Rehearsal of a landing on the sandy beaches of a battalion of M10 tank destroyers and several infantry companies at Slapton Sands in England.
In the foreground of M10 tank destroyers on the sand are Sommerfeld Tracking, which were used to strengthen the weak and viscous soils.
In the center of the frame is an American tank destroyer M10 named “Bessie”, equipped with special engine protection against water ingress. A Caterpillar bulldozer was seen behind the Bessi, which was used by the Allies during disembarking to clear the beaches and make passes for soldiers and military equipment.
The photograph shows two amphibious vessels of the LCT class, numbered 27 and 53. In the background, a large landing ship LST-325 is landing, which later participated in the delivery of troops to Omaha Beach. After the war, he was sold to Greece and served in the navy of this country until 1999. In 2000, he was bought by the United States and now serves as a memorial to ships of this class in Evansville, Indiana.
Sources of information about the M10 tank destroyers photo:
1. en.wikipedia.org
2. www.lstmemorial.org
Location: Slapton Sands, England
Date: 1943-1944