Hi all,

Well not being into Britsh armour too much this may sound a daft question to some but here gos anyway.
I have seen on some Shermans a hedgetrimmer type tool fixed to the hull,I assume this was to plough through hedges ect. Could anybody tell me what this was known as also where if possible I could get hold of some dimensions/pictures of this device or someone who may be able to help me.

Thanks for your time

Chris

They were called the Cullin hedgerow device. A sergeant named Cullin developed it right after D-Day when the Allies were trying to figure out a way to get through the hedgerows.

They were made out of the iron beach obstacles and varied in shape and size. There are several resin ones on the market. A few kits come with them. Here are the resin ones.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=EAC35003
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=EAC35010
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=LF1015
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=EAC35012

Chris,I assume you are talking about the device mounted on the front of the hull? If so it could be the Cullin Hedgerow device.
I'm not sure where you could get dimensions etc from but there are some available from aftermarket suppliers such as Custom Dioramics etc.
HTH
Pete

called the culin hedgerow cutter
there was no 1 specific design, engineers welded steel together in different shapes, as long as it could get the armor through the hedges, it worked.

Let me ask a follow-up. I have never quite appreciate how the device works. The problem was that American tanks trying to penetrate the bocage country exposed their soft underside to enemy fire as they attempted to penetrate the hedgerow. I think the cutter is meant to reduce the size of the hedge so that the tank does not shoot straight up in the air, but eats away at the dirt and trees in the manner of a bulldozer. Once you reduce the size of the berm, the tank crosses without exposing the underside. Do I have that correct or is it suppose to work another way?
thanks
DJ

from what I have heard and seen, that is not the case, they had something about this on the history channel and showed that the tank went all the way through, but yes, it did expose the underside, maybe that was the sacrafice. after the tank went through, infantry would move in. just eating away at it would take to long, if you go once, you can surprise the people on the other side.

Here's a link to a little Quicktime movie that shows how the Culin device or "Rhinoceros," works: http://www.britannica.com/normandy/week3/onormay237v4.html

They worked pretty well, from what I understand. DJ: Here's anopther link to a nice little book from the Combat Studies Institute Press, "Busting the Bocage: American Combined Arms Operations in France, 6 June-31 July 1944" by CPT Michael D. Doubler: http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/doubler/doubler.asp

Enjoy!

I recall a recent article talking about US attempts to adapt to the bocage hedgerows in Normandy. While tanks were strong enough to roll up and over hedgerows, they indeed became very vulnerable while surmounting the top. Initially, an idea was made to ram a deep hole into a hedgerow and then place explosives in it, allowing for an explosive breech. Also bull dozers were used to mow down a hedgerow. Both methods could pierce the hedgerows but just alerted the defenders of the point of attack. Concentrated AT fire could defeat these attackers. What the Cullin prongs allowed Allied tanks to do was to burrow into the hedgerow and allow the tank's momentum and horsepower to get through without going over the top. WIth mulitple pronged tanks, several breeches could be made simultaneously (not that many bull dozers, you know).

Interesting little show, showing how it worked.... simple and effective.

Without the cutters, it not only left them vulnerable, but they could get stuck, lose a track, which meant a lot of work, time lost, where these were used on the same principal as a log splitter, just enough to catch it, and the power and weight will cut it off, or help catch it and rip it out by the roots.

When you look at a log splitter, they aren't very sharp, just enough to go into the wood, then the hydraulic ram does all the work.

Kerry

Hi Guys,

Well Thank You all very much for your time to reply to my question. It has been very informative and now I will be able to make one for my 1/6th scale RC Sherman when it arrives.

Regards

Chris