This Sherman Tank is to be found at Torcross, the launch point for the classic trip around the southernmost of Devon’s coast. It was placed here in 1984. It had previously spent forty years underwater.
In April 1944, a practice beach landing was carried out in Start Bay, prior to the D-Day landings. Due to errors in communication, poor planning and (unfortunately) negligence by the Royal Navy, German E-boats were able to slip into the exercise area and torpedo many of the landing vessels. More US soldiers died after clambering ashore when they were accidentally shelled by live ammunition. At least 946 US servicemen died that night, the bodies buried in mass graves on local farms. This disaster was quickly hushed up and was shrouded in total secrecy for decades after WWII.
The Sherman Tank was raised from the sea bed due to the prolonged efforts of local businessman Ken Small. He bought it from the US Government for $50 and placed it as a memorial to the forgotten US soldiers and sailors of Exercise Tiger.
Strange things rumours; I heard a version of this tale suggesting that the US exercise was unknown to the RN and a patrol of RN destroyers rammed as many of the landing craft as they could believing that it was a German invasion. This happened at Slapton Sands, I believe, just north of Torcross.
I suppose I should check my facts.
Den Healey
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