Strelets Forum

Welcome to the Strelets Forum.
Please feel free to discuss any aspect of 1/72 scale plastic figures, not simply Strelets.
If you have any questions about our products then we will answer them here.

Strelets Forum
This Forum is Locked
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: Tactical use of been carriers

I think battle taxi is the most apt description.

Re: Tactical use of been carriers

Hi
In fact it can depend of the battlefield.
In North-Africa, in a desert battlefield, a bren carrier charge is possible (example French Foreingh legion at Bir hakeim.
In Normandy with hedgerows it is the taxi option the most probable option.
Best
Pierre

it may have been a carrier but what is it now?

Graham Korn
Hi all
Wanted to pick people's brains on the way carriers were used in WW2. I have read numerous battle accounts which say something along the lines of counter attacks being carried out by the carriers. What does this mean exactly? Did the carrier platoon dismount and attack as infantry, perhaps supported by the carrier's brens or are we talking about a full on mounted charge with brens and rifles blazing? Obviously, flamethrower carriers directly attacked the enemy but I always thought the carrier was a battlefield taxi and having got to their jumping off point the infantry would dismount. Anybody able to shed some light on this? I must admit I'm hoping I can have my carriers zooming across the desert or careering round the streets of 1940 Calais, shooting up all and sundry and hoping there are not ATRs, ATGs or, God forbid, tanks about.
Not quite what the OP was asking but post war, many were turned into tractors for farm use in OZ.

There's one at a transport museum in Ilfracombe in central Qld.

Re: it may have been a carrier but what is it now?

The most produced armoured vehicle of WW2 had many uses, The are lots of accounts written both by Commonwealth troops and Germans that speak of carriers being in the front of attacks, they were also used as Taxi`s and a whole host of other stuff too. From 1940 to 45 on all fronts, apart from Tank on tank, almost any situation, and tank on tank so to speak did happen,but never by design on the carriers crews part, Villers Bocage being a case in point.

Re: it may have been a carrier but what is it now?

I can't speak in general but certainly in the British 11th Armoured Division the carrier was a maid-of-all-work/battlefield taxi/ambulance etc. Accounts from the regimental history describe carrier platoons being used to bring up ammunition and supplies, evacuation of casualties to Regimental Aid Stations and a myriad of other tasks. However there don't seem to be any accounts of infantry riding into actual contact - that wasn;t really British doctrine at the time.
Riding into battle on vehicles was actually prescribed by the British but once in Normandy the situation was such that the 11 Armd's CO Maj-Gen 'Pip' Roberts, allowed it, because with the bocage giving the Germans cover the armour found it needed infantry support and the best way was to have the foot sloggers ride with the tanks.
Epsom saw the ban on tank-riders re-affirmed - where it probably would have been useful - and it was relaxed again once the pursuit towards Palaise began.
Having said all that, once contact was made the infantry went in on foot.
It would be nice to image carriers steaming into contact and the infantry jumping off - and it may have happened - but generally I would say, no, it didn't.
With everything else they were needed for, it was probably a good idea not to lose the vehicles during the assault.