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In early 1944
the British finally decided to back Tito's Partizans.
In July they helped form the Ist Tank Brigade at Bari
on the Italian Adriatic coast, supplying 56 Stuart Mk.III
(US51) & V's (US01) along wth 9 AEC Armoured Cars
(UK18 & 55). These subsequently saw action with
the Yugoslav 4th Army after landing at Dubrovnik.
In November,
after taking Sibenik, a number of German vehicles and
weapons were captutured including a PaK40 and several
20mm Flakveirlings. A Bridade mechanic called Viajko
is credited with carrying out the first conversion on
a Stuart V. Photographic evidence shows minor design
changes between the 5 known to have been so converted.
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