Saddam's WW2 Tanks - Invasion of Iraq 2003

During the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, Coalition Forces found many WW2-era tanks from both the Allied and Axis sides.
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA, is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: The National Archives; Library of Congress; Ken Meegan; afterwwiiafter; Army University Press; Rich Sahil; US DoD; USAF; US Army

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

CONCENTRATION LAPSE! I have mistakenly called the 2003 Invasion of Iraq 'Desert Storm' - please disregard this error. No need to keep pointing it out in the comments! Apologies to all veterans of the 2003 campaign!

[@catlee8064]

There was a graveyard of WW2/soviet era tanks outside Shaiba log base...alot of them with Rad warning signs all over them from being hit with DU rds.

[@flyingsword135]

Desert Storm II , electric Bugaloo

[@kd5ful]

I'm sorry, I failed to read the pinned comment before commenting. Sorry for being a pratt, sir. 🤣

[@patrickmcneil5089]

@@kd5fulwhat’s a Pratt?

[@kd5ful]

British slang for idiot, sir.

[@geigertec5921]

Imagine fighting in Iraq in 2003 and seeing a US Sherman tank in original WWII colors firing at you.

[@SnoopReddogg]

You'd have 'Final Countdown/Hottub Time Machine' vibes..

[@haroldcarfrey4206]

That Sherman has a Panther turret...

[@hertoramann]

And imagine that Sherman became furry.

[@limmyk4943]

​@@haroldcarfrey4206No thats a 90mm armed Sherman, the M36B1

[@Trollet456]

Today putins men face the same fate in Ukraine when they sitting in their old relics and being attacked by President Zelenskys modern tanks

[@lokischildren7862]

As a veteran British soldier who took part in op telic .we encountered t34 and su100 plus old British radios in Basra

[@markolysynchuk5264]

If I'm not mistaken, they use Su-100 to this day.

[@bigblue6917]

My predictions about these tanks being used by Russia in Ukraine may be closer to the mark than I thought.

[@Leny1777]

Did they do damage against western coalition?

[@garrysekelli6776]

The propaganda at the time was that the Iraqi army was the 4th most powerful and largest in the world. Obviously complete lies in hindsight. However I was like 12 at the time so I couldn't exactly see behind their lies and call them out about it.

[@WELLBRAN]

And you asked yourself .....well how has Iraq got weapons of mass destruction but all this old stuff ...right?

[@jamesfleming7338]

Played war thunder yesterday, saw markfeltongaming on my team and promptly crashed my plane in an attempt to express my thanks for the years of top tier historical content. Hats off to you Dr. Felton.

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

That wasn't me.

[@eizzeeefromstupidland]

@@MarkFeltonProductionsNOOOO

[@coldcreative4601]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@orange8175]

that's a lie, we all know it's your account! @@MarkFeltonProductions

[@alexairconditioning1581]

Ive seen that dude aswell lmao

[@williamharris9525]

As a tanker, when we were going into Iraq, we were informed that there was a possibility that we might be engaging our own equipment since the Iraqis had been sold not only some World War II equipment, but M113’s, and other more modern equipment.

[@hertoramann]

Have you engaged any?

[@williamharris9525]

@@hertoramann No. Just T-72s and 55s plus a BMP

[@hertoramann]

@@williamharris9525 how was the fight ? Did they push you hard or so easy? How was the feeling that you were marching into an Iraq ?

[@williamharris9525]

@@hertoramann Was there to stop the advance of the Iraqis if they so decided to move south. They fought back but not hard I guess. All I saw was through the GPS. Did the job and came home with some unwelcomed issues but this kid is still breathing. God’s blessings

[@hertoramann]

@@williamharris9525 what a gps? How ? Come on man I wonder that atmosphere I wonder how the adrenaline kicked in your body and I don’t know was it like jarhead or three kings ? I grew up with ıraq war I always wonder the atmosphere and what Americans done there

[@udaloop86]

I was there in ‘03. I remember so much equipment, French, British, Soviet and US origin, in rows and rows especially at places like Taji. Walking around and sitting in a Mig-31 was a highlight. Massive jet.

[@militanttriangle2326]

ya, Taji was wild. All those chieftains captured in the Iran Iraq war. Amx-10's, an M8 greyhound, usual Russian stuff took a few pics back in teh day.

[@paulscheidler7438]

I was there in 2008 and 2009. The greyhound had been adopted by a maintenance unit on the American Base. The Iraqi Tank Brigade had one of the Vickers tanks as a gate guard. @@militanttriangle2326

[@ermias75ermis2]

I think you mean ΜΙG-25 ,maybe?

[@hellomoto2084]

Iraq never operated mig 31 , it although operated numerous mig 25 . An older version of mig 31.

[@udaloop86]

@@hellomoto2084yeah you’re right. Mig-25 it was.

[@giantskunk]

Wow! An M36B1 is extremely rare. No wonder they rescued it.

[@richardforrest8134]

what is rare about the B1 variant?

[@arturneveshopner9187]

@@richardforrest8134 It is a M4 sherman with the Jackson turret

[@jasonpeacock9735]

@@richardforrest8134less than 200 were converted.

[@sheyrd7778]

@@arturneveshopner9187 I use that tank in World of Tanks Console version it is called the Plaguebringer. Fun tank to play. Was very happy to see that version actually existing in picture now I can say it was a real tank. :D

[@arturneveshopner9187]

@@sheyrd7778 Nice :D

[@daveb7347]

A T34 was captured by the British during Desert Storm. It now sits outside the Imperial War Museum North in Salford. You can go right up to it and feel just how solid a beast it is!

[@UnbelievableEricthegiraffe]

The tank you mentioned is actually a T55, You are correct in saying it was captured in iraq by British forces, There is a T34 on display inside IWM North that was a North Korean Army vehicle given to them in the hundreds by the Soviet Union That was captured during the Korean War.

[@daveb7347]

@@UnbelievableEricthegiraffe My bad. It was several years ago that I went there.

[@kirbyculp3449]

IIRC, MFP did an episode about a T-34 in London. A disgruntled gent installed the T-34 tank after the local council refused to approve some other construction project.

[@Moshe.Goldstein]

I was about to say , I was there in 1990-1991 “Kuwait “and never saw any T34 , on the contrary I saw T54-55, T62 and T72 (lion of Babylon) .

[@SergyMilitaryRankings]

​@@Moshe.Goldsteinyeah most of Iraq army was T-55 and T-62, they had some T-72 but they lost most during Iran war, the myth that Iraq was 4th strongest military in 91 is hilarious

[@mitchmatthews6713]

Never a dull moment with a Mark Felton video! Cheers, sir!

[@Knights_Oath]

It was not a tank, but some of my instructors in the Marine Corps were part of the 03 invasion. They managed to bring home lots of small arms they wanted by breaking them down and stashing the parts in their vehicles. The one I was the most envious of was a pair of PPSH-41 with matching stick and drum mags.

[@klondikebar1640]

A couple years ago when I was doing a JRTC rotation, we had a British Army unit attached to us (Queen's Dragoon Guards) and I spoke with one of their senior Soldiers who was in Iraq back then. Told me a story of when he was on patrol in a Scimitar and they took fire from a Sherman tank that some insurgents got running. At the time they didn't know it was a Sherman, just that they were pretty far out and the incoming fire was terribly inaccurate. I can't recall what they used or called in to take it out, but when they moved up to conduct the BDA they were astonished that they were being shot by not just a tank, but a bloody M4 Sherman! Got a chuckle out of that.

[@displacedyankee7819]

Camp Taji had a great collection of captured armor and artillery. There were 25pounders, WW2 US 155MM. Only WW2 vehicle I remember seeing was a decrepit M8 Greyhound.

[@benx6264]

I was at Taji, 4th Inf Div. We had both a M4 Sherman and what I think is a M24 Chaffee outside our BN HQ

[@skeetrix5577]

Ah, perfect timing for another high quality history video:) Thank you, Dr. Felton, for helping to peak my curiosity in history

[@ibnewton8951]

-PEAK- PIQUE 👍 Sorry, can’t help myself. 😅

[@TomasFunes-rt8rd]

Perfect timing alright - I was just painting up my Iraqi L3 tankette models in the last several hours !!

[@robklein583]

@@ibnewton8951 last week on wordle...

[@alexmarshall4331]

Sycophant?

[@tolik5929]

Agreed , his videos are short , to the point , with good information .

[@notmenotme614]

It’s crazy how variations of the Sherman tank were still found in warzones in 2003

[@wessamali482]

I was a first lieutenant in the Republican Guard Shield in the command of the Medina forces, and it was a camp in the city of Essaouira in Kut. Yes, we used these tanks from World War II to deceive the enemy with heat traps so that we could hunt the enemy’s tanks and vehicles, using T72 tank guns, as well as using the Kornet missiles that we obtained. They were attacked in limited numbers and were very influential, as evidenced by the infliction of heavy losses on the enemy south of Nasiriyah. Likewise, there were losses on the enemy of soldiers and vehicles in the west of Nasiriyah.

[@obsidianjane4413]

Cool story brah.

[@wessamali482]

@@obsidianjane4413 It has certainly become a thing of the past and has become a story

[@t2av159]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing

[@Indylimburg]

What was it like knowing you were up against the US military? What was the level of moral among your troops?

[@wessamali482]

@@t2av159 you are welcome

[@youtubechannelidk]

you are my favourite history youtube channel, I understand you probably won't see this but I love the lesser known topics you cover in your videos, thanks and I will wait till your next upload!

[@kippamip]

Just before they started building IEDs we saw locals taking all the ball bearings from the wheels of all the T54/55 gate guards they had. Especially in Maysan as they had a large army and ordnance depot there which we later took over and made camp Abu naji. At the time we thought they were just stealing the wheels to make cart's and other pieces of stuff for scrap. Little did we know it was to put the ball bearings in the bombs to cause maximum damage. It didn't take them long either to get them stripped. I went in 03/04 and 06/07, the place was an absolute mess, hopefully these days things are getting a little better.

[@faithlesshound5621]

The initial US-led civil administration sacked all the Iraqi soldiers, but allowed them to keep their weaponry as they were happy to allow civilians to "bear arms" as in the USA. Guess where ISIS got its equipment from?

[@brutter602]

Please note, the last Sherman in the video has VVSS suspension with standard barrow track and not HVSS as stated. VVSS means Vertical Volute Spring Suspension (standard narrow track which was used by most Shermans) HVSS means Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension (Late war wide track. Springs can be seen lying on their sides in each suspension bogie, hence the term Horizontal)

[@thediddymen1408]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the earlier Mk4's use the VVSS and the later 'Easy 8's use the HVSS !

[@brutter602]

@@thediddymen1408 Spot on! Easy Eight was the nickname given to the late war M4A3E8 model of Sherman which had the HVSS suspension. In addition it had the Ford V8 engine and mounted a long barrel 76mm gun. I own a Chrysler Hybrid hulled M4 manufactured in late 1943 which has the earlier VVSS suspension.

[@brendondickerson9563]

I scrolled just to make sure I wasn't the only one who noticed that.

[@BA-gn3qb]

This difference is now causing me years of therapy. Now watch the VA deny my claim.

[@_Alfa.Bravo_]

Happy New Year Professor Felton !!! And thank you so much for your great effortsband films !!! Greetings from germany

[@timothyodonnell8591]

Thank you, Mr. Felton, for teaching us about topics we didn't know we needed but having seen them think it's fascinating!

[@BlastinRope]

thanks again Mark, your sublevel knowledge of military history is unrivaled on youtube

[@terrywright9765]

Great job, as usual, Mark. Love your stuff.

[@johnelliott7375]

As always top notch work, thank you as always for great work

[@sid2112]

The next British WWII miniseries really should have you in a cameo role.

[@jamest2401]

Mark, I love it when you alternate your opening music with the other theme ever so often. It reminds me of some of your content several years ago, when I first discovered your channel and was simply over the moon about it. Not that I’m not still, but you know it was sort of the “puppy love” stage, for lack of a better term. You last used it on 'Eva Braun's Secret Pistol', and on your last 'War Stories' installment.

[@kirbyculp3449]

Not too long ago Eva Braun's underwear was put up for auction. Otto Skorzeny's post-war passports were sold at auction. The weirdness is out there.

[@douglasruss2889]

Always informative

[@mattgeorge90]

Thank you for sharing!

[@alnka1974]

As an Iraqi I say this: curse the day England left Iraq and curse the day we lost the King Faisal. Once again thank you Mark for this video, at 1:07 I've seen that tank during my deployment in 2006 with the US army, it is located at camp Taji AKA Camp CSM Cook.

[@76reliant]

From your perspective, why did England leave Iraq?

[@yacine.3_2023]

do you like being under the European boot?

[@yacine.3_2023]

the same Britain that supported the US invasion in 2003, you just have a slave mentality

[@faithlesshound5621]

@@76reliant As a group of provinces of the former Turkish Empire, Iraq was "mandated" to the UK by the League of Nations to prepare it for independence. It was not meant to be a British colony for ever. They followed the 19th century model of the Balkans by importing extraneous royals to hold down a mix of disparate communities by force.

[@u2beuser714]

I as an iraqi what you said is like a pole saying "curse the ussr for leaving" dont be subservient have some balls ffs

[@sheyrd7778]

Great Video Mark. About 10 years ago I saw a photo of about 36 M36's in prestine condition that was found during that war. Was hoping to see it again in your video.

[@brealistic3542]

always great videos thanks Mark

[@anasevi9456]

love a video on obscure war curios, thanks Mark.

[@echohunter4199]

I was in 2-6 INF, 1st AD where we deployed to Iraq in May 2003 and relieved 3rd ID. We found a lot of weird stuff when we got to the Al Rashid Iraqi Army base where we set up the task force. I found an old British QE-2 howitzer and put it at the entrance of our Bn TOC, wish we could’ve brought it back with us. At the Iraqi armor school, they had old WWII tanks and told the students that this is what we currently used so again, it was weird. The base was a former training center so there was manuals and training aids everywhere, some are in our Division museum now. The Iraqis still used the old British Bailey bridges for roads over canals so it was interesting to see those still in use.

[@hertoramann]

Tell me whatever you see man. I always wonder it. What else you could find and see in battlefield

[@lrayvick]

The US Army used Bailey bridges extensively in Viet Nam. We were a Bailey bridge company.

[@echohunter4199]

@@lrayvick I didn’t know we used them that much. The day I drove across one was with a friend who took me with him in his M1 Abrams as we drove the FOB perimeter looking for IED’s and we crossed a Bailey that was doubled up to support the 64 ton tank, we had to crunch a small Iraqi van a bit because he wouldn’t move it but, he was warned.

[@lrayvick]

@echohunter4199 near tonsenute there was even an eifel bridge.

[@paulscheidler7438]

As a combat advisor at Taji, my Iraqi counterpart was always using parts of bailey bridge to decorate his parade field, build fences etc. It was crazy!

[@user-tj6gb8vx3q]

It's amazing what kind of vehicles turn up during these wars! Thank you Dr. Felton for another wonderful video!

[@biker_dan]

Another fantastic video.. thanks

[@tobleroney5388]

Great Video As always.

[@peterrhodes5663]

Reading some of the comments below, it appears that some contributors missed your video:-The Pole vs. The Prince: TKS Tankette Action 1939. In the right hands those 'cockroaches' were very useful. I have a photo of my grandfather giving the salute at a parade of them somewhere in Poland, in the 1930's.

[@hasnfyf]

Who called me cockroaches? 😡

[@calumcookson740]

Excellent work, Sir

[@bobhill3941]

Yes, this is amazing, I never knew about Saddam's tanks.

[@-.Steven]

Always a great day when a Mark Felton video is released!

[@robertpontisso4953]

Another great video from Dr Mark Felton the best history professor on the internet.

[@jasonmussett2129]

Amazing video👍

[@steveadams6010]

As always, this was a great and comprehensive view on the World War II tanks. Aside from this video this makes me think of what happened in Austria 100 years ago November 8th and 9th. It's a shame you did not have a 100-year review on the Beer Hall Putsch, you would have done a marvelous job on that. Thank you for excellent reviews and commentary over the years.

[@jimc.goodfellas226]

I don't know how he does it but he is always cranking out interesting content

[@guyh.4553]

Very neat presentation Mark. Very informative.

[@tottinger3839]

What? WHAT?! During my time at Speicher, I was asked to write the historical narratives on a few of the pieces at the static display that opened sometime in 2010, namely, the Tankette featured in the video (I have so many pix of the inside that thing). It was, possibly, the only time I've been allowed to use my History degree while in the Army--ha! It's unbelievably frustrating to think how easily Speicher fell to ISIS, that all of the little synopses I wrote were probably destroyed within hours of capitulation. Great work, Mark--you rock, as always!

[@TheTacticalHillbilly]

I was with Bco 1-30INF 3ID during the invasion. We found a bunch of these. We also found a stockpile of old firearms from WW1. We also found Maxim machines guns still in the box.

[@SnoopReddogg]

Those old dictators are notorious for not throwing out stuff.

[@brysonkuervers2570]

@@SnoopReddoggwhy throw out perfectly good weapons? Might be old but they’re still gold!!! Haha!

[@Albert-Mag...]

Thanks for the interesting information T.Hillbilly It's interesting to read comments from guys like yourself who were actually there and able to share some of your experiences...cheers...

[@kamalmohammed3439]

where exactly I'm curious

[@TheTacticalHillbilly]

@@kamalmohammed3439 It was at a school that we cleared we also found chemical weapons in there. It was just north of baghdad international airport.

[@phonecallsarejustoverquali1556]

Well, it made me look up Desert Storm again just to see if my memory was all wrong. The propability of Mark Felton knowing something that I didn't was and is so much greater than that of me remembering something that I am actually old enough to have watched in the news.

[@sealove79able]

a great ver interesting video as always Mr.Felton.Have a good one.

[@scottbush4952]

Mark. Thank you. Your videos are fantastic.

[@miguelbernal4640]

The 2003 invasion of Iraq was not called “Desert Storm”: that was the name of the 1991 invasion to liberate Kuwait. The 2003 operation was called “Enduring Freedom”.

[@rickfink464]

Pretty sure it was Operation Iraqi Freedom.... Operation Enduring Freedom was Afghanistan

[@blackhawk7r221]

OIF got the T-shirt

[@i-a-g-r-e-e-----f-----jo--b]

Cool topic, thanks Mark! I served at Camp Victory Iraq in 2004 (Al Faw Palace, Sadam's personal estate near Baghdad) and they had Soviet era personnel carriers and quad anti aircraft static displays but I didn't see any WW2 stuff. Probably airlifted out by 2004 as war trophies? Would have been a cool picture!

[@Wideoval73]

Another really good video! I had no idea that these old vehicles existed. Thanks

[@brennanleadbetter9708]

Love your videos, keep it up!

[@amilcarbarca5545]

Muy buenos videos. Saludos de Uruguay.

[@BHuang92]

Forgot to mention one example of an ISU-152 found in Iraq in 2003. It was still operational during that time and was used as a SPG!

[@kaing5074]

Incredible. How on earth did they manufacture specific shells for its gun i wonder...

[@obsidianjane4413]

And ISU-152 would probably have been still in the active inventory.

[@obsidianjane4413]

@@kaing5074 Iraq had its own domestic artillery production capacity, plus there is a healthy international arms market in addition to Russian and Chinese governments who don't really care much for Western sanctions.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

@@kaing5074 Between WW1, WW2 and the Cold War in general there is so much ordnance stacked up around the world you wouldn't believe it. The Soviets were the world leaders in hoarding "old" stuff, in fact I think they invented hoarded. They were way too generous with shiploads of new "agricultural parts" shipped to everyone who would be their friend. Russia still has warehouses of captured Axis weaponry, including underground warehouses made from old mining shafts. The amount of new in the box USA hardware from Lend-Lease in WW2 is staggering.

[@Albert-Mag...]

I see a new Mark Felton video I get excited and watch it right away, They are always super interesting and never disappointing. A huge Thank You to all the people at Mark Felton Productions, You make awesome Videos.

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

Just when you think all the WWII armor has been found...

[@tigertanktoo]

I worked at Camp Taji for awhile and have pictures of me with that little Vickers Mk VI tank at the 3:15 mark. I also found a British 25 pound artillery piece, an M8 Grayhound, an M4 sherman and a german 105 howitzer while looking around the camp.

[@user-ef1pt9cn3i]

my first time watching mark felton. U have just earned a new subscription

[@savagex466-qt1io]

Congrads on your 2 mill sub ! WoW !

[@wojo44frompl]

One M36 (model with Sherman hull) has been sent to Poland. It has been (after some exterior cosmetics) placed in town Żagań on so called "Tankers Square" in front of military base. Unfortunately someone decided to put markings of Polish 1st Armored Division, probably as ersatz for real M4.

[@alastairbarkley6572]

People, aka Yanks, just don't get the Churchill tank. It was never intended as a main battle tank, it was never intended to be comparable with the M4 Sherman, the PzIV, the Cromwell etc. An 'I' or Infantry tank has a special role - trading speed for armour, it's designed to directly support Infantry in attacks against concealed positions such as dug-in machine gun, mortar and artillery positions and including anti-tank guns. An 'I' tank doesn't need a lot of speed because the infantry doesn't move very fast. It doesn't need a heavy gun for engaging main battle tanks. 15mph is plenty fast enough. The Churchill design came into being pre-War when British planners, reasonably, believed that France could hold her own and that WWII would be a rerun of WWI - trench warfare across 900 miles of Europe from Switzerland to the North Sea. As such, the Churchill would have been a very useful tank. Blitzkrieg and the unexpected collapse of the French military in 1940 had Britain scrambling to rethink armoured doctrine. Churchills came into their own in the Reichswald forest fighting in late 1944, the only tanks that could effectively go off-road (well, off muddy track) and penetrate through trees and forest foliage. You will find photos of late model Churchill tanks supporting/transporting American infantry (principally 82nd and 101st Airborne Divs) as part of this rather grim (and sparsely written about) phase of the Rhine Campaign.

[@leroycharles9751]

Another great video. Thank you.

[@SunKing968]

BRAVO, you did it Mark! You finally covered the gorgeous Crusader a bit! Thanks!!! I've been waiting : )

[@lukefriesenhahn8186]

I think a tank restoration group should obtain the 15cm sFH 13/1 (Sf) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) as it is one of the rarest on the list.

[@ajayKumarajayKumar-hr7sj]

It's not so easy dear. From what I read on Shadock's website, it's located in relatively unsafe area of Iraq.

[@lukefriesenhahn8186]

@@ajayKumarajayKumar-hr7sj I know that Iraq is not safe, most of it isn't. I find it odd that you call me "dear" when I myself am a man. 😂 All jokes aside, I personally think a western military company could easily retrieve it as the U.S. has a military presence in Iraq. The U.S. military engineers have the right equipment, protection, and skill to easily retrieve this tank. From there the SPG could be flown out to Europe, the U.S. or Australia as all three have world renown tank restoration crews. I would like to point out that the Australian Armor and Artillery Museum has a good group of restorers, and they even have their own KZbin channel.

[@ajayKumarajayKumar-hr7sj]

@@lukefriesenhahn8186 Indeed, sir. Actually my calling you dear wasn't related to gender. In India, it is very often used to refer to someone who is very well known to you (regardless of gender). But yes, at times, it just used without this context as well. Just a way of saying, nothing much.

[@lukefriesenhahn8186]

@@ajayKumarajayKumar-hr7sj Ok, thank you for the clarification. 👍

[@davidkretz8323]

In the spring of 2004 I explored the remains of an Iraqi armored near Musayib. I remember seeing a Churchill and several Patton and Chieftans along with all the Soviet types.

[@rich_john]

Great video

[@tealover70]

Excellent vid

[@paulscheidler7438]

In 2008 and 2009 I served at Taji Base north of Baghdad. In the bone yards around the Iraqi and American bases I counted one Greyhound armored car, two DUKW's, Many captured Iranian centurions, an entire field of 25 pounder field guns and limbers with 1940's data plates, as well as dozens and dozens of damaged post World War II soviet era vehicles such as the BTR-50. I also had my hands on the two famous British First World War 17 pounders that were repurposed from being gate guards to help defend an airfield. A certain American Division had placed them in 20-foot containers and attempted to ship them back to the United States. They were at the captured weapons depot at Taji after they were confiscated. I contacted the Royal Artillery Museum to let them know the guns were there but rotated home before anything was resolved. I hope they were not just left behind.

[@Nodwick123]

Whit regards to the Lorraine Schlepper when I was there whit the Danish army(Dancon hold 4+5) I think around in Feb-mar 2005 it still had its armor on and there was a lot of talk about moving it to Denmark but shortly after its armor was gone and I was told one of the other company spend 2 weeks recovering it from the locals.

[@plingket2102]

I love the nice portrait with intense music intro

[@HEYYAlex95]

I love your videos man

[@andysvehiclehistorychannel]

An amazing video i hope that the Vickers and Tankett were shipped to museums it's sad about the German one but still an amazing history well done Mark.

[@dapre]

1:43 I bet the Americans lost quite a lot M1 Abrams tank to those powerful Italian CV33 Tankette. Scary stuff...

[@nathanlurie2602]

great video!

[@Articulate99]

Always interesting, thank you.

[@lingerslongest]

06:04 Stripping it for scrap and getting the going rate for some old steel; one can only ponder how much a rich collector would have paid for it.

[@sheyrd7778]

They probably got very little for pay and just enough money to buy a meal like Rei in Star Wars Episode 7 lol

[@irishwind1971]

In 2006 I found an M24 Chaffee as a gate guard in Taji. It was a surprise considering I grew up in the city where the tank was built.

[@paulscheidler7438]

It was gone by the time I was there in 2008 and 2009. Hopefully it was brought back to the US.

[@kirbyculp3449]

Maybe one your relatives helped to build it!?

[@ausnorman8050]

2M Subs ! Well done Mark.

[@MrFoz509]

Really interesting video. Thank you.

[@randomcoyote8807]

At Taji/Camp Cooke, I found a small arms warehouse the Iraqis left that had Lewis guns. It looked like there were more old machineguns that had been in various state of repair when the people abandoned the facility. I even managed to... 'secure', let's say, a pair of old magazines from a WW1 French 'Chauchat" machinegun.

[@HM2SGT]

*The CV 33 & 35 were also great at keeping out rain!*

[@Svalbaz]

Great work again Mark

[@Tanquista120]

7:26 is that a Spanish army G36E? need some background on that photo! Awesome video.

[@AtheistOrphan]

I love the little Italian tankettes, they look so cute!

[@PaperThinArmor]

So sad to see that the rare German SPG got entirely stripped. Hopefully most of those British and Italian tanks got rescued though or at the very least they sit as monuments undisturbed

[@colmcc-ij3nn]

Another fine video .First class 😊

[@carstenstille8503]

Dear Mr. Felton it is unbelievable how much knowledge you have! Thank you for shaaring it.

[@rivvabear9748]

"Damnit, I got uptiered again."

[@1940shistorian]

In late 2006 or early 2007, I was at Diwaniyah at Camp Scania, and we saw two Sherman tanks in Iraqi colors on transport being taken up towards Baghdad on MSR Tampa. They weren't in bad shape.

[@nassermj7671]

Another rare gem. Keeps connectivity geographically

[@jeddkeech259]

Mark. You never fail to deliver

[@FIBagent]

Wow! Quite interesting that second world war tanks found themselves in 2003 Iraq!

[@FIBagent]

@@Elatenl That's true, because quite a lot of them are cheap or reliable (such as the T-34). Its the same with weapons like the Kalashnikov line or the Mosoin Nagant.

[@bigblue6917]

Adds to the German tanks used in Syria against Israel.

[@FIBagent]

​@@bigblue6917unless I'm wrong, I don't believe the Syrian Arab Republic has directly attacked Israel.

[@yacine.3_2023]

​@@FIBagentbut israel attacked Syria.

[@FIBagent]

@@yacine.3_2023 Yes, but not a land invasion. They did theoretically launch rockets and guided missiles at Syrian territories, so they did technically attack them.

[@user-fv5ms4sz8e]

Almost every vehicle you mentioned, I never once heard of. This was a real eye opener.

[@caniacstevehenderson7115]

Thanks again 😊😊😊

[@yodawg3469]

I took pics of several ww2 era vehicles at an abandoned iraqi airbase in april/may of '03,there was also a good sized bomb crater as well.

[@kimwit1307]

I'm no tank-expert, but I honestly thought the tank shown at 1:00 and 7:08 was a Sherman with the cupola of a Panther-tank mounted on it...

[@fishingthelist4017]

A tank destroyer turret?

[@kimwit1307]

@surakapopendeka No, it's not a firefly. That still has the sherman turret, just with the bigger gun attached to it.

[@majorkursk780]

Very interesting presentation.

[@jjr7773]

Excellent and well done video, however Mr Felton, Desert Storm took place in 1991, Operation Iraqi Freedom took place in 2003. Love your videos Sir.

[@jjr7773]

Apologies, I didn’t read the previous comments.

[@PurpleCat9794]

The Iraqi Eagle looks very much like German counterpart.

[@asintonic]

Yahwol

[@ibnewton8951]

Right. Many, many countries chose the awesome and majestic eagle for their national symbol.

[@leddielive]

Funny you should say that because Saddams rise to power was very similar to that of Adolf Hitler, I've often wondered if Hussain had studied Hitler & copied in order to gain power?

[@FIBagent]

There was a German presence in Iraq. There even was a Luftwaffe Squadron called Fliegerfuhrer Irak.

[@someguy4512]

@@leddielive what 0 history knowledge does to mf

[@empirednw6624]

You things are bad when you have to break out the museum pieces.