Casemate Armour Camouflage & Markings of the British Expeditionary Force

[Shar2]

Armour Camouflage & Markings of the British Expeditionary Force

France 1939-1940

Model Centrum Progres

 

Early in the 1940 campaign in France and Flanders, the British Expeditionary Force, along with the Belgian army and the best French divisions, were encircled north of the Somme. Futile attempts were made to break the encirclement. One such attempt was made by the 1st Army Tank Brigade, launched south of the town of Arras. The appearance of these Infantry Tanks stunned the German commander, who did not realize how few tanks there actually were, which caused the Germans to slow their advance, thus buying valuable time for the Dunkirk evacuation. The only British tanks north of the Somme capable of fighting other tanks were the Infantry Tanks of the 1st Army Tank Brigade. The Brigade had only two of its three Battalions and only one Battalion with its full complement of the larger A12.

 

 

This latest book from Model Centrum Progres is Part 1 of Armour Camouflage & Markings of the British Expeditionary Force, France 1939-1940, and examines the tanks of the 1st Army Tank Brigade. For security reasons, photography by British soldiers was strictly forbidden but encouraged on the German side. Therefore, most of the 157 photos in the book were taken by the Germans and depict captured, broken or destroyed vehicles. The book also contains seven pages of colour plates showing the different types, The Vickers light tank, the A11 and A12, their camouflage and markings. There is also brief description of the three types of tanks used, and the movements of the Brigade during the campaign are also covered. Each photo is accompanied by corresponding annotations which point out the differences in the three types of A11, the modifications made specifically to the A12s and other information, such as the vehicle's location and tank crew. There is a page showing the tank markings and flags that an Army tank battalion would have used and a list of tanks known to have served with the 4th and 7th Tanks Battalions’.

 

 

Conclusion

Model Centrum Progres books, such as this one, have a great way of telling a story of the real going’s on during war.  There style of text is clear and informative, while the photos, are nicely reproduced, yet give a sense of loss as well as showing the courage that the men who fought in these tanks must have had. It also makes you wonder what the Generals were thinking when sending these tanks into battle in the way they did, having learnt nothing from the Great War. The information contained in this book are perfect for the military modeller and should be a must have in their library.    

 

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of