My quest for info on Irish Guards Shermans got a bit of a boost today. I received a book in the mail about the 503 heavy panzer battalion's Tigers in Normandy. It has a section that deals with Op Goodwood. Only drawback is that the book is printed in French, and searches have'nt thrown up any English print versions. However, it does have a new (to me) picture of what may be Ballyraggett, showing the WD number on the hull side, and the number 53 inside a circle on the hull side also, towards the front. I know that the circle would be a squadron identification symbol and 53 was the Brigade/Division id. Anyone any thoughts on this? Also, any French language speakers out there who could translate the caption ?

45 Tiger en Normandie by Didier Lodieu. ISBN 2-84673-015-6. page 92.

try finding the title "british tanks in Normandy"this book is an excellent reference for what you are looking for :-)

Hi Colin,

Nice to hear your are still searching!!

I'll be sending off for a couple of books this week.

History of the IG in WW2 by Maj DJL Fitzgerald MC and The Armoured Micks 1941-1945 by Capt V Taylor MC and Capt S Faris.

Do you have these? If not I'll pass on what should be useful.

Al

PS. Don Kearney doesen't think it is worth while posting for information in the journal. The small number of Micks still alive are now very, very old and he felt an add would be a waste of time.

Apologies I ment to contact you sooner but I've been busy.

Have the one by Ludovic Fortin, British tanks in Normandy, lot's of very good photos but none relevant to the subject being modelled. Thanks anyway.
AlanL, got the Armoured Micks book myself, very good reading. Again, good photos,but nothing useful to me for reference.I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I did. C.

Hi Colin

A circle is the sign for C Squadron, which squadron did 'Ballyraggett' belong to? I thought from the list of IG tank names posted last time that they started with the squadron letter (might be wrong of course). The figures in the squadron marking should be the troop number first and then the individual letter for the tank. If Lt Gorman was troop leader then his tank should just have a troop number. In theory of course

Apologies if you know this already.

Hi Dave,In agreement with you on the C Sqdrn/circle, page 171 of Ludovic's book backs that up along with the info from Stuart at the Tank Museum.Gorman commanded 4th troop - No2(B) Sqdrn, hence the names all starting with 'B'. However, in The Armoured Micks book, there is a picture from the farewell to armour parade at Rotenburg Aerodrome that shows an M4 75mm with the B Sqdrn square on the hull side, captioned 'goodbye to Leinster'.
Now getting more and more confused !! lol. I think I've exhausted the research side as far as I can, so will either go with what feels 'right' or will just apply the front and rear div/arm of service insignia and not bother with the hull numbers. There's only so much digging you can do before you bury yourself !!

Any chance of a view of the 53 in a circle marking? We might be able to work out what it is.

There are a few IG Shermans in David Fletcher's book for Concord on British Tanks Concord 7027. Think it's out of print now.

Hi Colin,

Good idea, there's only so much one can do.

I hope to get down to the National Archives at half term w/c 13.02.06. If I come across anything that I think might help I will get in touch OK. Good luck with the project.

Al

Dave, will contact you by work email, will send you photocopy of pic. I have Concord book 7028 pt2, Holland and Germany 1944/45. Just a hint of irony !!