HUGH
06-10-2014, 03:56 PM
After the D-Day Normandy landings in WW2 there was a great deal of work to do in order for the Allied Forces to proceed towards Paris, clearing out all German resistance on the way.
An early set of obstacles were all the hedgerows in Normandy. At first sight you could be forgiven for thinking a tank could just be driven straight through them but not so. These field-dividing hedges which still exist today, including in many parts of Britain, were often an earth ramp, a ditch and a thick, wiry hedge up to 20 feet thick. The Germans had mainly given up trying to proceed through fields, except where there was farm access, and were left guarding the roads.
12442
Allied tanks were left rather vulnerable trying to cross these hedges, belly up and often requiring several attempts to break through. They could be breached by explosives but that was rather a giveaway and needed infantry to proceed ahead of the armoured division.
A certain Private Roberts from Tennessee, a farm worker according to the stories, suggested to his Sergeant, one Curtis G Culin, an agricultural device to be attached to tanks like this:
12443
It had large, sharp teeth, initially made from the obstacles placed on the beaches by the Germans, and was eventually fitted to many of the tanks shipped from the British mainland, including the ubiquitous Sherman. These blades could rip through a hedge and a bank complete without leaving the vehicle in a precarious position, enabling the tank to proceed across fields at will, bypassing the German positions.
The cutters were put into production with very little delay, unlike the Germans who would have needed to follow proceedures and run the idea past High Command before gaining approval.
Briefly then, Private Roberts and Sergeant Culin, who took most of the credit, saved very many lives, tanks and shortened the battle towards French liberation so I raise my hat, and a toast, to them both!
An early set of obstacles were all the hedgerows in Normandy. At first sight you could be forgiven for thinking a tank could just be driven straight through them but not so. These field-dividing hedges which still exist today, including in many parts of Britain, were often an earth ramp, a ditch and a thick, wiry hedge up to 20 feet thick. The Germans had mainly given up trying to proceed through fields, except where there was farm access, and were left guarding the roads.
12442
Allied tanks were left rather vulnerable trying to cross these hedges, belly up and often requiring several attempts to break through. They could be breached by explosives but that was rather a giveaway and needed infantry to proceed ahead of the armoured division.
A certain Private Roberts from Tennessee, a farm worker according to the stories, suggested to his Sergeant, one Curtis G Culin, an agricultural device to be attached to tanks like this:
12443
It had large, sharp teeth, initially made from the obstacles placed on the beaches by the Germans, and was eventually fitted to many of the tanks shipped from the British mainland, including the ubiquitous Sherman. These blades could rip through a hedge and a bank complete without leaving the vehicle in a precarious position, enabling the tank to proceed across fields at will, bypassing the German positions.
The cutters were put into production with very little delay, unlike the Germans who would have needed to follow proceedures and run the idea past High Command before gaining approval.
Briefly then, Private Roberts and Sergeant Culin, who took most of the credit, saved very many lives, tanks and shortened the battle towards French liberation so I raise my hat, and a toast, to them both!