15th Army
Group AFV Situation Report 23 September 1944
Cruiser Tanks – Sherman
|
|
M4A1 75mm |
M4A2 75mm |
M4A4 75mm |
M4A1 76mm |
M4 17pdr |
M4 105mm |
M4A4 Crab |
DD |
|
1 Armd Div |
33 |
45 |
75 |
28 |
|
17 |
|
|
|
6 Armd Div |
|
215 |
|
2 |
|
9 |
|
|
|
5th Cdn Armd Div |
46 |
|
174 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 SA Armd Div |
|
|
200 |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
7 Armd Bde |
105 |
|
56 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 Armd Bde |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 NZ Armd Bde |
|
163 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 Cdn Armd Bde |
|
|
174 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 Polish Armd Bde |
|
164 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3rd Hussars |
|
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th Hussars |
|
14 |
12 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 Tank Bde |
49 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
25 Tank Bde |
23 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assault Regt RAC/RE |
|
11 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Armd Ops RA |
8 |
99 |
62 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tank Replacement Group |
85 |
261 |
202 |
69 |
|
4 |
|
|
|
Total with Formations |
349 |
992 |
961 |
112 |
|
30 |
|
|
|
Total Ordnance Stock Workshops & Training |
131 |
548 |
193 |
140 |
20 |
11 |
|
32 |
|
TOTAL AFVs IN N AFRICA AND ITALY |
480 |
1540 |
154 |
252 |
|
41 |
|
32 |
|
Ex-UK (WO estimate) |
|
|
|
|
79 |
|
25 |
90 |
|
Ex-North America |
|
|
|
82 |
|
91 |
|
|
Note the use in the returns
of US naming (eg M4A1, rather than Sherman II) which makes sense as 15 Army
Group was composed of both US and British Armies. The most prelevant type is M4A2 (Sherman
III). There are still a considerable
number of 75mm M4A1 in use, though the numbers fall rapidly in subsequent
returns, meanwhile 76mm M4A1 and 105mm M4 are increasing in number with further
deliveries expected direct from North America.
Though not stated in the return the DDs are all Sherman III; these were
held in reserve whilst Valentine DDs were being used for training.
15th Army
Group AFV Situation Report 23 September 1944
Other tanks
|
|
Cromwell |
Grant |
Infantry Tanks (Gun) Churchill |
Valentine |
AA Lt Tanks |
Churchill |
Grant |
Bridgelayers |
||||||||
|
|
IV 75mm |
Scorpion |
CS 95mm |
CS 3” |
6 pdr |
75mm |
Heavy 75mm |
IX |
XI |
|
ARV |
AVRE |
II Octopi |
T2 ARV |
Sherman |
Valentine |
|
1 Armd Div |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
6 Armd Div |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
2 |
|
5th Cdn Armd Div |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
6 SA Armd Div |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
2 |
|
|
7 Armd Bde |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
9 Armd Bde |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 NZ Armd Bde |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
3 |
|
1 Cdn Armd Bde |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
2 |
|
2 Polish Armd Bde |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
3rd Hussars |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
42 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th Hussars |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 Tank Bde |
|
|
8 |
10 |
59 |
6 |
|
|
|
3 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25 Tank Bde |
|
|
|
14 |
84 |
34 |
|
|
|
|
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assault Regt RAC/RE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17 |
19 |
|
|
|
|
Armd Ops RA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tank Replacement Group |
|
|
6 |
5 |
26 |
9 |
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
Total with Formations |
|
|
14 |
29 |
169 |
49 |
1 |
|
42 |
3 |
20 |
20 |
22 |
16 |
5 |
17 |
|
Total Ordnance Stock Workshops & Training |
4 |
26 |
46 |
17 |
137 |
42 |
9 |
12 |
42 |
14 |
8 |
|
|
6 |
|
8 |
|
TOTAL AFVs IN N AFRICA AND ITALY |
4 |
26 |
60 |
46 |
306 |
91 |
10 |
12 |
84 |
17 |
28 |
20 |
22 |
22 |
5 |
25 |
|
Ex-UK (WO estimate) |
|
|
23 |
|
|
|
29 |
|
35 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ex-North America |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Older Churchills are
gradually being reinforced by deliveries of Churchill 95mm (presumably Mark V),
and Churchill “Heavy 75mm” (Churchill VIIs) shipping from the UK. The Valentine XI DDs are in use for training,
with more expected, whilst stocks of Valentine IX DD and Sherman III DD are being
held in reserve. The exact type of the AA Light Tanks is not
recorded, and they have disappeared completely by January 1945. 11 Valentine IX DD and 9 Valentine XI DD are
noted within the training figures as on the strength of the “Cable Training
Team”. The 4 Cromwell IV are recorded as being used
for training, and are not as might be expected on the strength of MWEE (the
Italian theatre experimental establishment).
The Covenanter bridglayers recorded as being with 1 Canadian Armoured
Brigade earlier in the year have been replaced by Valentines.
Churchill II Octopi are
ARKs, being formally renamed ARKs to bring them into line with the UK version
later in the month. The AVREs may not
all be fully converted, as delivery of conversion kits including Petards is
noted elsewhere as being slow, with some problems at Base Depots in fitting
them. The main complaint is that they
came with applique armour kits pre-drilled for the device mountings, but the
holes in the applique didn’t line up with the bolts in the device brackets The Sherman bridgelayers are a mixture of
ARKs and Plymouth bridge units, plus some other experimental models.
This return also covered
Armoured Cars and Motor Gun Carriages. Armoured
Car totals are 617 Humber, 270 Daimler, 35 AEC Mk.II, 243 “GM”, 202 Greyhound,
476 37mm T17E1, 64 3” T17E1, 91 T17E2 and 169 75mm M3 GMCs. The only Armoured Cars in transit (direct
from the US) are a further 35 Greyhounds.
The number of T17 Staghounds is perhaps suprising.
Copyright Peter Andrews 2007