23rd July, 1942. Tel el Eisa, Egypt.Scrounging from a German Tank.
These two unidentified members of the 9th Division go over a disabled German Panzer Kampfwagen Mk III for anything of value to use against the Axis forces.
Whilst this tank looks relatively intact the telltale dark scoring around the open turret hatch suggests that there will be little of use found inside this tank as it appears to have burnt from the inside. A fire of this magnitude usually meant that the tank took a direct hit from a large calibre anti tank gun. While there is no visible point of entry it is most likely the entry point is on the other side of the tank out of view. The fact that the tracks appear intact also suggests that the tank took a direct hit.
That being said it doesn't look like this is going to deter the Digger on the left who appears to be attempting to move the forward mounted machine gun. This wouldn't be the first German machine gun (likely an MG34) that was taken from a disabled Panzer and put back into service against their former owners by the 9th Division.
image E014741 Imperial War Museum.
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