[
Roll of Honour] [
Diary] [
Photos] [
Stories]
The involvement of the 49th Armoured Personnel Carrier regiment in the battle of Blerick.Two squadrons of the 49th went into battle with their famous Ram kangaroos, being part of the 31th tank Brigade. Together with Churchill tanks, Flails, bridgelaying Churchill tanks and crocodile's the kangaroos formed part of well prepared plan to overtake the extremely formidable defences of Blerick.
Trenches, barbed wires, a tank ditch and minefields had to be overwon to get into the heart of Blerick
Brigadier Cumming-Bruce's plan was simple, and, by dint of exercises on a sand model, supplemented by grond reconaissance during three days, he ensured that every man knew his job. The attack was to be preceded by a two hour programme of bombardment and counter battery on a vast scale. The attack itself, which was to come in from the west, was to be divided into two phases- the armoured phase and the infantry phase. In the armoured phase the armoured Breaching Force was to advance behind a barrage and smoke-screens. First the Churchill gun-tanks would take up position to give close covering fire; then Flails would follow along six axes, to clear six lanes through the minefields and wire. When the Flails had reached the ditch, the bridge-laying Churchills would advance in their turn down the six lanes and would bridge the ditch in six places. The Flails would then cross and would continue to clear their respective axes up to the outskirts of the town.
At this stage Brigadier Cumming-Bruce would take over form the armour and would order forward the infantry, who would be waiting in their kangaroos.
Along the three rigth-hand lanes the Royal Scotts would advance, along the three left lanes the R.S.F. They would drive in their Kangaroos right into the heart of Blerick. The Kangaroos would then return to fetch the K.O.S.B and the Seaforth and would decant them in the alloted areas, in support respectively of the Royal Scots and the R.S.F. In this manner the 44th Brigade would occupy the whole of Blerick.
