Friday 16 July 2021

From Each According to Ability

 "32nd Tank Regiment
June 27th, 1944
#0207

To the ABT Chief of the 7th Guards Cavalry Corps
Commander of the 16th Guards Cavalry Division

I report that out of the 10 MK-2 ("Matilda") tanks received by the regiment, only 2 were equipped with radios. An investigation showed that the radios were "redistributed" by the 201st Tank Brigade before the tanks were surrendered to be sent to other units.

The 1st Tank Battalion of the 201st Tank Brigade was especially complicit in the illegal disassembly of the vehicles, as the radios were removed at night while the vehicle commanders were absent.

I consider the act of permitting disassembly of perfectly functional vehicles negligent and criminal.

I ask you to forward my request to punish the guilty and return the radios for installation on the tanks to the Front command.

Commander of the 32nd Tank Regiment, Guards Lieutenant Colonel Galkin
Chief of Staff Duderman"

Via zihuatanexo.

3 comments:

  1. I thought by 1944 most Soviet tanks had radios (contrary to what I read many years ago). Were British radios prized in particular?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All tanks produced in 1944 had radios. I don't know if British radios were especially prized, but I read that they were preferred to American radios.

      Delete
  2. The 1st Tank Battalion of the 201st Tank Brigade must have been part of the US Marine corps....

    Great text. It gives us a good insight in the realities of war.

    ReplyDelete