Tank crews - what equipment did they use?

What equipment did the tank crews of the major players -Germany, Russia, the U.S. and G.B.- use during World War 2? I know that the German tank crews used the MP40, black caps and black clothing, but not much more than that. Did tank crews have any explosives with them (discounting the tank's shells of course)?

/Kommando

 

My grandfather fought in Stugs and as a commander he carried, strapped to his back a Cossack sabre (I've seen a photo of this ) plus he also used a Russian PPSH 41. He also had plenty of photos with this in his possession.

 

Always loved this picture of a Sherman crew with all their equipment laid out.
From this page on a recovery for a Museum:
Translated version of http://www.zeppelin-museum.dk/D/german/heute/sherman/sherman.html

Remember how many of the German Heavys were destroyed by their crew after breakdown.
They certainly carried explosives

Cheers,
Adam.

 

U.S. Military World War II Goggles


Tank crewman wearing M-1938 Resistal tanker goggles on his tanker helmet, armed with an M1928A1 Thompson sub-machine gun crouches along the treads of an M-3 Lee Medium Tank, Ft. Knox, KY, June 1942. Men behind him are armed with M1917 .45 cal. revolvers.

 

Hi

I just love it when a thread covers a subject on which I can pontificate with credibilty simply because, to coin a phrase, "I was there"

In late 1944 my Light Anti Aircraft unit was disbanded and I found myself transferred into the Royal Armoured Corps.
see BBC - WW2 People's War - Transformation from Gunner to Trooper

All of my training was on Sherman tanks and Adam's photo of a kit inspection brought it all back to me. (Note the ground sheet which went down first and on which all the kit was laid out).

However, when I eventually joined my unit in the line
see BBC - WW2 People's War - Joining the 4th Queen's Own Hussars
I found to my dismay that the tank to which I had been assigned was a relic of the North African campaign and was completely turret-less.

Finally, when the war in Italy finished in May 1945 I eventually was trained to be the Tech Storeman of my Squadron and found myself responsible for, amongst other vehicles, Sherman tanks and I used to take the kit inspections shown in Adam's photo.

ps
We also had Tommy guns !
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/30/a2017630.shtml

 

Here're some photos:

Crew N Africa 1942

Crew Tunisia 1942

Crew Nov 1944

Crew Jan 1945

Steve W.

 

GPRegt

The tank suits shown in some of your pics were invaluable

BBC - WW2 People's War - Diary Entries 11th April 1945

Ron

 

Nice photo Adam. That sure answers the question. That's a lot of stuff.

 

Uniform
- British Tank Beret
- British 40-pattern BD Blouse
- British 40-pattern BD Trousers
- British Tank Crew Overralls
- British Ammunition Boots
- British 37-pattern Cloth Anklets

Equipment
- British 37 Pattern Ammo Case
- British Tank Holster w/Dropdown extension & Leg Strap
- Binoculars
- 37-Pattern Waistbelt

Weapons
- Enfield Revolver No.2/Mark 1

 

I seem to remember an M3 "burp" gun with a curved barrel use by tankers to remove pesky enemy soldiers from the exterior of their tanks.

Photo Search - curved barrel submachine gun - Jamd

tom

 

IIRC the M3 was still being used by M1 tank crews up till a few years ago.

 

Thanks for the responses, guys. It is much appreciated.

Out of curiousity, what types of StuGs did he fight in?

/Kommando

 

He fought in an Ausf G similar to what is in my signature

 

M3 Stuart crew