Description
Object description
Churchill tanks of the 142 Royal Armoured Corps standing by in an olive grove at the Sidi Khadra Olive Oil Distillery. A Rota trailer towed behind a tank for carrying oil, ammunition and drinking water. A tank alert exercise.
Full description
Close-up of a Bofors gun firing. The barrel of the gun whilst firing, pointing upwards and away from the camera. Sighting rings. The ammunition feeding downwards as the gun fires. Sergeant Peck walks into the picture and hands up a six pounder shell to Lance-Corporal Edwards, then walks away for another shell. Repeat shot. Lance-Corporal Edwards turns from the turret towards the camera and steps to the edge of the tank to meet Sergeant Peck and hands up a shell. Lance-Corporal Edwards turns away with the shell to the turret. Lance-Corporal Edwards hands a shell into the turret to a third member of the crew. Close-ups taken from inside the tank showing Lance-Corporal Edwards outside, handing in shells through the turret opening. Close-ups of the shell being passed from hand to hand over the edge of the tank. 25 March. Looking down on the Rota trailer from the top of the tank. Sergeant Peck and Trooper Sayer carry ammunition and lay it down on the open lid of a trailer while another trooper loads the ammunition into the rack. Shells for a six pounder being picked up and loaded into the rack. The bases of the shells in the rack. Hands place the last two shells in the rack and press down the safety clips. The hands leave the picture. Weapons going aboard a Churchill tank. Sergeant Peck hands up a Tommy gun (Thompson submachine gun) and a Bren gun to Trooper Palmer standing on the tank, who passes the guns through the turret hatch. Sergeant Peck places the Tommy gun into the tank through the co-driver's door. Trooper Palmer takes the Tommy gun. Close-up of a Churchill tank near Medjez El Bab. The tank tracks. The tank raises dust as it goes over a dry ploughed field. Trooper W Hughes, from Granborough near Aylesbury sits in the driver's seat, he puts on his intercom headphones and starts to close the top hatch. A tank "Boru" from "A" Squadron, 142 Royal Armoured Corps. A member of the tank crew runs into the scene closely followed by four other members and they start to remove the camouflage from the tank. The camouflage nets are rolled up and given to Trooper Keeble for storage. Sergeant Frost hands up the net. Trooper Keeble climbs into the turret. Sergeant Frost runs along the top of the tank and climbs into the turret. The driver and co-driver climb up and drop down into their hatches. Close-up of a hand closing the co-driver's door. The Tank Commander Sergeant Frost puts on his headphones and speaks into the microphone. The top of the turret with both hatches open. The Tank Commander ducks into the turret and the hatches are closed. The side of the tank with a rain cloud beyond. A gun is elevated.
Physical description
35mm