I Saw
Our Shells Bounce off a German Tiger This story in a nutshell an incident
in the fighting between a British composite force of tanks, guns and infantry,
and Erwin
Rommel's troops driving, towards Thala is told by Alan Humphreys, Reuters
Special Correspondent on the Tunisian Front.
We held our positions on
high ground north of the Kasserine Pass until dusk, when we were ordered to withdraw
because the Germans were winkling us out.
As we did so the enemy fired
everything they had at us, including 105-millimetre guns. The shelling was very
heavy and accurate. Later, undeterred by heavy rain, German tanks penetrated the
pass and advanced towards Thala, some 40 miles to the North West, headed by a
number of
Tiger tanks.
Though the moon was at full, rainclouds had reduced visibility, adding to
the difficulties of the anti-tank gunners. To ensure that he was not tiring at
dur own tanks, the British battery commander went out ahead of our guns.
A tank approached along the road, but rattled to a stop at the British officer
command, Halt! The officer then identified a German Mark
VI
(
Tiger) tank. Fire! he shouted
to his battery, at the same time diving for a ditch. One man jumped from the
Tiger
tank and also dived into the ditch at the same moment as the British officer.
Each went a different way however, the British officer dashing back towards his
guns the German racing to the tanks following up behind. The battery, although
only at 40 yards range, fired a five rounds before the remainder of the crew of
the
Tiger tank jumped out.
One gunner, speaking of the action, told me, The first shell from our six-pounder
bounced off and went straight up in the air. I followed its flight, but I could
not see the rest. I think several other shells also just bounced off the
Tiger
tank.
Other: Articles: German
Tiger
(Mark
VI) Tank, referred
to in this and the following page, is armed with an 88-mm. gun and two 7'92-mm.
machine guns. These photographs of one captured in Tunisia, show (left) the enemy
practice of fixing old or spare tracks across the front of the tank so provide
extra protection. Right, side view showing use of overlapping bogie wheels in
suspension. The complete tank weighs over 55 tons. Photos, British Official
The Second
Great War.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
The War Illustrated.
Edited
by Sir John Hamilton
2194 Days Of War.
ISBN-10: 086136614X
For a complete list of
sources
