The British 11th Armoured Division was the first formation to receive the new tanks, with deliveries commencing in December 1944 and the 29th Armoured Brigade, then equipped with Shermans, was withdrawn from fighting in the southern Netherlands early in the same month for re-equipping.
After arriving in Brussels and preparing to hand in their Shermans the Ardennes Offensive commenced, and the brigade was forced to hastily take back its Shermans in order to take part in the countering of the German attack.
The unit returned to the Brussels area in the middle of January 1945 three weeks later and finally paid-off its Shermans in exchange for Comets.
The 11th Armoured would be the only division to be completely refitted with the Comet by the end of the war.
The Comet saw combat and 26 were destroyed but due to its late arrival in the war in north west Europe, it did not participate in big battles.
The Comet was involved in the crossing of the Rhine and the later Berlin Victory Parade in July 1945.
The Comet's maximum speed of 32 miles per hour (51 km/h) was greatly exploited on the German Autobahn (motorways).
The British 11th Armoured Division was the first formation to receive the new tanks, with deliveries commencing in December 1944 and the 29th Armoured Brigade, then equipped with Shermans, was withdrawn from fighting in the southern Netherlands early in the same month for re-equipping. After arriving in Brussels and preparing to hand in their Shermans the Ardennes Offensive commenced, and the brigade was forced to hastily take back its Shermans in order to take part in the countering of the German attack. The unit returned to the Brussels area in the middle of January 1945 three weeks later and finally paid-off its Shermans in exchange for Comets. The 11th Armoured would be the only division to be completely refitted with the Comet by the end of the war. The Comet saw combat and 26 were destroyed but due to its late arrival in the war in north west Europe, it did not participate in big battles. The Comet was involved in the crossing of the Rhine and the later Berlin Victory Parade in July 1945. The Comet's maximum speed of 32 miles per hour (51 km/h) was greatly exploited on the German Autobahn (motorways).
Comet (tank)