Italian tanks in British service

[Andy H]

During early 1941, the British 6th Royal Tank Regiment was kitted out with captured Italian M13 tanks whilst in North Africa. Has anyone got any pictures of this or similar usage by the British of Italian armour?

Andy H

[Englander]

This line-up of captured vehicles was made shortly after February of '41 near Beda Fomm, Libya. Other photos in the same series can be found in the Imperial War Museum and the Photo Archives of Australia. Most of these vehicles, or perhaps all, are officially M13/40 tanks, and of particular interest is the opened engine compartment of the second tank. It shows the original engine and air filter arrangement with no sign of the smaller boxy filters on top of the manifolds.


http://afvinteriors.hobbyvista.com/m1340/m1340a.html

[Andy H]

Thanks for the pic & link Englander

Andy H

[Robert Hurst]

Hi Andy

Came across this just the other day.

Regards

Bob

[Andy H]

Hi Bob

Thanks for the picture. Other than the caption laready posted does it give any further information-Maybe this was a captured tank used in the siege of Tobruk?

Andy H

[him.rudkjoebing]

Hi.

From my local library I have just collected "World War II in Photographs", and on p. 118 there is a picture of the harborarea of Tobruk in flames. In the foreground there are 2 M13 displaying VERY large cangaroos painted on both hull and turret. They must be ones used by the aussies.

Kind regards

Henrik