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UNIQUE ID 1700: M4A4 SHERMAN CRAB MARK II MINE FLAIL

Liberty Park Oorlogsmuseum, Overloon, The Netherlands

(Location: Museum Building)


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Sample Photo from Tank with UniqueID 1700


Unique ID: 1700
Added to Database: 30 May 2011
Last Edited: 3 June 2011
Type (ID): Sherman Crab (1415)
Model (ID): M4A4 Sherman Crab Mark II (1418)
Location Category (ID): Liberty Park Oorlogsmuseum (11400)
Location (ID): Museum Building (11402)
Serial Number: 5230: “5230” stamped into all four towing lugs.
662, transmission cover: “A662” and “D50993 Lo-[G]” cast into left transmission cover.
Registration: T147955 (British): “T147955” painted on rear hull sides.
Name: “AVALON” painted on hull sides.
Other Identification: “E4151 [G] Lo” and “A713” cast into right transmission cover. 7th Armoured Division insignia painted on front of right flail arm and on left hull rear.
Collection Reference:
Links: Telegraph Obituary – William Hall
Pantser.net
Wikipedia – Battle of Overloon
Wikipedia – Westminster Dragoons
Wikipedia – 22nd Dragoons
References:
Associated Tanks:

Location History:
(see map)

1: Detroit Tank Arsenal / TACOM, Warren, Macomb County, Michigan, USA (Sole manufacturer of base M4A4 July 1942-September 1943)
2: Milner Safe Company - Liverpool, Britain (Converter to flail tank)
3: Liberty Park Oorlogsmuseum, Overloon, Boxmeer, Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands (Not the museum but the Battle of Overloon October 1944)
4: Broekhuizen, Netherlands (Destroyed November 1944)
5: Liberty Park Oorlogsmuseum, Overloon, Boxmeer, Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands (Current location)


Text in original Preserved American Tanks publication:

This Crab Mark II is based on an early-production M4A4 with direct vision slots. It is missing its right-hand track. It belonged to the British 79th Armoured Division and was in action during the last days of the Battle of Overloon. It was put out of action later in northern Limburg. A German Panzerfaust fired from a distance of about 200 feet/60m pierced the armour. The heat generated detonated the ammunition carried inside.
Information provided by the Overloon museum states that this vehicle belonged to the 22nd Dragoons. However, an obituary on the Telegraph website states that it was commanded by William Hall of the Westminster Dragoons (source: Pantser.net), and that he was awarded an immediate MC when commanding a troop of flail tanks at the crossing of the Molem Beek, an anti-tank obstacle near Overloon, Holland, on October 16 1944. The text reads: “At Overloon - in appalling weather, over boggy ground and under continuous fire - Bill Hall beat a path up to the bridge across the canal, then led his squadron across, though well aware that enemy tanks were waiting on the far side and that his flanks were exposed. His was the first tank to cross the Beek and in the ensuing battle his troop gave invaluable assistance to Allied armour and infantry. He... engaged an enemy anti-tank gun and also knocked out a German mortar position which was inflicting losses on the infantry. He also engaged a Panther tank… Hall had had to change tanks when his own became a casualty, and the flails in his troop frequently had to be replaced after being damaged, but this did not stop them pressing on and killing 24 enemy and assisting the infantry to take 20 prisoners. Hall, who was also mentioned twice in despatches, was in the forefront of the action at Broekhuizen the following November when his tank cleared the approaches to the town before being hit by a bazooka which wounded him. His tank was later recovered by the Dutch authorities and is now on display in the War Museum at Overloon, complete with flails.”
This Crab displays damage, presumably from one or more mine blasts, to the flail roller. It also has signs of about twenty penetrations on the left side of the hull and flail boom; these are narrow but deep, implying they were made by shaped charge projectiles. It is not clear if they were from the original action when it was destroyed or if they were made later, for example in some form of target practice. The engine has been removed at some point and is stored in the basement of the museum (source: M. Krauss).

Text in Preserved American Tanks Update:

[No entry]

Images - Photographs and NavPix (click to expand or browse)

July 2012

Upper front right view
1: Upper front right view

Taken: 6 July 2012
Contributor: M. Foti
Photo ID: 8374
Added: 2 August 2012
Filename: 76691259...
Views: 265
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    

 

Front view
2: Front view

Taken: 6 July 2012
Contributor: M. Foti
Photo ID: 8375
Added: 2 August 2012
Filename: 76691741...
Views: 209
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    

 

Front right view
3: Front right view

Taken: 6 July 2012
Contributor: M. Foti
Photo ID: 8376
Added: 2 August 2012
Filename: 76691501...
Views: 193
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



May 2011

Upper front left view
4: Upper front left view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4931
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5565...
Views: 233
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



 

Upper front right view
5: Upper front right view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4932
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5567...
Views: 189
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



 

Upper front right view
6: Upper front right view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4933
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5566...
Views: 138
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Upper rear left view
7: Upper rear left view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4934
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5569...
Views: 186
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Front view
8: Front view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4935
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5594...
Views: 190
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Front left view
9: Front left view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4936
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5595...
Views: 202
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Front left view
10: Front left view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4937
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5596...
Views: 101
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Rear left view
11: Rear left view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4938
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5597...
Views: 169
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Rear view
12: Rear view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4939
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5598...
Views: 190
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Rear right view
13: Rear right view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4940
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5600...
Views: 173
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Right view
14: Right view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4941
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5601...
Views: 202
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Rear right view
15: Rear right view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4942
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5653...
Views: 108
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Front right view
16: Front right view

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4943
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5603...
Views: 205
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Close up of flail
17: Close up of flail

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4944
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5662...
Views: 209
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Serial number on towing lug
18: Serial number on towing lug

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4945
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5657...
Views: 167
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Markings on left transmission cover
19: Markings on left transmission cover

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4946
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5659...
Views: 163
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Markings on mantlet and hatch
20: Markings on mantlet and hatch

Taken: 14 May 2011
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4947
Added: 30 May 2011
Filename: IMG-5661...
Views: 199
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    

    



September 2007

Chrysler A57 Multibank engine stored in basement
21: Chrysler A57 Multibank engine stored in basement

Taken: 13 September 2007
Contributor: M. Krauss
Photo ID: 5173
Added: 3 June 2011
Filename: Engine-0...
Views: 471
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



 

Chrysler A57 Multibank engine stored in basement
22: Chrysler A57 Multibank engine stored in basement

Taken: 13 September 2007
Contributor: M. Krauss
Photo ID: 5174
Added: 3 June 2011
Filename: Engine-0...
Views: 150
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



 

Chrysler A57 Multibank engine stored in basement
23: Chrysler A57 Multibank engine stored in basement

Taken: 13 September 2007
Contributor: M. Krauss
Photo ID: 5175
Added: 3 June 2011
Filename: Engine-0...
Views: 204
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



April 1982

Rear left view
24: Rear left view

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4948
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanRL_C...
Views: 180
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



 

Right view
25: Right view

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4949
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanR2_C...
Views: 190
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



 

Right view
26: Right view

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4950
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanR_Cr...
Views: 200
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Rear view
27: Rear view

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4951
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanRV_C...
Views: 186
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Close up of flail
28: Close up of flail

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4952
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanFlai...
Views: 163
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Flail boom
29: Flail boom

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4953
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanFlai...
Views: 172
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Left flail arm
30: Left flail arm

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4954
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanFlai...
Views: 194
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Right flail arm
31: Right flail arm

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4955
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanFlai...
Views: 195
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Lane marking device
32: Lane marking device

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4956
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanEC_C...
Views: 177
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Turret roof
33: Turret roof

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4957
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanTurr...
Views: 165
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Engine compartment
34: Engine compartment

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4958
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanEC2_...
Views: 171
Select/Has Priority: 21/0
    



Mounting across glacis
35: Mounting across glacis

Taken: 13 April 1982
Contributor: T. Larkum
Photo ID: 4959
Added: 31 May 2011
Filename: ScanCU_C...
Views: 247
Select/Has Priority: 21/0