World War II brought with it many advances and innovations in military hardware, but few can match the oddity of creating a tank that is able to not only float, but move in the water under its own power.

To this we can turn to the British as they seem to be the master of some of these more unusual ways of finding solutions to problems. Initially starting with the Valentine tank, the solution was to make the lower part of the tank water proof and then mount a huge water tight canvas shield around the tank, allowing it to remain buoyant in the water. A drive mechanism was attached to a power take-off shaft coming from the engine to allow it to be mobile and provide steering.

This came after many other attempts were made using various sorts of floatation gear. But the key is that it had to be able to fit on a landing craft and not be easily damaged.

Since it was decided that the standard Allied tank was to be the Sherman, the system was adapted to this larger and heavier tank. It meant additional engineering as the Sherman was front drive as opposed to the rear drive Valentine. Needless to say, the system worked and the tank was somewhat successful, participating in the Normandy invasion where it had its finest hour.

The author takes us through the full background and development of this most unusual system. The trials and tribulations were many , but not only did it work, but it worked fairly well. All of the various engagements of the units that operated this vehicle are covered as are subsequent developments. The superb illustrations of Tony Bryan only serve to enhance the story, as do the rather large number of photographs compiled for this book.

Overall, it is a fascinating look into an often overlooked piece of military equipment whose time came and went with WWII. Highly recommended.

May 2006

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