Ken Tout: British Troop/Platoon With Stuart & 3 Shermans

[Timotheus]

Hi folks, I'm sure a lot of folks have read some of Ken Tout's work - I read Tank a couple of decades and am now reading what appears to be a condensed compendium of his works called By Tank. At the beginning of the book, he describes landing in Normandy in late June commanding a Honey/Stuart and after narrowly missing a deep hole after disembarking from an LST of some sort, marrying up with "...our lieutenant and our other two Shermans...". This to me indicates a 4 tank troop/platoon with the standard British 3 Shermans + a Honey/Stuart (which I assume is an M3A3). Later, Tout loses his mount to a brigadier who wants it and he is put in a gunner's position on another Sherman in 3 troop, C Squadron of his regiment, the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry.

What is puzzling me is the composition of his troop, 3 Shermans and a Honey/Stuart. This doesn't seem normal to me, but I am not sure. From reading, he doesn't seem to be part of A, B, or C squadron until after he his light tank is reassigned. I don't think this is regimental headquarters, RHQ, because the regiment's LCol would be indicated as being in one of the other three Shermans. Could it be an RHQ recce type of organization? I'm used to reading about these as being all light tank Honey/Stuarts with or without turrets.

Does anyone have any idea about this?

Not an urgent question, but it could give me an excuse to make the single Mirage 1/72 M3A3 kit I have - I was going to wait for until I got at least one more Honey/Stuart model to represent a recce patrol, but if the sub unit Ken Tout describes was common, I may not have to buy another...

Thanks in advance for any information you might have.

[DaveC]

Its been a while since I read the book but if I remember correctly Tout is part of s Reserve troop so essentially some spare tanks and crews immediately to hand to cover losses either as individual crew members or entire crews, the former appears to be Tout's experience.
From my reading the troop is it not intended as a tactical unit
I would however appreciate others perspectives.

[Timotheus]

That makes sense, Dave.

[NTM]

33rd Armoured Brigade used the Stuart III (M3A1) according to the June returns.

https://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.asp ... art_id=399

No doubt they received V & VI as replacements later on though.

[Alanmccoubrey]

33rd Armoured Brigade used the Stuart III (M3A1) according to the June returns.

https://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.asp ... art_id=399

No doubt they received V & VI as replacements later on though.

They still only had III's in December 44.

[Sultanbev]

The Stuarts would have been part of the Recce Troop, which comes as a RHQ asset.
On top of this there is Left Out of Battle (LoB) - a portion of each squadron/company was taken out of the line of battle and put in reserve at Bttn HQ just before any attack, so that the regiment/battalion would have a portion of officers and troops left for the day after. LoB could be as much as one-third of a battalion/regiment - which helps explain why some infantry battalion attacks in Normandy were as few as 150-200 men.

So in this case, it appears the regiment LoB has 1 Stuart from the Recce Troop and 1 Sherman from each squadron, grouped together in one place in this case.

Mark

[DaveC]

Mark
I'm familiar with the LoB practice.

It is quite clear from Tout's book that this odd little group was set up before the regiment embarked for Normandy as a 'reserve troop' . I appreciate it is not something seen on a formal ToE.

The troop stayed out of a number of actions in a field in Normandy before individual personnel or tanks were called forward.

[Sultanbev]

Ah right, so this over and above the LoB thing.

Know you mention it, when I was researching my TOE books for Helion, I do recall that at least one regiment was overstrength before D-Day, ah found it, B Squadron 3rd RTR, 11th Armoured Division had a reserve fifth Troop of 4 Shermans, so the idea isn't unprecedented.

Mark

[DaveC]

That's my reading of it.

I suspect there were others as well but probably not for any great time after the regiment concerned entered combat - I just can't prove the point.

That said in wargaming terms its relevance is at campaign level.

[Timotheus]

33rd Armoured Brigade used the Stuart III (M3A1) according to the June returns.

https://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.asp ... art_id=399

No doubt they received V & VI as replacements later on though.

I had no idea - I'd thought the IIIs were all gone by then, hurray! I can drag out my MAtchbox M3A1s again! Thanks!

[Timotheus]

Everyone’s input is very much appreciated, thanks. I am delighted to have learned a couple of things here.