eddy8men Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 some friends on facebook have been researching the tanks history. i found what i thought was a blue rectangle stood on end but on closer inspection someone else identified it as a shield, which means the tank belonged to the 13/18th hussar 27 armoured brigade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 i've taken some more pics from facebook to show what was involved in the recovery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 few more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lawrence Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 some friends on facebook have been researching the tanks history. i found what i thought was a blue rectangle stood on end but on closer inspection someone else identified it as a shield, which means the tank belonged to the 13/18th hussar 27 armoured brigade. Rick, that fits in with the first tank dug up being 79th AD as 27th AB were transferred to them from 9th AD. I wonder if my manual with the 9th AD pamphlet had anything to do with it? A rather large coincidence I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draganm Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 some friends on facebook have been researching the tanks history. i found what i thought was a blue rectangle stood on end but on closer inspection someone else identified it as a shield, which means the tank belonged to the 13/18th hussar 27 armoured brigade. congratulations, this unit landed on D-day with Shermans, but presumably trained on these prior. The value of your new toy just went up substantially. Wiki The brigade was assigned a crucial role in the Normandy landings . 13/18th Hussars, equipped with M4 Sherman DD amphibious tanks, would accompany the initial assault on Sword Beach by 3rd Division's 8th Brigade group, while the rest of 27th Armoured Bde would support the division's follow-up attacks towards Caen. now if you can just find Winston Churchill's footprints on there it would be a home run :-\ Winston Churchill stands on a Covenanter tank of the 4th/7th royal Dragoon Guards to take the salute at an inspection of the 9th Armoured Division near Newmarket Suffolk, 16 May 1942. Also pictured is Major General Brian Horroks , the division commander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militant-nick Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Yes Simon, you are correct.Elements of 9th AD who used Covenanters were transferred to 79th AD when 9th AD was disbanded (27th Armoured Brigade for example) and so presumably they still had some of their Covenanters on hand to use for training. Speculation unless somebody can come up with more definite proof. Pretty sure 15/19H were 9 Armd Div before joining 11. They certainly did Normandy to the Baltic in 27 Armd Bde and they certainly spent the mid-war years on Covenanter. Busy at the moment. Will check the Official History 1939-1945 later and get back to you. If you don't hear from me (I don't get on here as often as I did) PM me and I ought to get an email. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarland Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 congratulations, this unit landed on D-day with Shermans, but presumably trained on these prior. The value of your new toy just went up substantially. Wiki now if you can just find Winston Churchill's footprints on there it would be a home run :-\ Is it me or is the tank commander a bit small? Maybe he's on another vehicle behind the Turret? Heres another Canadian Covenater found whilst researching the Valentine bridge layer for another thread.... Found here on an entry about "Exercise Spartan" in March 1943.. http://ww2today.com/9th-march-1943-exercise-spartan-tests-d-day-forces-in-britain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 11, 2017 Author Share Posted June 11, 2017 we pulled a few loose bits out of the tank as i didn't want to leave them down there so brought them back home. i had a quick bash at a couple of bits today and was pleased with the results. the excellent drainage of the chalk stone has helped to preserve the tin work really well. this is the striker box for the 2 pdr, even the wooden inserts were in good shape. it was interesting to note the white paint as i wasn't sure of the interior colour before i looked at it more closely. usually with these thin sheet metal items you have to get the hinges cherry red before you can attempt to free them up but this one just needed a bit of wd40 and a gentle waggle and it came open Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 11, 2017 Author Share Posted June 11, 2017 the drivers hatch rear door had two rams to either lift it or hold it open. i had to take them off to be able to close the drivers hatch to keep people out. i only had to put a bit of wd40 on them and the rams moved up and down freely. they are operated by air or hydraulic and the cylinders still seemed to work ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 They're hydraulic Rick, the pump is fitted to the right of the driver's seat and is also used to raise the seat. There is a changeover lever marked seat and hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 They're hydraulic Rick, the pump is fitted to the right of the driver's seat and is also used to raise the seat. There is a changeover lever marked seat and hood. hi Adrian, Is that a Smiths Jackall pump, similar to that in a Humber armoured car to lift the engine cover? That was an adaption of the motor car jack pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 12, 2017 Author Share Posted June 12, 2017 thanks adrian, with the controls being air operated i wondered if every system was air. i could do with a manual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1950 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 afv handbooks.com seem to have one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 12, 2017 Author Share Posted June 12, 2017 laurens come up trumps for me. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 laurens come up trumps for me. cheers Still hunting here - dont turn anything down in the meantime, just in case. I'm 99% certain I have a spare copy somewhere though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrev Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Rick Can we have an update please? Has it moved out of the vineyard? What are your intentions for its future? Regards Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted August 13, 2017 Author Share Posted August 13, 2017 hi doug nothing to report. it's still sitting at the side of the exit road to the vineyard. i've been looking for more track and road wheels. if anybody knows of any covenanter bits please let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrev Posted August 13, 2017 Share Posted August 13, 2017 Rick Only those couple of wheel sets that I mentioned earlier in this thread. They are supposed to have gone to South Australia to a collector there. I have no idea who or where. Could be quite an exercise to get them to the UK even if they were located. Regards Doug hi doug nothing to report. it's still sitting at the side of the exit road to the vineyard. i've been looking for more track and road wheels. if anybody knows of any covenanter bits please let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnwardle Posted September 18, 2017 Share Posted September 18, 2017 World War 2 Treasure Hunters, starting Monday 9th of October at 21:00 on History Channel. Featuring Rick & Suggs in one of the episodes, the trailer for the series looks like all 8 episodes will be worth watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted September 19, 2017 Author Share Posted September 19, 2017 looking forward to seeing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surveyor Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 World War 2 Treasure Hunters, starting Monday 9th of October at 21:00 on History Channel. Featuring Rick & Suggs in one of the episodes, the trailer for the series looks like all 8 episodes will be worth watching. Thanks was wondering about when it was going out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoseman Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 Rick knows my views on this sensationalized TV trash!! It's a load of crock making out SUGGS HIMSELF found the tanks NEVER SEEN BEFORE etc. They did the same at Woodhall Spa in July doing an Arnhem piece. Telling guys to get ready for filming at 0630 and not turning up til 1000 and shouting the odds!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packhow75 Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 ....They did the same at Woodhall Spa in July doing an Arnhem piece. Telling guys to get ready for filming at 0630 and not turning up til 1000 and shouting the odds!! You were lucky, they are normally much worse than that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted October 14, 2017 Author Share Posted October 14, 2017 the tank episode will be on the history channel at 9pm on the 23rd, hope it's more fact than fiction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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