Chest for tank or half-track ??

[usryan]

Hello everybody !!

 

I find this two chest with the inscritpion "Chest Lightning Equipment M21". In this website : http://www.752ndtank.com/MiscEquipment.html , show a complete listing of all of the items that were officially allotted to a WWII independent tank battalion under T/O & E 17-27, dated 18 November 1944, and modified 6 January 1945. In this list , i can see the "Chest Lightning Equipment M21".

 

Can you tell me if you think that this chest was ww2 ?

What is the fonction of this chest (lignt for vehicle or tank or items for radio) ?

And in which vehicle we can see this chest ?

 

Thank you for your answer.

 

[Jeeper704]

It probably held spare bulbs, batteries, etc and was found in both vehicles.

Spare parts for the electrical lighting inside the vehicle.

 

Erwin

[dustin]

I believe what you have is aiming lights for artillery.the lights attach on top of posts set at certain intervals down the field.One of the lights I think is for lighting the sight.They use them for mortors too

[Jeeper704]

Sorry for my ignorance, but what does it do inside a tank or armored vehicle then?

It was part of the equipment of an independent tank battalion.

 

Erwin

[dustin]

after taking a look at the web page attached above it states this in the misc equipment

"Light, Aiming post, M14 (6) " these are posts for the aiming lights these would be contained in the chest, lighting they are marked M14 aiming lights are set at yardage intervals for approimated distance at night if you look at the packing label of the chest in the upper right hand corner that looks awfully like a gun sight lighting device it attaches to the aiming mechnism as with all artillery sights wether it be wheeled, towed mounted etc.. I cannot completely identify the rest of the lights but with the right manuals you could.This chest carries a variety of ligths which is what was stated in post #2 spare bulbs for the internal/external lights of the tank but I am confident the items on the far left of the box are the aiming lights and in the upper corner the sight lighting device

[MikeL]

Yep, the TO&E shows there were 2 81mm mortar carrier vehicles in the unit. The chests would have been carried on these vehicles and the contents used when the mortars were setup for night firing. Standard equipment for most mortar units.

[usryan]

Thank you all for your answer !!

 

Best regards from France !!

[Jeeper704]

Yes, thanks for enlightening me too.

 

Erwin