Wednesday, December 20, 2006

A flap (on the sixth day of the Crusader Battle)

On the sixth day, as the small group of 3rd RTR drove across the desert, they ran into a large mass of transport that was in a panic. Robert Crisp, still riding in his adjutant's Stuart, realized that they were South Africans. The transport was "rushing" to the "north and east". The adjutant warned Robert to jump off, as they were going to fight German tanks. He did so and found he was in the "5th Brigade 'B' Echelon". He looked and saw Panzer III's and II's and saw why they were in a panic. While the South Africans went into their slit trenches, Robert headed "for the nearest Honey" (Stuart). He jumped on a tank that proved to be from the 4th Armoured Brigade HQ. The tank proved to be the signals tank, which had never fired a shot. Robert ordered the enlisted tank commander out and took over from him. This is based on the account in Robert Crisp's book Brazen Chariots.

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