In October 1952 the Near East Arms Co-ordinating Committee (NEACC) members (USA, Great Britain, France) agreed that Syria had fifty-two Sherman tanks, but could not agree on the number of 'light' tanks on hand. In a classified February 1956 US Joint Chiefs of Staff assessment, Syria was credited with fifty-one M4A1 Shermans and sixty PzKpfw IV.
 

Syrian turretless M4A1 Sherman

Scan courtesy of Patrick Brennan

This photo of a Syrian turretless M4A1 was part of an article entitled 'Strangers in a Strange Land: Early Syrian Armor 1948-56'. The author, Steven Zaloga, captioned it: "Another Syrian oddball is this turretless M4A1 Sherman tank, probably left behind after British forces withdrew from the region". Steve has no idea what role the vehicle served in the Syrian army. Notice that it is a parade photo, not from use in the field.  Could this be another Sherman APC? If anyone knows more, please let me know.

Sources:

• Ness, Lee, 'Syrian Panzers: Where didi they come from?'. Military Ordnance, Vol.9, No.5, September 1999, p.43.
• Zaloga, Steven, 'Strangers in a Strange Land: Early Syrian Armor 1948-56'. Military Ordnance, July 1995.

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