Tankers wading through spent shells?

[GoofyStance]

During the heat of WW2 battle, what did the tankers (presumably the gunners) do with the spent shells that were ejected from the cannon? I know that some WW2-era tanks had shell ejection ports, but did the gunners manually shove the shells through those ports? What about during a firece fire-fight - did they just let the spent shells roll around on the floor of the tank? I imagine this could've posed a problem, especially in the tanks with larger-caliber guns like the Tiger, what with 20 or 30 spent shells rolling around, tripping up crewmen or falling into the machinery ...

[Meach]

Some tanks had ejection ports like you say and some poor crew-man had to heft them out manually.

The shells littering the inside of a tank would be a deficit to efficient firing as the loader would have the toughest time getting thru the debris.

The russians had neoprene matting in some tanks that covered shell bins in the floor, by the time this was lifted, spent casings lying about and the general mayhem of battle it could have been a nightmare trying to fight untill someone ditched the rubbish.

I am sure a grog will be along with a more detailed explanation than I can offer.

[Vezatron]

Shells dropped into the cabin and generally the loader had to kick them away (they were hot). When a small lull could be found, they were placed in racks along the sides to later dump them.

[flamingknives]

There are hatches that could well be case ejection ports on the Sherman and the Tiger. Other German tanks have larger hatches on the turret sides.

It would be the loader's job to eject spent cases. Some later (post WWII) tanks had automatic case ejection systems

[Guest Mike]

IIRC you sometimes see photos of Panthers with a circular hatch open in the turret rear - I wonder if this was handily placed to heave spent casings out even during battle if it was a long range shoot?

[gunnergoz]

I just finished reading "Tanks on the Beaches" which is a biography by a Marine tanker. He mentions some buddies in an M-5 light that were killed when a Japanese tossed a grenade in through the open rear turret hatch...which might indeed have been open to eject spent brass. In any event, when the tanks are mixing it up and enemy infantry is around, leaving any hatches open is a risky business.

[Michael Dorosh]

Empty shell casings were sometimes used as chamberpots when the tankers were under prolonged shell fire. I've read of tankers firing shells off specifically for that use. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go.... I doubt it happened all that often, but tankers' memoirs do mention it.

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by flamingknives:

There are hatches that could well be case ejection ports on the Sherman and the Tiger. Other German tanks have larger hatches on the turret sides.

It would be the loader's job to eject spent cases. Some later (post WWII) tanks had automatic case ejection systems

yes, the hatch on the Sherman turret was specifically located for that purpose. It could also be used when "bombing up" the tank, rather than heaving the shells all the way up to the TC's hatch.

[BadgerDog]

They were called "Pistol Ports" in our Shermans. As you can see from pics below, they were also used for re-stocking primary ammo into turret. You had to be careful not to let too many empty 76mm casings build up on the floor of the turret as they were exceptionally hot after being ejected from the breech. As a result, we would often have turret floor fires due to the casings igniting the oily floor and any loose cleaning rags (or parts of uniforms) exposed. I'd usually dump empty casings out the pistol point during every pause in the engagement. More then a few laying around and it was very difficult to get fresh rounds out of the floor ready bin anyway.

Some pics of how pistol ports worked:

Sherman M4A2E8 First Day's Shoot (May 1964)

Sherman M4A2E8 Second Day's Shoot (May 1964)

Regards,

Badger

[Michael Emrys]

Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

Empty shell casings were sometimes used as chamberpots when the tankers were under prolonged shell fire. I've read of tankers firing shells off specifically for that use. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go.... I doubt it happened all that often, but tankers' memoirs do mention it.

Empty MG ammo boxes also get mentioned. I would guess they were the preferred vessel since they are resealable and you wouldn't have to wait for a spent round to cool off before coming into contact with your delicate anatomy. The infantry seems to have used empty ration cans and boxes a lot too in those situations where it was dangerous to leave the foxhole.

Michael

[Redwolf]

At least Germans were also required to bring the spent cases back because of the brass which would be reused.

I came across references that tankers waded in spent shells in a number of German, Americand and British tanker books.

[DevilDog]

In "Panzer Aces" (a book of somewhat questionable accuracy) it is recounted how in German tanks as the shell casing is ejected it falls into a canvas bag designed and positioned so that the casings don't get in the way.

True? I don't know, but it sure makes sense as long as there's enough room.

[GoofyStance]

Originally posted by DevilDog:

in German tanks as the shell casing is ejected it falls into a canvas bag designed and positioned so that the casings don't get in the way.

You know, now that you mention it, I do recall reading somewhere online about the restoration of a German tank (a Tiger?) where the restorers had a heck of a time getting the specifications for a missing "canvas shell bag." Wonder if that's what you just described ... but I'd imagine, especially with Badger's post mentioning oil-stained rags, that the canvas bag might eventually catch on fire. Such a fire, and oily smoke, would've caused no small amount of consternation for the crew in the turret.