I believe the use of Ram tanks had more to do with economics than with which tank was better for which task - since the Ram was made in Canada, it was easier (read cheaper) for the Canadian army to use those rather than having to purchase Churchill tanks from the UK.
The switch to Shermans for Husky and later on was due to supply - Italy was mainly supplied from North Africa, which didn't have any Rams. Although the running gear/engine etc were the same as the Lee/Sherman, the rest of the vehicle required parts from the UK or Canada. Since the Canadian contingent in Husky and later in Italy was small in comparison to the US and UK/Commonwealth contingents, it didn't make sense to have separate supply requirements.
The Shermans were also economically better than the Churchills - some of the Sherman components were made in Canada, thuse reducing the overall cost of those vehicles to the Canadian government.
Chuck Rothman
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25-02-04, 03:26
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