I’m an ex-infantry JNCO, British Army (ironically a Regiment nicknamed The Tigers). Have served in operational theatres. I cannot imagine how terrifying the landing must have been and it still staggers me that D-Day succeeded. The courage of these men, their fighting determination to go on and beyond, against horrendous odds. Their audacity. I had heard of the Ex. Tiger tragedy. There’s no doubt in my mind that these men didn’t die in vain; that invaluable lessons were drawn from their efforts. God bless them. It sickens and angers me to the pit of my stomach, to the marrow in my bones that their heroic efforts turn out to have been not enough to have brought eternal peace to Europe. And that the Allied west, such as it is, may have to fight again on a grand scale on the European continent.
But I found a flaw in D-Day, the ships which loaded people on the beaches had front loading gates, which when opened made easy target for German machine guns - you have 50 people stacked in the tin boat, gates open - 20 of those men instantly dies from machine gun... if the front was a cover like a shield and doors were to the sides - more soldiers would survived and took the beach earlier... That was the biggest flaw of landings
My wife and have visited Slapton Sands. They have a recovered Sherman tank on the beach. Very sad to stand there and realise what happened. We’ve also visited the American war graves in Cambridge and you can see all those young mens graves who died at Slapton, in their final resting places. All have the same date on their headstones. We have also visited the D-day sites in France Had a cruise to Egypt so took the an organised visit to the El Alamein war graves and museum. They have the British, Italian,and the German war graves. An American asked where the American graves were and we told him they had not entered the war yet. Seemed confused with all the American tanks about. Explained lend lease to him and the fact that the first American engagement with German tanks was at Kassreine Pass. Erwin Rommel had left the Middle East to return to Germany by this time. All those young men who gave their tomorrow for our today. We must never forget why, but it’s still sad that so many on both sides had to die for one mans ego. We were following the Sherwood Yomamry as my late neighbour late husband and brother in law were in the 8th army desert rats. Her husband suffered an air burst shell the severely damaged his brain and left him paralysed down one side.. he died in 1965 due to throat cancer attributed to being in a tank. His brother gave his life in the D-day invasion at Fontenay-le -Pesanel on the 27 June 1944 after fighting from September 1939. The grave yard is so peaceful after all that violence. Lest we forget the brave service personnel and civilians of all nations who helped save the free world by making the ultimate sacrifice. 😮
The Slapton and Torcross area are very dear to my heart. Thank you for a more in-depth report of exercise Tiger than I've seen before. R.I.P. all the heroes of Tiger and D-day.
There's a book called The Magic Army by Leslie Thomas about the American army arriving in Cornwall to train for the D day landings and there is a part of the book that describes the Slapton sands tragic events of that night.
My grandmother never really knew what happened she always said she lost her brother but seeemed to think it was more of an illness vs a real life attack.
I can say without doubt that this is not true. All those who lost their lives were initially moved to and buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey. The families were later given the option to have their loved ones re patriated back to U.S.A. or moved and buried at Cambridge American Cemetery. Those who's bodies were never recovered are listed on the wall of the missing.
This is excellent content, thanks. The tank needs a QR code or something near it so people can see something like this for a fuller picture - if that hasn't been done already.
More of the truth of what went on and what went wrong was on Channel 4 years ago in the 90's in a very good doc. Sadly these days the truth is not told so people don't learn it about this, WW2 or anything else. Thank you.
You forgot to include the fact that this tiger tank had war-grave status, and the extensive arrangements made to recover the crew of the tank and to repatriate all personnel.
Fortunately ALL the crew (5) got out before it sank. The drivers name was Oris Johnson, I met him. The tank was never a war grave unlike the two LST's lost in Lyme Bay.
Your right aerial bombing may not win wars but it does soften the enemy army to such a degree breakthroughs can occur as we see when the British army wanted to break out north from Caen. So the Russians won the war without the help of nobody eh. Tell that to all the family's that lost their loved ones in the Artic Convoys bringing war aid to the Russians which was just under 2000. Pushing the North Korean and Chinese armies all the way back from South Korea to the 38th parallel , if that's not winning pointless talking to you. By landing in Italy, Normandy and Southern France allowed Russia as you say to win the war, otherwise all those Germans would have been up there killing Russians. The allies were not defeated at Arnhem, they took every bridge except Arnhem, that bridge too far and then evacuated loads of paras. What Battle of the Bulge are you on about, the history books state that the Germans initially made a breakthrough but run out of fuel and steam to get any further against the huge amount of allied forces they still had to break through which in the end pushed them back and finally win the war. So if the Germans had no artillery at Normandy how did we lose nearly 70% of our forces to the so called non existent German artillery. You really do not know your history, you seem to pick the bits that help your argument and make your wonderful Russian army look good. Your knowledge is appalling as you don't even think about the whole scenario, bet you have never been to Normandy or any of these other places where you say strategic bombing is useless. I agree it was not brilliant but it helped in killing the enemy, just not as many as they wished. I'm bored with this now.
A tragic mission failurè, that had far reacching consequences for the survivors. But the Cold war started, and moral was important for the country. My opinion.
I’m an ex-infantry JNCO, British Army (ironically a Regiment nicknamed The Tigers). Have served in operational theatres. I cannot imagine how terrifying the landing must have been and it still staggers me that D-Day succeeded. The courage of these men, their fighting determination to go on and beyond, against horrendous odds. Their audacity. I had heard of the Ex. Tiger tragedy. There’s no doubt in my mind that these men didn’t die in vain; that invaluable lessons were drawn from their efforts. God bless them.
It sickens and angers me to the pit of my stomach, to the marrow in my bones that their heroic efforts turn out to have been not enough to have brought eternal peace to Europe. And that the Allied west, such as it is, may have to fight again on a grand scale on the European continent.
Are you British? Do you like the USA and Americans?
But I found a flaw in D-Day, the ships which loaded people on the beaches had front loading gates, which when opened made easy target for German machine guns - you have 50 people stacked in the tin boat, gates open - 20 of those men instantly dies from machine gun... if the front was a cover like a shield and doors were to the sides - more soldiers would survived and took the beach earlier... That was the biggest flaw of landings
My wife and have visited Slapton Sands. They have a recovered Sherman tank on the beach. Very sad to stand there and realise what happened.
We’ve also visited the American war graves in Cambridge and you can see all those young mens graves who died at Slapton, in their final resting places.
All have the same date on their headstones.
We have also visited the D-day sites in France
Had a cruise to Egypt so took the an organised visit to the El Alamein war graves and museum.
They have the British, Italian,and the German war graves.
An American asked where the American graves were and we told him they had not entered the war yet.
Seemed confused with all the American tanks about. Explained lend lease to him and the fact that the first American engagement with German tanks was at Kassreine Pass.
Erwin Rommel had left the Middle East to return to Germany by this time.
All those young men who gave their tomorrow for our today.
We must never forget why, but it’s still sad that so many on both sides had to die for one mans ego.
We were following the Sherwood Yomamry as my late neighbour late husband and brother in law were in the 8th army desert rats.
Her husband suffered an air burst shell the severely damaged his brain and left him paralysed down one side.. he died in 1965 due to throat cancer attributed to being in a tank. His brother gave his life in the D-day invasion at Fontenay-le -Pesanel on the 27 June 1944 after fighting from September 1939.
The grave yard is so peaceful after all that violence.
Lest we forget the brave service personnel and civilians of all nations who helped save the free world by making the ultimate sacrifice. 😮
The Slapton and Torcross area are very dear to my heart. Thank you for a more in-depth report of exercise Tiger than I've seen before. R.I.P. all the heroes of Tiger and D-day.
There's a book called The Magic Army by Leslie Thomas about the American army arriving in Cornwall to train for the D day landings and there is a part of the book that describes the Slapton sands tragic events of that night.
Friday just gone there was an Ariel poppy drop over chesil beach Dorset in memory of those lost during exercise Tiger
My Father grew-up in Torquay. He was 14 years old in '44. He recalled some of the wounded & dead from the exercise being brought to Torquay.
Strange. I knew of it as a kid. (1980s. My adopted grandfather told us about it)
Remember reading about this when i was in high school. So sad tragic loss of life.
My grandmother never really knew what happened she always said she lost her brother but seeemed to think it was more of an illness vs a real life attack.
Couple of locals told me there is still a mass grave up the road where they still haven’t removed the dead.
I can say without doubt that this is not true. All those who lost their lives were initially moved to and buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey. The families were later given the option to have their loved ones re patriated back to U.S.A. or moved and buried at Cambridge American Cemetery. Those who's bodies were never recovered are listed on the wall of the missing.
lest we forget
Are you British? Do you like the USA and Americans?
This is excellent content, thanks. The tank needs a QR code or something near it so people can see something like this for a fuller picture - if that hasn't been done already.
Exercise Tiger was more costly, in terms of lives lost, than British D-Day landings in most landing zones.
More of the truth of what went on and what went wrong was on Channel 4 years ago in the 90's in a very good doc. Sadly these days the truth is not told so people don't learn it about this, WW2 or anything else.
Thank you.
Are you British? Do you like the USA and Americans?
They’d be ashamed of what we done with the freedom they gave us
You forgot to include the fact that this tiger tank had war-grave status, and the extensive arrangements made to recover the crew of the tank and to repatriate all personnel.
It is a Sherman tank.
Fortunately ALL the crew (5) got out before it sank. The drivers name was Oris Johnson, I met him. The tank was never a war grave unlike the two LST's lost in Lyme Bay.
What a tragic waste. All those young G.I.s didn't even get to do what they signed up for.
My grandmothers brother died in this tragedy he was only 17 and from kentucky Jake Gambrel
make you wonder what else they are not telling us !
Your right aerial bombing may not win wars but it does soften the enemy army to such a degree breakthroughs can occur as we see when the British army wanted to break out north from Caen. So the Russians won the war without the help of nobody eh. Tell that to all the family's that lost their loved ones in the Artic Convoys bringing war aid to the Russians which was just under 2000.
Pushing the North Korean and Chinese armies all the way back from South Korea to the 38th parallel , if that's not winning pointless talking to you.
By landing in Italy, Normandy and Southern France allowed Russia as you say to win the war, otherwise all those Germans would have been up there killing Russians.
The allies were not defeated at Arnhem, they took every bridge except Arnhem, that bridge too far and then evacuated loads of paras.
What Battle of the Bulge are you on about, the history books state that the Germans initially made a breakthrough but run out of fuel and steam to get any further against the huge amount of allied forces they still had to break through which in the end pushed them back and finally win the war.
So if the Germans had no artillery at Normandy how did we lose nearly 70% of our forces to the so called non existent German artillery.
You really do not know your history, you seem to pick the bits that help your argument and make your wonderful Russian army look good.
Your knowledge is appalling as you don't even think about the whole scenario, bet you have never been to Normandy or any of these other places where you say strategic bombing is useless. I agree it was not brilliant but it helped in killing the enemy, just not as many as they wished. I'm bored with this now.
Thanks for Sams dad. They must have known they were coming then. Even worse!
Wow War is one thing but this is a tragedy 😢
A tragic mission failurè, that had far reacching consequences for the survivors. But the Cold war started, and moral was important for the country. My opinion.
Did you say we had to buy the tank wow they still take us for mug's today didnt realise they been doing it for years
o7
Torcross