Brigadier Robert Daniell

The obituary of Brigadier Robert Daniell [by William de Segundo, 19 December] contains four references to Rommel's operating Mark VI tanks in North Africa between April and June 1942, writes David Bartlett.

The Panzer Mark VI Ausf.E (Tiger I) first appeared on the battlefield in the Leningrad area in August 1942 and did not arrive in Tunisia until later in the year. The tanks referred to are more likely to have been the upgunned Panzer Mark IV Ausf.F2 and Ausf.G (known to the British as Mark IV specials). These tanks were fitted with the long-barrelled 7.5cm KwK L/43 and were available from March 1942 and May 1942 respectively.

It was also reported that Daniell's 8cwt truck had its wheels blown away by an 88mm machine gun. The 7.92mm machine gun was the largest calibre in use by the Afrika Korps: the 88mm is the calibre of the main gun on the Tiger tank and the highly effective anti- aircraft/anti-tank gun.