Post by Diarist on Aug 4, 2016 10:03:33 GMT 1
I'm glad that our Armoured Division proposal was accepted by General Gort because Sally and I had cut a stencil for the mimeograph. We produced a few dozen copies before leaving TRADOC HQ this morning. At the MoD I gave 15 copies to COL Thomson so that he could distribute them on a need to know basis. The original and a carbon copy were for Winston Churchill and the CIGS. I had brought those so that they would have time to study the document before this afternoon's meeting.
Basil Liidel-Hart visited me at the Annex this morning and brought the new tank design with him. The turret was 'flatter' than the previous design. The hull had already been built and since they have several engines imported from the USA Lord Nuffield's inaction didn't delay the prototype. We have to wait for the 6-pdr tank gun anyway so in the meantime a 2-pdr has been installed. He showed a picture of it. I showed him our proposal for an armoured division and he was very impressed.
"These are the other vehicles we shall need based on the A13 chassis. A tank-destroyer version, an anti-aircraft version, an engineer vehicle and self-propelled artillery. A bridging-vehicle would also be nice. The first one needs the 17-pdr tank-gun so that will take a while."
"The SP-Artillery versions will be open top without a turret."
"I realize that. How about an ISV version with a larger gun than the 75mm gun we currently use?"
"We have already considered that using the 25-pdr gun. It can also fire anti-tank rounds but we need to design better ammunition for it."
"You've thought of everything, Basil. Do you have people working on that German 4x6 truck design?"
"Yes. I remember discussing it at TRADOC so I have a team working on various designs including armoured cars. I heard about the FTX. TRADOC annihilated 2nd Infantry Division?"
"MG Wavell wasn't too upset actually, but LG Gathorne-Hardy of Aldershot Command and MG Brooke, the Mobile Division designate, were very peeved. In then end Churchill and the CIGS rejected their arguments. I doubt very much there will be a Mobile Division with an artillery commander."
"Do you like working here?"
"I do. It can be challenging at times but I like that. It keeps me busy. Do you like working at Vickers?"
"Oh, definitely. I have a lot to do as well."
"Let's go upstairs. Louis Mountbatten works there." Louis was busy reading reports when we entered his office. "Do you remember this civilian, Louis?"
"Hallo, Basil. Welcome to SOE."
"What's an SOE?"
"It's secret so don't spread it around. We've renamed Combined Operations. It's now Special Operations Executive. We are now an invisible organization hiding here in the Annex. We do intelligence work here but only for the regions which interest us."
"We are not TRADOC Annex anymore, just The Annex," I added.
"You have an undercover operation here."
"Undercover but highly influential. Can you stay for lunch? The MoD restaurant is good."
"Why not, but I'm buying. It's about time I used my expenses account."
"You are not trying to bribe us are you?"
"Of course not."
"We just need to get Sally then we are ready."
Basil Liidel-Hart visited me at the Annex this morning and brought the new tank design with him. The turret was 'flatter' than the previous design. The hull had already been built and since they have several engines imported from the USA Lord Nuffield's inaction didn't delay the prototype. We have to wait for the 6-pdr tank gun anyway so in the meantime a 2-pdr has been installed. He showed a picture of it. I showed him our proposal for an armoured division and he was very impressed.
"These are the other vehicles we shall need based on the A13 chassis. A tank-destroyer version, an anti-aircraft version, an engineer vehicle and self-propelled artillery. A bridging-vehicle would also be nice. The first one needs the 17-pdr tank-gun so that will take a while."
"The SP-Artillery versions will be open top without a turret."
"I realize that. How about an ISV version with a larger gun than the 75mm gun we currently use?"
"We have already considered that using the 25-pdr gun. It can also fire anti-tank rounds but we need to design better ammunition for it."
"You've thought of everything, Basil. Do you have people working on that German 4x6 truck design?"
"Yes. I remember discussing it at TRADOC so I have a team working on various designs including armoured cars. I heard about the FTX. TRADOC annihilated 2nd Infantry Division?"
"MG Wavell wasn't too upset actually, but LG Gathorne-Hardy of Aldershot Command and MG Brooke, the Mobile Division designate, were very peeved. In then end Churchill and the CIGS rejected their arguments. I doubt very much there will be a Mobile Division with an artillery commander."
"Do you like working here?"
"I do. It can be challenging at times but I like that. It keeps me busy. Do you like working at Vickers?"
"Oh, definitely. I have a lot to do as well."
"Let's go upstairs. Louis Mountbatten works there." Louis was busy reading reports when we entered his office. "Do you remember this civilian, Louis?"
"Hallo, Basil. Welcome to SOE."
"What's an SOE?"
"It's secret so don't spread it around. We've renamed Combined Operations. It's now Special Operations Executive. We are now an invisible organization hiding here in the Annex. We do intelligence work here but only for the regions which interest us."
"We are not TRADOC Annex anymore, just The Annex," I added.
"You have an undercover operation here."
"Undercover but highly influential. Can you stay for lunch? The MoD restaurant is good."
"Why not, but I'm buying. It's about time I used my expenses account."
"You are not trying to bribe us are you?"
"Of course not."
"We just need to get Sally then we are ready."