BBC - Future - The Strange Tanks That Helped Win D-Day

6/7/2016
BBCFutureThestrangetanksthathelpedwinDDay
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The strange tanks that helped win D-Day
When allied forces landed on the Normandy beaches on D-Day, they did so
alongside a fleet of bizarre tanks with very special roles brought into life
by an eccentric British commander. BBC Future investigates.
ByStephenDowling/GraphicbyNigelHawtin
6June2016
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160603thestrangetanksthathelpedwindday?ocid=fbfut
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On19August1942,AlliedarmiesputtheirplanforaninvasionofOccupiedEuropetothe
ultimatetestbylandingtroopsonthebeachesandtryingtocaptureaFrenchport.
Francehad,bythistime,beenunderGermancontrolformorethantwoyears.Thelandingsat
DieppewouldbeapracticaltesttoseeiftheAlliedarmiescouldlandenoughmenandtanksto
breakthestrongGermandefences.
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Thelandingswereadisaster.
Inlessthan10hours,morethan60%ofthe6,000British,CanadianandAmericantroopswho
landedonthebeachwereeitherkilled,woundedorcaptured.Allofofthe28tankswhichcame
ashorealongsidethemessentialifthetroopsweregoingtobeablebreakthroughtheGerman
strongpointswereknockedout.Manywerestranded,unabletomoveonthelooseshingle,and
pickedoffbyantitankguns.
ThefailureoftheDieppelandingsprovidedmanylessons.Tryingtocaptureaheavilydefended
portwaslikelytofail,commandersrealised.Troopswouldhavetolandonsandybeaches,and
theirtankswouldhavetobeabletomaketheirwayacrossthesebeachesandpunchholes
throughtheseawallsorotherconcreteobstaclestheGermanshadbuiltup.
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TheNormandydefencesbristledwithGermanstrongpointsandreinforcedbunkers(Credit:
Nitrot/WikipediaCCBYSA4.0)
Oneman,itturnedout,hadasolution.Andtwoyearslater,hisfleetofhighlyspecialisedand
oftenbizarrelookingtankswouldbeoneofthemajorreasonswhytheDDaylandingswerea
success.
PercyHobartwasavisionaryBritisharmycommander.InWorldWarOnehedservedinFrance
andMesopotamia(nowIraq)andinthe1920shebegantorealisethemassivepotentialoftanks
onthemodernbattlefield.
Thefirsttankswereprimitive,pioneeringdesignsthatlumberedatthepaceofawalkingman.
Theyhadonlybecomeavailableinthelasttwoyearsofthewar,yettheyhadproveddecisivein
someofthefinalAlliedoffensivesagainsttheGermantrenches.AfterWorldWarOne,freedfrom
theconstraintsoftrenchwarfare,tankswerebecomingsmaller,fasterandmoremobile.Anew
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kindoftankwarfare,morelikethecavalryclashesofold,beckoned.
"
AsBritainfacedthethreatofinvasion,itsleadingexperton
armouredwarfarefoundhimselfdemotedtocorporal
DavidWilley,thecuratoratBritainsTankMuseumatBovington,saysHobartquicklybecamea
leadinglightinthiskindofwarfare.In1934,HobartbecametheinspectoroftheRoyalTank
Corps,andinchargeoftanktactics.HewassuchaninfluentialfigurethatHeinzGuderian,one
oftheleadingcommandersinGermanysearlyvictoriesofWorldWarTwo,hadhisreports
translatedandstudiedthemintently,Willeysays.
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HobartbasedhisvisionoffastmovingcolumnsoftankstothehighlymobileMongolhordesof
theMiddleAges,andwasoneofthefirstcommanderstopredictthataircraftcouldhelpresupply
thesecolumnsfarbehindenemylines.
ButaftertraininganewarmouredunitintheNorthAfricandesert,Hobartwasgivenearly
retirementpartly,itisthought,downtoofficialhostilitytohisunconventionalviewson
armouredwarfare.AsBritainfacedthethreatofinvasion,itsleadingexpertonarmouredwarfare
foundhimselfdemotedtocorporal,andservingintheHomeGuardintheCotswoldsvillage
wherehelived.
AtthemuseumwevegotthepikehewasgivenmuchofBritainsmilitaryequipmenthad
beenleftinFrance,soinsteadofariflehehadapieceofscaffoldingpolewithabayonet
attachedattheend.ThatswhathewouldhaveusediftheGermanshadinvaded.
Montgomery,oneofBritainsmostrespectedcommanders,hearsthatHobarthasfallenoutof
favourHobarthasareputationforbeingabitprickly,andhasatendencytorubsomepeopleup
thewrongway.
AShermanDDswimmingtank,seenwithitscanvasscreenscollapsed(Credit:Crown
Copyright/Wikipedia)
AmeetingbetweenHobartandBritishleaderWinstonChurchillwasconvenedWilleysays
HobartaskedwhetherheshouldturnupinhisHomeGuarduniformorhisoldarmyuniform.
Afterthemeeting,HobartwasreinstatedandgiventhetaskofimprovingBritainstankforce.
AfterthethreatofaGermaninvasionhadrecededaftertheBattleofBritain,thoughtsturnedto
howareequippedBritisharmycouldlandonthebeachesofFranceandfightitswayfurther
inland.TheGermanshadpreparedanextensivelineofdefencesknownastheAtlanticWall
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fromtheFrancoSpanishbordertothenorthofNorway.Anybeachesthatcouldbeusedina
landingwereguardedbyconcretegunemplacements,strongpoints,trenchesandantitank
ditchesandenormousquantitiesofmines.
WhentheAlliedarmiesinvadedFranceon6June1944,theydidsoalongfivebeachesofthe
NormandyCoast.ThetroopslandedalongsideafleetofspecialisedtanksthatHobartlearning
fromthecostlyassaultatDieppehadhelpeddesignandbringintoservice.Thetankswere
known,collectively,asHobartsFunnies.OntheBritishandCanadianbeacheswherethey
wereusedGold,SwordandJunothelandingswereamassivesuccess.
"
Hobarthadrealisedthataninvadingforcewouldneedalot
moretanksupport
Hobarthadrealisedthataninvadingforcewouldneedalotmoretanksupportandtheywere
mostvulnerablewhentheywerecomingtoshore.Ifyouputallyourtanksinonelandingcraft,
andthatgetshithowdoyouspreadtherisk?TheresultwastheShermanDD(DuplexDrive)
theswimmingtank.
ThereisaShermanDDondisplayatBovington,completewithacanvasscreenthat,once
extended,helpedmakethetankfloatonwater.Theenginedroveapropellerfittedattherear,
whichallowedtheDDtodrivetowardstheshoreatunder5mph(8km/h).Thescreenwas
designedtoresistwavesashighas30cmthecrew,apartfromthedriver,oftenstoodonthe
tankshulltomakeiteasiertojumpoffifitstartedtosink.
Thetanksweresupposedtobelaunchedfromtheirlandingcraftacoupleofmilesoffshoreto
reducetheriskofbeinghitbyartilleryfire,butWilleysaystestsshowedthetanksweremore
likelytosurviveinchoppywatersiftheywerelaunchedfarclosertotheshore.Hesaysthatthe
prospectofclimbingintoa35tontankthatwouldsinklikeastoneifanythingwentwrongmust
havebeennervewrackingenoughinrehearsalstodosounderfiremusthavebeentruly
terrifying.
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TheShermanflailtankwasvitalinclearingpathsthroughminefieldsandbarbedwire(Credit:Getty
Images)
OnDDay,mostoftheDDslandingwithBritishandCanadiantroopsonGold,SwordandJuno
beacheswerelaunchedclosetoshoretheseawaschoppierthanexpected,andthe
commandersdecidedtobringthelandingshipsclosertothebeachtogivetheDDtanksabetter
chanceofreachingshore.
ButduringtheAmericanlandingscodenamedUtahandOmahabeachestheDDsfaredfar
worse.WilleysaystheUScommandersstayedrigidlytotheoriginalplan,launchingtheirtanks
fromatleasttwomilesaway.AtOmaha,mostoftheDDtankslaunchedsankinthechoppy
waters.
TheDDtanksthatlandedontheotherbeaches,foldeduptheircanvasscreens,andwerethen
abletofightlikeaconventionaltank.BehindthemcamemoreofHobartsuniquecreations,each
ofthemwithaparticulartask.
"
TheShermanCrabswouldpushtheirwaythroughthe
minefield,andtheywouldalsoriptheirwaythroughany
barbedwireaswellDavidWilley,TankMuseum
AmongthemostdramaticwastheCrab.ThiswasaShermantankwithaflailatthefronta
giantdrumcontainingchainsthatspunatmorethan140rpm,beatingtheground.Theimpact
woulddetonateanymineinfrontofthetank,andothertanksorinfantrycouldsafelytravel
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behind.
TheShermanCrabswouldpushtheirwaythroughtheminefield,andtheywouldalsoriptheir
waythroughanybarbedwireaswellwhichwasabitofabonus,saysWilley.
Theflailcrewsweretoldthatiftheydidntclearahole,thenthemassiveinvasionbehindthem
wouldfail.Thatsquitealotofexpectation.
ItwasntjusttheGermandefencesthatwouldcauseproblemstheverybeachitselfcouldbean
issue.PartofthepreparationsforDDay,Willeysays,wasforreconpartiestolandonthe
beachesandcollectsand,toseeifthebeacheswerefirmenoughfortanks.
ManyofHobart's"Funnies"weremodificationstotheChurchilltank(Credit:Kingnothing/Wikipedia)
Whentheydidtheirtraining,theytriedtofindbeachesthathadthesamegeologicalsetup,
saysImperialWarMuseumseniorcuratorPaulCornish.Acertainkindofsandthey
encountered,whichtheycalledblueclay,causedallthevehiclestobogdown.
Again,HobartandhisteamhadasolutiontheChurchillBobbin.Theoutlandishmodificationof
Britainsmaintankhadtwoarmsinfrontofthetankscarryinganenormousbobbinofcanvas
mattingasthetankdroveforwarditunrolledthematting,creatingacarpetforatanktodrive
on.Thecarpetwasnearly10ft(3m)wideandmorethan200ft(60m)long.
"
TheGermandefenderswouldhavehadnoideawhatwasgoing
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on
Itsoneofthemostextraordinaryvehiclesofthewar,saysCornish.Ifyoucanimaginewhatit
wouldhavebeenlikefortheGermandefender,seeingthiscrawlingupthebeach.Theywould
havenoideawhatwasgoingon.
MoreChurchillshadbeenmodifiedtocarryapetardahuge,heavymortarfiringshellsto
shatterconcrete.TheAVRE(ArmouredVehicleRoyalengineers)Churchillswerentdesignedto
fightothertanks,buttofireatconcretebunkersoreventheconcreteseawallitself,blasting
holesthattroopsandothertankscouldthenstreamthrough.
WilleysaystheeffectoftheAVREwasmorethanjustphysical.Youhavethishugemortar
whichfiresshellsthesizeofadustbin.Theexplosionsareenormous.Theresareal
psychologicalfactorwithweaponslikethese.TheAVREsbecameevenmorevaluableinland,
withthemortarparticularlyeffectiveinurbanareas.
TheingenuityofHobartsvehiclescontinued.ManyChurchillstrundledontotheNormandy
beachescarryingafascineahugebundleofsticksthatcouldbedroppedintoaditchandallow
atanktodriveacross.Tankshadalreadyusedsuchatechniqueduringthetrenchwarfareof
WorldWarOne,buttheconceptwasnothingnewfascineshadbeenusedtobridgeditches
rightbacktoRomantimes.
ThepetardmortaronaChurchillAVREcouldloba40lbdustbinshapedshell(Credit:Crown
Copyright/Wikipedia)
Somanytimes,theseissuescomebackindifferentissues,butthefundamentalissuesremain
thesame,saysWilley.Hobartsgenius,hesays,washisabilitytobeopentoideasandeven
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themostoldfashionedsolutionscouldbereworkedtomatchtheneedsofamodernarmy.
ThefunniesalsoincludedarangeofbridgingtankssomeChurchillscarriedagirderbridge
thatcouldbeplacedoverawideditchesorwatercrossings,whichwasstrongenoughtocarry
theheaviesttanks.
Thesebridgeswouldbeusedtoreplacebridgesthathadbeendestroyedinthefighting,says
Cornish.Andtheywereincrediblyusefulinreplacinginfrastructureintheyearsafterthewar.
SomeofthesebridgeswerestillaroundlongafterthewarIcanrememberonestillbeingused
overarailwaycuttinginLondonwhenIfirstmoveddown,hesays.
"
Otherengineersmannedarmouredbulldozers,whichcould
pushwreckedtanksoutofthewayorclearpathsthrough
rubble
AndforhighseawallstherewastheChurchillArk.TheArkhadnoturret,andwasequippedwith
rampsonthefrontandback.Itwasdrivenuptoaseawallorhighobstacle,andothertanks
wouldsimplydriveoverit.
Otherengineersmannedarmouredbulldozers,whichcouldpushwreckedtanksoutofthewayor
clearpathsthroughrubble.Theycouldalsoplacedemolitionchargesagainstobstacleswhich
couldthenbedetonatedfromasafedistance.
MoreChurchilltanks,nicknamedCrocodiles,carriedflamethrowers.LiketheAVREs,these
couldoftenbreakresistancewithouthugelossoflifetheprospectofbeingburnedalivewas
oftenthefinalstrawforGermandefenders.SometimesyouwouldgettheCrocodilesmovingup
andtestingtheirflamethrowerwithafewpracticesquirtsandtheGermanswouldsurrender
withoutanothershotbeingfired,saysWilley.
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TheCrocodilewasaChurchillarmedwithaflamethroweraterrifyingweapon(Credit:GettyImages)
WeaponsliketheAVREandCrocodilemightseembarbaric,butWilleysaysHobartwasaware
thattheirdeploymentcouldsavelivesonbothsides.BythetimetheNormandylandingstook
place,Britainhadbeenatwarfornearlyfiveyears.Intherunuptotheinvasion,Montgomery,
theBritishcommander,hadhadtoamalgamatelotsofunitsbecause,quitesimply,wewere
runningoutofblokes.
FortheFunnies,DDaywasonlythebeginning.Manyofthevehiclesprovedperfectforthe
campaignintheNormandybocage,whichtookplaceinnarrowlanessidedbydensewoodland.
Americanforces,whichhadinitiallythoughtHobartscreationsweretoobizarreforcombat,ended
upusingthemasmuchastheBritish.
"
TheFunnieswerefarmedoutinsmallgroupswhereverthey
wereneeded,aflexibleapproachwhichonlyaddedtotheir
effectiveness
Bytheendofthewar,the79thArmouredDivisiontheunitwhichcontrolledtheFunnies
wasthebiggestarmouredunitinEurope,saysWilley.TheFunnieswerefarmedoutinsmall
groupswherevertheywereneeded,aflexibleapproachwhichonlyaddedtotheireffectiveness.
TheothergreatthingabouttheFunniesisthat,apartfromthedrivers,theywerecrewedby
Royalengineers.Thesereallyaretheexperts.OneofthegreatstrengthsoftheBritishArmyin
Normandyistheyhavethisengineeringandbridgingexpertise,saysCornish.
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Hobart,saysWilley,wasamanwhomakesthingshappen.Hestherightmanattherighttime.
Andhesverydetermined.
TheArkcouldbeusedasarampforothertankstodriveover(Credit:CrownCopyright/Wikipedia)
Thereareallthesestoriesofhimgettinginhiscaranddrivingatbreakneckspeedlateatnight
toturnupsomewherewheresomethingwasbeingtestedYouwillhavethisupandrunningby
tomorrow,wontyouandgettingthingsdonethroughforceofwill.
Buthewasalsoamanwhowouldtakeagoodideafromanyone.Itdidntmatterifyouwerea
corporal,oraretiredmajorgeneral,orascientistifyouhadagoodidea,hedlistentoit.
SeventyyearsaftertheendofWorldWarTwo,mostarmiesusespecialistarmouredvehicles
thatwouldnthavelookedoutofplaceinHobartsragtagarmadaofbizarrecreations.The
Funnies,itturnsout,werenojokeatall.
ThisstoryisapartofBBCBritainaseriesfocusedonexploringthisextraordinaryisland,one
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