As I am new to this, I have no reference. WW2 - In the field, where would a tank crew sleep? Beside the tank? With a sentry posted(I assume)? Would they set up a tent-like structure off of the tank?(my idea) What about others, or would they be alone? What kind of lights did they use at night? Lanterns? Flashlights? If the flashlights, standard shape, or that L-shaped one I have seen (or isthat viet-nam? Any other nighttime things I otta know about? I am working something out idea wise..and I am going to push the color envelope. Thx in advance.

im not sure about WW2,

the tent idea may have some merit.

i have a good book on the warrior mcv, with a few pics of troops sleeping in sleeping bags on the engine side of the tank. as it gives of heat for hours after it has been turned off.

i would imagine that WW2 tankers would sleep behind the tank. under or close to the engine deck

cheers

joe

From pictures and from first hand experience:
I have seen where a crew extended a tent half off the side of a tank, somewhat like an awning. There is a fairly famous one with a German Tiger crew sleeping UNDAR the vehicle, in a shallow trench over which the tank was parked.
I have slept in my tank during tactical exercises, usually in the loader station (as I was the vehicle commander, the one awake soldier on watch would occupy the TC position). I slept on the turret's external basket on the M60 series tank, with again one trooper on duty in the TC hatch. In a lower threat tactical environment, we would set up a platoon bivouac site in a safe spot with shelter halves. Again, we kept one trooper on watch per tank (25% security).

I have photo's of sherman crews in the Ardenne with awning type tents on the leeward side of the tank, I imagine light discipline would be strict,map reading under poncho's smoking the same. :-)

Well my grandad used to sleep under the tank or just behind it. Under if the ground was firm enough (Dangerous and stupid! - Especially if it rained) because the heat of the engine used to keep him warm as well as some cover if there was any sudden artillery barrage.....

Sometimes inside the tank.......(Don't ask I don't know!)

Also under the awning streched from one side of the tank....

sleeping under the tanks ect is now banned in the army this was due to an incedent in BATUS were a crew went to sleep under the tank the ground was soft and the tank sunk in crushing the crew slowly they couldnt even do anything to help what a way to go.. we also aren't supposed to sleep in the trucks in case they become a target better to lose a trucjk than a squaddie

According to books written by veterans ( where most of my ideas come from!), Churchill crews either slept inside the tank if raining, otherwise in a bivvie made from the tank sheet ( a huge tarpaulin), sometimes on the engine deck. I guess it was the same for most crews. But then the Churchill had more space inside. The guy that wrote the book was the radio op. in a Crocodile of the Buffs when part of 79th Armoured, he reckoned that he could sleep quite comfortably in his place in the turret using a pack as a pillow.

Thanks all, (Gosh what a way to go..crushed while sleeping under the tank...egads!) Also, would there be a single tank crew alone? or bivouacked with others? AND any idea what the flashlights used in WW2 would be? Std shape, or a "L" shaped one...like what i have seen in Viet nam pix.

I have read alot of Tiger crews slept under their tanks. It helps shelter from the shrapnel.

thats a good horror story, to be crushe by a tank! that will be an horrible way to day, becuse I imagine that they didn't wake up until the tank had them pinned down, then it would be a slow increment in pressure that would be slowly asphixiating them #:-) oh sorry I think I went a little bit too far, the Stephen King inside me woke up.

I suppose you need to consider where the tank is parked up, if close to the front then the crew would either need to dig fox holes or sleep in (or under) the tank. I've read the sleeping under the tank/sinking story too (Max Hastings Overlord book), so if it is a WWII setting you could put the crew under the tank as it did happen.

A tank crew ( or infantry fighting vehicle) on a manuever would still be responsible for defending its part of the perimeter. This would mean decent spacing between vehicles, so you culd have them alone, as long as one crewmember was awake and in the turret. I have never seen a tanker dig anything (they dont even get off the tank to crap), so i would expect there would be no fox holes or trenches. If the unit was in the rear however, it would look much more like a campsite, with the platoon of vehicles in very close proximity. Then you would see alot of poncho, or tarp tenting. I like the idea of making a lean-to with a tarp off the side, as i have slept that way quite often.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Oh, now that's harsh!
I remember having that discussion with other LTs...most of us saying the tanks would all have brown marks down the sides of the turret. Talk about a biological weapon...

Hey,
I have seen them turn the barrels to the side and pull the tanks up nose to nose for a little meeting, so no one's tanker boots got muddy. I'm just the foward observer.