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One well aimed hit from a heavy caliber weapon and those pebbles would be like buckshot to the defenders...Bison concrete mobile pillbox. Over 200 were made and issued.
View attachment 305042
There was also a variation of the theme using asphalt and pebbles between wooden boards as armour.
Sure, that was designed to create a delaying action, but eventually heavier force would be applied to dislodge the defenders. And the pebbles, while not being entirely fatal to the occupants, could cause serious injuries when sent flying about.It would need to be quite heavy to kill off all the crew. But it was firstly not intended to be facing artillery but light weapons of paratroopers. It's mobility was not tactical but did allow it to move itself into a place when needed without being an obstruction otherwise. Hence it was much used on airfields. Secondly (and here I draw upon my grandfather's Home Guard work) the crew were not necessarily expected to survive, as long as they delayed and drew down the enemy their job was done. Proof against 7.92mm, grenades and probably anti tank rifles. Overhead cover was not universal so mortars and dropping grenades could take early versions out. Good concrete is different to steel armour. It spalls externally as any examination of 'used' concrete pillboxes and buildings will demonstrate. FWIW one of the advantages of asphalt/pebble armour (and that was applied to lighter naval vessels too) is that part of the force of a bullet is expended in forcing the pebbles sideways deeper into the neighbouring asphalt matrix. A little like pierced steel armour where the armour sheet has holes drilled evenly across the flat plate. A bullet either enters the (too small) hole and expends it's energy laterally in trying to wedge open the hole or the plate locally bends to deflect the bullet into the hole. Thus you can get lighter armour. But I digress.
That is just a nightmare about to happen...was the crew able to escape safely?A RAF Liberator struck by bombs from an overhead aircraft during a raid on Monfalcone, Italy.
They sure put their four leaf clover to the test that day!It landed back at it's home base safely, with a large hole near the top turret. I've got a pic somewhere, showing a couple of the crew sitting in the hole in the top of the fuselage.
Sure, that was designed to create a delaying action, but eventually heavier force would be applied to dislodge the defenders. And the pebbles, while not being entirely fatal to the occupants, could cause serious injuries when sent flying about.
A friend of my step-dad was part of an armored unit, first seeing action in North Africa with the early M4 (they had M3s on hand as well) and he had mentioned that while some Axis anti-tank guns wouldn't knock out their Sherman, the dislodged rivets would ricochet about the interior, causing serious injuries.
So in essence, the defenses have refused penetration by the enemy's offensive fire, but the crew attrition by way of injuries reduces their performance.
That's the one. There's also a close-up shot of the damage, with at least one crew member in the pic.
That's the one. There's also a close-up shot of the damage, with at least one crew member in the pic.