The first photo is from from Juno Beach I believe.
Read this book years ago and would like to reread.
https://www.amazon.com/Flame-Thrower-Andrew-Wilson/dp/0553245333
synopsis back-cover
FLAME THROWER - ANDREW WILSON
THIS IS THE SEARING ACCOUNT OF WILSON'S EXPERIENCES AS AN ARMOURED OFFICER IN ONE OF THE "SPECIALS", MODIFIED SPECIAL PURPOSE TANKS OF THE NORMANDY INVASION AND SUBSEQUENT LAND BATTLES--
ONE OF THE "CROCODILE" FLAME-THROWER EQUIPPED VARIANTS OF THE CHURCHILL TANK.
"OF ALL THE WEAPONS IN THE LAST WAR THE FLAME-THROWING TANK WAS THE MOST HORRIBLE. THIS IS THE STORY OF A YOUNG OFFICER WHO FOUGHT IN THESE FIRE-SPITTING CROCODILES FROM NORMANDY TO ARNHEM. HE DESCRIBES VIVIDLY HOW A "CROCODILE "COULD, IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, REDUCE A FORTIFIED BUILDING TO A RAGING INFERNO OF CLINGING LIQUID FLAME. YET THE ODDS WERE NOT ALL ON THE ONE SIDE ; THE FIRE TANKS WERE CLUMSY AND HIGHLY VULNERABLE, THE CHURCHILL ITSELF HAD MORE THAN ITS SHARE OF MECHANICAL FAILURES, AND THE GERMANS GAVE NO SECOND CHANCES TO ANY THEY CAUGHT...IT IS STRONG MEAT, BUT A CHRONICLE OF GREAT GALLANTRY BY MEN WHO PERFORMED THE NEAR SUICIDE DUTY IN THESE HORRIFYING MONSTERS.
" AN HONEST AND BRILLIANTLY DRAWN SKETCH OF ONE MAN'S WAR, SEEN FROM THE TURRET OF A TANK WHICH TOWED AN ARMOURED TRAILER FULL OF LIQUID FIRE. THERE WERE ONLY FIFTY CROCS IN THE ENTIRE ALLIED ARMIES...THEY HORRIFIED THE GERMANS, AND THEIR CREWS WERE GIVEN NO QUARTER IF THE TABLES TURNED.
http://ww2f.com/threads/churchill-crocodile-tanks-and-the-ss.3974/
Unit history of 79th (Armoured) Division 1944-45
Churchill Crocodiles
Churchill Crocodiles were issued to 141st Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (RAC), formerly an infantry battalion of the Buffs (East Kent Regiment), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel H.Waddell. They formed part of 31st Armoured Brigade, 79th (Armoured) Division.
The unit did not take part in D Day, and joined the division in the Bridgehead on 20th June 1944. Their first action was at Crepon, when 2 Crocodiles under Lieutenant J.W.G.Sherman supported C Squdaron Westminster Dragoons; there were no casualties.
Tank casualties to the unit were as follows:
June 1944 – nil.
July 1944 – 8.
August 1944 – 5.
September 1944 – 7.
October 1944 – 3.
November 1944 – 3.
December 1944 – nil.
January 1945 – 9.
February 1945 – 1.
March 1945 – 1.
April 1945 – 1.
In personnel they had 28 killed, 104 wounded and 36 missing.
From September 1944, 1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry joined the division and were also equipped with Crocodiles. Their tank losses were:
October 1944 – 1.
November 1944 – 3.
December 1944 – nil.
January 1945 – 2.
February 1945 – 3.
March 1945 – 2.
April 1945 – 1.
In personnel they had 13 killed, 41 wounded and 9 missing.
7th Royal Tank Regiment joined the division in February 1945 and were again also equipped with Crocodiles.
They lost 3 tanks in April 1945, had 4 men killed, and 15 wounded.
The number of missing, particularly for 141 RAC is surprising; but it might refer to crews killed in a brewed Crocodile whose bodies were not recoverable.
There is no account in the divisional history of any Crocodiles being overrun by the enemy; most were KO’d by shell-fire, tank fire and mines.
BUT, same link: From the book Flame Thrower’
“[The] armoured cars had met an advancing SS division. There had been a battle, and after many days the SS had been pushed back to a ridge a few miles inland… two days before Harvey had gone in with an attack and lost a track as he milled about on the objective. It was a simple repair. But as he did it a counter-attack came in and the rest of the squadron was forced to fall back. Now, that morning, the squadron had helped to retake the place. They found Harvey’s tank and the tools laid out on the ground around it. Harvey and his crew had been lined up against a farmhouse wall and shot… would they shoot all captured Crocodile crews from now on?” (p.59-60)
