Exercise Tiger Memorial Info Sign
Details:
In front of the Sherman tank.
A metal framed, horizontal rectangular information board printed with colors and inscribed in English Text. The board is positioned on a slant and is supported by a metal stand. The info board contains the history of the exercise, the evacuation of the villagers and American occupation, recovering and restoring the tank, and the Exercise Tiger Roll of Honor.
Source of images: Google Maps
Monument Text:
Welcome to
Torcross Sherman D.D. Tank
Unsuspecting visitors may wonder why a Sherman tank stands in this Devon village surrounded by tranquil countryside. It honours the memory of servicemen who perished in one of the great tragedies of World War II & marks the importance of Slapton Sands & surrounding area to the Allies' preparations for D-Day. This operation required rehearsals. Field Marshall Montgomery noted Slapton Sands' striking similarities to the most westerly of the 5 invasion points, code named 'Utah beach', & selected it as a training ground.
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30,000 American troops (infantry, artillery, engineers, medical personnel & tank battalions) took part & 16 million tons of equipment & supplies descended on Devon's shores for rehearsal exercises & D-Day.
Evacuation & ‘Occupation’
In December 1943 over 3,000 inhabitants were evacuated from their villages & 30,000 acres of land. They were given 6 weeks to pack & leave and wouldn't return for at least 10 months. Some had never left their village before & the upheaval was traumatic for many. Farmers had to make arrangements for livestock & any recoverable crops.
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Evacuation underway
in Slapton Village
Many stayed with friends & relations outside the evacuation zone. Some families moved away never to return home. In 1954, 10 years after D-Day, U.S Army authorities unveiled an obelisk thanking those who gave up their homes & lands to provide a battle training area. It stands by the middle car park & lists the main villages that were evacuated. (-map on the right-)
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Obelisk Dedication
Ceremony, from the U.S.
Army to the people
of South Hams,
on 24th July 1954
Military presence was not limited to the Slapton area. A US Naval Battalion was stationed in Salcombe, & Dartmouth became home for U.S Naval vessels including minesweepers. Of the D-Day force over 480 ships left from Dartmouth, & over 60 from Salcombe. Servicemen were billeted in local hotels in South Hams & Torbay & pitched tents in fields. Many Officers stayed in manor houses & farms. Troops, equipment & supplies filled the narrow roads.
Training Exercises & Exercise Tiger
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LST 316 practicing on Slapton Sands
The first training rehearsal, known as Duck I, took place in December 1943. For 5 months there were almost continual exercises (Fox, Muskrat, Beaver & Trousers), each larger than the last culminating in Exercise Tiger & Exercise Fabius.
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LST 289 damaged
during Exercise
Tiger in Dartmouth
Harbour
On Supreme Allied Commander Eisenhower's order live ammunition was used in the later exercises as he wanted the men to be hardened to real battle conditions. As a result Slapton saw heavy losses of life before the invasion of the 6th June. The most tragic episode occurred during Exercise Tiger.
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German E Boat 130, involved in
the Exrcise Tiger attack, now
being restored
in Plymouth
This 8 day exercise used landing craft or LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank -slow, flat-bottomed assault ships capable of carrying several hundred men, lorries & tanks) to deploy troops & equipment onto Slapton Sands. The convoy set sail from ports including Plymouth & Brixham. Their winding route across Lyme Bay almost to Portland Bill & back to Slapton simulated the length of time it would take to journey to Utah Beach on D-Day.
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The first assault troops arrived on the morning of the 27th April. In the early hours of the 28th April, 4 E-Boats (fast moving German ships armed with torpedoes) discovered a poorly protected convoy of 8 LSTs transporting a follow-up force with trucks & heavy engineering equipment, & attacked.
Just after 2am, 3 ships were torpedoed. LST 507 was set ablaze then sank, LST 531 sank within 6 minutes, & LST 289 managed to limp back to Dartmouth. The stench of fuel was heavy in the air & on the surface of the sea; many hundreds of men were trapped below decks as the ships & sea burned.
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Sherman DD tanks aboard an
LST heading for Slapton Sands
639 soldiers & sailors died that night of wounds, hypothermia, or drowned from incorrectly fitted life belts. In all 749 lives were lost during beach landing rehearsals here. Many more men lost their lives during Exercise Tiger than on Utah Beach.
There were fears the Germans could have captured key information & discovered the Allies' plans for D-Day, but once all high level intelligence officers were accounted for, plans progressed.
After their ordeal survivors were told under threat of court-martial not to talk of it prior to the invasion. Those uninjured went on to take part in the D-Day landings.
Casualty figures for Exercise Tiger were released with those of D-Day in August 1944.
It is widely recognised that the success of the eventual D-Day assault was due, in no small part, to the rehearsals carried out here at Slapton Sands.
Recovering & Restoring the tank
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The tank comes ashore to a crowd in May 1984
The 'swimming tank' was a British adaptation of the American Sherman. It had a collapsible rubberised canvas skirt held up by inflatable tubes & iron hoops giving the correct displacement to float the tank. Propelled by tracks on land & by two 26 inch diameter propellers in water, it could reach up to 5 knots (6 mph).
A detachable tiller & basic navigational equipment were provided for the commander who stood on a small platform welded just behind & to the right of the turret.
During Exercise Tiger this tank disembarked from a landing craft without its water proof engine plate in place. The crew abandoned the tank which sank in 65ft of water approximately 34 of a mile off shore, which is where Ken Small, a Torcross hotelier, discovered it with the help of a local fisherman. Forty years after it was lost the tank was towed ashore & winched up the beach. When the tracks hit the slipway the running gear turned as freely as it had in 1944. The tank & surrounding plaques
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Sherman DD tanks in action with screens raised
are here today due to Ken's determination to provide a lasting memorial to those who lost their lives during Exercise Tiger. Over a period of 30 years he battled against bureaucracy to ensure that the tragedy was brought to our attention. Ken could always be found parked in his car, next to his tank were he would talk to many thousands of visitors. His book 'The Forgotten Dead' tells the story of recovering the tank and uncovering, for the first time, the truth of Exercise Tiger. The site continues to be of great importance locally, historically, educationally & of course emotionally. It is now also a tribute to the man himself.
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Ken Small
(1930-2004)
stands
proudly on
top of his
tank as it
emerges from
the sea
TANK SPECIFICATIONS
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WORLD WAR II AMERICAN SHERMAN D.D.
Recovery date: 19th May 1984
SPECIFICATION
Model M4A1 Duplex Drive
Height of Tank with screen : raised 13 feet, lowered 9 feet.
Weight 28 tons - Waterproofed Cast Iron Hul
Water speed 5 knots
Normal Armament:
1 x 75mm Gun
2 x .30cal Browning Machine Gun
1 x .50ca1 Browning Machine Gun
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Exercise Tiger Roll of Honour
The servicemen from the United States of America named below, and others, tragically lost their lives during Exercise Tiger, a full dress rehearsal for D-Day on 28th April 1944. Their sacrifice for our freedom today will never be forgotten.
(1st Column) | (2nd Column) | (3rd Column) |
LST 507 U.S. ARMY Alexander, Walter W. Allen, John J. Arcuri, Sam S. Barrett, Chester Battle, William R. Bernardo, John Bertini, Nilo V. Blake, Floyd E. Blind, Frederick W. Blond, William Bohl, Jacob A. Brown, Edward L. Brown, George E. Brown, John B. Brumfield, John W. Campbell, Terrence V. Campbell, William M. Catman, Ulysses J. Cavanaugh, James P. Clayton, Kenneth Coleman, Guy Conner, Willie J. Cooke, Robert M. Craig, Arthur L. Crawford, Poindexter D. Cutrone, Samuel J. Davenport, Bernard A. Deakyne, Clarence O. Jr. DeLeon, Anastacio Di Pasquale, Michael J. Dindino, Paul J. Dobson, Troy Dubisz, Frank Dye, Quong J. Eintracht, Herman Fischer, Edwin G. Fleming, Herman Fowler, William J. Glass, John P. Godsey, Shirley C. Gonshirski, John J. Goodhue, Elmer J. Grigsby, Roy B. Grossman, Harold H. Hanks, John P. Haynes, Ernest P. Hogland, Alvie M. Hoops, George E. Humble, Merle B. Johnson, Horace Johnson, John T. Johnston, Claude E. Joyal, Raymond O. Knight, Elmer L. Kretz, Harold Lambert, Douglas L. Lee, Harold E. Lopresto, Joseph P. Mancuso, Joseph P. Marcum, Glen R. Marino, Joseph A. Marino, Patty Marts, Wilbur Massa, Charles F. Mettmer, Paul A. Mieczkowskt, Harry Miglianico, John A. Misciagno, Christian Mitchell, James C. Maker, Albert Molander, Norman C. Monk, Clarence Morang, Robert C. Morgenstern, Aloysius G. Morse, Erwin F. Motley, Robert Murphy, Raymond J. Music, James C. Nathan, Hyman Noel, Joseph L. Occhipinti, Joseph | Ogurek, Michael A. Olsen, John A. Panek, Helmer E. Parisi, Frank Pemberton, Leray Pentecost, Curtis Powell, Herrel Pritchard, Clyde C Pritt, Isaac W. Recchione, Quirino A. Reibel, Thomas C. Roberts, Lewis Rosiek, Joseph A Rosowski, Anthony J. Ruoto, Victor P. Scanlon, Edward T. Schwartz, Stephen G. Schwechheimer, Conrad J. Seibert, Ray E. Sheridan, James P. Sigman, Charles W. Silversmith, Samuel Southcott, Herbert A. Spitler, George E. Stokes, Horace A. Strapp, John W. Strubel, Mathew E. Suesse, Ralph A. Swanson, Richard E. Sweeney, Myles E. Tuma, James L. Jr. Tomberlin, Clarence H. Tyson, Ernest Unger, Edward J. Veenbaas, John D. Vieira, Manuel Jr. Von Wald, Richard F. Voorhees, Harold Walsh, Joseph J. Welch, Elmer O. West, Chalcie G. Willis, Obie Wood, Stanley K. Wright, Joseph O. Yangrello, Dominick Zempel, Lawrence C.
LST 507 U.S. NAVY Bailey, James Bennen, Charles D. Bettencourt, John J. Blackie, Henry A. Burns, Sylvester M. Carroll, Francis A. Cieary, James F. Clark, James J. Collins, Conner D. Crowe, James T., Jr. Cusak, Vincent P. Daily, Carl W. Del Duca, Thomas J., Jr. Dickerson, William W. Dinneen, Joseph M. Dobson, Henry R. Durrum, James W. Eisenbach, Harold E. Field, Paul R. Fitts, Felton T. Gambrel, Jake Garlock, Charles W. Geehan, Raymond R. Gibson. Richard M. Goldsmith, Leonard Grecco, Joseph G. Griffin, Jimmie W. Grunther, Nelson Gulledge, William T. Hampton, Jerry P. Hoffman, Bruce B. Hoffman, Russell W. Karasinski, Louis F. King, Philip E. Koski, Theodore J. | Ledbetter, Alvin L. Lichty, Frank T. Mackey, Robert C. Maggard, Daniel W. Malott, Robert J. Martin, Howard A. Mathews, John E. Miller, John H. Moore, Joseph M. Morancy, Edgar F. Myers, Lester A. O'Connell, Michael J. Ragusa, Paul M. Raptis, Charles G. Ricketts, Richard E. Rogers, William L. Ryan, James P. Jr. Saucier, Henry Q. Saxton, Robert E. Schreiber, William H. Scott, Kenneth L. Smith, Kennan H. Sguiers, Lawrence P. Stanesic, John L. Staudt, Charles J. Sturdivant, Malcolm E. Sullivan, George A. Sutherland, Pete J. Swartz, James S. Trgovic, Steve J. Tully, Joseph E. Watson, Andrew Weinbrot, Harold M. Whipple, Frank L. Woods, Deward W. Wright, Curtis M.
LST 531 U.S. ARMY Adcock, Ovid C. Aid, Alvin E. Alexander, Marvin R. Allen, Delmar R. Alsip, Albert F. Arismendiz, Joe M. Asberry, Marion J. Augustynski, William Baldwin, Raymond Banister, Calvin C. Barber, John L. Barber, Ralph E. Basgall, Edwin A. Baugus, James R. Bean, Carl M. Bergfeld, Walter B. Bird, Howard G. Birkley, Louis L. Jr. Bisaillon, Martial J. Blethroad, Thomas J. Blevins, Harley E. Bolton, Louis A. Bonderer, Bernard E. Borchers, Harry J. Bost, Winford G. Boyles, Hoy F. Bratton, Portter J. Brecheisen, Calvin D. Brewer, Wayne R. Brown, Ivan J. Bryant, Donald S. Bryson, Ernest C. Buckner, George W. Burke, Robert E. Burks, Floyd H. Burns, Harold W. Burrell, Robert T. Butry, Metro Cain, Jay H. Caldwell, Paul J. Callahan, John H. Caracciolo, Dominick Carey, Ernest Cates, Georgie P. Cesaro, Libro C. |
(4th Column) | (5th Column) | (6th Column) |
Chamberlain, Richard L. Chambers, Robert G. Childs, Donald H. Chudzinski, Arthur F. Ciccio, Joseph Circle, Ott S. Clardy, John J. Clark, Herman D. Coats, Francis M. Conklin, Robert J. Constant, Woodson D. Cope, Christopher T. Cottrell, James O. Crandell, Harold E. Crane, Carroll S. Creed, Thomas C. Jr. Crocker, Ed W. Cruikshank, James F. Cutrone, Allesantro Czyzniak, Stephen J. Dakis, Nick G. Dame, Homer L. Daniels, Leroy Danner, Fred S. Daoukas, Thomas Davis, Franklin W. De Baene, Morris J. De Hass, Paul R. Jr. De Salvo, Joseph F. Delamater, Edward J. Delitko, John A. Donaldson, Alexander G. Donaldson, Garland W. Douglas, Earl V. Douglas, John M. Jr. Drawdy, Oscar L. Jr. Duckworth, Meredith J. Dunahoo, Bruce E. Duncan, Johnnie O. Duncan, William A. Earnest, Ralph T. Eckhoff, Roy E. Edelmann, Matthew J. Edwards, Bill E. Edwards, John J. Elliott, Carl M. Elliott, William R. Evangelist, Nicholas J. Farris, Junior T. Ferguson, Darrel D. Fizer, David E. Fletchall, Arthur A. Floyd, Charles R. Flynt, Lawrence R. Fond, Salvador D. Fontana, Russell Ford, Adrian L. Foster, Harold G. Frank, Joseph H. Jr. Franks, Richard L. Freed, Hershel G. Friend, Leslie W. Fults, Peter L. Galluppi, Joseph A. Gamer, Eugene Gardner, Lester J. Garrison, William A. Garvin, Herbert S. Gasser, John S. Gearhart, Walter F. Gephart, Donald E. Gieschen, Hilmer L. Gillespie, Bill E. Glasscock, John W. Glaze, Melvin R. Golfinopulos, Louis J. Goss, Dennie Gray, James P. Gray, William H. Grevon, John C. Grissom, Robert Groves, Marvin W. Guffin, Dale E. | Haile, Francis L. Harrington, Ern F. Harrison, Frank G. Hebert, Revila Heffernan, Peter J. Henley, Eugene A. Hobbs, Charles VV. Hobbs, Lester Hollon, Otis L. Holmes, Robert E. Holzberger, Stephen G. Jr. Hopkins, Robert L. Hovis, Albert H. Hudson, Francis L.C. Huelsmann, Anton W. Humphrey, William L. Hurt, Arnold Hutchison, Clifford E. Jensen, Richard H. Johnson, James G. Jordan, Everett W. Kapinos, John A. Kay, William M. Keller, Otto W. Kielbasa, George A. King, William E. Kinkead, Bertran Kladus, Johnny D. Klobe, John T. Korodi, William Kreiss, Ezra F. La Iacona, Salvatore Larson, Walter V. Lasswell, Clarence E. Leach, Robert M. Leishman, Robert B. Levengood, John E. Libla, Champ W. Lillo, Rocco F. Long, Evan W. Long, Joseph D. Loper, Samuel S. Louder, Blaine L. Lowell, Theodore G. Lowrie, Earl C. Lutz, Otto Jr. Lyon, Wilbert V. MacDonald, Lawrence Mahoney, Patrick J. Malassi, John Manak, John V. Mance, Michael Manes, Robert E. Marsh, Ralph D. Mathewson, John I. Mattos, Frank F. Mayfield, Haskel H. McCampbell, Louis B. McClatchey, Evert M. McCormick, Thomas B. McCuen, Grady H. McKinnon, Roy E. McMore, Earl M. Meehan, William F. Megathlin, Robert H. Mercado, Trinidad Mettler, Harry W. Metz, Charles E. Jr. Meurer, Lawrence L. Miller, James E. Miller, Roy A. Morgan, Alvin G. Murray, Hugh C. Naccarelli, Michael J. Nagel, Curtis A. Nelson, Hollis L. Newman, Aubrey L. Newman, John D. Newman, Robert T. Niedermeir, Clarence C. Ogden, Ubron M. Ostrowski, Joseph L. | Ott, Lawrence W. Overton, Delbert E. Owens, Johnnie D. Park, Clifford F. Park, James E. Patou, Louis S. Payton, Marvin L. Peake, Cleo S. Pearson, Luther M. Penalver, Joe V. Penn, Milton Peters, Gerrit Peters, Lindsay Jr. Picking, Charles R. Poggi, Alfred E. Poore, Winford J. Pope, Edgar F. Pshenitzky, Charles J. Raines, Thomas E. Ray, Ulton A. Reese, William R. Reitzel, Walter W. Renner, Lowell L. Rettinger, Irving Rice, Playford R. Richardson, Alvin F. Riggs, Robert R. Riter, Edward L. Roberson, James E. Roberson, Melvin A. Roberts, Ralph R. Rodriguez, Aristedes Rohrbaugh, Tracy V. Ropen, Rudolph J. Ruediger, Harry Salemmo, Raymond G. Sanders, Elmer J. Sandford, Harold L. Schleyer, Richard C. Schmidt, Marcus W. Schultheis, Carl L. Sessamen, Joseph H. Sharff, Willard C. Sheahan, John P. Jr. Siatkowski, Michael J. Simmons, Leland Sitche, George R. Slusher, Carl W. Smerek, Steve L. Smith, Jesse E. Smith, Wallace W. Snider, Donald E. Snyder, Wallace F. Sparks, William F. Spurling, James W. Steen, George W. Stephenson, James W. Stevens, Marshall L. Stillwell, Elmer D. Strader, Glen T. Summerall, Marvin L. Sutphin, Claude R. Sutt, Lennie C. Tate, Owen A. Tenuta, Louis A. Tesoriero, Joseph A. Tetreault, Rene W. Thomas, Fay E. Thompson, Ernest M. Toerber, Mearl W. Tolie, John N. Torres, Victor M. Tousignant, Joseph H. Trager, Jacob Treef, Stanley H. Tucker, Luther R. Turk, William A. Tuttle, Hillard Van Ess, Simon Van Nostrand, Clare M. Vannatta, Raul J. |
(7th Column) | (8th Column) |
Wagner, Howard W. Walker, Denver Ward, Luther T. Watson, Gerald A. Webb, Grady D. Jr Weir, Larry R. Whetstine, Everett E. Whitelock, William L. Williams, Horace S. Wilson, Kenneth P. Wilson, Paul W. Wilson, Raymond B. Wilson, Vernon S. Wintjen, Floyd E. Wirth, Russell L. Wolfgram, Henry F. Wolpert, Frederick J. Wooderson, Darryl V. Wright, Lester Wright, Myron A. Wyckoff, John E. Yadrich, Mike J. Yates, John W. Yates, Phillip R.
LST 531 U.S. NAVY Achey, Allen O., Jr. Anderson, Williard C. Baugher, Ellis W. Behrens, John W. Benton, Elmer C. Bliss, Arthur H. Bolling, Floyd H. Borgerson, Ray Brickey, William E. Bridgham, Wade L. Brock, Norris G. Brummitt, Clifton H., Jr. Callos, Vincent M. Cantrell, W. H. Carr, Frederick C. Cason, Paskel O. Christoffel, Raymond J. Cobern, William W. Colwell, Richard L. Corideo, Richard V. Cowan, Eugene R. Coyle, Michael J. Cram, Archer F. Croswell, Curtis W. Cruz, Joseph Jr. Cummings, Eugene F. Czerwinski, William J. Danley, Harry I. Dawson, Glenn H. Debias, Edward G. DeGouff, Theodore D. Denton, Harold C. Dobson, Edwin J. Drake, Robert G. Duffy, Ralph Edson, Richard W. Ellis, John J. Fisher, E. C. Ford, Hobart Jr. Gaboys, Edward A. Gallagher, John J. Goldstein, Samuel Gunn, Murray B. Hall, William C. Harrell, Charles Hartman, Robert J. Hauber, Bernard A. Hayth, Eugene Hill, John H. Holmes, Samuel D. Jr. Hopkins, Lawrence E. Hurley, James W. | Jackman, Walter P. Jacques, Edmond L. Jansen, Melvin J. Jencovic, Albert J. Johnson, Albert W. Kartz, Henry Kaska, Albert P. Kelley, Ford H. Kerby, Reuben Kessinger, Mark F. Kirby, Grady E. Kirkwood, Ralph A. Krizanosky, Alexander Kuhns, Harold D. Lacey, Burvil E. Land, Charles G. Leeman, Hollace H. Levine, Harry Levy, Lester H. Locklear, Melvin L. Manning, Tiffany Marcus, Emery E., Jr. McCuen, Frank A. McLean, Robert W. Merrill, William J. Miller, Ralph R. Montgomery, Doyle D. Neal, Kermit H. Nelson, Lee O. Noble, Elisha G. Parker, Cornelius J. Pear, Williams Petcavage, William J. Peters, James D. Peterson, Robert D. Phillips, Kenneth Pogue, Richard Poloncarz, John E. Rugani, Daniel L. Samuelson, Gail E. Schimanske, Daniel R. Scott, James O. Shea, John Maurice Shengarn, George Sheppard, Thanuel V. Showers, Lyle F. Sochacki, Edward A. Solomon, William Spangler, Walter A. Starr, Joseph L., Jr. Stemats, Steve J. Stoklosa, Edward Taylor, George W. Townsend, Willie W. Unger, Alvin C. Vendeland, Albert J. Walls, James W. Walters, Robert G. Watson, Raleigh F. Waugh, James N. White, Earnest T. Witten, Lloyd L.
LST 289 U.S. NAVY Broske, Mitchel L. Chandler, James W. Frazier, Walter H. Griffin, Joseph W. Hackes, Mike G. Harvie, James H. Kortenhorn, Herman R. May, Robert M. Muller, William C. Muza, Earl V. Neff, Harold A. Roberts, Clifford L. Shipp, John L. Jr. |
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
United States Army
United States Navy
Wars:
WWII
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