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  M3 General Stuart Tank Hull Number ?  (Boughton)
Australian Army
2/6th Armoured Regiment

Crew Commander  Cpl Charles Geoffrey Boughton, NX38452 (WIA, KIA) Moss Vale, NSW
Turret Gunner  Tpr Wood (survived)
W.Op/Loader Tpr Geoffrey Ian Hemphill, NX42973 (survived) Killara, NSW
Driver  LCpl Francis Raymond "Ray" Thomas Lynn, NX43691 (WIA, survived) Glen Innes, NSW
Hull Gunner  Tpr Piggot (survived)
Disabled  January 12, 1943

Tank History
Built in the United States as M3 General Stuart Tank hull number unknown (four digits). Shipped across the Pacific to Australia.

Wartime History
Assigned to the Australian Army, 2/6th Armoured Regiment. No known nickname, nose art or markings. Shipped to Milne Bay then transported by barge to Oro Bay then towed by barges to Hariko. Overnight, the tanks were driven up the north coast with one track in the sea to their jump off position for use in the Buna-Sanananda area.

Mission History
On January 12, 1943 at 8:00am M3 Stuart 2561 commanded by Lt Heap, this tank commanded by Cpl Boughton and M3 Stuart 2565 commanded by Sgt Kenneth A. MacGregor advanced from a replenishment area along the Sanananda Track towards Sanananda.

After moving roughly 60 yards (180' / 54.8m) a concealed Japanese Army 37mm Anti-Tank Gun / Type 94 (1936) "Rapid Fire Gun" opened fire on the lead tank. M3 Stuart 2561 was hit by a shell that struck the driver's front flap that caused the visor to spring open. The second round hit the gunner's visor also causing it to spring open. Next, two more shells hit the tank. Damaged, Lt. Heap ordered his driver to move off the track allowing this tank commanded by Cpl Boughton to advance. Heap continued fighting in his tank, eventually becoming bogged off the side of the track

Immediately, the same Japanese gun opened fire on this tank with one round penetrating the driver's visor injuring four of the crew including Boughton and Lynn. Although wounded in the face, driver Lynn managed to turn the tank around and limp back to the replenishment area. Although Boughton received medical attention, later that day he died of his wounds.

Meanwhile, M3 Stuart 2565 commanded by MacGregor continued to move forward unseen to charge towards the Japanese positions. Out of view of Australian Army troops, this taken apparently swerved suddenly into an enemy position and was possibly targeted or hit by a Japanese pole mine. Afterwards, the Japanese managed to throw a fire bomb "Molotov cocktail" onto the tank that caused a fire that burned out the tank. The crew members who were not killed in the explosion or fire were shot as they attempted to bail out from the disabled tank.

The entire action lasted 45 minutes and was the last time Allied tanks encountered enemy fire during the Sanananda campaign. The fate of this tank is unknown.

Memorials
Boughton was officially declared dead January 12, 1943. He is buried at Bomana War Cemetery at A6. B. 4.

Lynn passed away on July 15, 2008 at age 98. He is buried at Glen Innes General Cemetery in Glen Innes, NSW.

References
WW2 Nominal Roll - Charles Geoffrey Boughton, NX38452
WW2 Nominal Roll - Geoffrey Ian Hemphill, NX42973
WW2 Nominal Roll - Francis Raymond Thomas Lynn, NX43691
CWGC - Charles Geoffrey Boughton
FindAGrave - Corporal Charles Geoffrey Boughton
FindAGrave - Francis Raymond Thomas Lynn (grave photo)
The Vital Factor: A History Of 2/6th Australian Armoured Regiment 1941-1946 (1999) by Paul Handel as details on the crew and wartime history of this tank
Hell's Battlefield (2012) by Phil Bradley pages 175 (January 12, 1943), 439 (Appendix 1: Casualties 2/6 Armd Regt), 452 (Chapter 9, Footnote 43) 483 (index 2/6 Armd Regt)
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for additional information

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Last Updated
February 3, 2022

 

Tech Info
Stuart
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