Having read the Osprey book on the Cromwell tank series, I got the impression that the British military gave many of their Cromwell tanks to Czechoslovakia after the war. Which I found curious, as I couldn't imagine Britain allowing their tanks (even obsolescent ones) to go to a nation that was under Soviet control.

The 1st Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group was organized and equipped in England in 1943. It had Cromwell tanks. It landed in Normandy in August 1944. In May 1945 it moved to Czechoslovakia and was absorbed into the Soviet organized Czechoslovakian army.

While the seeds of the Cold war predate 1945, It built up slowly. In May '45 the war in Europe was ending (VE Day May 6) England and the Soviet Union were still allies.

The vehicles were provided to ALL the exiled Forces (Polish, Czechs etc.) in Britain. There was never any thought they would 'fall into Soviet hands'.

Remember that the Soviets received huge amounts of materiel from the Allies under Lend-Lease as well...

Oh, and it's BRITAIN (or the U.K.) NOT England...

Sure they did have them. As well as M5 Stuarts, Crusaders, Fireflies, scout cars and other equipment. CIAB primary involvement within ETO was the siege of German-held harbor of Dunkerque. In April/May 1945 only a symbolic detachment entered the homeland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Czechoslovak_Armoured_Brigade

There is a great reference book on the topic by SKP:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/144463&page=1&ord=0



~A

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Oh, and it's BRITAIN (or the U.K.) NOT England...
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But we do speak English and not British and there is no such thing as a "British" accent

Paul

Then there's Her Majesty...the Queen of... the UK...Great Britain...or England?

People use America and The United States interchangeably. Technically, however, America is the continent and The United States is the country. I don't worry too much about it though...it just doesn't bother me. I'm proud to be an American..er...I mean a US citizen.

Don't call a Canadian an American (even though they live on the same continent) or they'll have a fit...understandably.

Before the fall of the Soviet Union it was common just to say Russia instead of USSR. I never heard a huge uproar about that.

Thanks for educating us though...I guess I, as an ignorant American/ US citizen, never never made the distinction between Great Britain (UK) and England. If I understand it correctly England is the homeland and Great Britain consists of England and all of the other colonies, territories and possessions? I'm not trying to be insulting here I just want to understand correctly.

Jeff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVsF7Mxsth4&feature=related

Britain (or the United Kingdom) only consists of Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England.