How about this great series of period photos, all captured 80 years ago today by the same British Army shutterbug, showing 46th (Liverpool Welsh) Royal Tank Regiment tracks in use in the indirect artillery role in the Anzio bridgehead, 5 May 1944. The Shermans look like M4A2 welded hull models with VVS (vertical volute spring) suspension.
Army photo by SGT. Radford, No 2 Army Film & Photographic Unit. IWM NA 14603
“Empty 75mm HE shell cases being collected from 46th (Liverpool Welsh) Royal Tank Regiment M4 Sherman tanks, used in the indirect artillery role in the Anzio bridgehead, 5 May 1944. L/Cpl J. Owens– left– of 82 Milman Road, Liverpool, and Sgm E.A. Woolley of 42 Church Road, Rhos-on-Sea, Colwyn Bay, N. Wales.” Note Woolley’s ciggy and cross-draw service revolver hanging low and at the ready.
Army photo by SGT. Radford, No 2 Army Film & Photographic Unit. IWM NA 14606
“75mm HE shells being loaded into a 46th (Liverpool Welsh) Royal Tank Regiment Sherman tank, used in the indirect artillery role in the Anzio bridgehead, 5 May 1944. LT D. Bayfield of Hove, Sussex, hands a round through the revolver port. In the background in SGT H.S. McCormac of 34, Munsell Road, Fairfield, Liverpool.” Note the good lieutenant’s RTR black beret and squared-away pistol belt. IWM NA 14605
Formed as the duplicate of the 40th (King’s) Royal Tank Regiment in Liverpool in 1939 upon mass mobilization, the 46th (Liverpool Welsh) RTR, the two regiments joined with the 50th RTR to form the 23rd Armored Bde as part of the 8th Armored Division. Shipping out to Suez in May 1942, where they were given a mix of Valentines and Matildas with which they fought across Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia under Monty.
By the time of the Salerno landings (Operation Avalanche) in September 1943, the 46th had been re-equipped with the Shermans they would use throughout their climb up the Italian boot and their eventual transfer to Greece as part of Arkforce in August 1944, where they would remain through until demobilization after the end of the Second World War.