Cromwell Restored in Antwerp

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Source: http://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20140821_01226857/cromwelltank-vandaag-weer-in-antwerpen

Thanks to Rudy Maes for this one.

Looks like the city of Antwerp has a new pride and joy. A Cromwell tank monument, previously rusted and unkept, was restored to its former glory. This Cromwell was given to the city by the British in 1947 to commemorate the advance of 11th Armored Division, that passed Antwerp on 4.9.1944 and since then it stood as a monument at various spots.

It was not the first time the vehicle was actually restored – it happened once already in 1971. The vehicle was restored from late 2011 until today by the military factory at Rocourt, called “Competentie Centrum Rollend Materieel en Bewapening”, a company that previously restored the famous “Bastogne” Sherman.

The vehicle now bears the “Black Bulls” crest of general Roberts from the abovementioned unit, that liberated Antwerp.

17 thoughts on “Cromwell Restored in Antwerp”

    • trololol

      For those who dont understand this joke: People from Antwerpen wich are oftem said to have ”big necks” oftem say: ”Antwerpen is the city, while all the rest is just parking”

      • “Black Bull” – The 11th Armoured Division, known as The Black Bull, was a British Army division formed in 1941 during the Second World War. The Division was formed in response to the unanticipated success of German panzer divisions. It was responsible for several major victories in Normandy after D-Day, and it participated in the rapid advance across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands and the Rhine crossing.

        It spearheaded Operation Epsom, reaching the Odon river between Mouen and Mondrainville. It was again embroiled in Operation Goodwood, its assault on Bourgubus Ridge on the first day of the operation being brought to a halt. After Goodwood, the losses of armour within the division were so high that the 24th Lancers were disbanded and its remnants absorbed by the 23rd Hussars. The Regiment then took part in Operation Bluecoat, intended to secure the key road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pinon, allowing the American exploitation of their breakout on the western flank of the Normandy beachhead. The 11th Armored Division was then attached to XXX Corps, which captured Flers, Putanges and Argentan in the battle of the Falaise pocket.

        Once the Falaise pocket was sealed, the Regiment remained with the 11th Armoured Division as it liberated L’Aigle on August 23rd. It crossed the Seine on August 28th and, after an advance of 60 miles in one day, liberated Amiens on September 1st and Antwerp on September 4th. It was not directly involved in the ground operations of Operation Market Garden, but covered the right flank of the advancing XXX Corps.

        It was in reserve, being re-equipped with Comet tanks, at the time of the Ardennes Offensive, but was rapidly deployed into a defensive line along the Meuse with its old tanks. In 1945, it took part in Operation Veritable and Operation Blockbuster and liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp before crossing the Elbe and capturing Lubeck. It was disbanded at the end of January 1946.

  7. Didnt knew they still restored vehicles in CC R&A tough, As that base is like a lot off other bases sadly shrinking a lot.

  8. Antwerp… that’s Belgium right? Are they speaking dutch or flemish? It sounds almost like german, which makes me think dutch

    • I’m from Belgium and I can tell that the dutch between that of the dutch and the flemmish more or less differ as much as the english between the americans and the british. And Dutch does have similarities with german.