2RHPZ
11-17-2004, 07:32 AM
Taking on Panthers and Tigers
Sergeant Fred Kite was the only British soldier to win three Military
Medals in the Second World War. The winning came in a desperate fight
against German Panther and Tiger tanks during the summer of 1944.
STEPHEN L. WRIGHT tells the heroic story.
White hot metal sliced through the air, a mighty Tiger tank was flipped over like a leaf in a breeze. The Germans were receiving, in the language of British soldiers, a 'right stonking'. It was just after 0530 on 18th July 1944 and Operation Goodwood was underway. 3rd R.T.R. was part of the formidable 11th Armoured Division that had landed in Normandy on 13th and 14th June. The division comprised two brigades (29th Armoured and 159th Infantry) and a selection of divisional troops, including 2nd Northants Yeomanry. 29th Armoured Brigade was composed of 3rd R.T.R., 23rd Hussars, 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and 8th Rifle Brigade, which supplied infantry support. The total armoured strength was 265. This was made up of the new model Cromwell, M4A3 Sherman and the upgunned Sherman 'Firefly'.
By 10th July, the overall Allied situation was still not to Montgomery's liking. The port of Cherbourg was not in operation, the Americans had yet to find a way out of the Cotentin Peninsula and 2nd Army's expected drive into Calvados had not happened. Consequently, the enemy had prosecuted these delays by moving four infantry divisions into Normandy with the intention of releasing the Panzer divisions to increase pressure on the Americans.
British Attack
It was time to get serious and Operation Goodwood was the result. Three armoured divisions were to drive for the Bourguebus Ridge, south-east of Caen, whilst the Canadian II Corps was to take the remainder of Caen. Montgomery outlined his intentions in a memorandum to General Richard O'Connor, who would be commanding the British attack: 'To engage the German armour in battle and write it down to such an extent that it is of no further value to the Germans as a basis of the battle... The three armoured divisions will be required to dominate the area...and to fight and destroy the enemy.'
Whether the men of the 11th Armoured Division shared Montgomery's hopes is open to interpretation. However, it can be said with relative certainty that they were not expecting a picnic. Just maybe, though, Goodwood mightturn out to be a 'day at the races' with the Germans folding under the combined weight of air, artillery and tank power.
Members of 21st Panzer Division felt the full impact of the 'writing down'. A tank wireless operator, Werner Kortenhaus, of 22nd Panzer Regiment described the attack: 'The men got into the tanks and closed to flaps, or crawled underneath for protection. We saw little dots detach themselves from the planes. So many of them that the crazy thought occurred to us; are those leaflets? We could hardly believe that they could all be bombs. Then began the most terrifying hours of our lives... Among the thunder of the explosions, we could hear the wounded scream and the insane howling of men who had been driven mad' (from Six Armies in Normandy)
Shortly before 0800, Sgt. Frederick 'Buck' Kite M.M. (gained for his actions at Tarhuna, North Africa, in 1943) was standing in the turret of his M4A3 Sherman, Shuftie's Hope, observing the artillery barrage which was the final part of the 'softening up'. Suddenly, without warning, shells started to fall amongst the vehicles of 3rd R.T.R. causing as much panic as that in the German lines. Five troop commanders were killed, including Kite's. All hope of a disciplined start had been lost. Nevertheless, the command 'Advance!' was given and the four troops of A Squadron 3rd R.T.R. moved off. Sgt. Kite was now in charge of 4 Troop. The plan was for the tanks to stay just short of the rolling barrage. Unfortunately, the ploughed up land and smoke caused by the barrage slowed the advance.
Dazed and Bewildered
The barrage, and earlier bombing, had been intended to neutralize the German anti-tank batteries and put any surviving support troops to flight. The Germans had indeed suffered tremendous losses, as the tank crews soon found out. Several army units were passed, their crews dazed and bewildered by the bombardment. They were left to be picked up by the men of 8th Infantry. Ahead of the British tanks lay three railway lines from Caen. These made excellent markers for aircraft and gunners, both tank and artillery. Beyond the lines was the Bourguebus Ridge, a jewel for any commander intent on gaining the advantage of height. So far, apart from the odd shell, the tanks had attracted little enemy fire. Consequently, they continued a steady advance towards the railway embankment. It was now that the British crews found that not all the enemy defences had been silenced.
Watching the advance, from the village of Cagny, was Hans von Luck, freshly arrived from three days' leave in Paris. Oberst von Luck had been briefed by his deputy on what had passed in the last few hours. Now, standing on the edge of Cagny, he was under the misapprehension that his troops were all that stood between the Allies and the open ground between the railway lines and the ridge. Looking around, von Luck counted one Mark IV, one 88mm anti-tank gun and a battery of 88mm anti-aircraft guns. The first two units immediately followed von Luck's order to deploy and open fire on the British tanks. The officer in charge of the anti-aircraft battery was less cooperative. A pistol pointed at his head and a declaration from von Luck that he could 'either die now on my responsibility or win a decoration on his own' swung the odds in the Oberst's favour.
Approaching le Mesnil-Frementel, on its eastern side, a Sherman from the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry went up in flames and this signaled the beginning of a furious exchange between both sides. It quickly became apparent that the Germans had let the leading F.F.Y. tanks go past them and then struck at the rear squadron. The 3rd R.T.R. tanks, on the western sid of the village, were ordered to keep going for the railway embankment. Three or four Shermans wer hit under intense fire from Cagny and le Poirier. Nevertheless, the embankment was reached, safe deployment carried out and the crews had time for a short breather.
Sherman Inferno
Across a sea of wheat stood the silent, sleepy hamlets of Ifs, Bras and Hubert Folie. To their left was the Bourguebus Ridge. A carrier section, under the command of Lieutenant David Stileman, was sent forward to Hubert Folie to ascertain the situation. This scout party soon returned with a report of no enemy being sighted. So, an advance, covering a front of two miles, began towards the hamlets. Bras stands at the top of a slope beside a small wood. It was here that, in the words of Buck Kite, 'We started copping it'. In a matter of minutes, the peaceful wheatfields were turned into something more akin to Dante's Inferno. Sherman after Sherman was knocked out by accurate anti-tank fire. Crews baled out, their clothing, hair and faces aflame. Major Bill Close, A Squadron's C.O., also had his tank shot from underneath him. Fortunately, neither he nor any of his crew was hurt. He sent them to shelter, took command of a Troop Corporal's tank and continued to control the attack of his now greatly depleted squadron.
Buck Kite still had all four tanks in his troop. Scouting ahead, he picked out three targets: two S.P. guns and a tank. He directed his gunner, Herbie Barlow, onto the targets and all three were hit. The uphill advance continued. The remaining tanks of A Squadron were now finding it almost impossible to make headway. It was taking all the guile and experience of their commanders to avoid enemy fire, let alone having to cope with a gradient advance.
Yet, in the face of that fierce and withering anti-tank fire, Buck Kite urged 4 Troop to carry on moving forward. His No. 2 was hit, but he had not time to help the crew. His one thought was to give the tanks behind him room to manoeuvre. He saw gun flashes in a copse. Once again, Herbie Barlow followed his commander's directions and engaged a Panther, causing the crew to bale out. To Kite's left, a tank from 1 Troop was hit by a dug-in 88mm gun. Buck directed his gunner onto another 88, which was knocked out. A troop of three enemy tanks appeared on the ridge. Kite called down the co-ordinates and one of the tanks was hit.
To his rear, A Squadron nosed forward, using whatever cover was available. Kite's courage and charisma under fire was an impressive sight.
It did not go unrewarded: 'At all times he displayed a very high standard of leadership, dash and personal courage and was an excellent example for the remainder of the squadron. [He] held on to his position under extremely trying circumstances. This allowed the remainder of the squadron to get forward into better positions.' (extract from Sgt. Kite's citation for his second M.M.) However, despite all Buck Kite's actions, the order was given to withdraw, facing the enemy, to the railway embankment.
Disaster Strikes
As Taff Evans, Kite's driver, eased Shuftie's Hope on to the crest of the embankment, disaster struck. Seemingly out of nowhere an artillery hell passed through the tank. Amazingly, none of the crew was injured. Less fortunate was the engine, which cut out and refused to start. The crew abandoned the tank and headed for cover. Then Kite and his wireless operator, Peter Elstob, crept back to Shuftie to set fire to it. They dropped a burning, petrol soaked rag into the fuel tank and raced back to their colleagues.
Imagine Buck Kite's amazement when, that evening, he saw his tank being taken to the workshop! It would appear that Elstob, being separated from his commander on returning to their crew mates, circled back to the tank, got in the driver's seat and turned over the engine. It sprang to life and Elstob called up H.Q. to see what he should do. He was instructed to bring the tank back to the encampment. Thus, Shuftie's Hope was saved to fight another day, and Buck Kite would again be at the sharp end.
By 2nd August, 11th Armoured Division had worked its way around the back of 2nd Army. After an eye-straining night advance, in pitch-black conditions, A Squadron rolled into an orchard close to the hamlet of Le Grand Bonfait. Working with the other commanders to space out the tanks, Kite placed his Sherman under a tree and the remainder of his responsibility clos by, a Firefly, three Shermans and a couple of artillery O.P. tanks. Bill Close, with the remainder of his squadron, was about 400 yards away. There was a field of standing corn in front of the orchard, where the infantry dug in, and the night passed without incident so that all were 'stood to' at first light. Wireless operators, conversing across the net, were relaxed in their exchanges. The enemy, so it seemed, was 'miles away'. The British squaddy's brew and breakfast was soon in hand as the troops in the orchard also relaxed.
Then, about 9.30, Buck Kite recalls that 'shot, shells and bullets swept in from nowhere'. Leaping onto his tank he spotted two Panzers edging their way through the trees. Calling his crew to 'jump to it', he took a bead on the tanks and fired a shot. None of his fellow commanders assisted him. Crew members were diving for cover as fast as they could. Some even went under their tanks, instead of into them! As a Sherman burst into flames, Kite knew that the situation was rapidly turning nasty. However, the Panzers had stopped advancing and had in fact disappeared from view.
Unfortunately, three more were creeping forward. With the possible fate of the Shropshires at the front of his mind, Buck Kite took on the tanks. Calling up Major Close, Kite was told to: 'Do your best, I'll see if I can get anyone to help.'
Enemy at Bay
Kite did just that. Shuftie's barrel almost glowed with the number of shells that poured through it. All the Armour Piercing was used up and Buck had to revert to High Explosive. This was not as effective but, nevertheless, kept the enemy at bay. Eventually, the H.E. stock reached critical level. Then Kite remembered his O.P. Firefly. Its 17-pounder gun could certainly do some damage to the German tanks. Kite and Herbie Barlow moved to the Firefly and continued their attack. In minutes, the tank was hit and they had to abandon it and move back to Shuftie's Hope. They used the remainder of the H.E. very quickly and were left with no option but to abandon. A gunner indicated an immobilized O.P. Sherman that was carrying plenty of ammunition. Kite organized a chain and soon shells started to be passed up to Shuftie's crew.
Buck Kite was now faced with seven enemy tanks. Herbie Barlow hit two of them, but the remainder kept up a steady barrage. Then, as Buck directed Herbie Barlow onto a Panther, the enemy tank fired. Kite saw the wheat bend with the passing of the shell. The next thing he knew was coming-to on the back of his tank with blood pouring from a head wound. He had been knocked unconscious and fallen to the bottom of the tank. Herbie Barlow and another crew member had pushed him out through the hatch. All the fingers on his left hand were smashed. As Buck was lowered into a slit trench a piece of shrapnel hit him in the arm.
Buck Kite's war was over but his reward was another bar to his M.M. The citation reads as follows: 'On 3rd August 1944 at LE GRAND BONFAIT, Sgt. Kite was commanding one of several tanks on the edge of an orchard, the duty of these tanks to support a company of infantry. This position was strongly counter-attacked by enemy infantry and at least one Tiger and four Panther tanks... All the other tanks in the vicinity of Sgt. Kite were hit and set on fire, but despite this he maintained his position... Sgt. Kite kept his own tank in action and secured at least five hits... before... he himself was seriously wounded. Sgt. Kite showed the greatest personal courage, and his example of remaining in action against odds that were much against him was an inspiration to all.'
Fred Kite was the only soldier to win three Military Medals in the Second World War and doubly honoured by having all three presented by King George VI. The M.M.'s along with Fred's campaign medals, can be seen at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the following for their help in compiling this article: Mrs Elaine Kite for inspiring him with her late husband's story; Stan Dewey for the painting of Shuftie's Hope; Capt. Tim Turner from R.H.Q. R.T.R.; David Fletcher from the Tank Museum, Bovington.
Sources
Panzer Bait - With the 3rd R.T.R. 1940-1944 by William Moore (Leo Cooper 1991)
A View from the Turret - A History of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment in the Second World War by Major Bill Close M.C. (Dell & Bredon 1998)
Steel Inferno - 1 SS Panzer Korps in Normandy by Michael Reynolds (Spellmount 1997)
Six Armies in Normandy by John Keegan (Penguin 1982)
The Struggle for Europe by Chester Wilmot (Collins 1952)
Sergeant Fred Kite was the only British soldier to win three Military
Medals in the Second World War. The winning came in a desperate fight
against German Panther and Tiger tanks during the summer of 1944.
STEPHEN L. WRIGHT tells the heroic story.
White hot metal sliced through the air, a mighty Tiger tank was flipped over like a leaf in a breeze. The Germans were receiving, in the language of British soldiers, a 'right stonking'. It was just after 0530 on 18th July 1944 and Operation Goodwood was underway. 3rd R.T.R. was part of the formidable 11th Armoured Division that had landed in Normandy on 13th and 14th June. The division comprised two brigades (29th Armoured and 159th Infantry) and a selection of divisional troops, including 2nd Northants Yeomanry. 29th Armoured Brigade was composed of 3rd R.T.R., 23rd Hussars, 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and 8th Rifle Brigade, which supplied infantry support. The total armoured strength was 265. This was made up of the new model Cromwell, M4A3 Sherman and the upgunned Sherman 'Firefly'.
By 10th July, the overall Allied situation was still not to Montgomery's liking. The port of Cherbourg was not in operation, the Americans had yet to find a way out of the Cotentin Peninsula and 2nd Army's expected drive into Calvados had not happened. Consequently, the enemy had prosecuted these delays by moving four infantry divisions into Normandy with the intention of releasing the Panzer divisions to increase pressure on the Americans.
British Attack
It was time to get serious and Operation Goodwood was the result. Three armoured divisions were to drive for the Bourguebus Ridge, south-east of Caen, whilst the Canadian II Corps was to take the remainder of Caen. Montgomery outlined his intentions in a memorandum to General Richard O'Connor, who would be commanding the British attack: 'To engage the German armour in battle and write it down to such an extent that it is of no further value to the Germans as a basis of the battle... The three armoured divisions will be required to dominate the area...and to fight and destroy the enemy.'
Whether the men of the 11th Armoured Division shared Montgomery's hopes is open to interpretation. However, it can be said with relative certainty that they were not expecting a picnic. Just maybe, though, Goodwood mightturn out to be a 'day at the races' with the Germans folding under the combined weight of air, artillery and tank power.
Members of 21st Panzer Division felt the full impact of the 'writing down'. A tank wireless operator, Werner Kortenhaus, of 22nd Panzer Regiment described the attack: 'The men got into the tanks and closed to flaps, or crawled underneath for protection. We saw little dots detach themselves from the planes. So many of them that the crazy thought occurred to us; are those leaflets? We could hardly believe that they could all be bombs. Then began the most terrifying hours of our lives... Among the thunder of the explosions, we could hear the wounded scream and the insane howling of men who had been driven mad' (from Six Armies in Normandy)
Shortly before 0800, Sgt. Frederick 'Buck' Kite M.M. (gained for his actions at Tarhuna, North Africa, in 1943) was standing in the turret of his M4A3 Sherman, Shuftie's Hope, observing the artillery barrage which was the final part of the 'softening up'. Suddenly, without warning, shells started to fall amongst the vehicles of 3rd R.T.R. causing as much panic as that in the German lines. Five troop commanders were killed, including Kite's. All hope of a disciplined start had been lost. Nevertheless, the command 'Advance!' was given and the four troops of A Squadron 3rd R.T.R. moved off. Sgt. Kite was now in charge of 4 Troop. The plan was for the tanks to stay just short of the rolling barrage. Unfortunately, the ploughed up land and smoke caused by the barrage slowed the advance.
Dazed and Bewildered
The barrage, and earlier bombing, had been intended to neutralize the German anti-tank batteries and put any surviving support troops to flight. The Germans had indeed suffered tremendous losses, as the tank crews soon found out. Several army units were passed, their crews dazed and bewildered by the bombardment. They were left to be picked up by the men of 8th Infantry. Ahead of the British tanks lay three railway lines from Caen. These made excellent markers for aircraft and gunners, both tank and artillery. Beyond the lines was the Bourguebus Ridge, a jewel for any commander intent on gaining the advantage of height. So far, apart from the odd shell, the tanks had attracted little enemy fire. Consequently, they continued a steady advance towards the railway embankment. It was now that the British crews found that not all the enemy defences had been silenced.
Watching the advance, from the village of Cagny, was Hans von Luck, freshly arrived from three days' leave in Paris. Oberst von Luck had been briefed by his deputy on what had passed in the last few hours. Now, standing on the edge of Cagny, he was under the misapprehension that his troops were all that stood between the Allies and the open ground between the railway lines and the ridge. Looking around, von Luck counted one Mark IV, one 88mm anti-tank gun and a battery of 88mm anti-aircraft guns. The first two units immediately followed von Luck's order to deploy and open fire on the British tanks. The officer in charge of the anti-aircraft battery was less cooperative. A pistol pointed at his head and a declaration from von Luck that he could 'either die now on my responsibility or win a decoration on his own' swung the odds in the Oberst's favour.
Approaching le Mesnil-Frementel, on its eastern side, a Sherman from the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry went up in flames and this signaled the beginning of a furious exchange between both sides. It quickly became apparent that the Germans had let the leading F.F.Y. tanks go past them and then struck at the rear squadron. The 3rd R.T.R. tanks, on the western sid of the village, were ordered to keep going for the railway embankment. Three or four Shermans wer hit under intense fire from Cagny and le Poirier. Nevertheless, the embankment was reached, safe deployment carried out and the crews had time for a short breather.
Sherman Inferno
Across a sea of wheat stood the silent, sleepy hamlets of Ifs, Bras and Hubert Folie. To their left was the Bourguebus Ridge. A carrier section, under the command of Lieutenant David Stileman, was sent forward to Hubert Folie to ascertain the situation. This scout party soon returned with a report of no enemy being sighted. So, an advance, covering a front of two miles, began towards the hamlets. Bras stands at the top of a slope beside a small wood. It was here that, in the words of Buck Kite, 'We started copping it'. In a matter of minutes, the peaceful wheatfields were turned into something more akin to Dante's Inferno. Sherman after Sherman was knocked out by accurate anti-tank fire. Crews baled out, their clothing, hair and faces aflame. Major Bill Close, A Squadron's C.O., also had his tank shot from underneath him. Fortunately, neither he nor any of his crew was hurt. He sent them to shelter, took command of a Troop Corporal's tank and continued to control the attack of his now greatly depleted squadron.
Buck Kite still had all four tanks in his troop. Scouting ahead, he picked out three targets: two S.P. guns and a tank. He directed his gunner, Herbie Barlow, onto the targets and all three were hit. The uphill advance continued. The remaining tanks of A Squadron were now finding it almost impossible to make headway. It was taking all the guile and experience of their commanders to avoid enemy fire, let alone having to cope with a gradient advance.
Yet, in the face of that fierce and withering anti-tank fire, Buck Kite urged 4 Troop to carry on moving forward. His No. 2 was hit, but he had not time to help the crew. His one thought was to give the tanks behind him room to manoeuvre. He saw gun flashes in a copse. Once again, Herbie Barlow followed his commander's directions and engaged a Panther, causing the crew to bale out. To Kite's left, a tank from 1 Troop was hit by a dug-in 88mm gun. Buck directed his gunner onto another 88, which was knocked out. A troop of three enemy tanks appeared on the ridge. Kite called down the co-ordinates and one of the tanks was hit.
To his rear, A Squadron nosed forward, using whatever cover was available. Kite's courage and charisma under fire was an impressive sight.
It did not go unrewarded: 'At all times he displayed a very high standard of leadership, dash and personal courage and was an excellent example for the remainder of the squadron. [He] held on to his position under extremely trying circumstances. This allowed the remainder of the squadron to get forward into better positions.' (extract from Sgt. Kite's citation for his second M.M.) However, despite all Buck Kite's actions, the order was given to withdraw, facing the enemy, to the railway embankment.
Disaster Strikes
As Taff Evans, Kite's driver, eased Shuftie's Hope on to the crest of the embankment, disaster struck. Seemingly out of nowhere an artillery hell passed through the tank. Amazingly, none of the crew was injured. Less fortunate was the engine, which cut out and refused to start. The crew abandoned the tank and headed for cover. Then Kite and his wireless operator, Peter Elstob, crept back to Shuftie to set fire to it. They dropped a burning, petrol soaked rag into the fuel tank and raced back to their colleagues.
Imagine Buck Kite's amazement when, that evening, he saw his tank being taken to the workshop! It would appear that Elstob, being separated from his commander on returning to their crew mates, circled back to the tank, got in the driver's seat and turned over the engine. It sprang to life and Elstob called up H.Q. to see what he should do. He was instructed to bring the tank back to the encampment. Thus, Shuftie's Hope was saved to fight another day, and Buck Kite would again be at the sharp end.
By 2nd August, 11th Armoured Division had worked its way around the back of 2nd Army. After an eye-straining night advance, in pitch-black conditions, A Squadron rolled into an orchard close to the hamlet of Le Grand Bonfait. Working with the other commanders to space out the tanks, Kite placed his Sherman under a tree and the remainder of his responsibility clos by, a Firefly, three Shermans and a couple of artillery O.P. tanks. Bill Close, with the remainder of his squadron, was about 400 yards away. There was a field of standing corn in front of the orchard, where the infantry dug in, and the night passed without incident so that all were 'stood to' at first light. Wireless operators, conversing across the net, were relaxed in their exchanges. The enemy, so it seemed, was 'miles away'. The British squaddy's brew and breakfast was soon in hand as the troops in the orchard also relaxed.
Then, about 9.30, Buck Kite recalls that 'shot, shells and bullets swept in from nowhere'. Leaping onto his tank he spotted two Panzers edging their way through the trees. Calling his crew to 'jump to it', he took a bead on the tanks and fired a shot. None of his fellow commanders assisted him. Crew members were diving for cover as fast as they could. Some even went under their tanks, instead of into them! As a Sherman burst into flames, Kite knew that the situation was rapidly turning nasty. However, the Panzers had stopped advancing and had in fact disappeared from view.
Unfortunately, three more were creeping forward. With the possible fate of the Shropshires at the front of his mind, Buck Kite took on the tanks. Calling up Major Close, Kite was told to: 'Do your best, I'll see if I can get anyone to help.'
Enemy at Bay
Kite did just that. Shuftie's barrel almost glowed with the number of shells that poured through it. All the Armour Piercing was used up and Buck had to revert to High Explosive. This was not as effective but, nevertheless, kept the enemy at bay. Eventually, the H.E. stock reached critical level. Then Kite remembered his O.P. Firefly. Its 17-pounder gun could certainly do some damage to the German tanks. Kite and Herbie Barlow moved to the Firefly and continued their attack. In minutes, the tank was hit and they had to abandon it and move back to Shuftie's Hope. They used the remainder of the H.E. very quickly and were left with no option but to abandon. A gunner indicated an immobilized O.P. Sherman that was carrying plenty of ammunition. Kite organized a chain and soon shells started to be passed up to Shuftie's crew.
Buck Kite was now faced with seven enemy tanks. Herbie Barlow hit two of them, but the remainder kept up a steady barrage. Then, as Buck directed Herbie Barlow onto a Panther, the enemy tank fired. Kite saw the wheat bend with the passing of the shell. The next thing he knew was coming-to on the back of his tank with blood pouring from a head wound. He had been knocked unconscious and fallen to the bottom of the tank. Herbie Barlow and another crew member had pushed him out through the hatch. All the fingers on his left hand were smashed. As Buck was lowered into a slit trench a piece of shrapnel hit him in the arm.
Buck Kite's war was over but his reward was another bar to his M.M. The citation reads as follows: 'On 3rd August 1944 at LE GRAND BONFAIT, Sgt. Kite was commanding one of several tanks on the edge of an orchard, the duty of these tanks to support a company of infantry. This position was strongly counter-attacked by enemy infantry and at least one Tiger and four Panther tanks... All the other tanks in the vicinity of Sgt. Kite were hit and set on fire, but despite this he maintained his position... Sgt. Kite kept his own tank in action and secured at least five hits... before... he himself was seriously wounded. Sgt. Kite showed the greatest personal courage, and his example of remaining in action against odds that were much against him was an inspiration to all.'
Fred Kite was the only soldier to win three Military Medals in the Second World War and doubly honoured by having all three presented by King George VI. The M.M.'s along with Fred's campaign medals, can be seen at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the following for their help in compiling this article: Mrs Elaine Kite for inspiring him with her late husband's story; Stan Dewey for the painting of Shuftie's Hope; Capt. Tim Turner from R.H.Q. R.T.R.; David Fletcher from the Tank Museum, Bovington.
Sources
Panzer Bait - With the 3rd R.T.R. 1940-1944 by William Moore (Leo Cooper 1991)
A View from the Turret - A History of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment in the Second World War by Major Bill Close M.C. (Dell & Bredon 1998)
Steel Inferno - 1 SS Panzer Korps in Normandy by Michael Reynolds (Spellmount 1997)
Six Armies in Normandy by John Keegan (Penguin 1982)
The Struggle for Europe by Chester Wilmot (Collins 1952)