Here’s a quick one from top bloke David Evans relating to the tank testing alleged to have occurred at Shire Oak during the Second Word War. He’s kindly contacted Len Jones, of the Gentleshaw Sand & Gravel co. (Hence Jones Pool in Clayhanger) to see what he knows.

This is still cautionary, and very much speculation. Whilst careless talk cost lives, I can’t quite see this not being talked about after the war by excited young lads who’d have spotted all this gripping stuff going on (young lads know exactly what’s happening in their neighbourhood, usually). It’s fascinating and I’m very open-minded, but proof is, as ever, elusive.

First of all, David writes:

HI Bob

Len Jones’ kind letter helps to remove the use of the quarry before he joined the RAF. he has recently celebrated his 88th birthday..so probably enlisted around 70 years ago…

what IS known …

Dieppe raid, operation Jubilee, August 1942..failure of latest Churchill tanks to get off the shingle beach……all 58 of them were stuck.

1943 Field Marshall Sir Alan Brooke set up a scheme to create specialist tanks for Normandy invasion, June 1944……General Hobart and his “funnies”

So, in the year leading up to Normandy invasion these Churchill tank and Sherman tank conversions had to be made…………. and versions tested..

6000 Hobarts funnies were used in Normandy and Operation Overlord ( source;-Sky tv Weaponology programme; tanks )

As with the Mulberry Floating Harbour construction , I would expect the work involved in converting tanks to be spread out over many locations and with many companies……speed and secrecy

Len Jones mentions tanks rumbling along the Chester Road in the early years of the war and being tested somewhere ! These would be early Matilda tanks, I think

I have sent an e-mail to the librarian of the archives at Bovington Tank Museum to see what records exist…………..

cheers

David

And Len Jones mail: Thanks Len, fascinating.

Tank Testing during WWll

During the war there were 3 sand & gravel pits in the Chester Road area.

1) Fishponds Sand & Gravel Company, entrance just to the left of the Fishponds bluebell wood.

2) Shire Oak Sand & Gravel Company, entrance from Sandhills, Lichfield Road
( eventually went right up to the Fishponds Boundary)

3)Chester Road Sand & Gravel Company, entrance to the left of Sam’s Transport Café. This eventually went right over to Holly Lane area , Walsall Wood.

None of the above belonged to what became Gentleshaw Sand Ltd.

Tanks were tested in the area but not at any of these quarries, to my knowledge. They could be seen regularly going up and down the Chester Road in both directions. I don’t know where they were tested.

Before I was called up into the RAF, I was working for my father, Ernest Jones, who had a road haulage company / sand business. I regularly collected sand and gravel from all three of the above quarries. You could drive when you were 16 in those days and I used to drive a 10 ton lorry!

On one occasion, about 1940, we had been asked to work a small sandpit at the bottom of Castle Hill on the Chester Road. I think we were taking the sand off so that they could build a house there. I drew out into the Chester Road, turning right towards Birmingham with my lorry fully loaded. As the tanks were camouflaged I didn’t see one coming from the left travelling at speed, as it was against the trees. I pulled out right in front of it, causing it to put its brakes on. This must have upset the tank driver because he tried to overtake me, probably with a view to braking in front of me, I expect. Fortunately, although fully loaded, I managed to get up enough speed to keep ahead of him.

I hope this information is useful.

Len Jones. 25th September, 2011.