- Yes
- No
Hello, continuing with my Churchill obsession, I’m here suggesting the Churchill Mk I in Canadian service.
History:
On the 4th of December, 1941, the No. 1 Sub Depot of No. 1 Canadian Base Ordnance Depot, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, which was located at Bordon Camp, Hampshire, England, would begin to receive Churchill Mark I from the British. These were to equip, three army tank battalions (these would be later redesigned into tank regiments on the 15th of May, 1942) of the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade. This occurred because the brigade was originally supposed to be equipped with Canada-built Valentine tanks before leaving Canada, this didn’t happen due to delays in Canadian production. This would lead to Canada asking the British War Office to lend tanks to the incoming 1st Canadian Army tank brigade. With the plan to replace the lended tanks with Canada-built ones as soon as they become available and production problems are overcome. In order to make the endeavour successful support from the British Army’s Commander of the Royal Armoured Corps was received, to the point that as soon as the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade had arrived in the United Kingdom they were able to receive equipment on a respectable training scale. Well the 11th Canadian Army Tank Battalion would be equipped with Churchill Mk IIs straight from the production line, well the other battalions would be equipped with Matilda IIs until more Churchill tanks became available, this would happen by December of 1941.
Due to how the Canadian Army Tank Battalions was organized, being a battalion headquarters, headquarters squadron and three tank squadrons, with how the battalion headquarters were set up they had four cruiser or infantry close support tanks. Well Churchill Mk II and III became available for the Brigades, the Churchill Mk I would be used in squadron headquarters as infantry close support tanks.
By the 30th of May, 1942 the Canadian Churchill Mk Is would start to be withdrawn to be replaced by new or reworked Churchills. This would continue until March of 1943 when a decision was made to replace the brigades Churchills with the Canadian-built Ram II.
Well, there wouldn’t be as many Churchill Mk Is serving Canada as its brothers, but it wouldn’t stop a number of them from receiving the same fate as their brothers, in the ill-fated Operation Jubilee. The Calgary Regiment would hold six Churchill Mk I tanks all as close support tanks. Out of the six tanks, the regiment would lose four, with the other two not landing on the beach.
As talked about earlier over the course of 1943, the Churchill Mk Is would be withdrawn from the Brigade. This would happen at various times, until the 11th of May, 1943. All in total, between, the 4th of December 1941 and the 11th of May 1942, the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade held approximately 70 Churchill Mk Is.
Other photos
Specs:
Weight: 39.1 t (38.5 long tons) (Mark I), 40.7 t (40.1 long tons) (Mark VII)
Length: 24 ft 5 in (7.44 m)
Width: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m)
Height: 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
Crew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader/radio operator, driver, co-driver/hull gunner)
Main Armament: QF 2-pounder
Secondary Armament: One 7.92mm Besa machine gun (coaxial), 3-inch howitzer
Engine: Bedford 12-cylinder, 4-stroke, water-cooled, horizontally opposed, L-head petrol engine, 350 hp (261 kW) at 2,200 rpm
Operational Range: 56 miles (90 km)
Speed: 15 mph (24 km/h)
Armour: 102 mm hull front, 76 mm hull side, 51 mm hull rear, 89 mm turret front, 76 mm turret side and rear.