Christopher Gale, senior curator at The National Museum of the Royal Navy, explores the Royal Marine Armoured Support Group’s involvement in the D-Day landings.
NORMANDY | THE RMASG IN ACTION
‘Vidette’ of ‘V’ Troop, 5th Battery, comes under fire as the troop advances inland from Sword Beach. (PIOTR FORKASIEWICZ)
Seawolf’ heads a column of RMASG armour in Normandy. (BOTH COURTESY OF THE TANK MUSUEM)
The Royal Marine Armoured Support Group was a shortlived unit and its tanks were comparatively few in number. But its involvement in the Normandy landings and the following weeks of Operation Overlord have become memorable, mainly through the unusual development of its role and the unique nature of its Centaur IV tanks, not to mention the valour of its men. As the initial planning for an invasion of France began in 1943, there was extensive discussion about the artillery and armour support that would be required by the infantry landing on the beaches. Towed howitzer field guns were suitable weapons, but landing on a beach defended by dug-in opposition would have made them highly vulnerable, due to the time needed to make them operational and the minimal protection for the crew.
A way of protecting the gun cre…
