Cromwell Cruiser Tank 1942–50

Cromwell Cruiser Tank 1942 SO

New Vanguard • 104

Cromwell Cruiser Tank 1942-50

David Fletcher & Richard CHarley . Illustrated by Peter Sarson

DAVID FLETCHER was bom In t 942. He has written a number of books and articles on mllilary subjects and Is currently the historian at the

CONTENTS GENESIS

3

Tank Museum. Bovington, UK. He has spent over 40 years

CAVALIER DESCRIBED

5

studying the dovelopment of Bntlsh annoured vehicles dunng the two World Wan;.

• Armour

,mel turret • Enginc. u"ilnsmis"llon and "luspen Il,... , kllO\\t). look... .11

child· ...... k('[("l1 01 .1 tallJ....

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'1111 11 lOll 11 Il.'d h~ a htl:\:\ 11iiTei '\'illl tilt' l"t'qlli ... ilt· gUll ... lIcJ...lng illlil.lI. Ihi, li"'l 1I1odd dllft'n'IH (" /llllll

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till' I.llll-. \\:1" di\ickd lip ill ... id(', Fltllll I,Olll to lllll'ljll,d (1)ltlll,lllllll'llh. ,>t'p'll.llt'd 111[('111,11 "lllll-llIT"

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J... Ill(' hull (Ol\l,lllll'd IIHII

illnllllplt'lt' hllll...hl'.ld... Ih,\1 .h Inl ,\,

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5

to ronlOllll to the "'(',lIed ,lItiwc!e of tht· dri,-el 011 till' light ,mel hull l1Ia('hilll' g'ullner on the lelL A . . hon. lonj.{iwdinal bulkhead divided these two. .\micbhip\ \"'lS lhe liKhtinK cOlllpartllleill into \dli(h lhe tUiTet filled ,md the bulkhead behind lhat aClcd a.. . a firewall bel\\ct'n the ere\\' and the cllhrlne cOmp,U1Jllenl. A filial bulkhead separated the engine cOlllpartmem rrom lhe lI';IIl"'llIission and final dlives, Armour

British practice on armour orig-in(\l1~ ra\"oured homogeneous plme, the type he\t suited LO resist attack b)' capped armollr·piercing shot as used bv , the Germans. The Germans preferred blCc-hardencd plate, whIch was beller at keeping Oul plain AI' shot. Briti"lh anllour qualin' was not all it might ha\e been in 19·11 and plate mer 35111111 (1.37in) thick tended to nake rrom the back under impact; thus the hull front and visor plates Oil the new cmisers were made lip from two thinner plait's, The sides \,'ere as they had been on Crusader, \,-ith Ihe Christie also double lavered, , suspension units sandwiched between the inner and allier plates. Gun and turret

The turret was little more than 11"11'11111'

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' ill h'llll' 01 ,tlIllOIl! pi('l(IIll-!, Iht' !>t''lllhi, gllll tOllld do. iii iug.1 h.:;k1-:" (1IIh) \I'( Be ,hoI. 'I,l' -,0111111 II ,~1711l) 01 ,lllll01ll ,II IN·(lm '-lht'IIll;Ul

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CROMWELL FAMILY MAIN ARMAMENT PERFORMANCE 1941-54 Weapons

Armament for:

2-pdr Mks IX or X

Triple mounting With 3,n AP hoWItzer and BESA MG, AP HVrr proposed for A24 but nol adopted

6-pdr Mk Y

Cavaltet I.

Centaur I.

CcomweU I. II and III

Ammunition

Muzzle m/sec (fUsee)

Penetration in mm (in) at 30 de9rees velocities to vertical 457m 915m 1371m 1B28m (SOOyd): (1.500yd): (2,OOOyd): (' ,0000dl'

792 (2600) 853128001

58 (2 28) 64 (2521

52 (2.05) 57 (2.24}

46 (1 81) 51 (201)

40 (1 57) 45(1 77)

APeS

862(2830) 822 (2700) 1188 (3900)

75 (2 951 81 {3.191 1311516)

67 (2 64) 7412.91) 117(461)

55 (2 17) 63 (2.48) 108 (4 25)

52 (2.05) 56 (2 20) 90 13 54)

APe APeBC

95mm Mk I

Centauc IV. Cromwell VI and VIII

HEAT

327 (1075)

11014.33J

110 (4.33)

75mm Mks YorYA

Cenlaur 111. Cromwell N. V. Vw. Vllw, VII. A3JE1 and E2

APM72 APe M61

618 (2030) 618 (2030)

76 (2 99) 66 (260)

63 (2 481 60 (2 36)

51 (2.01) 55(217)

43 (1 ,69) 50 (1 97)

76mm M1Al

US 76mm proposed for A34, but not adopled

APe M62 APCR M93

792 (2600) 1036(3400)

93 (3.66) 157(6,18)

88 (3 46) 135 (5.311

82 (3 23) 116 (4 57)

75 (2 95) 98 (3.86)

A30 Challenger and SP2 Avenger

APCBC APDS

884 (29001 1203(3950)

140(551) 208 (8 19)

130(5121 192 (7.56)

120 (4 72) 176 (6.93)

1" (4.37) 161 (6,34)

A34 Cornel

APCBC APOS

792 (2600) 1120 (3675)

110 (4.33) 178(701)

105(413) 150 (5.91)

91 13.58) 131 (5,16)

89 (3 50)

APCBC APDS Mil 3

1019 (3346) 1430 (4692l

196 C7.721 295(1161)

183 (7 20) 277 (10.91)

169 (6 65) 260 (1024)

156 (6 14) 24319.57)

17-pdr Mks and VII 77mm Mk I 2O·pdr Mk 1

"

FV4101 Charioteer

122(480)

13

I ht' IIcl' t:k\,lIioll alTangclllcllI already descJiIX'c1 \\,L\ fillc J.{in'J1 II PIllPC!l\ u,ulwd gunncr, bllt illllade the task or Ii ri nJ.{ I IE morc c1ifliullt ,mel in ,111\ c.""t' dcmanck'd a ,\dl-balanced gUll. Thi"t could not be ,I( hinc:d wilh Ihe h~blicl i~lI1l1n, so a CI1.Ic!{" !>)"slt'm of gealed ele\t'l

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(Olllple'lt'd \\('lding oll('lt'd "'C'H'I;11 ,tllllding c,lpadl' O\('r to (.lOllmdl "ith the prO\i~o that if in ,i'\. mOlllh . . · tlml' Ill(' I,m\.- ...!Iolllcl pro\{' unrdiable. production should he CUI .mel \1Ilt.,nCit .l'\.-Ctl 10 ...upph IlHlH' tanl.Js. A5 late as Septemocr 19·t~ ,Ulother "'l'lIior onin'r \\lOU' 'Ihl' mn"'l disturbing featufl' of the CronmeU l,ml.. i.. the ract th,lt Ib IIllwn'nt dC"'Ig:n will not pennit the fitling:ofa bt.'!lel gun than lhl' Illl'diulll \l'IcIC\{\ j;JI11II\' Thcrc i'i no doubt th,u the \11lelic~lIl~ i.lf{rccct. 111 ~ 1,IICh 19 1:\ tlwil (;l'l\n.ll 5om('l"\ell ,\~as urging Blitain 10 liitop IllO\\.-ing: tall\"".. ,thog-I,ther ,lilt! l'n,. 1111' request \\'
,\nIlOlllt'd [)I\i,ioll in \1'111 I~)I:). although ,UIIH' It'g-IIlH:nl, h.ld 10 \\;\il UIlIII Sq>tl'l1Ihn lor thl'll 1i1"1 (:nllln\l,II... BOlh I\pl'" \\CIt" .. t111111lCh-1 dl·\l·lopIlWI1l .... 0 tht'lil .. ll,tIll-... i.... lIl'c1 \H·It· hllllt 10 1)1 0101\ pc "t,tncl.u-d.., Crt'\, .. "0011 di ...fo\ l'll'el Ih,lt Ih(' C('1l1.1II1 ",t.. nil

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acquin'd HO (t'IlI.IUI 9:l1ll1ll tltN··... llppllll 1,1111.." and developed" ,')It'lll of KIIIlIl{'l"\ h,l'ccI upon 11.1\.\\ !-:"llnlitt" h't 11l11<jllt" The plan \\,t\ lO remme..' till' l·l\~il1l·... frolll thc..''l' 1.lIll... ,md mOllnl ,Ih"m 011 Tan).. L.nding C•. lfl. 1,Il\ed high l'lllHlgh to liu' I)\l'l till' huh,.11'" Thc~e craft would thl'll opcralt' 011 till' he,\( Ill". hring1l1g dO\\ll lill' 01\ ),!,lI;nc..' objCCli\t>'! as n·(lt1ll"l'd.•mel 1;",\11\ 11m ,l"hou' ,lilt! (Ollllll\ll' lillll!.: from the ~horelill(,. Since till, would cil'Ill.llld tOll,idn'lhlc..' ("pnHlllIllt· III amlllunition. lht' \",\f,111( t'ng-inl' r()lIIp~1l1111l'l1h \\(Hl1d bl' U'l'd In

additionill rounds. Then l:\er'lthing rll.ll1gl'd

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General ~Iolligollll'n 'l1lg"1{(,\led II \\Ould tlwkl' I11(JI(' \l'ml' 101 l1H' 1.lllk, 10 land and dri\l' ,I .. hm('. \() C'1lg-im" \\t'tl' lclilled .Iml Rm.ll \.llltlllll'11 Corps dri\el"< Ir,tIl,lened 10 111(' ~l.tl\ll(". FOIllll'd ,b Ihl' RII\.11 \l.lI,'W Armolllcd Support (,rollp, il cOlllpri'll'd I\m .ltI1101lIl·c\ It'g-iIIH'lll', th,1I pili the (.I"'c' .lg,Il11.. t 1\111I,h 1.1111.. c1c,ig-ll 1M ht'lll'l th,Ul ,I do/ell 'PlTdw\ ill I',Uli.llIll'lll (mild dn (.,olll\\l'lll1l,1\ h.I\{' hl'('11 !\ril.lin .... J.lh' ..l 1.1ll1.., hut II \\ h.mlh IH'''" .llld 011 \\{'ldl'd I\pt." tltt' lltJlll,tl ,llilltl\ll \\,1\ (,',\(Ih lht' tlllt' thlll..lll""" ,I"

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23

21ST ARMY GROUP AND ALLIED UNITS OPERATING CAOMWEU FAMILY AFYS, 1'" .5

Form.tio"

Rlglments

rank.

RlmtlrQ

ROval Mannes Armoured

1st & 2nd Armoured Support RegIments. AM

Centaur IV Normandy, 0 Day to 0 14

s...pport Group (RMASGI 5th (Independent) Armoured Support Battery. RM

Free French Forces

Centaur IV Ex RMASG. no combat IIl'VlCe

51S1 Highlafld DI.....slon (attached)

13e Regiment des Dragons 6th lAA Battery, 27th Light AntI-Aircraft Regiment, RA

Centaur IV Ex-RMASG, until 3017144

6th Alrborne O1VI$IOO (attached)

(a) 'X' Armoured Battery. 53rd Ught Regiment. AA (h) 1sl Canadian Ceotaur Battery, RCA

Centaur IV Ex-AMASG. transferred to Canadians on 6/8144

6th Airborne DIVISIon

6th Airborne Reconnaissance Regiment

Cromwell

7th Armoured DIVision

8th King's Royal losh Hussars

Cromwell Armoured Reece Regt Challenger

DIVISIonal Reece Reg!

7th Armoured DIVISion 1st Royal Tank Regiment (22nd Armoured Bngade) 5th Royal Tank Regiment 4th County of London Yeomanry 5th Royal Inmskilleo Dragoon Guards 11 th Armoured DIVISIon 2nd Northants Yeomanry 15119th Hussars

Cromwell 4CLY replaced by SRIOG 8/44 Challenger Challenger in SRTA, 8144 Comet in lATA. Berlin, 9/45 Comet

11th Armoured DIVISIon (29th and 159th Bngade Groups)

Cornel

15119th Hussars 123rd Hussars 2nd Fife & Forfar Yeomanry 3rd Royal Tank Regiment

Cromwell Armd Reece Regts 2NY replaced Challenger by 15/19H 8/44 Cromwell Challenger

3/45 to 5/45. Challenger In 15/19H only

Guards Armoured DIVISIon 2nd Battalion, Welsh Guards

Cromwell Armoured Reece Regt Challenger

1st (PoliSh) Armoured DMslOl1

10th (Polish) Mounted Rifles RegIment

Cromwell Armoured Reece Regt Challenger

1st (Czechoslovakian) Independent Armoured Bngade Group

1st, 2nd and 3rd (Czechoslovakian) Armoured Regiments

Cromwell 1st Canadian Army. Dunkirk, 9/44 to Challenger 5/45

79th Armoured DIVISIOn. 87 Assault Dozer Squadron, Royal Engineers (1 st Assault Brigade, RE)

Centaur Dozer

Germany, 4/45 to 5145

Tigl'J. It \\;1... Ihl' ~'1111 Ih.ll \\.1' Iht.· pl'Oblem. In LUI, given p,cd\t.·h Ihe ,all1(' tIIcllrn,Igh elCplosow sheIs 13 Soghbng telescope 14 Breech 75nvn goo 15 Spare prism box for tank penscope 16 Radio equipment No19 17 AmmunrtlOll box fQ( BESA In feed tray 18 4 gal water tanks x 3 19 Box for spares and lools 20 $potlamp

21

Ajr

lIlIe! cover door

22 Suspension unrts 23 Hoi gunners door 24 Starter motor

25 Gumer's seat 26 AnvnJn.lOO bins (cut-away) 27 Base Junction 28 CorMlander's seat

29 Telescope (spare) 30 Cylinder CO.

31 BESA Ammunition boxes 32 75mm spent cartridge bag 33 Gear Ievef 34 Clutch pedal 35 Brake pedal 36 Accelerator

'" E1: Cromwell Armoured Recover~ Vehicle Mark I, C Squadron, 2nd Northants Yeomanr)', 11 th Armoured Division

E2: Cromwell Mark IV, King's Own Hussars, 7th Armoured Division, Operation 8/ackcock. January 1945

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G1: A30 Challenger, 1st Cz.echoslovaklan Independent Brigade Group, Dunkirk, 1944

G2: FV4101 Charioteer, 3rd Tank Regiment, Jordanian Royal Armoured Corps, 1960

uiUJl

Aqn

rile I,UlJ.. \\,l'i prai"cd for ill, n:lI,tbilll), thl' onh major pl()blelll htlllj.\: HIMI· wl1t:d t~TCS {hat began to crumble Undl'l tilt, "train. A \horLIg'C 01 \P,lIt' road wheels led LO "iomc unil' call11ibali,ing- tht'ir CnlSh ,I (10111\\(,11 \R\ hlllll 111(' \\hl'lI '"1h .. 111\,(,(\ hlth I('(O\(T\ ('qlllplll('I1I.

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:.tllll .. to plO\Hlc' ,Ill tldt 11«' lUI ,II 1110111 I,d III

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LI, 1111 c· .... jKlh·lI« 111 h,tluc 111 111111 '111 II ll.l It II cli H IOpllll'IH ,lIl11. lollo\\Illg I .... pn Wilt I' \\1I1t II I I ' I Itt lin t ( I I !,,: Il .111 ....' I II'> , ,. 111"1 I .111 .... 1'1[, 111.11 tlnoh l d tlpOli lh, ( III . I ' \ ""," ..' I I I I ( 11II.uII \\.1" It '.IUlt tI .I" III ~ I '.Ie c'l hiT '1-\\ ... I 11.11111.1 "11111 "Ill .lIld III

Onober 19-13 a protot\pe wa.\ in..~pccted. It was . . imilar to the Cms..u!er A \ Tank ~Iark III, but with Polstcn cannon replacing the 20mm Oerlil...on", of the former. Since the turret was cramped, and liable to quite \'iolellt 1ll00ement in .\cLion, the \\irdess set with its operator W:'b imtalled in the hull. In Cm:\ader the ..\ r\ ImTct was po\\ered by the 1;.1111...·5 engine, but lhe Centaur employed an auxiliary generator located in (he nose of lhe rank \\ith its own c:\haus{ pipe sllu:ued on the nearside trackguard. :\0 real-on hll~ t:'\'er been found LO explain why Centaur AA tanJ...s should not ha\(' replaced Ihe unreliable Clll~aders with the armourcd di\"isiol1S in Europe. I-Io\\e\er, b\' October 19·1-! the order for Cent.lllf J \ 1,\Ilks ~lark I had bet'u CUl back from 4:;0 to 100 and its replacement, the ~larl..ll. probabl) oilly exisled as t'l"'itnIClllle and reduce the ground pressure (on account or the gn'attr weighl) b\ putting more tfack on the ground. Since the hull had to lx' siretched. all extra wheel Miltion was added on each 'iide 10 'llppon it. Lengl!u'ning a lauk \\;thoUl \\;dening it in proportion im'
,UlIlOUI Pl0llTlHlll

11\ (.l'IIll.IIlI.II1k In

hell '0 Ihe gllll \\ l'i II'trllll"ll '

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A production Avenger adopts a hull-down position, providing a good view of the range of movement of the suspension statrons. This example is fitted with the special roof added to provide protectIon from mortar rounds and air bursts.

A30 Avenger SP2

In British service tank destroyers were the province or the Royal Aniller)' who operated the American Ml0, re-armed with a 17-pdr gUll, and the Valentine Archer equipped with the same wcapon, thill last as an interim measure. Although a comempon.u)· of the Archer in terms of design, A30 Ii-pounder SP (the name Avenger was not adopted until afICr thc war) lOok longer to c\'oh'e. Essentially it was a low-profile version of UH~ A30 Challenger's hull with a 17-pdr in an equally low turret that was open at Ule lOp" Following experience in North-West Europe, where the Gennans employed air-burst shells LO han11 tank destroyer crews, the turrCl of Avenger, also known as SP2, was fined WiUl a spaced head cover. iL was an impressive-looking machine, but arrived tOO latc to see operational sen"ice and only served briefly with two anti-tank regiments when hostilities were o\'er. The Royal Artillel)' Wing at Bovington Camp ccased teaching A\'enger after 1949, A34 Comet

Comet and Diamond T tank transporter. The tank's turret has been reversed for travel and the gun locked to its cradle on the rear deck. Notice how the Normandy Cowl ;s split to accept the muzzle of the longer gun.

111

Although il ",as 100 large LO lit Cromwell, development of Vickers' SD-calibre, high-\'e1ocilY 7rlllllll gun continucd, However, to confuse ule issue. by the time il entered scn;ce the calibre had changed to 76,2mm, lhe breech modified to accept 17-pdr ammunition while lhe orncial desCliption allered to 77mm, to disljn6'1.1ish it from the longer weapon filled LO Challenger. The new gun proved to be morc accurale Ulan Ule l7-pdr when firing HE rounds. Despile ulis the Tank Board at one poilll suggesled lhal the new American i6mm gun should be comidcred. Fortunately, since lhis weapon l~liled to li\'e lip to expectations, the final choice of the new British gun hclped to make Comct an excellellt tank. Lc)'land i\loLOrs was appointed manufacluring Parent, having c\"idently overcome their suspicion of the i\leteor engine. Indeed in 1ll0llt respects, apart from the IUITet, Comet was little more than an imprm'ed Cromwell - proving that, if the job was done properly, a mediocre British lank could be imprO\·ed. The result was impressive. The UlrrCI W,LIi a welded structure \,~lh an UI'lU5u,tl cast front of quile complex shape conLaining an external mantlct rcces!lcd within the lmret ring, There was an eXlension althe rear to con Lain the radio and counter·!xdance Ihe head!;r gun.. \11 All-Round Vision cupola was lilted as standard, as were return rollers to support the top rull of !llt' wider (45i11lm - ISin) tracks. Sllb~('ql1l'lll tri.t\-.

39

Photogr.phed on p."d. wrth 3rd Roy.1 Tank R-V1m'nt In Hong Kong, thl, M.rtl I Comet h.s Ita War D.p.rtm'nt regl.tratlon on the .Id, and a local registration martl.fng on the front, This picture

w.. tak.n

~n

an .ra when Britain maintaIned garrisons In many parts of the world,

"'\lg~e"'led that thc..e ~en'ed no useful purpose al all, btlllhe\ do help to

idelllih the tank. 1..... lIed first 10 291h .\rmollrl'd Btigade in 11th ,\rmollred Di\i...ion, Comel soon prmed popular, even to ere" ... \\ith long c\'pnit'nn' of the Sherman. 11 \\".\ f~\ ... tt l1lilnoeu\Table and .IbO\c all il could fi~ht. It was like !1ming an ('Illin' rcg-imel1l of Fireflies, easih a match fOI Ihe Palllher and prrfl'Clh capable of dealing: with Ihe Tiger al lllo"t ranges, Th('f(' i.. 110 hard c\;cknce fCll lilt.' l',i ... tenCt..' of COllllllimd and Control COl11el'" bel ore Ih(' elld of the war, althoug-h rq~il1lelll,11 CO.. cert.l1llh lI...cd COlllet ... ,md "'lIl'\i"ing PO\t-h1',) Il'POII t.ll1,-,O ill \\hirh ,ht, 1\\0 t,wl, \\t.I(' 1Il.IIl-t·d cllmn .l'" nlhwr;,ablt· ,n .\11 I.tllgl· ... 10 nt·n RU"I,Ul .lllli·t.llll- \\l\\POIl hom lilt' old illllUIl gun of 111(' 1-:~1 up\\,ml... hl.lhil,hll1l·m

't"l\l'(\ \\llh 111,111' h'lllItlll.tl \lIm 1(,~lIltt Ill' lip It) Jln I. m,un 01 lhl',e 1.1I\l-.. t \('lllIdl" ( ClIIU"'"

40

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Feamaught was a Comet of Headquarters Squadron, 6th Royal Tank Regiment, which was converted to the command role with a dummy 95mm gun, a weapon never actually fitted

to Comet. The tank was photographed on a rail llat In

Italy. Just after the war.

pQST·WWll CROMWELL REWORKING PROGRAMMES Survlvl!l9' orllllntll Marks itnd Typtls

N"

Reworked Crom_lls

Reworhd 10 I.ter

Cromwell Tolals

Converted 10 Cneflower.

ChW101... Total.

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The design, development. operallon and history of the machinery of warfare through the ages

Cromwell Cruiser Tank

1942-50 For most of World War II, British tank development remained

faithful to the design philosophy inaugurated during World War I. Experiences in North Africa

highlighted naws in this basic design. however, and the General Staff idenlified the need for a new Full colour artwork

Unnvalled detail

heavy cruiser that could combine speed and manoeuvrability with

increased armOur and armament.

The Cromwell Cmiser tank was designed as a result and soon proved itself one of the fastest and most successful tanks deployed by the Allies during World War II.

This book details the design and development of U1C Cromwell

and its many variants, from its introduction at D.Day, through

its many successes in the finaJ Cutaway drt'hork

Photographs

year of World War 11 and beyond.

ISBN 1-84176-814-6

OSPREY 5,

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9