'Nearly but not quite'. Major Oliver Woods MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), examines a shell hole in his Sherman tank, Germany, 1945

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, North West Europe, 1945 (c).

Major Oliver Woods MC standing next to a disabled M4A1 Sherman tank. The tank has a puncture hole in it's rear right flank where a German shell penetrated the armour.

At the end of February 1945 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) had crossed into Germany and was in action at Uedem. Contending with waterlogged terrain and stiff German resistance, the regiment took heavy casualties on the 27 and 28 February, losing eight tanks to assault gun and anti-tank fire. 14 men, including Major George Gray Skelton, the acting commanding officer, lost their lives with over 20 more wounded in action.

Woods, formerly in command of 'A' Squadron, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry, had been appointed second in command of the regiment on 2 February 1945 after the Commanding Officer Colonel Bill Rankin was wounded and replaced by Skelton. After Skelton was mortally wounded on 28 February 1945, Woods, despite having his own tank disabled, assumed temporary command of the regiment.

From an album containing 222 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).