British Kangaroos

[redcoat2]

I would like to suggest a couple more possible units for the British OOB: the Priest Kangaroo and the Sherman Kangaroo. Both were used in Italy from October 1944.

Priest Kangaroo

The British adopted the Priest Kangaroo concept after it was used by the Canadians in Normandy. It is already in the Canadian OOB (spob30) as Unit 195.

A British Priest Kangaroo:



Sherman Kangaroo

The Sherman Kangaroo was a converted Sherman III – without a turret. A wireless set was installed in its hull. It could carry ten infantrymen along with its crew of two. I’m not sure how it was armed. I suspect that it had a 30 cal BMG and an AAMG.

A Sherman Kangaroo:



Sources:

Concord’s British Armor in Italy
Concord’s British Sherman Tanks
British and American Tanks of World War II: The complete illustrated history of British, American and Commonwealth tanks, 1939-1945
And this Link

[PatG]

You could buy as captured.

[redcoat2]

Yes. At the moment I think I would be justified in buying ‘captured’ Priest Kangaroos for the British. It may be worthwhile to have them in the British OOB as well though. The British used them for longer – and used more of them. I think the Canadians quickly replaced their Priest Kangaroos with Ram Kangaroos, whereas the British, who needed more armoured carriers, kept using them as well as the better protected Ram and Sherman Kangaroos.

[DRG]

On the list. I've also put the Ram Kangaroo on the list to check for the Brits becasue there is no way it was in service 1/44. The entire concept developed from the Priest Kangaroos used in Totalize and I suspect that originally was supposed to be 1/45 or more likely 10/44 and the '0' was miss typed not 1/44.


Don

[redcoat2]

The British 49th Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment (79th Armoured Division) used the Ram Kangaroo during the liberation of Tilburg in October 1944. That is the earliest reference I can find for them being used in combat by the British.

[DRG]

I figure that was supposed to be 10 and the zero was missed


Don