29th Armoured Brigade

Cruiser Tank A27 Mk IV, Cromwell, 11th Armored Division HQ, Normandy, July 1944. Cromwell tanks were first deployed in Normandy 

 

Cruiser Tank A34, Comet, 3rd Royal Tank Regiment, Germany, April 1945. The Comet was the first British tank to properly mount the 17-pounder (77mm) gun. The design was based on the A27 Cromwell tank (in service since D-Day) and shared as many components as was possible to simplify logistics and supply on the combat zones. The main purpose of this tank was to deal with German armor (Panthers and Tigers) that the 75mm gunned Shermans and Cromwells were struggled to knock out. It was December of 1944 before the first (6) batch were delivered to the Brigade. It was intended for the 3 Regiments of the 29th Armoured Brigade to turn in their Shermans for Comets but this took until January 1945 to be completed. It was the only Brigade to fully equip with Comets bef ore VE day. In April 1945, The Brigade crossed the Rhine and drove into Northern Germany. By this time, however, very little German armor was left to deal with. 3rd RTR engaged a Tiger 1, hitting it frontally to no effect and losing 1 Comet in the exchange. The next day, the same Tiger was knocked out with flanking shot on the side of its hull.  

Cruiser Tank A34, Comet, Germany, April 1945.