A true Brit and 2 Aussies

[Dazza]

[fred.]

Nice.

Aussies???

[Dazza]

fred ....

"A Kangaroo was a World War II Commonwealth or British armoured personnel carrier (APC), created by conversion of a tank chassis"

link : > > HERE < <


so..  Churchill - Kangaroo - Kangaroo

[fred.]

Doh.

I was thinking Ram tank - that's Canadian

[privateer]

Kangaroo was the name given to the vehicle post conversion vehicles both the Ram Tank and the Priest with its gun removed

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Sorry but the Preist were originally known as Holy Rollers or Unfrocked Priests. kangeroo is becuse they vehilce has infantry in its pouch, and is the offical nickname - should be prefixed with the original vehicle name. There are Churchill Kangeroo, Sherman Kangeroo, and Stuart Kangeroo(last may be the Recce one though).

IanS

[jfariahitech]

Lovely models!

[privateer]

This from an article by Canadian Historian Chuck Konkel

Lieutenant General Guy Simonds, commander of II Canadian Corps ordered the conversion of US M7 Priest self-propelled guns into armoured personnel carriers capable of carrying twelve troops apiece. The Priests were taken from artillery regiments of the three infantry divisions involved in the initial D Day assaults on 6 June 1944. At a field workshop codenamed Kangaroo, they were stripped of artillery equipment, their front apertures welded over, their guns removed and armour-plate was welded over openings. The Allied navy personnel soon complained vociferously that Canadian soldiers were cutting pieces of plating out of craft stranded on the beaches; but to no avail. When the supply of armour-plate gave out, two sheets of mild steel were substituted with space between them filled with sand. And thus the Kangaroo was born.

When the “defrocked” Priests were returned to the US Army, modified Ram tanks were introduced into service in their stead. There was no question about converting Rams to their unique new role. Here was a machine which would have been only marginally successful in its original role as a cruiser tank, but which, divested of turret and main armament, was light, agile and possessing a comparatively low profile; in short, a perfect carrier of armed troops into battle. The Ram, a Canadian built tank manufactured by Montreal Locomotive Works, was found in great quantities in England, having been superseded as the battle tank by the Sherman which had been declared the standard for Commonwealth armoured formations.

[17-21l]

For what its worth I helped restore a Ram tank whilst serving in 17-21l in Munster round about 1985 ish - and now I beleave its a gate guard outside ATDU in Bovington - supposedly quite a rareity nowadays?? aye well-that was all, ahem!! 

God save the Queen