new k&c african campaign figures (2 Viewers)

[h.hammer]

just started a new book on the desert war.a must read for all of us looking towards january and february deaert war figures.PENDULUM OF WAR,thethree battles of el alamein,by niall barr.
here are three teasers for you desert war
buffs:
what 8th army tank was labelled ELH in july 1942 and what do the letters mean?
name the seven tanks used by 8th army up to jule 1942?
what tank used aprojectile that was british designed,compositegerman/american ammunition from an american modified french gun?
good luck
h.hammer

 

[binder001]

1) don't know, but am interested in finding out

2) here's some wild guesses;
US M3 "Honey" Light
US M3 "Grant" Medium
Crusader I Cruiser Tank
Valentine Infantry Tank
Matilda II Infantry Tank
Vickers Mk VI light
A9 Cruiser
A10 Cruiser

3) US M3 Medium - according to a book about George B Jarrett (US Army Ordnance), he led a team that removed German 75mm projectiles, turned down the driving bands carefully on lathes, them reassembled them to US casings. Object - provide a better AP round for the 75mm guns, M2 and M3, fitted to the Grants (and the few Lees supplied with the Grants). 75mm gun M2 was a liear descendant of the French 75mm field gun, Model 1897.

Close?

 

[h.hammer]

dear binder001 you are absolutely right about the tanks you listed.the he shell described was used for the grants which had a modified french 75m gun,
the answer to the first question is ELH was the designated name for the few remaining grants the british possessed on july1,1942.ELH stands for Egypts Last Hope.can you reference the book you mentioned in your post
harvey

 

[binder001]

I'm trying to remember the book. I think it might have been "Tank" by Arch Whitehouse, or one of the books by the late Col. R.J. Icks. Whitehouses' "Tank" is an oldie, but then again so am I. It's funny how many books use just "Tank" for their title. Anyway, I rememered reading about the incident, including the detail about the workers turning down the driving bands had to watch their lathe speeds to avoid arming the fuses. If I remember right, there was a problem with the early 75mm HE shells and Jarrett was credited as mentioning that replacement fuses could come from French 75's. It so happened that the French colonial troops in Syria had a bunch of old 75s and the fuses were quickly shipped to the British forces.

George Burling Jarrett was an ordnance expert and history buff. He is credited as being a founding father of the US Army Ordnance Museum at Aberdeen, MD.