LAND MATTRESS IN CANADIAN SERVICE

The story of the little-known 1st Canadian Rocket Battery, which was formed in Britain and fought through most of North-west Europe in support of Twenty-First Army Group. Using a Canadian-designed weapon which made the most of Navy rockets, Air Force fuses and Army ingenuity, this unit used land rockets in support of Allied attacks - in much the same way that the Germans and Russians did. "The use of multiple rocket launchers during World War II was more commonly associated with the different Soviet “Stalin Organ” systems and the German Nebelwerfer systems with little interest being shown by the Allies for such systems preferring the conventional artillery gun. The Canadian Army did show some interest in the system and after lengthy trial and development deployed a few launchers were deployed in support of troop operations towards the end of 1944 with mixed results. The book covers the history of the Land Mattress from the original concepts through development, testing and finally to deployment with accounts of various actions and the results. There is a brief section covering the use of guns verses rocket launchers followed by a detailed rundown on the development and technical description of how the launchers worked and the associated problems with production and deployment. The text is complimented with numerous BandW wartime photographs of the launchers undergoing testing showing the loading sequences as well as firing with a few close-ups that give details of the launchers. An interesting little book on a rather unknown weapons system that would be a useful addition to the library not only for the information within but the thoughts on what might have prevailed if the “Brass” had shown as much interest in the system as the Soviets and Germans." - Terry Ashley, Perth Military Modelling Site