The heart-stopping detonation and the toll of twisting metal reverberated across the
stretch of Bourguébus Ridge.
For a brief, terrifying moment, the crew of the M4A2 Sherman was ensnared in a chilling
paralysis.
An ominous silhouette of a Panzer IV rose before them, its gun barrel still smoking
from the fresh shot it had released.
Panic took hold of the American crew; they were convinced a second round from the Panzer
would turn their metal beast into a coffin.
With an urgency fueled by raw fear, they hastily deserted the tank, darting towards cover.
Yet the second shot never appeared.
The crew returned to their tank and discovered that their potential doom had been thwarted
by a spare road wheel perched on the hull, which bore the brunt of the attack, leaving
the Sherman virtually untouched.
Despite the close call, fate, it seemed, had a much grander plan for this crew and their
Sherman tank, aptly nicknamed 'Bomb.'
The men boarded Bomb and pressed on to Verrières Ridge.
There, they would vanquish two enemy tanks in a fierce firestorm, asserting their dominance
on the battlefield.
For the following months, the humble Bomb would become an unstoppable force, the only
tank in World War 2 to fight from D-day to VE-Day non-stop, in an action-packed odyssey
that would leave a mark in modern warfare.
In the tempest of World War 2, the M4A2 Sherman was considered an unlikely hero.
Few anticipated this seemingly mediocre tank would undertake a harrowing journey through
Europe's battle-scarred terrain, traversing thousands of miles and coming out victorious
at the other end.
Despite being the backbone of the Allied forces, the M4A2 Sherman was held in dubious regard.
It appeared vastly inferior when pitted against the German Big Cats—Tiger and Panther tanks.
The Sherman was criticized for its less robust armor, underpowered gun, and disturbing propensity
for ignition, casting a shadow over Allied strategy.
Cynics accentuated the Sherman's inferior 75-millimeter gun against the superior 88-millimeter
boasted by the German tanks.
They also highlighted the Big Cats' sloping, thick armor, capable of repelling most Sherman
projectiles at usual combat ranges.
The Sherman's unfortunate moniker, "Ronson"—echoing the lighter brand—spoke of its dangerous
inclination to blaze when struck.
However, time has witnessed a more nuanced evaluation of the Sherman.
While it fell short of individual specifications, its natural prowess lay in its strategic and
logistical benefits.
The Sherman was dependable, simple to fix, and produced in great quantities —embodying
the Allies' industrial supremacy.
The Sherman was engineered for mass production and to provide comprehensive infantry support
rather than just engage in tank duels.
In this role, it excelled, becoming a key asset in the Allies' arsenal.
The Sherman tanks far outnumbered the German Big Cats.
The United States churned out an astonishing 50,000 units of the M4 Sherman.
In contrast, the Germans manufactured approximately 1,350 Tiger I tanks, 500 Tiger II tanks, and
around 6,000 Panther tanks.
This stark discrepancy embodied the U.S. and Germany's distinct industrial capacities and
strategic ideologies.
The Allies leveraged their production prowess, prioritizing quantity, while Germany's limited
industry forced a tilt towards intricate, superior engineering, albeit in restricted
quantities.
Nevertheless, the Sherman was drastically underestimated, and at least one of them would
become much more iconic than its German counterparts.
Like many Shermans of its era, Bomb boasted unique technical specifications.
This tank was powered by two potent General Motors 6046 diesel engines, churning out an
impressive 375 horsepower.
It could reach a top speed of 30 mph.
With a length of 19.4 feet, a width of 8.7 feet, and a height of 9 feet, it weighed about
33 tons when ready for battle.
The Sherman's offensive capabilities were just as awe-inspiring.
Its primary weapon was a 75 millimeters M3 L/40 gun, accompanied by a .50 caliber Browning
M2HB machine gun mounted on the turret.
Two .30 caliber Browning M1919A4 machine guns were also part of its arsenal—one beside
the main gun and another embedded within the hull.
This M4A2 Sherman variant was known for its 2.5-inch-thick frontal armor, strong enough
to resist most German tank cannons.
A crew of five – a commander, gunner, loader, driver, and assistant driver – manned this
dependable war machine, commonly seen among U.S. allies during World War 2 due to the
Lend-Lease Act.
The Bomb's origin can be traced back to the Fisher Tank Arsenal in Flint, Michigan, where
it was the 898th tank produced and was then shipped to England.
As part of the war effort in 1942, the U.S. placed a production order for an additional
2000 tanks.
Fisher filled this and three other orders from April 1942 to February 1944, manufacturing
more than 4600 M4A2s in just over two years.
The Bomb was a later production model featuring small grille engine deck plates and a splash
guard at the engine deck front.
Its exhaust stacks were hidden under the upper armor at the hull's rear.
Fisher's simplified six-bolt rear engine deck plates adorned the rear upper hull.
Unassuming yet full of potential, Bomb was ready to leave its indelible mark on the theater
of war.
The Sherbrookes Bomb was incorporated into the 27th Armored
Regiment, also known as the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment.
It was one of the 200 Canadian Shermans that landed in Normandy, France, on the decisive
day of June 6, 1944.
British, American, French, and Canadian forces had their own objectives and immediately engaged
the enemy.
Thick smoke, shell craters, mortar strikes, and obstacles received the Canadians at Juno
Beach.
The Sherbrooke Fusiliers faced a Panzer battalion and two infantry battalions at Caen before
clearing a beachhead.
With the area secured, the waterproofing was removed from Bomb, and it was ready to roll.
In the following days, Bomb and the fusiliers fought heavily dug-in German defenders from
the Heer and the Waffen SS, getting rid of over 40 enemy tanks around Caen and Falaise.
The Bomb was only damaged by shell fragments, and two of its wounded crew were replaced.
When the Falaise Pocket began to collapse, Canadian and British armored divisions rushed
after the retreating German units to inflict heavier casualties on the enemy.
Due to its combat abilities displayed on the battlefield, Bomb was made a troop command
tank and advanced to Belgium to liberate the Netherlands.
The 2,500-mile trip was not easy on the Sherbrookes.
The Canadian Shermans encountered several mechanical problems along the way, but not
the resilient Bomb.
It made it to its objective without a scratch or a single malfunction.
It was a living testament to the reliability of the Sherman tank.
In early 1945, the Allied forces began to approach the German Fatherland, almost completing
the total encirclement of the Third Reich.
With the Soviets closing in from the East, there was no escape for the Wehrmacht except
fighting to the bitter end.
And they did so tenaciously.
The British and Canadian armies launched Operation Blockbuster to reach the Hochwald Forest in
the Lower Rhine region.
The Bomb had now traveled over 4,000 miles and fired over 5,000 rounds with minimal damage.
Bomb was dispatched to Kleve, near the German border with Holland, to escort a column of
infantry.
While on the road, the Allied forces were ambushed by German infantry and immobilized
by accurate enemy artillery.
The Teutons then threw smoke grenades to cause more confusion and decimated the trapped infantry
with mortars and machine guns.
Worse, the vehicles were bogged down, and little visibility made it difficult to repair
them.
Lieutenant John Wesley Neill, the troop leader, decided to break out and lead a counterattack.
With the help of Bomb and a few infantrymen, he made way for cleared ground.
He began firing against the German attackers while the rest of the troops retreated to
a safe position.
Bomb and another Sherman that arrived shortly held the line for 20 minutes while artillery,
mortar, and machine gun fire rained on them.
For his bravery in combat, Neill was later awarded the Military Cross.
Although the Sherman had some wounded crewmen across its way to Germany, it had not suffered
a single casualty.
Ernest Mingo, the new commander, intended to keep it that way when crossing the Rhine.
After intense days of combat in the Hochwald Forest, Bomb, and the Sherbrooke Fusiliers
broke the German defensive line that guarded the forested ridge and reached the Rhine.
The Canadian advance was brought to a halt by the antique river.
Still, the men had come a long way from Normandy to just give up.
Although historians still debate the story, it is said that Mingo and the other tank commanders
of the fusiliers decided to seal all the gaps in their tanks and wrap them with air hoses
to make them watertight.
The amphibious Shermans then floated across the Rhine to continue the fight against the
Germans.
The enemy was bewildered by the sight of the Shermans crossing the river and going on the
hunt after them.
Shortly after the Rhine crossing and linking up with other units, Bomb arrived at Zuider
Zee.
One day before the war ended, Ming and Bomb's crew faced a restless German officer that
bitterly sent wave after wave of infantry to surrender the Canadians.
Mingo later remarked to the Sunday Daily News: (QUOTE) "The land between us was covered with
German soldiers.
He must have known the war was over, but he just kept sending them out…”
A remarkable mixture of courage, resolve, engineering, and a touch of serendipity, the
tank 'Bomb' and its devoted crew carved an extraordinary path through the tumultuous
landscape of World War 2.
From the heart-wrenching intensity of D-Day to the relief-laden VE Day, they held their
ground against staggering odds, their story punctuated by victories against enemy tanks
and near brushes with destruction.
While other tanks survived the long march from Normandy to the war's end, none could
boast the outstanding combat record or witness the arduous trials Bomb endured.
However, the war's conclusion rendered Bomb and its fellow Shermans redundant.
Thus, the legendary tank was decommissioned, destined for dismantling.
Yet, in an astonishing twist of fate, the Canadian government swooped in and rescued
the stoic war veteran from a Belgian scrapyard, readying it for a journey to Canadian shores.
Preserved as a tribute to its historical significance, Bomb was put on display for future generations
to gaze upon the behemoth that had traversed war-ravaged Europe and emerged triumphant.
In 2011, the tank underwent a careful restoration, receiving plaques acknowledging its battle
service and a fresh coat of paint that mirrored its wartime apparel, cementing Bomb's timeless
legacy in history.