Flame Thrower

FLAME THROWER ANDREW WILSON THIS IS THE SEARING ACCOUNT OF WILSON'S EXPERIENCES AS AN ARMOURED OFFICER IN ONE OF THE "SPECIALS", MODIFIED SPECIAL PURPOSE TANKS OF THE NORMANDY INVASION AND SUBSEQUENT LAND BATTLES-- ONE OF THE "CROCODILE" FLAME-THROWER EQUIPED VARIANTS OF THE CHURCHILL TANK. "OF ALL THE WEAPONS IN THE LAST WAR THE FLAME-THROWING TANK WAS THE MOST HORRIBLE. THIS IS THE STORY OF A YOUNG OFFICER WHO FOUGHT IN THESE FIRE-SPITTING CROCODILES FROM NORMANDY TO ARNHEM. HE DESCRIBES VIVIDLY HOW A "CROCODILE "COULD, IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, REDUCE A FORTIFIED BUILDING TO A RAGING INFERNO OF CLINGING LIQUID FLAME. YET THE ODDS WERE NOT ALL ON THE ONE SIDE ; THE FIRE TANKS WERE CLUMSY AND HIGHLY VULNERABLE, THE CHURCHILL ITSELF HAD MORE THAN ITS SHARE OF MECHANICAL FAILURES, AND THE GERMANS GAVE NO SECOND CHANCES TO ANY THEY CAUGHT...IT IS STRONG MEAT, BUT A CHRONICLKE OF GREAT GALLANTRY BY MEN WHO PERFORMED THE NEAR SUICIDE DUTY IN THESE HORRIFYING MONSTERS. " AN HONEST AND BRILLIANTLY DRAWN SKETCH OF ONE MAN'S WAR, SEEN FROM THE TURRET OF A TANK WHICH TOWED AN ARMOURED TRAILER FULL OF LIQUID FIRE. THERE WERE ONLY FIFTY CROCS IN THE ENTIRE ALLIED ARMIES...THYE HORRIFIED THE GERMANS, AND THEIR CREWS WERE GIVEN NO QUARTER IF THE TABLES TURNED

The author retells his days as an officer serving in the Royal Armoured Corps during 1943 to 1945 in Europe. He was one of those assigned to the specialized tanks, in particular the Crocodile. The Crocodile class of tanks were fitted out to be used as a flame throwers. The author found it easiest to tell the stories in third person (what Wilson did, rather than what he did). A number of the actions were in support of Canadian troops. The book was first published in 1956. The Corgi edition was published in 1973. A good firsthand war account.