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Following their
experiences in N. Africa with the German use of mines,
it became a necessity to produce an effective mine-clearing
tank with some urgency. After various trials with the
Scorpion device and others, the Crab Mk.I, based on
the Mk.V hull, was chosen with an order for 300 placed
in Novemer 1943.
With 43 flailing
chains, travelling at 1.5mph, they operated in two's
from a troop of five and "swept" a lane 2.75m
wide, which was then marked allowing the follwing armour
to proceed behind, keeping position by following the
station-keeping lights mounted on the rear of the vehicle.
The Crab could also be used as a gun tank when its flail
was damaged.
Three regiments of the 30th
Armd. Brigade (79th Armd. Div.) were issued with Crabs
seeing action from D-Day and were in constant demand
for every offensive thereafter.
The Americans
had developed several mine exploders including the"
Aunt Jemima", see Acc.20, and the TIE3 (US61 &
US62) but found that they required British Crab assistance
in Normandy and eventually recieved several for use
with the 739th Tank Bn. (Special) as shown below.
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