James Holland, military historian: The Tiger tank is overrated'

"The numbers for the Sherwood Rangers are staggering: statistically, the chance of any of the regiment's tank crews emerging unscathed from the war was zero. Not a single tank crew from the unit that landed in Normandy on D-Day had escaped being hit by shells by the end of the war. Luck determined whether you were incinerated inside, blown to bits, lost a limb, or suffered only a minor injury; but something was bound to hit you."

"The tank gives a false sense of protection, but when you're hit, it becomes a hellish place. People vomited when they recovered the charred remains of their comrades inside. It's also true that if an armored vehicle runs you over images of soldiers crushed on the roads are recurring in the regiment's testimonies."

The Sherwood Rangers, a British armored regiment, endured catastrophic losses during World War II. Statistically, no tank crew from the regiment emerged unscathed; every crew that landed in Normandy on D-Day had been hit by shells by war's end. Tank combat proved brutal, stark, and extremely dangerous. Tanks created a false sense of protection but became hellish when struck, producing charred remains that caused nausea among recoverers. Armored vehicles also crushed soldiers on roads. A notable share of casualties occurred outside tanks, since leaving vehicles exposed crewmen to extreme risk.

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