Churchills and Canadian Tank Brigades

[John McGillivray]

In paragraph 55 of CMHQ report no.113, there is a quote from a telegram from Lt. A.G.L. McNaughton to the Vice Chief of the General Staff which reads in part:

“..1 Cdn Army Tank Bde – now equipped with Churchills on loan from the War Office as an interim arrangement pending supply of Ram tanks from Canada. It has been intended to retain Churchills until after 4 and 5 Cdn Armd Divs were equipped with Rams.”

This telegram was dated the 11th of Aug. 1942, and clearly shows that it was always the intention to replace the Churchill with Canadian Ram tanks. This replacement had nothing to do with the 75mm gun or with operation “Husky”.

The change over to Rams was completed in March 1943. According to Vol. II of the official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War “The Canadians in Italy 1943 – 1944” by Lt.-Col. G.W. L. Nicholson the Canadians only started to become involved in the planning for operation “Husky” on the 23rd of April 1943.