Bomb (tank)

Bomb is a Canadian Army Sherman Tank of the 27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment) which landed at D-Day and fought across northwest Europe until the end of World War II, the only Canadian tank that fought without interruption from D-Day to VE Day. Today Bomb is preserved at the William Street Armoury in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Bomb was built at General Motor’s Fisher Tank Arsenal in Flint, Michigan as an M4A2 Sherman Tank, serial number 8007, the 898th vehicle built at the arsenal. It was shipped to England where it was issued with the War Department number T-152656. The tank was assigned to B Squadron of the Sherbrooke Fusiliers as the regiment converted from older training tanks to new Shermans in preparation for the invasion of France as part of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. The tanks of B Squadron all had names that started with B such as Barbara and Be Good. The name Bomb was inspired by the cap badge of the fusiliers which features a stylized grenade. The original crew was led by crew commander Sergeant Harold Futter. The driver was Lance-Corporal Rudy Moreault with co-driver Trooper "Red" Fletcher. The gunner was Trooper A.W. Rudolph and Trooper J.W. (Tiny) Hall was the loader.

Bomb landed at Juno Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944, with the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment at Bernières-sur-Mer and was almost immediately involved in fighting at Authie and Buron where the Fusiliers destroyed 41 tanks in their first two days of fighting. Even more intense tank battles followed in Normandy, as German Panzer and SS units tried to crush the Allied beachhead, while the Allies sought to break out. The tank fought in the actions around Caen, including the costly fighting on Bourguébus Ridge, and the capture and clearing of the city of Falaise. The tank started with the call sign 22, but in July the Fusilier tank troops were re-organized and Bomb became a troop command tank with the call sign 21 painted on the turret. Following the Allied breakout, Bomb travelled 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi) across northwestern Europe, helping to liberate northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

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