CHARIOTS OF THE LAKE

This exciting book focuses on the history and development of one of Britain's most bisarre World War II secret weapons, a weapon that was tested and developed at Fritton Lake, near Lowestoft: amphibious Duplex Drive Valentine and Sherman tanks. The book discusses the initial fresh water trials at Fritton Lake through to D-Day and the subsequent river crossing actions in The Netherlands, Italy and Germany. The book draws on official military records and interviews with former tank crewmen to allow the reader to follow the experiences of a tank crew with their first encounter with the submerged escape training apparatus, launching the tanks at sea and their ultimate fate on the D-Day landing beaches. There are also interviews with veterans from the various British, Canadian and American units who trained with the DD tanks. Included are wartime photographs of tanks in training and in action, and plans. Also included in the book are RAF aerial photographs of the training at Fritton Lake.