A Royal Armoured Corps A34 Comet carrying infantry, 1945 (c)

Photograph, World War Two, North West Europe, 1945 (c).

The 33-ton Comet mounted a 76.2mm gun similar to that used by the Sherman 'Firefly'. It was also armed with two .92 mm Besa machine-guns. The comet's crew of five consisted of a commander, gunner, loader, driver and co-driver. By the end of the war, 1,200 of these tanks had been produced. The first Comets did not enter front line service until December 1944, but they were used during the Rhine crossing and the subsequent advance into Germany.

One of 24 photographs relating to the Army service of Trooper Cecil W Shepherd, 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps.