# Churchill Tank WW2



## tomahawk6 (6 Jan 2018)

National Interest has a great article about the Churchill tank,its variations and various other bits of knowledge that I wasnt aware of.I thought there might be of interest.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-churchill-tank-one-the-best-world-war-ii-23929


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## NavyShooter (7 Jan 2018)

The Tank Museum has a series of "Tank Chats" about various AFV's in their collection.

Here's the Churchill one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aoGDNPjg8M


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## tomahawk6 (7 Jan 2018)

Very nice contribution Navy Shooter.


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## NavyShooter (7 Jan 2018)

They also have an ongoing series called "Matilda Diaries" as they're refurbing (one of) their Matilda Tank(s.)


I got to go to Tank-Fest 2016, which was pretty damn amazing.


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## tomahawk6 (7 Jan 2018)

Very nice  8)


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## NavyShooter (7 Jan 2018)

Here's a few of the photos:


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## Colin Parkinson (8 Jan 2018)

Here is a good video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc78EZqHA3U


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## daftandbarmy (8 Jan 2018)

Colin P said:
			
		

> Here is a good video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc78EZqHA3U



My Dad was a big fan of the flame throwing Churchill tanks - the Crocodiles. The artillery would apparently cover them as they walked them into close range, and they would fire a 'warning shot' to give the Germans time to reconsider their cause. Mostly, they came out fast, with their hands up. 

He was happy to note that the SS usually refused, which is why he never liked the smell of pork roast after he returned from WW2.


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## Old Sweat (8 Jan 2018)

There is an account of the capture of May-sur-Orne on 8 August 1944 by the FMR supported by a squadron of Churchill Crocodiles on p. 229-230 of No Holding Back. The report by the chemical weapons staff at 2nd Canadian Corps included "the objective was gained without difficulty. A few enemy wounded were captured. Apparently the enemy ceased all resistance and withdrew when the flame action commenced."


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## Rifleman62 (8 Jan 2018)

The first photo is from from Juno Beach I believe.

Read this book years ago and would like to reread.

https://www.amazon.com/Flame-Thrower-Andrew-Wilson/dp/0553245333



> synopsis back-cover
> 
> FLAME THROWER - ANDREW WILSON
> 
> ...




http://ww2f.com/threads/churchill-crocodile-tanks-and-the-ss.3974/

*Unit history of 79th (Armoured) Division 1944-45*

_Churchill Crocodiles_

Churchill Crocodiles were issued to 141st Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps (RAC), formerly an infantry battalion of the Buffs (East Kent Regiment), under the command of Lieutenant Colonel H.Waddell. They formed part of 31st Armoured Brigade, 79th (Armoured) Division.

The unit did not take part in D Day, and joined the division in the Bridgehead on 20th June 1944. Their first action was at Crepon, when 2 Crocodiles under Lieutenant J.W.G.Sherman supported C Squdaron Westminster Dragoons; there were no casualties.

Tank casualties to the unit were as follows:

June 1944 – nil.
July 1944 – 8.
August 1944 – 5.
September 1944 – 7.
October 1944 – 3.
November 1944 – 3.
December 1944 – nil.
January 1945 – 9.
February 1945 – 1.
March 1945 – 1.
April 1945 – 1.

In personnel they had 28 killed, 104 wounded and 36 missing.

From September 1944, 1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry joined the division and were also equipped with Crocodiles. Their tank losses were:

October 1944 – 1.
November 1944 – 3.
December 1944 – nil.
January 1945 – 2.
February 1945 – 3.
March 1945 – 2.
April 1945 – 1.

In personnel they had 13 killed, 41 wounded and 9 missing.

7th Royal Tank Regiment joined the division in February 1945 and were again also equipped with Crocodiles.

They lost 3 tanks in April 1945, had 4 men killed, and 15 wounded.

The number of missing, particularly for 141 RAC is surprising; but it might refer to crews killed in a brewed Crocodile whose bodies were not recoverable.

There is no account in the divisional history of any Crocodiles being overrun by the enemy; most were KO’d by shell-fire, tank fire and mines.

BUT, same link: From the book Flame Thrower’ 





> “[The] armoured cars had met an advancing SS division. There had been a battle, and after many days the SS had been pushed back to a ridge a few miles inland… two days before Harvey had gone in with an attack and lost a track as he milled about on the objective. It was a simple repair. But as he did it a counter-attack came in and the rest of the squadron was forced to fall back. Now, that morning, the squadron had helped to retake the place. They found Harvey’s tank and the tools laid out on the ground around it. Harvey and his crew had been lined up against a farmhouse wall and shot… would they shoot all captured Crocodile crews from now on?” (p.59-60)


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