- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 410
One of the weakpoints of the Churchill tank was visibility and the related issue of commander protection when either fighting the tank or fighting a troop/ squadron of tanks. Many a tank commander had been lost to sniper fire, artillery fire and in one instance quoted by Farley Mowet, " a mortar shell right through the open hatch". A battlefield solution was brought forth by a Captain in the North Irish Horse involving salvaged/damaged German tanks.
"Captain Garner mentioned that he had recently returned from the main REME Workshop located near Le Khroub, a hilltop town north of Constantine. While there, noticing the many damaged German PkW IIIs in the park, he took a closer look and came to the conclusion that their cupolas could be salvaged and fitted to the CS Churchills thereby solving the visibility problem." Contacting the REME fitters, "the installation of the German cupola proved to be a comparatively simple task and, when finished, the modified tank was delivered to the Squadron for their inspection." It is not known however if this modification was carried further through than just the North Irish Horse. One of the intially modified tanks was knocked out while supporting the PPCLI and Seaforth Highlanders in the attack and breaching of the Hitler Line in May of 1944.
Source: Chester, Arthur Gerald. "Into Battle with Churchills" http://northirishhorse.net/
"Captain Garner mentioned that he had recently returned from the main REME Workshop located near Le Khroub, a hilltop town north of Constantine. While there, noticing the many damaged German PkW IIIs in the park, he took a closer look and came to the conclusion that their cupolas could be salvaged and fitted to the CS Churchills thereby solving the visibility problem." Contacting the REME fitters, "the installation of the German cupola proved to be a comparatively simple task and, when finished, the modified tank was delivered to the Squadron for their inspection." It is not known however if this modification was carried further through than just the North Irish Horse. One of the intially modified tanks was knocked out while supporting the PPCLI and Seaforth Highlanders in the attack and breaching of the Hitler Line in May of 1944.
Source: Chester, Arthur Gerald. "Into Battle with Churchills" http://northirishhorse.net/