Hobart's Funnies

Major General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart commander of 79th Armoured Division, who was made responsible in March 1943 for the development of specialised armoured vehicles, known as 'Hobart's Funnies', to spearhead the assault phase of the invasion

Hobart's Funnies were a number of unusually modified tanks operated by the 79th Armoured Division, with specialists from the Royal Engineers. They were designed in light of experiences during the Dieppe Raid to overcome the problems of the planned Invasion of Normandy and played a major part on the Commonwealth beaches during the landings. They may be considered the forerunners of the modern Combat engineering vehicle.

Churchill Crocodile

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  A Churchill tank fitted with a Crocodile flamethrower in action. This flamethrower could produce a jet of flame exceeding 150 yards in length - Aug. 1944

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  Churchill Crocodile, 25 August 1944

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  Close-up of the flame projector of a Churchill Crocodile during trials at Eastwell Park, Ashford, Kent, 26 April 1944

Armoured Vehicle, Royal Engineers - AVRE

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  Churchill AVRE of 163rd Brigade, 54th Division, with fascine during ditch crossing exercises near Dunwich, 14 April 1943

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  Infantry and armour on Sword Beach. Medics are attending to wounded in the shelter of a Churchill AVRE from 5th Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers. In the background is an M10 Wolverine tank destroyer, probably from 20th Anti-Tank Regiment - 6th June 1944

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  Churchill AVRE fascine carrier passed infantry during the attack towards Hertogenbosch in Holland, 23 October 1944

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  Churchill AVRE with fascine, Italy, 19 December 1944

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  Churchill AVRE of 79th Armoured Division with fascine in position, Suffolk, 6 September 1943

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  Churchill AVRE carpet-layer with bobbin, 79th Armoured Division, March/April 1944

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  The Churchill AVRE FURY's Petard demolition mortar

Armoured Ramp Carrier - ARC

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  Sherman tank using a Churchill 'Ark' armoured ramp carrier to climb over an escarpment, 79th Armoured Division, 13 February 1944

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  Churchill Ark Mk II (UK pattern) bridging vehicle

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  An Achilles 17pdr tank destroyer crossing the River Savio on a Churchill ARK which was driven into the river, 24 October 1944

Crab

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  Sherman crab flail tank under test, 79th Armoured Division, 27 April 1944

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  German prisoners next to a disabled Sherman Crab

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  Sherman M4A4 (flail) with 75 mm gun - mine clearing tank - Worthington Tank Museum at CFB Borden (Ontario, Canada)

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  Sherman M4A4 (flail) with 75 mm gun - mine clearing tank - Worthington Tank Museum at CFB Borden (Ontario, Canada)

Armoured Bulldozer/Centaur Bulldozer

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  D-7 armoured bulldozer, 3rd Division, 1 May 1944

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  Centaur dozer

Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle - BARV

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  Sherman BARV, Earls Court, London, 8 February 1944.

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  A Sherman BARV tows a disabled Bedford articulated lorry and trailer off the beach, 14 June 1944

See also: Sherman BARV

DD tank

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  Sherman DD (Duplex Drive) amphibious tank with waterproof float screens. When in the water the float screen was raised and the rear propellers came into operation. 1944

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  Assault elements of Force U, including DD tanks, were still on the beaches when this photo was taken shortly after H Hour. The amphibious tanks await the blowing of breaches in the sea wall

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  Perserved DD Sherman at the Bovington Tank Museum