Sherman Tanks

[Grhm]

Dear All

I seen a documentary about El Alamein this was when the Sherman Tanks were first used in battle (October 1942).
Given that Operation Torch  was a month later in November and that the Pacific would have been closed because
of the Japanese how did they get there?

[CWO Marc]

Presumably the same way that all of Montgomery’s other armoured vehicles reached him: by ship.  The American-supplied Shermans would have been stockpiled in Britain, then shipped to Egypt from Britain by one of two routes: through the Mediterranean (going west to east, from Gibraltar to Egypt) or down the coast of west Africa, around the Cape, up the coast of east Africa, then through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

[Grhm]

Thank you

When i look at various campaigns i forget that there were probably other campaigns
going on at the same time which explains the circumstances.

(though i may be wrong)
The Med. Sea route i discounted because it would be only a few months after Operation Pedestal
and transporting high value goods such as tanks would be quite a risk.  Although in a space of
a few months things may have quieten down.

I also thought of a third, Durban in South Africa I believe there was a railway but whether it
was used i am not sure.

[General Haig]

29 July 1942 the SS Seatrain Texas set sail from New York with a cargo of 250-300 Sherman tanks. Arrived Cape Town 18 days later and arrived Port Taufiq southern end of Suez Canal 2 Sept. 1942

[Private-Panic]

Good knowledge!

[Grhm]

@General:

29 July 1942 the SS Seatrain Texas set sail from New York with a cargo of 250-300 Sherman tanks. Arrived Cape Town 18 days later and arrived Port Taufiq southern end of Suez Canal 2 Sept. 1942                          Â

Thank you.