Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Trooper J. M. Thyne, Fife and Fofar Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps, who was killed in action when his Churchill ‘Crocodile’ tank was knocked out by a German SP gun during the fighting for the town of Emmerich on 29 March 1945

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue addressed to ‘J. G. Thyne Esq., 62 Ferry Road, Monifieth, Dundee’, extremely fine (3) £80-£120

John Mclaren Thyne was born in Arbroath, Scotland. During the Second World War he served as a trooper in ‘C’ Squadron, 1st Fife and Fofar Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps, who as part of the famous 79th Armoured Division and saw action in North West Europe with Churchill Crocodile ‘flame thrower’ tanks. The 79th Armoured Division was commanded by Major-General Percy Hobart and operated a series of armoured vehicles modified for specialist roles. These became affectionately known as ‘Hobart’s Funnies’. Between 29 and 30 March 1945, a troop of Thyne’s unit was fighting in co-operation with the Regina Rifle and Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiments of the Canadian Army to secure the town of Emmerich in the Rhineland of Germany. The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry’s Crocodile tanks were used to good effect against very heavy resistance from the enemy, with the loss of one tank knocked out and two others ditched in shell holes. The tank which was destroyed was commanded by Lieutenant Trevor Walford; John Thyne being part of his crew. Both Walford and Thyne were killed and were originally buried in Germany. Following the end of hostilities, their remains were re-interned in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands.