Churchill w/3" gun

[servicepub (RIP)]

I read a microfilmed war diary tonight of the Heavy Support Company of the 1st Cdn Army Tank Brigade. This unit was issued 9 "Gun carrier, Churchill MkI" tanks to be used in an anti-tank role. The unit was formed in May 1942 and broken up in February 1943.
Can anybody provide additonal information or photos on this vehicle?

[Mark W. Tonner]

Clive;

Gun Carrier, 3in, MkI, Churchill: - consisting of a fixed armoured box mounted well forward on a Churchill hull, with a three inch gun mounted in the front plate. The gun's traverse was limited to a mere five degrees either side of zero.

In September 1941, the General Staff asked the Tank Board to investigate the possibility of producing cruiser and infantry tanks mounting large calibre high velocity guns specifically for engaging the largest German tanks. to fulfil the crusier tank requirement the Challenger (qv) was subsequently developed with the 17pdr guns. For the infantry tank requirement it was proposed to fit a 3in AA gun in a limited traverse mount on a Churchill chassis. These weapons were available having been replaced in AA units by the 3.7in gun. a hundred vehicles were provisionally envisaged, but in December 1941, it was decided that all Churchill production would be needed for gun tanks, fitted with the 6pdr then just available. The order was thus reduced to 24 vehicles only. The pilot model was produced in February 1942 but these vehicles were never used operationally. Most were converted to carry Snake mine-clearing equipment and used for trials and training with this in 1943-44.

Picture attached, Cheers

[servicepub (RIP)]

Your photo is great! Where did it come from? The WD number shown is immediately prior to the 'Canadian' block of S-35274-R to S-35284-R

[Mark W. Tonner]

Clive;

Two other photos I found of the: Gun Carrier, 3in, MkI, Churchill.
I'll post the references shortly.

Cheers

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by servicepub
Your photo is great! Where did it come from? The WD number shown is immediately prior to the 'Canadian' block of S-35274-R to S-35284-R

Clive;

My sources for the text and photos of the Gun Carrier, 3in, MkI, Churchill, were:

British and American Tanks of World War Two, The complete illustrated history of British, American and Commonwealth tanks 1939-1945, by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis

Tanks Illustrated No. 25 - The Churchill Tank, by Chris Ellis

The Churchill, by Bryan Perrett

Cheers

[servicepub (RIP)]

Had a vacation day today and spent the day at the Archives looking for a Cdn photo of this - with no luck.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Clive;

I was digging around in my cave and found these, sorry, no reference, I've had them for years.

Stowage Sketches - Gun Carrier, 3in, MkI, Churchill

# 1 - Exterior view

[Mark W. Tonner]

Stowage Sketches - Gun Carrier, 3in, MkI, Churchill

# 2 - Interior view, looking forward

[Mark W. Tonner]

Stowage Sketches - Gun Carrier, 3in, MkI, Churchill

# 3 - Interior view, looking aft

Cheers

[chippyrail]

There is one of these tanks in the to do pile at Bovington Tank Museum

Howard