| As a serving member of the Canadian Forces, K.M. Fathers served
in Iran/Iraq for approx. 7 months as a peace keeper in 1988:
"During my travels through southern
Iraq I drove through a small town north of Basra which I believe to be
either Kut-Al-Amara or Amara. In the town square was a collection of captured
Iranian equipment. Three large pieces of equipment were prominent, a Chieftain
MBT, a US 105mm howitzer, and a M4A1, 75mm gun, Sherman Tank. All
equipment carried Iranian army markings. The M4A1 had a Iranian Armed Forces
Roundel painted on the front hull plate. The paint scheme on the M4A1 was
a desert sand color. The really interesting thing that caught my eye was
that it was equipped with two different types of track. On the right side
it had the standard VVSS type flat rubber pad track. On the left side it
had what looked like HVSS type T66 single dry 23" wide steel track. Or
maybe it was the Canadian CDP type track. I did not get close enough to
see the suspension and could not take pictures due to our Iraqi escorts
and security reasons. Our unit had a rad det in this town and it's possible
that they may have got a picture of it.
Also in this same area close to the
Iranian border north of Basra I drove through an area were the Iranians
tried to push through to cut the highway to Basra. There were so many burned
out tank hulls in the desert that I quickly lost count. The types I recognized
were both Iraqi & Iranian, T-54/55, T-62, T-72, Chieftain, M46 Pattons,
M60A1, and yes in the distance the easily recognized shapes of at least
four M4 Shermans. Again I could not take pictures and could not get
close enough because of mine fields. I asked the Iraqi LO if they were
Iraqi tanks and he told me that they were Iranian. He said the Iranians
only used western equipment. At this location the LO said was one of the
biggest tank battles since WW2." |
