We saw a fair few Churchill Crocodile tanks ( towing those trailer tanks) these were flamethrowers. The usual tactic, was to fire in the liquid- an early form of napalm and let those inside think about things- and it was hoped, surrender. If this did not happen the ignited petrol spray was used to set the earlier jet of napalm burning. Sadly, we can see those people trying to get their property out of a house that had probably been a defensive point for some diehard unit. The building has been set on fire- the unit probably scarpered out the back and the householders home was now on fire. You could see the staircase burning and it is very sad- the war is nearly over and your home has been wrecked.
0:21 formation sign is a blank horizontal rectangle (painted out?). "51" unit sign is difficult to ID because number of formations using that number in the same region.
The British soldiers behaved better than the other allied soldiers when Germany was occupied in 1945. I suppose their discipline was harsher and better. However, sadly the RAF bombers appeared always at night over Germany. Never during day time!
8:56 Road sign: "Bremen-Mitte". This puts a date of mid-April 1945.
We saw a fair few Churchill Crocodile tanks ( towing those trailer tanks) these were flamethrowers. The usual tactic, was to fire in the liquid- an early form of napalm and let those inside think about things- and it was hoped, surrender. If this did not happen the ignited petrol spray was used to set the earlier jet of napalm burning. Sadly, we can see those people trying to get their property out of a house that had probably been a defensive point for some diehard unit. The building has been set on fire- the unit probably scarpered out the back and the householders home was now on fire. You could see the staircase burning and it is very sad- the war is nearly over and your home has been wrecked.
0:21 formation sign is a blank horizontal rectangle (painted out?). "51" unit sign is difficult to ID because number of formations using that number in the same region.
0:37 sign is difficult to read.
10:16 Giant concrete wheel roadblock.
The British soldiers behaved better than the other allied soldiers when Germany was occupied in 1945. I suppose their discipline was harsher and better. However, sadly the RAF bombers appeared always at night over Germany. Never during day time!
Plenty of good action shots.
Surprised that the local German townspeople gave such a rousing reception to the Allied troops. I guess by April 1945 they were sick of war.
I think they were rather French.
I did not see any rousing reception? It may have happened but not often.
" The Honest Tommy".
0:44 German policemen indicates we are in Germany. Crocodile flamethrower tank in background.