TMMI 287 September 2019 19A. A tired and
weary Guards
crewman eyes
the Normandy
landscape for
signs of StuG or
Panzer IV activity.
This vehicle
is weighed
down with extra
stowage on
all sides; here
we see extra
ammunition
boxes and crew
webbing. Of
note is the open
driver’s hatch
B. Two of the
Achilles gun
crew inside what
in fact is a fairly
tightly-spaced
turret, with
17-pounder shells
stowed on the
rear walls. The
rack above the
three rounds
visible here is set
of turret tarpaulin
uprights for foul
weather
C. Overhead shot
of the 17-pounder
gun with its shell
ejection-shield
elevated. The
17-pounder or
76.2mm shell
had tremendous
killing power
compared to the
original US 76mm
gun of the M
D. The engine
deck area of the
M10 Achilles IIC
with various crew
tools stowed in
their positions.
The Mk.I Achilles
had a General
Motors 6046
diesel engine
while the Mk.II
here used a Ford
petrol engine
E. The hull side
is heavily stowed
with ammunition
boxes, jerrycans,
tarps, camo
nets, helmets
and of course
that old essential
of British Army
campaigning, the
tea pot. Of note
here are the hull
side bosses (just
visible), originally
designed for
fitting extra
armour but
ultimately used
as mounts for
stowage racks
BCED