North Africa Early World War II June 1940 - June 1941

[itsbillc]

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[RailfanDownunder]

No problems...There are photographs and film footage of the pre-war Vickers Medium tank (there were at least three - ie. troop strength) in use as a training tool and later dug in a pill boxes in and around Mersa Matruh...1th Hussars used Morris and Rolls Royce armoured cars - after Bardia and Tobruk, the 6th Div AIF used M13/40 and M11/39 Italian tanks with their Universal carriers and Vickers Light tanks in te Divisional cavalry regiment and the Bofors 37mm antitank gun was used by 106 RHA

[RailfanDownunder]

Crusader 11 did not enter the campaign until after Operation Compass and the initial defeat of the Italian Army at Beda Fomm - it arrived with the Tiger convoy and was deployed for Operation Brevity - you may be confusing the Crusader with the A13 Cruiser....

[dmhmd]

@RailfanDownunder I have planned to redo this video since there are a few glaring important vehicle issues. I have modeled the A9, and 3 versions of the A13. As I learn and probe more sometimes old photos are quite helpful. Thanks for your keen observations.

[wapartinfo]

Hi. Enjoyed you video...Nice models; is the Vickers LT Mk:VI, 1/76 scale ? Best regards.  Pete.

[dmhmd]

@wapartinfo Thanks for watching. The Mk VI C is a 1/35th scale resin model from Gordon Brown of Cromwell Models in the UK.

[britishcalifornia]

Very nicely done Armoured models!

[dmhmd]

Operation Torch was in doubt with the rivalries in French leadership:Admiral Darlan under was a collaborationist as commander of all French forces,; General Giruard who escaped a German prison thought he should be in command of the Free French; General deGaulle declared himself head of Free French, headquartered in London; General Mark Clark, deputy to Eisenhower had to determine if the French would be friendly or not

[Fridomfry]

Thanks for this useful book!

At 1:49, you might correct: The Vichy French were not defeated and neutralized in 1939, but in June 1940, until Nov. 1942 (in Africa + the surviving French fleet).

[dmhmd]

I should have placed the date 1940 in that regard and ---interesting to know that the ALLIES did not know how the French there would react to the Allied invasion of 1942; that was Churchill's concern

[Fridomfry]

How would react people who had no spine? (I'm talking about the Vichy men) Darlan said sthing like "If the Americans invade with 3 divisions, I'll throw them back into the sea. If they invade with 3 army corps, I'll welcome them". Which was classic cynical strategy. As for the remaining French soldiers, they were infuriated by the British Navy bombarding the fleet at Oran. Most of them were impatient to see the USA enter the war, so that they could resume fighting and take a revenge on 1940.

[BlueCloneTrooper521]

Uhh the first Pic u show of a Tank the L3/35 light tank is ACCTUALLY a british unaversial or bren carrier. sorry to brake the news to ya

[dmhmd]

Thank you for the correction. I extracted this photo with the caption and it was incorrect. I should have inspected it more thoroughly. I have a new video with Italeri scale model L3 tanks that is in production to revise and revamp this initial movie draft.

[BlueCloneTrooper521]

@dmhmd you know your armored vehicles

[mjeshaw]

@BlueCloneTrooper521 To be precise, it's actually not a Universal or Bren carrier but an Australian LP1, a local production version of the early British Vickers machine gun carrier.

[dmhmd]

@mjeshaw thanks for the update. and correction.

[mjeshaw]

@dmhmd You're very welcome. It's great to see a video on this neglected period. BTW, unlike the L3/CV35, I can't find any record of Fiat 3000s still in action in Libya by 1940. A few similarly obsolete Vickers Medium Mk IIs were used at Tobruk though. Valentines didn't see action until after June 41. Some A13 Mk I Cruiser Mk IIIs served in this theatre but all appear to have had their armour upgraded so resembled the A13 Mk II Cruiser Mk IV. Perhaps you could find a more representative photo.

[dmhmd]

The audio is taken from LONGEST DAY, BRIDGE TOO FAR, GREAT ESCAPE, and BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI. Thanks for viewing.

[micholuk4orr]

Hey this song's from Brige over the river Kwai! First commment!