16-305 Garand Picture of the Day - Lemgo, Germany. April 1945.

[Mark in Rochester]

The answer may be obvious to others, but what is the purpose of what appear to be long lengths of logs tied to the side of the Sherman tank?

At least in the Pacific it was to prevent magnetic anti-tank mines



To the Japanese, the cheapest commodity of all was the soldier, so they eschewed expensive rockets and magnets and developed what the Allies called the 'lunge mine'. Ian Hogg describes it thus:


This was a powerful hollow charge unit mounted on the end of a bamboo pole and fitted with an instantaneous fuse operated by a string tied to the pole. On the approach of an Allied tank the Japanese volunteer would leap from hiding, holding the lunge mine up in front of him, rush up and jam the explosive charge against the tank. He then said a quick prayer and pulled the string. The resultant explosion pierced the tank with the hollow change- and the soldier with the bamboo pole"

In the ETO Wooden logs on tanks were really only used for getting yourself unstuck from mud and other difficult terrain.