11 variants.

the men were in place, the gliders also delivered light tanks, Jeeps, artillery, fuel, ammunition and other supplies. On the other side of the Channel, USAAF Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighters were used to provide cover for the invasion fleet as it assembled south of the Isle of Wight. And, at dawn on 6 June, 1,000 low-flying USAAF heavy bombers, supported by medium and light fighter-bombers, hammered enemy installations along the French coast, dropping a further 10,000 tons (10,182 tonnes) of bombs. At the same time, a force of 100 Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax bombers attacked the gun emplacements at Merville. Fighter cover for the invasion fleet was provided by six squadrons of de Havilland Mosquitos and, once the landings were underway, there were said to be never less than 200 Allied fighters over the beaches. Even after the landings had started, USAAF

AIRCRAFT

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Operated by the USAAF and the RAF, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was a four-engined high-altitude bomber capable of carrying a normal bomb payload of 6,000 lb (2,724kg), or up to 12,880 lb (5,800kg) with reduced performance. The aircraft’s first flight took place on 28 July 1935 and production continued until April 1945 at Boeing, Vega and Douglas, with a total of 12,731 constructed.

The USAAF favoured the formidable Flying Fortress for daylight raids over enemy territory where it offered a range of up to 1,100 miles (1,783km) with the maximum bomb load, or 3,160 miles (5,120km) with a reduced load.

Douglas A-20 Havoc and North American B-25 Mitchell bombers continued to harass the German troops, destroying ground targets and hampering freedom of movement. German air resistance was sporadic, but around 50 marauding Focke-Wulf FW-190s of the German Ground Attack Wing 4 were successfully shot down or driven off. By midnight on 6 June, Allied air forces had flown 14,674 sorties over Normandy and, within three days, RAF Spitfires were flying from hastily-constructed landing strips in Normandy itself. This also allowed Dakotas, with Spitfire fighter escorts, to be used to ferry the wounded back to Britain. Over the following weeks, Allied bombing continued to disrupt the enemy and to destroy tanks and guns on the ground, with the total number of Allied sorties, post D-Day, eventually topping 203,357. Despite an increase in Luftwaffe action towards the end of June, operating from airfields in Belgium and the Netherlands, the Allies had almost complete control of the skies over Normandy, making it difficult for the enemy to move troops and equipment.

•

14

The Boeing B- 17 Flying Fortress was powered by four Wright Cyclone R-1820 nine-cylinder turbocharged radial engines, each producing 1,000-1,380bhp according to specific variant, with Hamilton Standard Hydromatic fully-feathering three-bladed propellers. Maximum speed was 287-323mph (462-523km/h), with a service ceiling of 35,000ft (10,670m).

Positioned under the fuselage to the rear of the wings, and suspended from the top of the fuselage, the Sperry ventral ball turret of the Flying Fortress mounted a pair of Browning 0.50in heavy machine guns. The gunner was in an extremely exposed position, with very little armoured protection, but was responsible for covering the whole bottom section of the aircraft. The turret was equipped with stops that would prevent the guns from firing when aimed at any part of the aircraft itself; this made it very difficult to fire at fighters attacking from the front half of the aircraft.

The robust construction of the Flying Fortress enabled the aircraft to survive even massive structural damage. This aircraft, a B-17F, serial number 124406, was on a mission to Bizerta, Tunisia on 1 February 1943 when it sustained heavy damage to the rear of the fuselage from German Me-109 fighter aircraft. Almost three-quarters of the tail section was cut through, and a large piece of Me-109 wing was lodged in the tail. Despite the tail being scarcely attached to the airframe at all, the aircraft managed to land safely.

AIRCRAFT

Powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder two-row radial engines giving a maximum speed of 290mph (467km/h), the B-24 Liberator was designed for a crew of seven to ten men, consisting of pilot, co-pilot, navigator, nose gunner, bomber, bombardier, dorsal turret gunner, radio operator, tail gunner and waist gunner. The photograph shows the pilot (left-hand seat) and co-pilot’s position.

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During World War II, Liberators were used by several Allied air forces and navies, as well as by every branch of the American armed forces; this Liberator I is in service with the RAF. During the advance towards Germany that followed the break-out from Normandy, USAAF Liberators were used to deliver fuel to General Patton’s 3rd Army which had outrun its normal supply chain.

Produced by Consolidated Vultee, Douglas and North American, the B-24 Liberator was originally designed as a long-range heavy bomber, but was later produced in variants suitable for use as a general transport and reconnaissance aircraft. Despite being complex and expensive to construct, its production run ended up exceeding that of any other American bomber, with 18,482 examples being built.

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Operated only by the USAAF, by October 1944, blackpainted Northrop P-61 Black Widows of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron were flying out of an abandoned Luftwaffe airfield in Florennes, Belgium. For a fighter of the period, it was a large aircraft, with a wing span of 66ft (20.12m), but, at the same time, offered excellent manoeuvrability by virtue of its advanced control surfaces, featuring full-span double-slotted flaps, small ailerons, and lateral spoilers.

Making its maiden flight in May 1942, the Northrop P-61 Black Widow was a three-seat, twin-engined night-fighter, and was the first American aircraft to be specifically designed for this role, being fitted with a prominent dome in the nose to house the SCR-720 AI radar equipment. The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Twin Wasp two-row 18-cylinder radial engines gave a top speed of 366-440mph (590-708km/h), and a maximum service ceiling of 33,000-41,000ft (10,060-12,500m). A total of 941 were constructed. Post-war, 35 examples of a photo-reconnaissance version, the Northrop F-15 Reporter, were built.

AIRCRAFT

The Douglas DC-3 was designed by Arthur E Raymond as an improved and enlarged version of the DC-2. Powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines, the Dakota offered a payload of just under 9,000 lb (4,090kg), but could be overloaded by almost 100%. Maximum speed was around 230mph (370km/h). In military service it was designated C-47, and in British service named Dakota.

An RAF Dakota, photographed post-war alongside its German equivalent, the Junkers Ju-52. Like the DC-3, the Ju-52 was originally designed as a civilian aircraft, and, side-by-side, the two aircraft have a near-identical wingspan – 95.95ft (29.25m) for the Junkers, compared to 95ft (28.96m) for the Dakota. This French-built version of the Ju-52 wears Armée de l’ Air markings.

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The Dakota saw extensive use with both the USAAF and RAF, dropping parachute-troops, and was also used to tow gliders. The glider seen behind the Jeep is the American-built, steel-and-fabric Waco CG-4A, named Hadrian by the RAF.

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Making its first flight in October 1938, when it was known as the Douglas 7B, the DB-7 was a two-seater night-fighter/bomber. The aircraft was initially powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp two-row 14-cylinder radial engines, but later versions used Wright GR-2600 Double Cyclone two-row 14-cylinder radials. The fighter and intruder variants were named Havoc, whilst the bomber was known as the Boston; the photograph shows a Boston III.

Preparing to refuel an RAF Boston bomber using a tractor-drawn tanker trailer. During the process, both the aircraft and the tanker are electrically earthed to prevent static charges building up, and the tanker would normally remain coupled to its tractor during the refuelling operation in case it was necessary to make an emergency withdrawal.

In its Boston configuration, the DB-7 was developed through five ‘marks’, with the Mks III and IV both seeing service over northwest Europe. The standard bomb-load was 2,000 lb (908kg), with the intruder version capable of delivering 4,000 lb (1,816kg).

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The definitive version of the B-17 Flying Fortress was the Fortress III, or B-17G. Firepower was formidable, with a total of 13 0.50in machine guns carried, two in the tail turret, two in a ‘chin’ position in the nose, two in the upper turret, one in a dorsal turret, two in a ball turret under the fuselage, and one each at the beam position on either side of the rear-fuselage.

Originally designed as a civilian transport aircraft, the Douglas DC-3/C-47 is amongst the most successful, ubiquitous and recognisable aircraft in history. The aircraft made its first flight in December 1935, and remained in production until June 1945, by which time some 10,048 examples had been constructed. The C-47 featured a strengthened floor, and a large freight door. This example, ZA947, is operated by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Coningsby, Lincs.

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The Halifax was split into major assemblies and sub-assemblies for ease and speed of production, repair and transport. Power initially came from four Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 liquid-cooled engines, each producing 1,280bhp, but these were later replaced by Bristol Hercules two-row 14-cylinder radials.

… Close-up view of the left-hand seat in the Halifax cockpit. † The Rolls-Royce Merlin- powered Handley Page Halifax made an excellent glider tug, and is seen here towing an Airspeed Horsa Mk II.

AIRCRAFT

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Nicknamed ‘the Hailbag’, the Handley-Page Halifax was a six/seven-seat, four-engined heavy bomber that was also used as a glider tug, transport aircraft, paratroop carrier, and even as an electronic counter measures (ECM) platform. The prototype first flew on in October 1939, with production getting underway a year later and continuing until November 1946. The total number built was 6,176, with contributions from English Electric, Fairey, London Transport (as the London Aircraft Production Group), and Rootes.

In its final incarnations, the Halifax had a wingspan of 104.16ft (31.75m) and an overall length of 71.6ft (21.82m); the photograph shows the much-improved Halifax Mk III. The Bristol Hercules-powered Mk VI had the highest top speed, at 312mph (501km/h), combined with a service ceiling of 24,000ft (7,315m). This Mk III, LV857 was shot down during a raid on Nurnberg on March 31 1944

Although designed primarily as a heavy bomber, the Halifax was also used as a transport aircraft and, in this photograph, a Halifax Mk II can be seen being loaded with supply containers that will be air-dropped over enemy territory.

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Designed to be operated by a two-man crew, the Hamilcar glider was constructed largely of wood. It was a massive machine, with a wingspan of 110ft (33.53m) and an overall length of 68ft. The later Hamilcar Mk X (GAL-58) was fitted with a pair of Bristol Mercury engines and could operate (just about!) as a conventional aircraft.

AIRCRAFT

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Built by General Aircraft of Hanworth, with assistance from AC Cars, the Co-operative Wholesale Society, and the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, the Hamilcar was the largest Allied glider. Maximum payload was up to 18,000 lb (8,182kg) and typical loads included the specially-designed Tetrarch (seen here, in its close-support guise) and Locust light tanks, two tracked carriers, engineers’ plant, or a 17-pounder gun and tractor. More than 70 Hamilcars were used on D-Day, with many more used during ‘Operation Market Garden’.

Interior view of the Hamilcar into which an M22 Locust light tank of the Glider Pilot Regiment has been loaded. Crewed by just three men, the Locust was an American-designed tank armed with a 37mm main gun, and intended for use by airborne forces.

The nose of the Hamilcar was hinged to permit loading, with sandbags clearly preferred as a ramp... meanwhile, the pilots were obliged to climb up the inside of the fuselage, using a roof hatch to gain access to the tandem-style cockpit from the outside.

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At 22.56 hours, on June 5 1944, 171 men of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, together with 30 sappers from 30 Royal Engineers, took off in six Horsa gliders from an airfield in Dorset. The men were tasked with capturing the River Orne bridges on the eastern flank of the invasion zone.

AIRCRAFT

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A large kit of parts that will be assembled into a Horsa glider. The wingspan was 88ft (26.84m), and the total length was 67ft (20.43m); maximum payload was slightly more than 7,500 lb (3,500kg). Huge flaps were operated by compressed air and there were air brakes above and below the wings allowing the aircraft to swoop low during landing. The typical tug was an Albermarle, Dakota, Halifax, or Stirling, and the maximum gliding speed was 100mph (162km/h).

The most numerous British glider of the period was the Airspeed AS-51 Horsa, with a total of 3,655 examples produced by Airspeed, Austin Motors and Harris Lebus, the latter more used to manufacturing furniture. The first example flew on 12 September 1941, and two versions were produced, identifiable by the method of attaching the tow rope.

The fuselage of the Horsa could accommodate 25 men seated on simple benches, or 7,000 lb (3,180kg) of cargo.

On the Horsa Mk II, the nose could be hinged to one side to facilitate loading. A Jeep fitted easily inside the fuselage, although it was necessary to remove the windscreen in order to reduce the overall height. The Mk I was loaded through a side door, requiring a Jeep to be turned through 90 degrees into the fuselage.

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The de Haviland DH-98 Mosquito was designed as an unarmed high-speed daylight bomber, although the Air Ministry was notably unenthusiastic at first, believing that it would be suitable only for reconnaissance work. The first example flew in November 1940 and the type proved to be hugely successful, being developed through 43 variants with a total of 7,781 examples constructed.

Pilot’s view of the Mosquito cockpit. The design featured light and effective control surfaces, allowing excellent manoeuvrability.

On the night of 5/6 June 1944, 98 Mosquitos flew sorties across the south of the invasion area, and the aircraft was ultimately used as a night-fighter, bomber, fighter-bomber, anti-submarine aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, target tug, and trainer. The Mosquito served with the RAF, the Royal Navy, the USAAF, the Royal Australian Air Force, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Seen here is the T3 (trainer) RR299, the last Mosquito to fly in Britain, which crashed in July 1996 at Barton, Manchester.

AIRCRAFT

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All Mosquitos were powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce V12 Merlin engines, producing 1,230 to 1,710bhp, according to type. The maximum speed for the fastest versions was 425mph (688km/h), with a service ceiling of 44,000ft (13,410m). These aircraft are Mosquito B Mk IV bombers.

Nicknamed ‘the wooden wonder’, the Mosquito was constructed largely from plywood. The fuselage was fabricated from a sandwich consisting of sheets of balsa wood and Canadian birch, and was formed in two halves in a mahogany or concrete mould; stronger woods replaced the balsa in areas where increased structural performance was required. The structure was extremely rigid, with additional strength provided by a series of plywood bulkheads. As well as being built by the de Haviland Aircraft Company at Hatfield, in Hertfordshire, the Mosquito was also constructed by Airspeed, Percival Aircraft, and Standard Motors. It also built in Australia and Canada.

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… The prototype Short Stirling made its first flight on 14 May 1939, with production getting underway a year later. The aircraft was constructed in five ‘marks’ with a total of 2,200 examples built. The final, and much improved, Mk V version was stripped of defensive weapons and was intended as a transport aircraft, in which role it was capable of carrying 40 men or the equivalent weight of cargo.

AIRCRAFT

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With an overall length approaching 90ft (27.45m), the Stirling was an impressive aircraft, but the short wingspan (99ft, 30.2m) restricted its operating ceiling and the type was never popular with crews. Stirlings Mk I, III, IV and V were powered by four Bristol Hercules 14-cylinder radial engines; just one example of what was described as the Stirling Mk II was constructed, powered by the American Wright R-2600 Cyclone engine. Top speed was 270-280mph (437-454km/h).

Constructed by Short Brothers at Rochester, Short Brothers & Harland at Belfast, and the Austin Motor Company at Cofton Hackett, Worcestershire, the Stirling was operated only by the RAF. Mk I variants were fitted with a Bristol Hercules Mk II, III or XI engine; later versions had the more powerful Mk XVI engine with modified inlet and exhaust tracts.

Joint refuelling and arming of a Short Stirling underway prior to a mission. The tanker is a 2,500 gallon (11,350 litre) AEC Model O.854, of which AEC constructed 1,514 examples.

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Constructed as a standard Tempest V Series II, the aircraft nearest the camera, NU768, was modified by Napier in 1943 to improve cooling performance, firstly by using a ducted propeller spinner and subsequently, as seen here, with an annular radiator. The yellow P denotes it as a a prototype aircraft.

Developed as a replacement for the Typhoon, the Hawker Tempest first flew in September 1942. This early production Tempest V wears the black and white bands used to prevent the Typhoons/Tempests being mis-identified as Focke-Wulf 190s. The better known ‘D-Day stripes’ began to appear on June 3, 1944.

A lucky pilot examines the battle-damaged rudder of his Tempest V.

The prototype Tempest first flew on 2 September 1942, equipped with a Napier Sabre II 24-cylinder flat-H engine producing 2,180bhp, which was sufficient to give a top speed of 427mph (688km/h). The type was produced in five ‘marks’; the Tempest F Mk II variant was powered by a Bristol Centaurus V or VI radial engine, whilst the Mk IV variant was re-engined with a Rolls-Royce Griffon 61 engine. Total production was 1,312 aircraft.

AIRCRAFT

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Nicknamed ‘Tiffy’, and dogged by bad luck, and unreliability during its early development, the Hawker Typhoon finally entered service in late 1942. Once the initial problems were overcome, the Tyhoon proved itself to be sufficiently quick to outrun the fastest of the Luftwaffe fighter-bombers.

Typhoons were constructed by the Hawker Aircraft Company and the Gloster Aircraft Company, with a total production figure of 3,196. All were powered by a Napier Sabre II 24-cylinder liquid-cooled flat-H engine producing 2,240 or 2,400bhp, according to type. The first couple of hundred aircraft produced had the framed cockpit and entrance door seen here; subsequent production used a sliding bubble cockpit canopy.

The Tyhoon was armed with four wing-mounted 20mm Hispano cannons and had under-wing racks that could be used for eight rockets, or two 500 lb or 1,000 lb (227kg or 454kg) bombs. After D-Day, Tyhoons of the 2nd Tactical Air Force flew day and night, constantly pounding German positions; on one notable day, Typhoons destroyed 175 German tanks in the Falaise Gap.

The pilots’ ‘office’ in the Hawker Typhoon.

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Designed and constructed by the Waco Aircraft Company at Troy, Ohio, the CG-4A – known as the Hadrian by the British – was the only American-built assault glider to see service during World War II. Total production amounted to 12,393 examples, and the Hadrian was used during the invasion of Sicily, the Normandy landings, and the Rhine crossing; large numbers were also shipped to the Far East for the planned, but never executed, invasion of the Japanese mainland.

Where British-built Horsa and Hamilcar gliders were almost entirely built from wood, the Waco was constructed from welded-steel tubing with a covering of fabric. With a wingspan of 83.75ft (25.5m) and an overall length of 48.3ft (14.7m), the Haig was capable of carrying a normal payload of 3,710 lb (1,686kg) although it would also accept a 1,500 lb (682kg) overload without much complaint. The entire nose hinged upwards to allow loading.

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Fortifications

Landing Craft

Figures

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INFANTRY WEAPONS Infantry weapons, which of course were also used by other branches of the services, include pistols and rifles, submachine guns, medium and heavy machine guns, mortars, rockets, and hand grenades, as well as chemical weapons such as flame throwers and smoke generators. The standard infantryman’s rifle of the British Army during World War II was the 0.303in Lee Enfield (often described as the ‘short magazine Lee Enfield’ or SMLE) rifle in its ‘Number 4’ form, a 1939 development of the original SMLE, which had first seen service during the previous conflict. It was produced in Australia, Britain, India, and the USA. The US Army equivalent was the 0.30in calibre Garand M1, which had been introduced in 1936, although many GIs apparently still preferred the older M1903 or M1903A 0.30in rifle of World War I. As regards side-arms, the British Army favoured the Enfield-modified 0.38in version of the Webley revolver, known as the ‘pistol, revolver, no 2, Mk 1’ or ‘Mk 1*’, whilst the standard US Army side-arm was the 0.45in Colt M1911 or M1911A pistol. Machine guns played a crucial part in the conflict, with total Allied production between 1939 and 1945 reaching almost 4.75 million weapons. The US Army

favoured the 0.50in Browning M2 heavy machine gun, dating from 1921, which was used by infantry as well as being mounted on aircraft and armoured fighting vehicles; there was also the Browning 0.30in automatic rifle (BAR), the 0.30in M1917A water-cooled heavy machine gun, and the M1919 variant, which featured an aircooled barrel. British-made machine guns included the ubiquitous 0.303in Bren gun, the Vickers 0.303in machine gun, and the Besa 7.92mm tank machine gun. The SAS (and, for that matter, the Long Range Desert Group) also deployed the Vickers K light machine gun that had originally been intended for use in open-cockpit aircraft. Whilst the majority of these weapons would have been recognisable to those who had fought in the previous conflict, there was also a new class of infantry weapon that was described as a ‘machine carbine’. Of these, the British 9mm Sten gun was manufactured largely from stamped parts that could be produced in, literally thousands of, light machine shops, with the gun assembled elsewhere. The name was derived from the surnames of the chief designers, Major Reginald V Shepherd and Harold Turpin, with the letters EN taken from the place name Enfield. More than

This photograph, which was taken on Omaha beach, shows the standard US Army rifle of World War II, the air-cooled, gas-operated, M1 Garand – also described as the ‘rifle, caliber .30, M1’ – which entered service in 1936. Firing eight rounds from an en-bloc metal clip, at a rate of fire of 40-50 rounds a minute, the Garand offered distinct advantages over the more old-fashioned bolt-action rifles favoured by the British and German Armies. (US Department of Defense)

three million of these throw-away ‘machine carbines’ were issued to all of the British services, as well as being air-dropped to resistance fighters in occupied territories. General Motors designed and produced a similar low-cost weapon in the USA, nicknamed the ‘grease gun’ on account of its appearance. Also new to the conflict, were so-called ‘infantry anti-tank weapons’. These included the American M1 and M9 Bazookas, of which nearly half a million were made during the War, and the British PIAT (projectile, infantry, anti-tank) that had replaced the earlier Boys anti-tank rifle. Mortars were nowhere near as widespread as they had been during World War I, although total production still topped 657,318 units. The British deployed 2in, 3in and 4.2in weapons, whilst the American mortars measured up at 60mm and 81mm. The US Army also used a 4.2in mortar as the standard weapon for launching smoke and gas rounds. Finally, both the British and US Armies used various types of grenade, including high-explosive, fragmentation, anti-tank, smoke, and signal grenades, with literally millions manufactured during the conflict

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INFANTRY WEAPONS

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Airborne troopers photographed during a training exercise. The men are emerging from a Horsa glider and weapons on view include the Bren gun, ‘Number 4’ Lee Enfield rifle, and the 9mm Sten machine carbine.

Photographed during the Battle for Brittany, which took place between August and October 1944, this German prisoner of war is looking down the wrong end of the American M3 0.45in sub-machine gun – better known as the ‘grease gun’ on account of its appearance. Introduced in 1942, within two years the utilitarian ‘grease gun’ had replaced the Thomson as the standard sub-machine gun in the US Army. (US Signal Corps)

An obviously very-posed US Army publicity photograph showing the US Mk 2 fragmentation grenade – generally described as the ‘pineapple grenade’ on account of its appearance. The photograph was taken during training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia in 1944. (US Department of Defense)

The US Army’s Mk 2 grenade was introduced into service in 1918 and remained in production into the 1960s. The grenade weighed 21oz (600g) and was filled with 2oz (57g) of TNT explosive or Explosives Company (EC) blank-fire powder; there was a five-second delay once the percussion fuse was activated. The grenade could also be used with the M1 grenade projection adapter allowing it to be fired from a rifle. (Jean-Louis Dubois)

The British Bren gun was developed from the Czechoslovakian ZB-26, and was introduced into service in the mid-1930s. Top-fed from a 28-30-round box magazine, the weapon could achieve a cyclic rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute. It was originally chambered for the standard British 0.303in round, but, in 1958, as the L4A1, was converted to suit 7.62mm NATO ammunition. (Warehouse Collection)

Britain’s standard infantry rifle was the short-magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE). From 1941 onwards, the Mk III*, shown in the photograph, started to be superseded by the lighter and stronger ‘Number 4’, which was easier to mass produce. More than 17 million Lee Enfield rifles (of all types) had been produced by the time production ended. (Swedish Army Museum)

‡ The American M1 Garand was the first self-loading rifle to be adopted as a standard weapon by any army. Manufactured by Springfield Armory, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, and others, the gun remained in US service until 1957, and by the time production ended in the 1980s a total of some 6.25 million examples had been built. (Swedish Army Museum) † The Bren gun went into production at The Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock in 1937 and, in its rechambered L4A1 (et seq) form remained in service with the British Army into the 1980s, and still remains in production in India. The gun was operated by a two-man crew and had an effective range of around 600yd (550 m) when fired using the bipod. As well as widespread use with infantry, Bren guns were also mounted on tanks and armoured cars and used as an anti-aircraft weapon. (Warehouse Collection)

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‡ The US Army’s 0.30in Browning light machine gun entered service in 1919 and enjoyed a long career. The weapon was belt-fed, and was capable of a cyclic rate of fire of 500 rounds a minute. Photographed during training, the picture shows the M1919A6 variant, which has a rifle type butt, a pistol grip and a conical flash hider, and was an attempt at producing a weapon in the style of the German MG 34. (US Signal Corps)

The standard British fragmentation grenade was the Baratolfilled ‘Number 36 Mills grenade’, which had entered service in 1915. It was the first design of its type in the world, with a distinctive grooved casing that was said to both aid grip and increase fragmentation. The percussion fuse was initially set at seven seconds, but this was later reduced to four, and the throwing range was around 30yd (27,5m) with a danger area of 100yd (915m), meaning that the thrower needed to take immediate cover. An adaptor was also available to allow the grenade to be fired from a rifle. (Warehouse Collection) ˆ German prisoners in Canadian hands in Normandy. The man guarding the prisoners is holding a British Number 4 Lee Enfield rifle with the short ‘dagger’-style bayonet in place.

‡ Making its first appearance in 1932, the 0.50in Browning heavy machine gun was intended for use as an anti-aircraft weapon, or to be mounted on armoured fighting vehicles; it was also commonly used as an aircraft gun. With a rate of fire of 500 rounds a minute, the original version had a tendency to overheat once 70 or 80 rounds had been fired; this problem was overcome when the ‘heavy-barrelled’ version (M2HB) was introduced. The gun remains in widespread service worldwide, and an M2A1 variant was introduced in 2010, modified to allow quick changes of the barrel. (US Signal Corps)

INFANTRY WEAPONS

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The US Army standard-issue side-arm of the period was the Colt M1911A1, a design that dated back to the years before World War I, but which enjoyed an 80-year career. It was a single-action, semi-automatic, recoil-operated weapon, chambered for an 0.45in round, and incorporating a seven-round box magazine. With an overall length of 8.5in (216mm), and a weight of 39oz (1.11kg), it was a compact and reliable weapon that was very popular with users. ‡ Introduced in 1942, the M1 Bazooka was a shoulder-launched recoilless infantry anti-tank weapon, in the style of the German Army’s Panzerfaust. Firing a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped-charge warhead, it was effective against tanks and other armoured vehicles, machine-gun nests, and fortifications where standard grenades could not be used. (US Library of Congress) … The British Army equivalent to the Bazooka was the so-called PIAT (projector, infantry, anti-tank), a ground-launched weapon based on the spigot mortar, and first produced in August 1942. Firing a 2.5lb (1.1kg) hollow charge to an effective range of 115yd (110m), the weapon proved to be very effective in Normandy where it accounted for some 7% of all German tank losses attributable to British action. (Ranger Steve) Using a suitable pedestal mount, the 0.50in Browning machine gun could be carried on a Jeep, together with 300 rounds of ammunition; the gunner was required to perch on the backrest of the rear seat. (Warehouse Collection)

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VEHICLES For much of the War, Germany was desperately short of trucks and other motor vehicles, having to make do with large numbers of impressed or captured vehicles, or otherwise unsuitable civilian machines. For the Allies, it was a somewhat different story. The USA, alone, manufactured more than three million soft-skin motor vehicles during the period 1939-45, whilst 680,000 trucks, vans and cars were produced for military use in Britain... and Canada managed a total of more than 810,000. By contrast, the German motor industry produced less than half a million transport vehicles. For the Allies, cargo trucks were landed from D-Day onwards, and formed a vital component of the successful advance across Europe, carrying men, fuel, ammunition and thousands of tons of stores. For example, the famed American ‘Red Ball Express’ convoys ran 24 hours a day between August and November 1944, with some 10,000 trucks carrying a total of more than 400,000 tons of supplies to support the US 1st and 3rd Armies in the push across

France and towards Germany. The smallest American military truck of the period was the ubiquitous Jeep, a quarter-ton reconnaissance and cargo vehicle that had been put into production in 1941 by both Ford and Willys-Overland. The larger of the US Army’s basic tactical vehicles covered the weight range 0.75 ton through to 12 tons, virtually all of which were furnished with all-wheel drive and with at least some degree of standardisation in the use of power units and electrical items. Notable types included the 0.75-ton 4x4 Dodge WC series, the 2.5-ton 6x6 GMC, and the 4- and 5-ton tractors designed for use with semi-trailers. Alongside the standard cargo trucks, there were also specialised vehicles such as ambulances, communications (radio) vehicles, wreckers, tank transporters, artillery tractors, and amphibious machines. For the British Army, domestic cargo trucks were produced in weight classes 8cwt, 15cwt, 1.5 tons, 3 tons, 6 tons and 10 tons, some with all-wheel drive, but with very little standardisation of components.

However, the urgency of resupplying the British Army following the evacuation from Dunkirk meant that there were also plenty of American-built machines in use, including the Jeep, the 0.75-ton Dodge, the Diamond T 12-ton tank transporter, and the amphibious DUKW. The Canadian motor industry achieved the greatest degree of standardisation of trucks during the conflict, with the socalled Canadian Military Pattern (CMP) vehicles. Manufactured by both Chevrolet and Ford to a near identical design, and powered by either a Ford side-valve V8 engine or a Chevrolet ‘Stovebolt six’, the trucks were produced in a range of weight classes from 8cwt to 3 tons, mostly with both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants available. There is little doubt that trucks played a significant role in the Allied success... General Eisenhower himself was on record saying ‘the great mobility provided by the vehicular equipment of the Army enabled us to strike at any chosen point along a front of hundreds of miles’.

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Introduced in 1940, the AEC Model O.854 – the ‘O’ indicates an ‘oil’ or diesel engine – was something of a hybrid of the very successful O.853 Matador combined with the rear bogie of the company’s Marshall model to give a 6x6 drive-line. The first 462 vehicles of the 1,923 examples produced, were petrol-engined (Model 854). Most were bodied as 2,500gal (11,350 litre) refuelling tankers for the RAF, and were equipped with Zwicky pumping gear, but there were also crane and oxygen plant variants. (Warehouse Collection)

VEHICLES

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AEC’s diesel-engined Model O.853 (and petrol-engined Model 853) Matador was one of the best British trucks of the period. Introduced in 1938, a total of more than 9,000 examples had been built by the time production ended in 1945; the majority were equipped as medium artillery tractors. The photograph shows a pair of Matadors, each with a Caterpillar ‘dozer load, taking part in the victory parade held in London on 8 June 1946. (Warehouse Collection)

General arrangement drawing of the chassis of the AEC Matador Model O.853, in this case, the air-braked variant favoured by the RAF. Of the total number of Matadors constructed, 462 were destined for the RAF, and were generally used to tow full trailers. (Warehouse Collection)

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Described as the ‘No 2 Mk 1/L’, the ambulance body fitted to the Austin K2/Y chassis was constructed by Mann Egerton, and provided space for four stretcher cases or ten seated patients, together with a medical attendant. The body was of lightweight construction, consisting of painted leather-cloth fabric on a timber frame; insulation was incorporated in the construction, and a heater was provided for the body. (Warehouse Collection)

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The Austin K2/Y was the largest Allied ambulance of World War II and was used by all of the British services as well as being supplied to the US Army and the Soviet Red Army. More than 13,000 were constructed, with a small number equipped for use as a mobile office or loudspeaker van. (Warehouse Collection)

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3 1: Rated at just 15cwt, the Bedford MW was produced between 1939 and 1945, with more than 66,000 examples constructed. Most were fitted with a simple timber general-service cargo body, but there were also gun tractors, gun portees, water bowsers, and radio vans. Early examples, as seen here, had aero screens. (Warehouse Collection) 2: Impressive line-up of American Autocar U-8144T 4x4 5-6-ton pontoon tractors loaded with assault barges and dinghies in preparation for ‘Operation Varsity’ – the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees and Wesel, 24 March to 2 May 1945. The same chassis was also used for a recovery vehicle. (Warehouse Collection) 3: The Autocar U-7144T – and the similar White 444T – was a 4-5-ton tractor for use with a semi-trailer; late production examples had an open cab. The truck was widely used by US Army heavy truck companies during the famed ‘Red Ball Express’ operation, helping to move some 412,250 tons of supplies in support of the US 1st and 3rd Armies in the advance across France towards Germany. (Warehouse Collection)

VEHICLES

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† In the centre of this photograph, taken during a Channel crossing, is a 3-ton 4x4 Bedford QLR signals truck, surrounded by Jeeps and other vehicles. All are well loaded with supplies and equipment; note that the Jeep on the right has had a trailer loaded on top of it. (Warehouse Collection)

Bedford OYD 3-ton 4x2 cargo trucks being loaded with supplies that have been brought across the Channel to the Mulberry Harbour. With more than 72,000 examples constructed, the OY was Britain’s most numerous 3-ton truck. (Warehouse Collection)

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Powered by a 4-litre six-cylinder engine, the military version of the Humber Snipe was amongst the largest of the British staff cars, and a large number were produced between 1939 and 1944. Amongst these were two special open-topped tourer versions, dubbed ‘The Victory Car’ and ‘Old Faithful’, that were produced especially for Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery. A 1:32 plastic model kit of the latter is available from Airfix. Visit www.airfix.com

VEHICLES

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† Following VE-Day in May 1945, vast amounts of military equipment and supplies were suddenly considered to be surplus to requirements. Many vehicles were loaned or gifted to the armies of the newly-liberated European nations, but thousands were also put up for sale to civilians. Here, a trio of very tired-looking Bedford QLR signals trucks await disposal. (Warehouse Collection) ˆ Thousands of Canadian Military Pattern (CMP) trucks were produced to a common design, and with a range of bodies, by the Ford Motor Company of Canada and General Motors Products of Canada across the weight range 8cwt to 3-tons, and with 4x2, 4x4, 6x4 and 6x6 drive-lines. The photograph shows the 4x4 Ford 15cwt truck designated F15A, fitted with a general-service (GS) steel body. (Warehouse Collection)

‡ The ceaseless bombing campaign combined with the effects of artillery shelling and tank battles created huge amounts of debris, blocking roads and creating problems for the advancing armies. The British Royal Engineers and the US Army Corp of Engineers worked tirlessly to clear the debris. Here, a US Army Caterpillar D8 heavy tractor fitted with a dozer blade, clears a path through the remains of shattered buildings. (Warehouse Collection)

Photographed on 31 July 1944 in Normandy, this REME heavy crawler tractor is bringing a diesel locomotive up the beach on a Cranes-designed 45-ton trailer that utilises Roadless tracks. (Warehouse Collection)

This ‘dozer, possibly a Caterpillar D4, was photographed near Vire in August 1944, and has been fitted with an armoured superstructure to provide protection from snipers and falling masonry. (Warehouse Collection)

VEHICLES

Cletrac Model AG light tractor being used to manoeuvre semi-trailers loaded with bridging pontoons; note the dolly that is used to support the fifth wheel of the semi-trailer to allow it to be coupled to the tractor. These tractors were used by both the US Army and the Marine Corps. (Warehouse Collection)

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Based on the iconic GMC 2.5-ton 6x6 truck, the DUKW was the most successful amphibious vehicle of the period and, perhaps, of all time. The photograph, taken on 22 June 1944, shows British Army DUKWs in Normandy. (Warehouse Collection)

Although primarily designed as a tank-transporter tractor, the Diamond T was frequently pressed into service to move other outsized loads. Here, a column of British Army Diamond Ts halts by the roadside carrying a fleet of LVT2 Water Buffalo tracked landing vehicles. Of the total 2,963 Buffalos constructed between 1942 and 1944, 100 were supplied to the British under the Lend-Lease arrangements. (Warehouse Collection)

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Designated Model 969, the wrecker version of the 4-ton Diamond T was fitted with Holmes twin-boom recovery gear rated at 10 tons, and was used to lift, salvage and recover disabled vehicles. Both open- and closed-cab versions were produced. (Warehouse Collection) Restored Diamond T Model 968 4-ton 6x6 cargo vehicle. Powered by a Hercules RXC six-cylinder petrol engine of 8,669cc, the Model 968 was introduced in 1941 and remained in production until 1945 by which time a total of 31,245 examples had been built; late production models had an open cab. From its introduction, the Diamond T was the standard vehicle in its class; other variants included dump truck, crane, shop van and recovery (wrecker) vehicle. (Warehouse Collection)

When it was introduced in 1941, the Diamond T Model 969 wrecker superseded several earlier vehicles; by the time production ended in 1945, a total of 6,420 examples had been built. The booms were each rated at 5 tons and could be used together at the rear or with one arranged to either side to stabilise the truck during winching operations; there were also large outrigger jacks. (Warehouse Collection)

The Fordson WOT6 – the acronym stands for ‘War Office truck’ – was a 3-ton 4x4, generally fitted with a steel cargo body. Power came from Ford’s iconic side-valve V8 engine, producing 85bhp from 3,621cc. Production ran from January 1942 to September 1945 and, by the end of the War Ford had built almost 30,000 of these vehicles, which were also fitted with breakdown gantry, container, and workshop bodies. (Warehouse Collection)

‡ Although this truck, a long-wheelbase GMC CCKW-353, has failed to make it ashore, the ‘Jimmy’ played a vital role in ferrying supplies across Europe, providing the backbone, not only of the ‘Red Ball Express’ convoys, but also of the later operations such as the ‘White Ball Express’, and the ‘ABC Express’. (Warehouse Collection) † Almost universally described as either the ‘Jimmy’ or the ‘Deuce’, GMC’s 2.5-ton 6x6 CCKW truck was the standard US Army cargo vehicle as well as being fitted with a range of other bodies including workshop, dump truck, tipper, compressor, light wrecker, water and fuel tanker, bomb service, etc. There were two wheelbase lengths, and examples were produced both with and without winch. (Warehouse Collection)

VEHICLES

Based on the agricultural tractor that David Brown had introduced in 1939, and which was later designated VAK-1, the David Brown VIG-1/100 entered service with the RAF as a light aircraft tractor in 1941. The VIG-1 was perfectly capable of providing a drawbar pull of 2,500 lb (1,136kg) and, in its later VIG-1/462 configuration, a torque convertor was used to replace the clutch, giving a smoother take-off under heavy loads. There was a 5-ton chain-driven winch at the rear. Total production amounted to around 1,350 vehicles.

Short-wheelbase (CCKW-352) GMC 2.5-ton fuel tanker; the twin-compartment 750-US gallon (2,839 litre) tanker body was constructed by Heil or Columbian and, in 1940, these trucks cost the US Government some $2,505 each. Fuel was discharged from the tanks by gravity; lockers at the rear were provided to stow the hoses and other equipment. (Warehouse Collection)

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‡ The Dodge weapons carrier was also used as the basis for the 37mm gun motor carriage (WC55). This example also has a pedestal-mounted 0.50in heavy machine gun on the front bumper for anti-aircraft defence; the gunner’s curious stance is probably just for the sake of the camera. (Warehouse Collection)

… The spacious rear body of the WC54 Dodge ambulance also lent itself to use as a van, for example as a radio vehicle, or mounting loudspeakers for use by psychological warfare units. (Warehouse Collection)

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Constructed by Pacific Car & Foundry, and powered by a mighty six-cylinder Hall & Scott petrol engine of 7,210cc, the chain-driven M26 was a 12-ton armoured tractor designed for use in conjunction with the Fruehauf M15 or M15A1 40-ton semi-trailer as a tank transporter; there was also a soft-skin version designated M26A1. The M26 was probably the largest Allied truck of World War II. (Warehouse Collection)

Motorcycles were widely used during World War II for convoy escort work, military police and despatch riders. The photograph shows a line-up of British trainee military policemen, with the rider nearest the camera seated on a 500cc singlecylinder BSA M20. Introduced in 1939, and remaining in production until 1947, some 125,000 examples of the M20 were constructed during the war years. (Warehouse Collection)

VEHICLES

The majority of US Army motorcycles of the period came from either Harley-Davidson or the Hendee (Indian) Company. The photograph shows a Harley-Davidson Model WLA in the military-police role. The WLA, which was effectively a militarised version of the company’s civilian Model WL, was introduced in 1939 and remained in production until 1950, with a total of 78,000 constructed. (Warehouse Collection) The smallest Allied motorcycle of World War II was the tiny Excelsior Welbike. Powered by a 98cc single-cylinder Villiers engine, the Welbike was designed to accompany parachute troops by being air-dropped in a special container; it could also be carried on the back of a tank. In order to fit the motorcycle into the container, the handlebars were folded back across the petrol tank and the saddle was pushed down to the bottom of its tube. A total of 3,840 examples were built. (Warehouse Collection)

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The Harley-Davidson Model WLA was powerd by a 737cc V2 side-valve engine driving the rear wheel through a three-speed transmission and open chain. The photograph, showing a soldier of the US Army 315th Engineer Battalion, 90th Infantry Division, was taken in Germany in December 1944. (Warehouse Collection)

Superb ghost view of the DUKW showing the arrangement of the engine and transmission components, all of which were ‘borrowed’ from the GMC 2.5-ton 6x6 truck. Designed by naval the DUKW was manufactured by the Yellow Truck & Coach Division of General Motors, with 21,147 examples produced between 1942 and 1945; of these, 2,000 were supplied to the Brit

esigned by naval architects Sparkman & Stephens, pplied to the British. (GM Corporation)

The DUKW proved invaluable for carrying stores and equipment from ship to shore. Other proposed uses, included coupling vehicles end-to-end to act as a floating pontoon, as seen here, coupled side-by-side to provide a ferry for aircraft or armoured vehicles, and as an assault vehicle equipped with telescopic ladders. (Warehouse Collection)

Dimensional drawing of the Diamond T Model 980/981 12-ton tank-transporter tractor. Produced from 1940, and developed on behalf of the British Army to supplement inadequate numbers of Scammell Pioneer heavy tractors, the Diamond T was probably the best looking truck of the war; late production used an open cab which rather detracted from its good looks. Many enjoyed longer civilian careers after the War in the heavy-haulage industry. (Warehouse Collection)

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As you might expect, US Army staff cars tended to be larger, with examples coming from Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, and Plymouth. Limousines for senior officers were supplied by Cadillac and Packard; the example seen here is a Packard Clipper, probably dating from 1943. The Packard was favoured by General Eisenhower. (Warehouse Collection)

Whilst senior British officers often rode in Humber Pullman and Snipe saloons, junior ranks had to make do with more modest 8HP, 10HP and 14HP saloon cars from the likes of Austin, Hillman, Morris, and Vauxhall, with most being nothing more than militarised versions of pre-war civilian cars. The photograph shows a Hillman 14HP that has been in service with the US Army. (Warehouse Collection)

Jeep being loaded through the side door of a Douglas C-47 Skytrain, the most numerous Allied transport aircraft of the war. The Skytrain was capable of carrying a 6,000 lb (2,727kg) load and there were fold-down seats running along the inside of the cargo bay. (Warehouse Collection)

VEHICLES

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Developed according to a specification issued by the US Quartermaster Corps in 1940, and with prototypes supplied by American Bantam, Ford and Willys-Overland, the 0.25-ton 4x4 Jeep was the first vehicle of its type in the world. The design was standardised in 1941 and some 640,000 examples were constructed by Ford and Willys before production ceased in 1945. This example was photographed in the ruins of Montfort in the Netherlands in February 1945. (Warehouse Collection)

… General de Gaulle photographed riding in a British Army Jeep near Ouistreham on 14 June 1944. This was de Gaulle’s first time back on French soil since 1940. (Warehouse Collection) ˆ Press Corps Jeep photographed in November 1944. Regardless of manufacturer, the Jeep was powered by a four-cylinder Willys Go-Devil petrol engine producing 54bhp from 2,199cc and driving the rear wheels, or all four wheels, through a three-speed gearbox. Jeeps were used by all of the Allies, and thousands remained in service in the post-war period. (Warehouse Collection)

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‡ Alongside the artillery tractor variant, the Scammell Pioneer was also used as the basis of a tank transporter, and a heavy breakdown vehicle. The tank-transporter variant was quickly rendered obsolete by the increasing weight of tanks, but the SV/2S breakdown vehicle saw service right through the War and well into the post-war period. All Pioneers were powered by the 8,369cc Gardner 6LW six-cylinder diesel engine. (Warehouse Collection)

The largest British cargo vehicles of the War were rated at 10 tons. The Leyland Hippo Mk II, seen here, went into production in 1944 and was specifically designed for moving supplies across Europe following the invasion. The truck remained in British Army service into the post-war years. (Warehouse Collection)

VEHICLES

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‡ With a design that could be traced back to the late 1920s, the Scammell Pioneer was decidedly old-fashioned even in 1939, and lacked niceties such as front-wheel brakes and all-wheel drive. Nevertheless, in its R100 heavy artillery tractor form the truck remained in production until 1945 with a total of 786 produced... the truck even saw some service in the post-war years. (Warehouse Collection) † US Army Ward LaFrance or Kenworth M1A1 6-ton heavy wrecker. Powered by a Continental 22R six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 8,210cc, the M1A1 heavy wrecker was introduced in 1943 to replace earlier vehicles. Production continued until 1945, with 840 built by Kenworth, and 4,925 by Ward LaFrance. (Warehouse Collection) The Thornycroft Amazon WF8/NR6 was used by the RAF and the Ministry of Supply as a mount for the Coles Mk VII crane, with a total of 1,820 examples produced in both long- and short-wheelbase form, and with both petrol and diesel engines. In this photograph, the crane is being used to remove and replace one of the Merlin engines of an Avro Lincoln four-engine bomber, which was effectively a scaled-up Lancaster. The same crane was also mounted on the AEC Model O.854 chassis. (Warehouse Collection)

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ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES Although, in general, the British and American tanks were outclassed by the German Tigers and Panthers, the sheer numbers of Allied tanks available meant that armour played a significant role in the D-Day landings and in the ensuing Battle for Normandy. On D-Day itself, amphibious duplex-drive Shermans were put ashore on all of the five beaches, albeit with mixed success, and other tanks were delivered by landing craft. Tetrarch light tanks and tracked carriers were landed near the Orne Canal by Hamilcar glider. Huge numbers of tanks, and other armoured vehicles, continued to be shipped to France over the following weeks, where they initially faced more than 650 tanks of Rommel’s Army Group B, consisting of a mix of Panzers IV, V (Panther), and VI (Tiger). By 1944, the Sherman M4 medium tank had become well established as the most

numerous Allied armoured fighting vehicle, and was in use with the American, British, Canadian and Soviet Armies. Early production vehicles featured a 75mm gun and, although this was subsequently replaced by a 76mm, the Sherman still lacked both the firepower and protection of the heavy German tanks with their formidable 88mm guns. Nevertheless, it was a simple and reliable machine, and was available in large numbers and, when the Firefly conversion appeared, armed with a powerful 17-pounder (76.2mm) gun, it was, at last, able to meet the German Tiger and Panther on more equal terms. British tank crews also deployed the A34 Cromwell, which in its later variants mounted a 75mm gun, and, from March 1945, the Comet, with a 77mm gun. The ready availability of the Sherman meant that it also lent itself to conversion for specialised roles such minesweeper,

bridgelayer and armoured recovery vehicle, whilst the spacious hull of the British Churchill infantry tank also made it an ideal candidate for conversion, in this case to flamethrower, bridgelayer, armoured recovery vehicle, and armoured vehicle, Royal Engineers (AVRE). Older tanks, such as the American M3/M5 Stuart and the British Valentine were stripped of their guns and used, for example, as armoured observation posts and reconnaissance vehicles. Self-propelled guns, such as the Sexton and Priest, and tank destroyers such as the US Army’s M10 and M18, also played a significant role in the fighting whilst other armoured vehicles deployed to Normandy included multiple variants of the American M3/M5/M9 half-tracks, various British armoured cars, command vehicles, and reconnaissance vehicles, and the inevitable tracked carriers.

•

The Achilles self-propelled gun was a British conversion of the American M10 in which the original 3in gun was replaced by a harder-hitting 17-pounder (76.2mm) weapon, which resulted in a formidable tank destroyer. The conversions were carried out in 1944, and the first examples entered service with 21 Army Group in early 1945; many remained in service after the War. (Warehouse Collection)

ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

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… Mounting a 17-pounder (76.2mm) gun, Archer was a British selfpropelled gun constructed on the chassis of the Valentine infantry tank. It was used to equip anti-tank battalions of British armoured divisions in northwest Europe fom October 1944, with a total of 665 examples constructed. (Warehouse Collection)

ˆ Designed for a crew of eight and intended to be used as a mobile field headquarters, the rear compartment of the AEC Model O.857 armoured command vehicle (ACV) was divided into an office and a radio room; high- and low-power variants were produced using different radio equipment. The truck was powered by a 9.65-litre six-cylinder diesel engine, and a total of 151 were built in 1944/45. (Warehouse Collection)

 Originally designed as a private venture the AEC heavy armoured car was produced in three ‘marks’ between 1941 and 1945, with a total of 629 examples constructed. The Mk III variant (Model O.856), seen here, mounted a 75mm gun, whilst earlier versions were armed with a 2-pounder (40mm) and then 6-pounder (57mm) gun. Power came from a rear-mounted 9.65-litre six-cylinder diesel engine. (Warehouse Collection) … From the 1930s until the end of the War, the British War Office purchased large numbers of simple tracked carriers for a variety of roles. Little more than an open-topped armoured box on tracks, the vehicle should have been considered obsolete for most of World War II, but, nevertheless, thousands were produced in the ‘universal’ or ‘Bren carrier’ form. The photograph shows the 10,000th such vehicle constructed by Ford; others came from Aveling-Barford, Sentinel, Thornycroft, and Wolseley, with a similar design also constructed in the USA under the designation T16. All were powered by a Ford V8 petrol engine. (Ford Motor Company)

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The first Churchill infantry tank appeared in 1941, armed with a 2-pounder (40mm) turret-mounted main gun, and a 3in howitzer in the nose. Although old-fashioned in appearance, it was a basically sound design and, in uparmoured, up-gunned (75mm gun in place of the 2-pounder) Mk VII configuration, was heavily deployed by the British in the campaign for northwest Europe. (Warehouse Collection)

‡ Universal carriers were used in a variety of roles, including flamethrower, mortar carrier, weapons carrier, and observation post. This example has been pressed into service to transport German prisoners. (Warehouse Collection)

The Churchill Crocodile was a Mk VII variant that had been fitted with a flame projector in the front of the hull. Fuel was supplied from a special trailer that could be jettisoned when empty, and the range was 80-120yd (72-108m); the operation of the main gun was not affected. Crocodiles were deployed in northwest Europe during 1944 and 1945. (Warehouse Collection)

ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

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The Churchill AVRE (armoured vehicle, Royal Engineers) was a conversion of Churchill Mk III and IV variants, and mounted a 290mm Petard spigot mortar that fired a 40 lb (18.18kg) charge to a range of 80yd (72m), for example demolishing buildings and armoured structures. A total of 754 vehicles were converted, and the British 1st Assault Brigade, 79th Armoured Division, had 180 available on D-Day. (Warehouse Collection)

Stowage sketch for the Churchill Crocodile front compartment showing the flame-projector gun on the left, and the driving position on the right. (Warehouse Collection)

72 ˆ The roomy hull of the Churchill made it the ideal candidate for conversion to specialised roles, and the photograph shows a Churchill armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) Mk II dating from 1944. The standard turret and main gun has been replaced by a dummy, and an earth anchor has been fitted at the rear; there is a two-speed winch inside the fighting compartment, and jibs can be erected on the hull at either the front or rear. (Warehouse Collection)

‡ Earlier types of Churchill were also to be found fighting in Normandy. This is the Mk IV, dating from 1942, with a 6-pounder (57mm) gun in a new cast turret. The counterweight on the muzzle identifies the gun as the early Mk 5 variant.

… Issued from 1944 on, and based on a turretless Churchill Mk III, IV or VII, the Churchill bridgelayer mounted a 30ft (9.15m) 60-ton bridge on a hydraulic launch arm fitted to the front of the hull; in the travelling position, the bridge was laid across the hull. The hydraulic equipment required to launch the bridge was installed in the fighting compartment. A similar vehicle, designated Churchill Ark, was developed for breaching sea defences on the invasion beaches. (Warehouse Collection)

ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

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Although it was not available for combat until the end of 1944, the A34 Comet heavy cruiser tank proved to be fast and reliable and, with its 77mm high-velocity gun, was also able to take on the heavier German tanks on a more-or-less equal footing. The 11th Armoured Division was the first unit to be equipped with the new tank, and it was used during the crossing of the Rhine. (Warehouse Collection) Based on the earlier A27 Cromwell, the A34 Comet was powered by the same type of Rolls-Royce Meteor engine and featured an all-welded hull and turret. The tank was manufactured by Leyland Motors during 1944 and 1945, and total production amounted to 1,127 vehicles, 984 of which were produced in 1945. The type remained in service into the 1960s, serving alongside the Centurion. (Warehouse Collection)

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… Deliveries of the Coventry armoured car started in 1944, with a total of 283 constructed by the time the War ended. Mounting a 2-pounder (40mm) gun in a low turret, and powered by an American Hercules RXLD six-cylinder engine, the design incorporated the best features of the existing Humber and Daimler designs. Most arrived too late to see combat in Europe, and a planned Mk II variant, which would have been armed with a 75mm gun, was abandoned. (Warehouse Collection) ˆ With its superb Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 petrol engine, effectively a naturally-aspirated version of the Merlin aircraft engine, the A27 Cromwell was one of the better British tank designs of the period. In the late-production Mk IV and V variants the earlier 6-pounder (57mm) gun was replaced with a better 75mm weapon; the size of the hull and turret precluded the subsequent fitting of a larger weapon. (Warehouse Collection)

75mm-equipped Cromwell IV photographed in the Netherlands during May 1945. The Netherlands was liberated by the British 2nd Army and the 1st Canadian Army, the latter also including the British 1 Corps, and the 1st Polish Armoured Division. (Warehouse Collection) Using the A27 hull, but powered by a Nuffield-built Liberty engine, almost 1,000 examples of the Centaur heavy cruiser tank were constructed between 1942 and 1944. Around 100 of these were of the Centaur IV variant, equipped with a 95mm howitzer for the close-support role. These were deployed by the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group on D-Day, initially providing covering fire across the beaches from landing craft. This example is towing a Porpoise ammunition sledge across one of the landing beaches. (Warehouse Collection)

ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

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Some 2,694 examples of the three-man Daimler armoured car were produced in two ‘marks’ between 1941 and 1945, and the vehicle was widely used by reconnaissance troops in northwest Europe. The monocoque construction was unusual for the period, but the vehicle was both agile and reliable, with power provided by a six-cylinder engine driving all four wheels through a preselector gearbox. A 2-pounder (40mm) gun was mounted in a manual turret; some vehicles used in Europe were fitted with the Littlejohn squeeze-bore adaptor to increase the power of the gun. (Warehouse Collection)

Numbers of obsolete Crusader cruiser tanks were converted to the antiaircraft role prior to the invasion, but, due to the lack of German aircraft in the skies over Normandy, most saw little service. The example shown is the Crusader II, AA Mk II with twin 20mm Oerlikon cannon in a new turret. (Warehouse Collection)

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‡ British and US soldiers clustered around a Daimler Dingo 4x4 scout car near Chambois, apparently checking a map; note that the man on the right is holding a movie camera. Produced in five ‘marks’ with detail differences, total production of these diminutive and very successful vehicles amounted to 6,626 examples; early versions had four-wheel steering. A similar but larger vehicle, dubbed Lynx, was produced by Ford in Canada. (Warehouse Collection)

Armoured half-track vehicles were widely used by the US Army in most theatres as personnel carriers, and as mounts for self-propelled guns, the latter described as ‘gun motor carriages’. Several patterns were manufactured to a similar design by Autocar, Diamond T, International, and White. The example shown is a White M3A1 personnel carrier, mounting an 0.50in heavy machine gun on a ring mount; some examples were fitted with a front-mounted winch in place of the unditching roller. (Warehouse Collection)

International M14 ‘carriage, motor, multiple gun’ based on the M5 armoured personnel carrier. Intended for the anti-aircraft role, the vehicle mounts a pair of 0.50in heavy machine guns in in a rotating turret. The British Army also had a number of these vehicles, but they were converted into trucks and command vehicles. (Warehouse Collection)

ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

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A pair of American half-tracks, probably International M5s, providing a contrast with an extremely well-loaded British universal carrier. The photograph was taken in Normandy soon after the landings. British Humber Mk II scout car wading through floods in the Netherlands in February 1945; the retreating German Army destroyed docks and bridges causing widespread flooding across the country. The Humber was introduced in 1942 and remained in production until the end of the War, with a total of 4,300 constructed. Designed for a crew of three, the vehicle was powered by a six-cylinder petrol engine of 4,088cc. (Warehouse Collection)

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Exterior stowage sketch for the Humber Mk II armoured car. Based on the earlier Guy armoured car, and produced by Karrier, the Humber was manufactured between 1941 and 1944. The hull was redesigned for the Mk II and for later variants, and all but the Mk IV were armed with a 15mm Besa machine gun in a small rotating turret, together with a co-axial 7.92mm machine gun. (Warehouse Collection) Based on the lower hull of the American M3 Lee/Grant medium tank, the M7 howitzer motor carriage – known as the Priest in British service – carried a 105mm M1A2 or M2 howitzer. Late production examples used the lower hull of the M4A3 Sherman medium tank. This example was photographed in the Normandy town of Carentan where there was a battle between German and American troops between 10 and 15 June 1944. (US Signal Corps)

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The so-called duplex-drive (DD) Shermans were fitted with an auxiliary propeller-drive system together with a collapsible canvas wading screen that could be erected around the per DD-equipped Shermans of the British 79th Armoured Division were the first tanks ashore on D-Day. Dating from June 1944, the drawing shows the items stowed on the exterior of a D

d around the perimeter of the hull. With the propeller drive engaged and the screen erected, the tank was capable of swimming to shore at a speed of about 4.5mph (7.5km/h). he exterior of a DD Sherman M4A4 (Sherman V in British Army parlance). (Warehouse Collection)

Stowage diagram for the flail-equipped Sherman Crab. Developed in mid-1943, the Crab was fitted with a shaft-driven rotating drum on which were mounted 43 flailing chains. With Crabs operated in troops of five, and proved extremely useful in clearing beaches and minefields. (Warehouse Collection)

ing chains. With the drive engaged and the drum lowered, the chains beat the ground ahead of the vehicle in order to explode landmines before they could cause any real damage.

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The American M10 tank destroyer – named Wolverine in British service – used the lower hull of the M4A2 or M4A3 Sherman medium tank, to which was attached a lighter superstructure and turret mounting a 3in M7 gun. The M10 was the most numerous Allied tank destroyer of the War, with a total of 6,706 constructed, and although the reduction in weight brought about by the use of a lighter hull gave a better turn of speed, the turret lacked powered traverse and the vehicle was never popular. (GM Corporation)

Armed with a modest 37mm gun, the American M22 Locust light tank was developed specifically for use by airborne troops. The original T9 pilot model was delivered in late 1941 but, at the time, there was no glider capable of delivering the vehicle. A second prototype was brought to Britain in early 1943 where it was found that the tank could be loaded into a Hamilcar glider. In March 1945, a small number were landed by the British 6th Airborne Division to assist during the Rhine crossing. Total production was 830 vehicles.

ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

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‡ M10 tank destroyer in action. The 3in M7 gun combined the barrel of the T9 anti-aircraft gun with elements of the 105mm M2 howitzer and could be fired at a rate of 12 rounds a minute; muzzle velocity was 2,600ft/s (792m/s) using armour-piercing (AP) or armour-piercing capped, ballistic cap (APCBC) rounds. The maximum range was 16,000yd (14,700m), and the vehicle carried 54 of the 3in rounds. (US Signal Corps) † Sherman M4 medium tank of the French 2nd Armoured Division photographed 6 miles (10km) from Paris in August 1944. With a total of nearly 50,000 vehicles constructed in seven major variants over a five-year period, the Sherman was the most numerous of the Allied tanks and, although not up to the standard of the heavier German tanks, was used in all of the major theatres of the conflict. (Warehouse Collection)

When compared to the heavier German tanks such as the Tiger and Panther, the Sherman was insufficiently protected and under-gunned. Whilst little could be done to increase the level of protection, the appearance of the Sherman Firefly in late 1943 went some way to addressing the lack of firepower by replacing the inadequate 75mm or 76mm gun of the opriginal with a 17-pounder (76.2mm). The Firefly was the most powerful Sherman variant of the War. (Warehouse Collection)

86 † US Army Sherman equipped for deep-water wading. The hull was waterproofed, tarpaulins were laid over the engine-deck cooling grilles, and tall ducts were extended from the engine deck to above the turret top; the front duct was for the engine air intake, the rear duct for the exhaust. These modifications allowed the tank to come ashore from a landing craft from some distance out. (Warehouse Collection) ˆ British Army M4A4 Sherman making a river crossing; note the large amount of floating debris in the water. The M4A4 was powered by a Chrysler 30-cylinder multi-bank engine consisting of five six-cylinder units assembled around a common crankcase... despite its mechanical complexity, the engine was considered reasonably reliable. (Tank Museum) ˆ DD Sherman showing the wading screen in the collapsed position. The screen was erected by means of rubber tubing that was filled with compressed air, and was locked into place using metal struts. (Firestone Tire & Rubber Company)

… Cast-hull DD Sherman M4A1, with the original 75mm gun, from which the wading screen has been removed, leaving the support for the screen in place around the perimeter of the hull. Powered by a Wright or Continental R-975 air-cooled radial engine, the M4A1 was the only Sherman to be manufactured with a cast hull. (Warehouse Collection)

ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

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US Ordnance Department sectional view of the Sherman M4A3. Powered by a 500bhp Ford GAA V8 petrol engine, the M4A3 was the Sherman variant most favoured by the US Army with a total of 12,596 examples constructed by both the Ford Motor Company and GM Fisher Grand Blanc. Many minor improvements were made during the life of the vehicle, and the M4A3 remained in production until March 1945. (Warehouse Collection) View across the deck of a landing craft, tank (LCT213) showing a pair of US Army Shermans that have been equipped for deep-water wading; the tank nearest to the camera is a cast-hull M4A1, whilst the second vehicle in line has the more common welded hull. (US Signal Corps)

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US Army Sherman photographed on 20 November 1944 during an engagement at the town of Belfort, located between Lyon and Strasbourg. The town was liberated from the retreating German Army two days later, on 22 November 1944. (US Signal Corps)

‡ The maximum rate of fire of both the 75mm and 76mm guns that were mounted on the Sherman was 20 rounds a minute. The ammunition was of the fixed, one-piece type, and both guns were capable of firing armour-piercing and armour-piercing capped (AP, APC), high-velocity armour-piercing (HVAP), high-explosive (HE), and smoke (HC BI) rounds. The number of rounds carried varied between 66 and 104, depending on the particular variant. † The narrow tracks of the Sherman could result in the vehicle becoming bogged down in poor going; various attempts were made to improve the track performance, for example by the use of bolt-on grousers and ultimately the development of wider tracks. Photographed in November 1944, ‘six miles inside Germany’, this M4 struggles to make headway in very poor conditions. (US Signal Corps)

With its turret reversed to the rear, and with the remains of the exhaust trunking required for deep-water wading still in place, this British Army Sherman Firefly advances through a small Normandy village.

ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES

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US Army M4 Sherman being used to drag a disabled and burning German Army Citroën 23R 2-ton truck off the road. The photograph was taken in Germany on 24 March 1945. (US Signal Corps)

 Late model Ford-powered Sherman M4A3 with the wide tracks and the improved horizontal volute-spring suspension (HVSS); the gun is the 76mm M1A2 weapon fitted with a muzzle brake to deflect the blast of the gun to the sides and the rear. The tank is travelling at speed on a German Autobahn, passing thousands of German soldiers who are being shepherd along the central reservation. (US Signal Corps)  Developed to keep the landing beaches clear of drowned and disabled vehicles, the Sherman BARV (beach armoured recovery vehicle) had the turret and gun removed, and was fitted with a raised armoured superstructure that allowed it to wade into water up to 8 feet (2.4m) deep. (Warehouse Collection)

The Sherman is scarcely visible under the sheer number of ‘passengers’. The photograph was taken in the Reichswald Forest in February 1945 during ‘Operation Veritable’, the northern part of an Allied pincer movement conducted by 21 Army Group.

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This Sherman BARV is rescuing a Bedford OXC that has probably been drowned during disembarkation on one of the British beaches. The casual attitude of the men riding on the BARV suggest that there is little risk of coming under fire. (Warehouse Collection)

Wide-tracked Sherman M4A3 with horizontal volute-spring suspension, that has been fitted with flamethrower equipment operating alongside the main gun barrel. Various types of flamethrower were adapted for use on Sherman tanks, at least one design of which saw service in northwest Europe in late 1944. (US Signal Corps)

British Sherman-based armoured recovery vehicle (ARV). This is the Mk II ARV based on the M4A4 Sherman, and is fitted with a dummy fixed turret; jibs can be mounted at the front or rear, and there is a 25-ton winch in the fighting compartment. A large earth anchor holds the vehicle in place during winching operations. (Warehouse Collection)

Work had started on the British light tank Mk VII, later to be called Tetrarch, back in 1937 and, although Vickers constructed 95 examples between 1940 and 1942, with its small turret and 2-pounder (40mm) gun it was considered unfit for service and put into store. However, in the later years of the War, the vehicle proved its worth with airborne forces, and a squadron of these lightweight tanks were carried to Normandy in Hamilcar gliders on 6 June 1944, providing a reconnaissance regiment as part of the 6th Airborne Division. This stowage sketch illustrates the items carried on the outside of the tank. (Warehouse Collection)

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ARTILLERY The, essentially static, trench warfare of World War I had been dominated by massive concentrations of heavy artillery. So important was artillery that, at one stage of the War, it was estimated that one third of combatants were gunners. During the inter-war period, technological improvements in metallurgy and methods of construction, as well as arguments over tactics and equipment, saw many older weapons scrapped, to be replaced by new designs. At the same time, there were significant improvements in the design and manufacture of ammunition and fuzes, whilst the emergence of compact, reliable radio equipment allowed better communication between artillery and infantry. When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, artillery was considered to be at a pinnacle of development. In 1939, Allied artillery comprised field artillery, typified by the British 25-pounder (87mm) gun or the US 105mm howitzer, and medium/heavy artillery, such as the British 5.5in (140mm) gun or the US 140mm howitzer; the US

Army also deployed multiple rocket artillery, generally tank-mounted. Specialised guns were also produced for the anti-aircraft or anti-tank role, including the 40mm Bofors light antiaircraft gun, and the British 17-pounder (76.2mm) anti-tank gun that was more than capable of defeating the German Tiger tank. Although, traditionally, artillery units do not generally participate in the landing stages of an amphibious assault, usually being held back until the beaches are cleared and secure, this was not the case in Normandy. The order of battle for all of the British beaches included elements of Royal Artillery and Royal Canadian Artillery, as well as anti-tank and antiaircraft units, the latter using Crusader tanks fitted with 20mm anti-aircraft guns. On Sword beach, for example, selfpropelled guns carried in LCTs (landing craft, tank) were used to provide fire support for the landing troops. Similar techniques were employed at Utah beach, with close-fire support for the invading troops provided by 4.7in guns in LCGs

(landing craft, gun) on the flanks of the first wave ashore. At Omaha beach, where it all went so horribly wrong, the US Army had called for the landing of artillery support to start at 08.00 (H+90 minutes). From D+1, a line of armed LCFs (landing craft, flak) and LCGs stationed six miles (10km) off the coast were used to protect the eastern flank of the beaches against air attack. Away from the beaches, airborne units used gliders to transport the 75mm M8 howitzer or the 105mm M3 into the drop zones. In the days that followed, artillery units helped to consolidate the Allied positions, and, when the breakout finally came, artillery continued to play a key role in the struggle to liberate Europe. Massive concentrations of firepower were deployed to devastating effect against a determined and well-trained enemy... indeed, the official US history of the War states that ‘the best counter-weapon the Allies had was still their field artillery’ and no less an authority than General George S Patton said ‘I don’t have to tell you who won the War, you know our artillery did’.

Derived from the British 8in howitzers that had been supplied to the US Army in 1917-18, and using the breech mechanism and carriage of the American M1 155mm howitzer, the M1 8in heavy towed howitzer proved itself to be both accurate and reliable. With a muzzle velocity of 1,950ft/sec (594m/sec), the gun was capable of firing a 200 lb (90.8kg) projectile to a maximum range of 18,500yd (16,915m). (Warehouse Collection)

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ARTILLERY

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… In its travelling condition, with the rear wheels in place, the M1 howitzer weighed in at 32,000 lb (14,515kg) and was designed to be towed by the 18-ton M4 or 38-ton M6 high-speed artillery tractor. A total of 1,006 of these guns were produced between 1942 and 1945. (Warehouse Collection)

ˆ Manhandling an American 57mm M1 anti-tank gun into a Horsa glider; note the D-Day identification stripes on the glider wing. Although the barrel was some 16in (400mm) longer, the 57mm M1 was based on the British 6-pounder (57mm) and was just about capable of being towed by a Jeep.

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‡ Developed in Sweden, the 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun had been available internationally since 1931 and, despite its age, was a reliable and accurate weapon that was used by most of the combatants during World War II. Suitable ammunition types included armour-piercing (AP) and high-explosive (HE) rounds, and the gun had an effective ceiling of 5,000ft (1,525m). This example is fitted with simple open metal sights, although other systems were developed. † British quick-fire (QF) 6-pounder (57mm) anti-tank gun in use at Lingevres. The first examples of the 6-pounder were delivered in September 1941, but, by 1943, it was obvious that it was ineffective against the heavier German tanks and was superseded by the harder-hitting 17-pounder (76.2mm). Remaining 6-pounders were relegated to infantry use.

One aspect of the success of the Bofors gun was the auto-loading system that allowed the gun to keep on firing for as long as four-round ammunition clips were dropped into the breech. The barrel was spring-balanced and revolved on a ball race, and the trunnion carrying the gun was placed well back to allow high elevations to be achieved. The gun was manufactured under licence in Britain, Canada, Hungary, and Poland; this example has been factory refurbished in Britain by Wolseley Motors and is being demonstrated to General Boles. (Warehouse Collection)

ARTILLERY

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The American 37mm M3 anti-tank gun was based on the German PaK.35/36, but, as the Germans had discovered, the gun was of too small a calibre to be effective against modern armour. Most of the 18,702 such weapons that were produced went to the Far East, but a small number may have seen service in Europe for infantry support. (Warehouse Collection)

First produced in 1940, the 105mm field howitzer M2A1 provided the backbone of the US Army’s field artillery for most of World War II, and could be used to fire 13 different types of projectile; maximum muzzle velocity was 1,550ft/sec (472m/sec) with a range of 12,500yd (11,430m). The weapon was also intalled on the chassis of the M3 and M4 medium tank as the ‘105mm howitzer motor carriage M7’ – identified by the British as Priest. (Warehouse Collection)

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‡ With a muzzle velocity of 1,550ft/ sec (472m/sec) and a range of 12,205yd (11,160m), the American 105mm howitzer M2A1 used semi-fixed ammunition, and was capable of firing high-explosive (HE), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), white phosphorus (WP), base-ejection (BE) smoke, chemical, and canister rounds. Maximum elevation was 66 degrees. (Warehouse Collection) … The American 75mm M1 pack howitzer, shown here with a barrel-mounted 37mm gun for training purposes, was used by most of the Allied armies during World War II. The original M1 carriage gave way to the pneumatic-tyred M8 carriage seen here. Total production amounted to 4,939 units between 1940 and 1945. (US Signal Corps)

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… Towed behind Dodge WC63 6x6 weapons carriers, these 57mm M1 anti-tank guns were photographed during the Victory Parade in Paris in 1944. The gun was also mounted on the M3 half-track to form the ‘57mm gun motor carriage T48’. (Warehouse Collection)

British 17-pounder (76.2mm) anti-tank gun photographed at Caen on 29 June 1944. The 17-pounder was developed as a result of the obvious shortcomings of the old 6-pounder (57mm) and went into service in late 1942. It was an excellent weapon, more than capable of taking out a German Tiger tank, and, in modified form, was later fitted into the M4 Sherman Firefly and the British Comet tanks.

… The British quick-fire (QF) 25-pounder (87mm) field gun, in its definitive Mk II form, entered service towards the end of 1940. It was simple, robust and powerful, and was capable of firing high-explosive (HE), high explosive tracer, armour-piercing (AP) shot, base-ejection (BE) smoke, coloured smoke, illuminating, incendiary, radar echo, and chemical rounds, to a range of 13,400yd (12,252m). The photograph shows the Mk II carriage, and the gun has the muzzle brake that was added in 1942. (Warehouse Collection)

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By 1945, more than 12,000 25-pounders had been constructed, and, from D-Day onwards, large numbers of 25-pounders were in use in northwest Europe. The gun remained in service during the Korean War and the emergencies in Malaya and Indonesia. (Warehouse Collection)

‡ The British 5.5in gun was a long-range weapon intended for the counterbattery and interdiction roles. The first prototypes appeared in 1940 and the gun went into service in 1941, going on to enjoy a near 40-year life. Muzzle velocity was 2,500ft/sec (762m/sec) and the weapon had a range of 16,200yd (14,815m), firing an 80 lb (36.3kg) projectile. (Warehouse Collection) † US Army 105mm howitzer M2A1 firing from under a protective screen of camouflage netting. Note the length of the legs of the split trail which made the gun rather tail heavy when being manhandled into or out of position.

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