Lend-Lease Sherman tanks
Encyclopedia
The United States provided tens of thousands of its Medium Tank M4, nicknamed the Sherman, to many of its Allies
during the Second World War, under the terms of Lend-Lease Act.
generals was continued, giving it the name General Sherman after Union
General
William Tecumseh Sherman
, usually shortened to Sherman. The US later adopted the name and the practice of naming tanks after generals.
In the British naming system the major variants were identified by Mark numbers, the M4 being "Sherman I", the M4A1 "Sherman II" and so on. Letters after the mark number denoted modifications to the base model: "A" for the 76 mm L/55 gun instead of the 75mm, "B" for the 105 mm M4 L/22.5 howitzer, "C" for the (British) QF 17 pounder
(76.2 mm) gun, and "Y" for the wider tracked HVSS type suspension.
-Commonwealth Firefly
with potent British QF 17 pounder (76.2 mm) anti-tank gun; Adder, Salamander, Crocodile, and Badger flame-throwing Shermans
; Kangaroo armoured personnel carrier
; Armored Recovery Vehicles (ARV)
; artillery tractor
s, and the specialist military engineering vehicles of "Hobart's Funnies
" designed specifically for Operation Overlord
("D-Day") and the Battle of Normandy. In 1945, the 1st Coldstream Guards
at the Rhine fitted Sherman turrets with two "60 lb" RP-3
air-to-ground rockets on rails to create the Sherman Tulip. Canada created a prototype anti aircraft vehicle with four 20 mm Polsten
cannons mounted in a turret on Canadian-made M4A1 hull called Skink. The Soviets reportedly replaced the US 75 mm gun on some M4A2s with the 76.2mm F-34 gun
of the T-34
medium tank to create the M4M but discontinued the practice when assured of US ammunition supply (Zaloga 1984:217).
A number of Sherman tanks were converted to carry different armament other than that with which the tank was originally manufactured. Among these were:
British developments for Shermans were extensive and included the fascine
carrier (used by 79th Armoured Division
), "Crib", "Twaby Ark", "Octopus",
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The British Empire received 17,184 Sherman tanks under Lend-Lease, roughly 78% of all Shermans provided world wide under this program. This includes Sherman tanks used by all members of the British Empire. The first Shermans received by the UK were equipped with two driver-operated fixed machine guns in the hull. This was a standard feature of very early Shermans and was one of the first things to be dropped from the design.
The British largely used M4, M4A1, M4A2, and later became the primary user of the M4A4.
Some Shermans in British service were converted to specialist combat engineering vehicles primarily for the invasion of France. The Sherman Crab was used to clear minefields in North West Europe and Italy.
The Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle
was a waterproof Armoured Recovery Vehicle
used only on the beaches.
at the Second Battle of El Alamein
in October 1942. The tanks had been supplied in a hurry from the US which had removed them from their own units. They were then modified to British requirements and for desert conditions. Over 250, in 12 regiments, started the battle. They formed the "heavy squadrons" (16 tanks in each) of one brigade in each division of X Corps and some other squadrons of the other units taking part; the other heavy squadrons were still equipped with Grants and light squadrons were equipped with Crusader tank
s. The Sherman's were still "outclassed" by the Panzer IV "Specials" but the British carried the battle though the Sherman units were largely out of the subsequent pursuit of the Germans. The Sherman was able to tackle enemy rearguards by using HE fired indirectly and the German Pak 50 anti-tank gun was only effective if it could engage the Sherman from the sides. More of the units in North Africa were converted to Shermans, though the infantry tanks remained Churchills. By the Tunisia campaign the Germans had the Tiger I
heavy tank, 75 mm anti-tank guns and more Panzer IVs with the long 75mm gun.
.
and was in the majority by 1944 - the other main late-war tanks being the Churchill
and Cromwell
. The Cromwell was used in reconnaissance because of its superior speed and the Churchill had the better cross country mobility.
The Sherman Firefly variant was converted mostly from M4s and M4A4s, and was used both in Sherman and Cromwell-equipped units to add extra anti-tank capability, though it was noticebly slower than the swift Cromwells. A 1944-pattern British armoured squadron (equivalent to a US company) had one Firefly per troop (platoon) of 4 Shermans. Later when the Sherman was being replaced in some British units by the Cromwell
, the Firefly was retained in Cromwell units until the introduction of the Comet
which carried the 77mm HV, a shortened derivative of the OQF 17 pounder.
By the end of the war, of the Shermans in service with the British, 50% were Fireflies. With the end of the war and superior tanks entering service, the UK returned its Shermans to reduce its Lend-Lease payments.
As well as some Indian units receiving Shermans, the 116th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps
(converted from the 9th Battalion Gordon Highlanders) part of 255th Brigade
was equipped with Shermans. As part of the 255th, they were involved in January and February 1945 in Burma in action near Meiktila and Mandalay. The actions were predominantly in support of infantry with few enemy tanks encountered. After that they were part of mobile columns that moved to retake Rangoon
.
operated approximately 150 M4A2 Sherman tanks from late 1942 until the end of the war. The 4th Brigade formed part of the New Zealand 2nd Division
and was converted from an infantry brigade. The 4th Armoured Brigade saw action during the Italian Campaign
.
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Although the Australian Army
received 757 M3 Lee/Grants
in 1942 it only received three Sherman tanks. These three tanks were supplied by the UK and were only used for trials purposes. When the Australian Cruiser tank
programme was cancelled in 1943 a proposal was made to replace the entire order of 775 Australian Cruiser tanks with 310 Sherman tanks, however this proposal was not acted on.
Australia's first Sherman, an M4A2, arrived in Australia in 1943 with a further two M4s (sometimes mis-labeled as M4A1s) arriving for tropical trials in New Guinea
in 1944. The results of these trials showed that the British Churchill tank
was better suited to jungle warfare's low-speed infantry support than the Sherman. As a result the Australian Government ordered 510 Churchills, of which 51 were delivered before the order was cancelled at the end of the war, and did not order any further Shermans. Following the war the three trials tanks were placed on display at Australian Army bases and one was later destroyed after being used as a tank target.
enabled its Canadian subsidiary, the Montreal Locomotive Works
, to build M4A1 variants in Canada. Canada received four Shermans under Lend-Lease; the mechanism of this is not fully understood. The MLW built 188 Shermans called the Grizzly I cruiser
in Canadian service, which were restricted to training. MLW investment in Sherman production was turned to production of the Sexton self propelled gun
. In European combat the Canadian Army used American-built Shermans supplied by the UK. These were armed with 75 mm, 105 mm and 17-pounder guns.
mostly equipped with Sherman Vs (M4A4s) with 75 mm guns, and Firefly VC Shermans, and some Cromwellswith the 10th Mounted Rifle Regiment. After heavy losses closing the Falaise Pocket
and Dutch campaign, the division was re-equipped, largely with Sherman IIA (M4A1 (W) 76 mm) models.
Many of the tanks had their entire glacis plate and turret front covered by spare track links in an attempt to improve the tank's protection.
The Polish II Corps
, fighting in Italy, primarily used M4A2s (Sherman III) that had been used by the British Army in Africa. However, some Firefly ICs and Sherman IB (M4(105 mm)) howitzer tanks were also used. Parts of the Polish First Army
also briefly used M4A2(76 mm) borrowed from the Soviet armies after heavy losses in the conquest of Danzig. After receiving replacements, the army was re-equipped with T-34
s.
used several versions of the M4 medium tank. Tanks were provided by the U.S. under Lend-Lease. French armored divisions were organized and equipped the same as U.S. Army, light armored divisions. In 1943, the French decided to create their new army in north Africa, and had an agreement with the Americans to be equipped with US modern weapons. The French 2nd Armored Division entered the Battle of Normandy
fully equipped with M4A2s. The 1st and 5th DB, which entered S. France as part of the First French Army were equipped with a mixture of M4A2 and M4A4 medium tanks. The 3rd DB, which served as a training and reserve organization for the three operational armored divisions was equipped with roughly 200 medium and light tanks. Of these, 120 were later turned in to the U.S. Army's Delta Base Section for reissue. Subsequent combat losses for the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Armored Divisions were replaced with standard issue tanks from U.S. Army stocks.
in Italy during the war but sent directly to defend Brazil itself. In the early 1950s another group of 30 Sherman tanks were delivered under the Military Assistance Program bringing the total number of Shermans to 83 tanks. The variants of these tanks consisted of 40 M4, 38 M4 with the Composite Hull, and 2 M4A1. The Brazilian Army used the Shermans until 1979 when they were replaced by M41 tanks.
's nickname for the M4 medium tank was Emcha because the open-topped figure 4 resembled the Cyrillic letter che
or cha (Ч). The (diesel engined M4A2) "emchas" used by the Red Army were considered to be much less prone to burn and explode than Russian tanks.
A total of 4,102 M4A2 medium tanks were sent to the U.S.S.R. under Lend-Lease. Of these 2,007 were equipped with the 75 mm gun, and 2,095 carried the 76 mm gun. The total number of Sherman tanks sent to the U.S.S.R. under Lend-Lease represented 18.6% of all Lend-Lease Shermans.
The best anti-tank gun on a World War II combat Sherman was the British QF 17 pounder (76.2 mm) gun, a very high-velocity weapon firing APDS shell
s capable of defeating the heavier German tanks. The 17 pounder had already shown its value in 1943, in Africa
as a towed anti-tank gun. It proved an effective weapon against German tanks. With the APDS developed for the 17 pounder, the Firefly's performance was increased again. Although the 17-pounder was an excellent anti-armor weapon, initially the HE shell provided was weak, making it a poor general-purpose tank gun. However, the HE shell problem was later resolved.
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
during the Second World War, under the terms of Lend-Lease Act.
British nomenclature
The British received far more M4 medium tanks, approximately 17,000 (roughly 34% of all M4s produced), than any other Allied nation. The British practice of naming American tanks after American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
generals was continued, giving it the name General Sherman after Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
General
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
, usually shortened to Sherman. The US later adopted the name and the practice of naming tanks after generals.
In the British naming system the major variants were identified by Mark numbers, the M4 being "Sherman I", the M4A1 "Sherman II" and so on. Letters after the mark number denoted modifications to the base model: "A" for the 76 mm L/55 gun instead of the 75mm, "B" for the 105 mm M4 L/22.5 howitzer, "C" for the (British) QF 17 pounder
Ordnance QF 17 pounder
The Ordnance Quick-Firing 17 pounder was a 76.2 mm gun developed by the United Kingdom during World War II. It was used as an anti-tank gun on its own carriage, as well as equipping a number of British tanks. It was the most effective Allied anti-tank gun of the war...
(76.2 mm) gun, and "Y" for the wider tracked HVSS type suspension.
- Sherman I - M4 with 75 mm M3 L/40 gun
- Sherman Hybrid I - Sherman I with composite hull (cast front, welded rear)
- Sherman IB - Sherman I with 105 mm M4 L/22.5 howitzer
- Sherman IBY - Sherman IB with HVSS
- Sherman II - M4A1 with 75 mm M3 L/40 gun
- Sherman IIA - M4A1(76)W, Sherman II with 76 mm M1 L/55 gun
- Sherman IIAY - M4A1(76)W HVSS, Sherman IIA with HVSS
- Sherman IIA - M4A1(76)W, Sherman II with 76 mm M1 L/55 gun
- Sherman III - M4A2 with 75 mm M3 L/40 gun
- Sherman IIIA - M4A2(76)W, Sherman III with 76 mm M1A2 L/55 gun (unlikely to have been used by UK troops)
- Sherman IIIAY - M4A2(76)W HVSS, Sherman IIIA with HVSS (not used operationally by UK troops)
- Sherman IIIA - M4A2(76)W, Sherman III with 76 mm M1A2 L/55 gun (unlikely to have been used by UK troops)
- Sherman IV - M4A3 with 75 mm M3 L/40 gun (no Sherman IVs used operationally)
- Sherman IVA - M4A3(76)W, Sherman IV with 76 mm M1A2 L/55 gun
- Sherman IVB - M4A3(105), Sherman IV with 105 mm M4 L/22.5 howitzer
- Sherman IVBY - M4A3(105) HVSS, Sherman IVB with HVSS.
- Sherman V - M4A4 with 75 mm M3 L/40 gun
- Sherman VI - M4A5 (paper designation to prevent confusion with Canadian production)
- Sherman VII - M4A6 with 75 mm M3 L/40 gun (delivered to British with Ordnance RD-1820 diesel engine)
- Sherman II ARV III - M32B1 TRV (M4A1 Sherman II chassis) recovery vehicle
Allied variants
Conversions and modifications of the M4 by their foreign users included the BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-Commonwealth Firefly
Sherman Firefly
The Sherman Firefly was a World War II British variant of the American Sherman tank, fitted with the powerful British 17 pounder anti-tank gun as its main weapon...
with potent British QF 17 pounder (76.2 mm) anti-tank gun; Adder, Salamander, Crocodile, and Badger flame-throwing Shermans
Flame tank
A flame tank is a type of tank equipped with a flamethrower, most commonly used to supplement combined arms attacks against fortifications, confined spaces, or other obstacles...
; Kangaroo armoured personnel carrier
Kangaroo (armoured personnel carrier)
A Kangaroo was a World War II Commonwealth or British armoured personnel carrier , created by conversion of a tank chassis. Created as an expedient measure by the Canadian Army, the Kangaroos were so successful that they were soon being used by British forces as well...
; Armored Recovery Vehicles (ARV)
Armoured recovery vehicle
An armoured recovery vehicle is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle- or mine-damaged as well as broken-down armoured vehicles during combat, or to tow them out of the danger zone for more extensive repairs...
; artillery tractor
Artillery tractor
Artillery tractor is a kind of tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, a vehicle used to tow artillery pieces of varying weights.-Traction:...
s, and the specialist military engineering vehicles of "Hobart's Funnies
Hobart's Funnies
Hobart's Funnies were a number of unusually modified tanks operated during World War II by the United Kingdom's 79th Armoured Division or by specialists from the Royal Engineers. They were designed in light of problems that more standard tanks experienced during the Dieppe Raid, so that the new...
" designed specifically for Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
("D-Day") and the Battle of Normandy. In 1945, the 1st Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
at the Rhine fitted Sherman turrets with two "60 lb" RP-3
RP-3
The RP-3 , was a British rocket used in the Second World War. Though primarily an air-to-ground weapon, it saw limited use in other roles. Its 60 lb warhead gave rise to the alternative name of the "60 lb rocket"; the 25 lb solid-shot armour piercing variant was referred to as the "25 lb rocket"...
air-to-ground rockets on rails to create the Sherman Tulip. Canada created a prototype anti aircraft vehicle with four 20 mm Polsten
Polsten
The Polsten was a low cost Polish development of the 20 mm Oerlikon gun. The Polsten was designed to be simpler and much cheaper to build than the Oerlikon without reducing effectiveness.-Development:...
cannons mounted in a turret on Canadian-made M4A1 hull called Skink. The Soviets reportedly replaced the US 75 mm gun on some M4A2s with the 76.2mm F-34 gun
F-34 tank gun
The 76 mm tank gun M1940 F-34 was a 76.2 mm Soviet tank gun used on the T-34/76 tank. A modified version of the gun, the 76 mm tank gun M1941 ZiS-5 was used on KV-1 tanks during World War II...
of the T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
medium tank to create the M4M but discontinued the practice when assured of US ammunition supply (Zaloga 1984:217).
Armament conversions
- Tank AA, 20 mm Quad, SkinkSkink anti-aircraft tankThe Tank AA, 20 mm Quad, Skink was a Canadian self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. It was also designated as "Project 47" by the Canadian Army....
- Canadian prototype anti-aircraft vehicle with four 20 mm PolstenPolstenThe Polsten was a low cost Polish development of the 20 mm Oerlikon gun. The Polsten was designed to be simpler and much cheaper to build than the Oerlikon without reducing effectiveness.-Development:...
cannon mounted in a turret on a Grizzly hull (tank made in Canada, not Lend-Leased). - Sherman DDDD tankDD tanks , were a type of amphibious swimming tank developed by the British during the Second World War...
(from "Duplex drive") - British-developed swimming gear fitted to British, Canadian, and US Shermans for the Normandy landings. - Sherman FireflySherman FireflyThe Sherman Firefly was a World War II British variant of the American Sherman tank, fitted with the powerful British 17 pounder anti-tank gun as its main weapon...
- British Sherman I or V re-armed with QF 17 pounderOrdnance QF 17 pounderThe Ordnance Quick-Firing 17 pounder was a 76.2 mm gun developed by the United Kingdom during World War II. It was used as an anti-tank gun on its own carriage, as well as equipping a number of British tanks. It was the most effective Allied anti-tank gun of the war...
(76.2 mm) anti-tank gun with C added to designation (as in Sherman IC or VC). - Sherman Tulip - British Sherman with two 3-inch ("60lb") RP-3RP-3The RP-3 , was a British rocket used in the Second World War. Though primarily an air-to-ground weapon, it saw limited use in other roles. Its 60 lb warhead gave rise to the alternative name of the "60 lb rocket"; the 25 lb solid-shot armour piercing variant was referred to as the "25 lb rocket"...
rockets on rails added to the turret. Used by the 1st Coldstream GuardsColdstream GuardsHer Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
at the Rhine in 1945. - M4M— Soviet M4A2s reportedly converted to 76.2mm F-34 gunF-34 tank gunThe 76 mm tank gun M1940 F-34 was a 76.2 mm Soviet tank gun used on the T-34/76 tank. A modified version of the gun, the 76 mm tank gun M1941 ZiS-5 was used on KV-1 tanks during World War II...
, as mounted in the T-34T-34The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
. There was no shortage of U.S. 75 mm ammunition, however, so there was little need to continue converting Shermans. (Zaloga 1984:217)
Combat engineering vehicles
Fascine
A fascine is a rough bundle of brushwood used for strengthening an earthen structure, or making a path across uneven or wet terrain. Typical uses are protecting the banks of streams from erosion, covering marshy ground and so on.-Early military use:...
carrier (used by 79th Armoured Division
79th Armoured Division
The 79th Armoured Division was a specialist British Army armoured formation created as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944...
), "Crib", "Twaby Ark", "Octopus",
- Sherman Bridgelayer -
- "Plymouth" - carrying Bailey BridgeBailey bridgeThe Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed by the British during World War II for military use and saw extensive use by both British and the American military engineering units....
- Sherman AVRE with Small Box GirderSmall Box GirderThe Small Box Girder was a small assault bridge that could be used to span gaps of up to 30'. It was carried on the tank, a Churchill AVRE or similar and could be deployed without engineers being exposed to enemy fire. Used during the Normandy invasion of World War II....
bridge
- "Plymouth" - carrying Bailey Bridge
- Sherman CIRD - fitted with "Canadian Indestructible Roller Device" landmine exploder
- Sherman Crab - British Sherman with mine flailMine flailA mine flail is a vehicle-mounted device that makes a safe path through a mine-field by deliberately detonating land mines in front of the vehicle that carries it. They were first used by the British during World War II....
, one of a long line of flail devices
Recovery vehicles
- Sherman III ARV I - British Amoured Recovery Vehicle conversion of Sherman III (M4A2), similarly Sherman V ARV I and ARV II
- BARV - British Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle
Artillery tractors
- Sherman Gun Tower - British field conversion in Italy by removing turrets from M4A2 Sherman tanks to tow 17 pdr AT gun and carry crew with ammunition
Personnel carriers
- Sherman Kangaroo - Canadian Sherman converted into KangarooKangaroo (armoured personnel carrier)A Kangaroo was a World War II Commonwealth or British armoured personnel carrier , created by conversion of a tank chassis. Created as an expedient measure by the Canadian Army, the Kangaroos were so successful that they were soon being used by British forces as well...
armoured personnel carrierArmoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
Britain
The British largely used M4, M4A1, M4A2, and later became the primary user of the M4A4.
Some Shermans in British service were converted to specialist combat engineering vehicles primarily for the invasion of France. The Sherman Crab was used to clear minefields in North West Europe and Italy.
The Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle
BARV
The Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle is a British military support vehicle used for amphibious landings.There have been three different BARVs in British service since their introduction during World War II...
was a waterproof Armoured Recovery Vehicle
Armoured recovery vehicle
An armoured recovery vehicle is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle- or mine-damaged as well as broken-down armoured vehicles during combat, or to tow them out of the danger zone for more extensive repairs...
used only on the beaches.
North Africa
The first Shermans to see battle were M4A1s with the British 8th ArmyEighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
at the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
in October 1942. The tanks had been supplied in a hurry from the US which had removed them from their own units. They were then modified to British requirements and for desert conditions. Over 250, in 12 regiments, started the battle. They formed the "heavy squadrons" (16 tanks in each) of one brigade in each division of X Corps and some other squadrons of the other units taking part; the other heavy squadrons were still equipped with Grants and light squadrons were equipped with Crusader tank
Crusader tank
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk VI or A15 Crusader was one of the primary British cruiser tanks of the early part Second World War and perhaps the most important British tank of the North African Campaign...
s. The Sherman's were still "outclassed" by the Panzer IV "Specials" but the British carried the battle though the Sherman units were largely out of the subsequent pursuit of the Germans. The Sherman was able to tackle enemy rearguards by using HE fired indirectly and the German Pak 50 anti-tank gun was only effective if it could engage the Sherman from the sides. More of the units in North Africa were converted to Shermans, though the infantry tanks remained Churchills. By the Tunisia campaign the Germans had the Tiger I
Tiger I
Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
heavy tank, 75 mm anti-tank guns and more Panzer IVs with the long 75mm gun.
Italy
The British in Italy did not use cruiser tanks; replacing them with Shermans and turretless Stuart tanks. Stuarts equipped the reconnaissance troops The other tank of the campaign was the, mainly 6 pdr equipped, Churchill; those units were bolstered with Shermans. in general the Shermans were acting in the infantry support role in difficult terrain against fixed German defences. At the end of 1944 76mm and 105mm gun Shermans and 17 pdr Fireflies started to be used by the British as they came up against the Gothic LineGothic Line
The Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
.
NorthWest Europe
British and Commonwealth use in Europe was comprehensive, the Sherman replaced the General Grant and General Lee tanksM3 Lee
The Medium Tank M3 was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called "General Lee", named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and the modified version built with a new turret was called the "General Grant", named after U.S. General Ulysses S. Grant.Design commenced...
and was in the majority by 1944 - the other main late-war tanks being the Churchill
Churchill tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV was a heavy British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war...
and Cromwell
Cromwell tank
Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell ,The designation as the eighth Cruiser tank design, its name given for ease of reference and its General Staff specification number respectively and the related Centaur tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second...
. The Cromwell was used in reconnaissance because of its superior speed and the Churchill had the better cross country mobility.
The Sherman Firefly variant was converted mostly from M4s and M4A4s, and was used both in Sherman and Cromwell-equipped units to add extra anti-tank capability, though it was noticebly slower than the swift Cromwells. A 1944-pattern British armoured squadron (equivalent to a US company) had one Firefly per troop (platoon) of 4 Shermans. Later when the Sherman was being replaced in some British units by the Cromwell
Cromwell tank
Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell ,The designation as the eighth Cruiser tank design, its name given for ease of reference and its General Staff specification number respectively and the related Centaur tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second...
, the Firefly was retained in Cromwell units until the introduction of the Comet
Comet tank
The Tank, Cruiser, Comet I was a British cruiser tank that first saw use near the end of World War II. It was designed to provide greater anti-tank capability to Cromwell tank squadrons. It was armed with a 77mm HV, a derivative of the 17 pounder, with the result it was one of the few British...
which carried the 77mm HV, a shortened derivative of the OQF 17 pounder.
By the end of the war, of the Shermans in service with the British, 50% were Fireflies. With the end of the war and superior tanks entering service, the UK returned its Shermans to reduce its Lend-Lease payments.
Far East
In the Indian Army tradition, formations included British regiments alongside Indian Army units.see Army of IndiaArmy of India
The Army of India consisted of both the Indian Army and the British Army in India between 1903 and 1947.Lord Kitchener was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India between 1902 and 1909...
As well as some Indian units receiving Shermans, the 116th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps
Royal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
(converted from the 9th Battalion Gordon Highlanders) part of 255th Brigade
255th Indian Tank Brigade
The 255th Indian Tank Brigade was an armoured brigade of the Indian Army during World War II. It was part of the Fourteenth Army and saw action in the Burma Campaign...
was equipped with Shermans. As part of the 255th, they were involved in January and February 1945 in Burma in action near Meiktila and Mandalay. The actions were predominantly in support of infantry with few enemy tanks encountered. After that they were part of mobile columns that moved to retake Rangoon
Operation Dracula
During World War II, Operation Dracula was the name given to an airborne and amphibious attack on Rangoon by British and Indian forces, part of the Burma Campaign. When it was launched, the Imperial Japanese Army had already abandoned the city.-Background:...
.
New Zealand
The 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade
The 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade was formed in October 1942 from the remnants of the 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade. They were part of the 2nd New Zealand Division, which had already seen action in the Battle of Greece the Battle of Crete and in the North African Campaign, having a leading...
operated approximately 150 M4A2 Sherman tanks from late 1942 until the end of the war. The 4th Brigade formed part of the New Zealand 2nd Division
New Zealand 2nd Division
The 2nd New Zealand Division was a formation of the New Zealand Military Forces during World War II. It was commanded for most of its existence by Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, and fought in Greece, Crete, the Western Desert and Italy...
and was converted from an infantry brigade. The 4th Armoured Brigade saw action during the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
.
Australia
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
received 757 M3 Lee/Grants
M3 Lee
The Medium Tank M3 was an American tank used during World War II. In Britain the tank was called "General Lee", named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and the modified version built with a new turret was called the "General Grant", named after U.S. General Ulysses S. Grant.Design commenced...
in 1942 it only received three Sherman tanks. These three tanks were supplied by the UK and were only used for trials purposes. When the Australian Cruiser tank
Sentinel tank
The Sentinel tank was a cruiser tank designed in Australia in World War II in response to the war in Europe, and to the threat of Japan expanding the war to the Pacific or even a feared Japanese invasion of Australia. It was the first tank to be built with a hull cast as a single piece, and the...
programme was cancelled in 1943 a proposal was made to replace the entire order of 775 Australian Cruiser tanks with 310 Sherman tanks, however this proposal was not acted on.
Australia's first Sherman, an M4A2, arrived in Australia in 1943 with a further two M4s (sometimes mis-labeled as M4A1s) arriving for tropical trials in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
in 1944. The results of these trials showed that the British Churchill tank
Churchill tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV was a heavy British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war...
was better suited to jungle warfare's low-speed infantry support than the Sherman. As a result the Australian Government ordered 510 Churchills, of which 51 were delivered before the order was cancelled at the end of the war, and did not order any further Shermans. Following the war the three trials tanks were placed on display at Australian Army bases and one was later destroyed after being used as a tank target.
Canada
The United States officially did not list Canada as a Lend-Lease recipient, but did create the 1941 Joint Defense Production Committee with Canada so "each country should provide the other with the defense articles which it is best able to produce" and American Locomotive CompanyAmerican Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
enabled its Canadian subsidiary, the Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
, to build M4A1 variants in Canada. Canada received four Shermans under Lend-Lease; the mechanism of this is not fully understood. The MLW built 188 Shermans called the Grizzly I cruiser
Grizzly I cruiser
The Grizzly I was a Canadian built M4A1 Sherman tank with some modifications, it had thicker, more sloping armour, had a longer range, and, most notably was fitted with Canadian Dry Pin tracks.-History:...
in Canadian service, which were restricted to training. MLW investment in Sherman production was turned to production of the Sexton self propelled gun
Sexton (artillery)
The 25pdr SP, tracked, Sexton was a self-propelled artillery vehicle of World War II, based on an American tank hull design, built by Canada for the British Army, and associated Commonwealth forces, and some of the other Allies....
. In European combat the Canadian Army used American-built Shermans supplied by the UK. These were armed with 75 mm, 105 mm and 17-pounder guns.
Poland
Poland was not a recipient of Lend-Lease aid directly from the United States, however, Polish forces also used a wide variety of Shermans redirected from Lend-Lease shipments to the British Empire. The Polish 1st Armoured Division entered the Battle of NormandyOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
mostly equipped with Sherman Vs (M4A4s) with 75 mm guns, and Firefly VC Shermans, and some Cromwellswith the 10th Mounted Rifle Regiment. After heavy losses closing the Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
and Dutch campaign, the division was re-equipped, largely with Sherman IIA (M4A1 (W) 76 mm) models.
Many of the tanks had their entire glacis plate and turret front covered by spare track links in an attempt to improve the tank's protection.
The Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps
Polish II Corps , 1943–1947, was a major tactical and operational unit of the Polish Armed Forces in the West during World War II. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Władysław Anders and by the end of 1945 it had grown to well over 100,000 soldiers....
, fighting in Italy, primarily used M4A2s (Sherman III) that had been used by the British Army in Africa. However, some Firefly ICs and Sherman IB (M4(105 mm)) howitzer tanks were also used. Parts of the Polish First Army
First Polish Army (1944-1945)
The Polish First Army was a Polish Army unit formed in the Soviet Union in 1944, from the previously existing Polish I Corps as part of the People's Army of Poland . The First Army fought westward, subordinated to the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front, during the offensive against Germany that led to...
also briefly used M4A2(76 mm) borrowed from the Soviet armies after heavy losses in the conquest of Danzig. After receiving replacements, the army was re-equipped with T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
s.
France
Free French ForcesFree French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
used several versions of the M4 medium tank. Tanks were provided by the U.S. under Lend-Lease. French armored divisions were organized and equipped the same as U.S. Army, light armored divisions. In 1943, the French decided to create their new army in north Africa, and had an agreement with the Americans to be equipped with US modern weapons. The French 2nd Armored Division entered the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
fully equipped with M4A2s. The 1st and 5th DB, which entered S. France as part of the First French Army were equipped with a mixture of M4A2 and M4A4 medium tanks. The 3rd DB, which served as a training and reserve organization for the three operational armored divisions was equipped with roughly 200 medium and light tanks. Of these, 120 were later turned in to the U.S. Army's Delta Base Section for reissue. Subsequent combat losses for the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Armored Divisions were replaced with standard issue tanks from U.S. Army stocks.
Brazil
Brazil received a total of 53 Sherman tanks under Lend-Lease in 1941, all equipped with the 75 mm gun. These tanks were not used by the Brazilian Expeditionary ForceBrazilian Expeditionary Force
The Brazilian Expeditionary Force or BEF was a force about 25,700 men and women arranged by the Army and Air Force to fight alongside the Allied forces in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II...
in Italy during the war but sent directly to defend Brazil itself. In the early 1950s another group of 30 Sherman tanks were delivered under the Military Assistance Program bringing the total number of Shermans to 83 tanks. The variants of these tanks consisted of 40 M4, 38 M4 with the Composite Hull, and 2 M4A1. The Brazilian Army used the Shermans until 1979 when they were replaced by M41 tanks.
USSR
The Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's nickname for the M4 medium tank was Emcha because the open-topped figure 4 resembled the Cyrillic letter che
Che (Cyrillic)
Che or Cha is a letter of the Cyrillic alphabet.It commonly represents the voiceless postalveolar affricate , like the pronunciation of ⟨ch⟩ in "change"....
or cha (Ч). The (diesel engined M4A2) "emchas" used by the Red Army were considered to be much less prone to burn and explode than Russian tanks.
A total of 4,102 M4A2 medium tanks were sent to the U.S.S.R. under Lend-Lease. Of these 2,007 were equipped with the 75 mm gun, and 2,095 carried the 76 mm gun. The total number of Sherman tanks sent to the U.S.S.R. under Lend-Lease represented 18.6% of all Lend-Lease Shermans.
Combat performance
Armour-piercing discarding sabot
Armour-piercing discarding sabot is a type of kinetic energy projectile fired from a gun to attack armoured targets. APDS rounds are sabot rounds and were commonly used in large calibre tank guns, but have now been superseded by armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot projectiles in such...
s capable of defeating the heavier German tanks. The 17 pounder had already shown its value in 1943, in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
as a towed anti-tank gun. It proved an effective weapon against German tanks. With the APDS developed for the 17 pounder, the Firefly's performance was increased again. Although the 17-pounder was an excellent anti-armor weapon, initially the HE shell provided was weak, making it a poor general-purpose tank gun. However, the HE shell problem was later resolved.
See also
- Postwar Sherman tanksPostwar Sherman tanksSherman tanks saw extensive use around the world after World War II. This article catalogues foreign post–World War II use and conversions of Sherman tanks and variants based on the Sherman chassis.-US foreign aid variants:...
- Hobart's FunniesHobart's FunniesHobart's Funnies were a number of unusually modified tanks operated during World War II by the United Kingdom's 79th Armoured Division or by specialists from the Royal Engineers. They were designed in light of problems that more standard tanks experienced during the Dieppe Raid, so that the new...
- 79th Armoured Division79th Armoured DivisionThe 79th Armoured Division was a specialist British Army armoured formation created as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944...
- Allied Technological Cooperation During WW2
Sources
- http://www.mapleleafup.org/intro.html
- Tanks!
- http://www.junobeach.org/e/4/can-tac-arm-she-e.htm
- http://digital.lib.umn.edu/TEXTS/011/0002BODY.PDF