The Churchill Crocodile Flame Tank

Ramacal
interesting shots of the Churchill crocodile - all we had in Italy were the Mark 1V's with the 6 pounder until around July of '44 when we got three MkV's with the 95.mm. petard -for the whole regiment ! then after January '45 - the 25th Tank Bde was broken up for spares and the 51st RTR were allocated a new role in the Armoured/Engineers unit with Crocodile and Facines - Arks - and other funnies which they used in the final battles in the spring of '45- the North Irish Horse of Gerry's moved over to 21st Tank bde to take our place as we were a territorial unit and supplied other regualr units with manpower as we were running out at that time.

We never felt claustraphobic - just part of the deal - one other thing we had which was different - a Canadian who was tired of trying to get our attention by knocking on the sides of the Turret - came up with an ordinary hand held phone which was welded to the rear plates and hooked into the inter-com of the 19 set - this was atremendous improvement in us getting rid of the pesky machine guns which bothered the Infantry - also alerted us to the Panthers and Tigers around - so we could run back to Naples !

Cheers
TCC,
I remember you once saying that there was more room in the Churchill when the front 3" gun was deleted, which freed up a lot of room forward.
It still looks claustraphobic to me though!

Just a quick question, regarding escape doors on the Churchill models.

Besides the Turret and the forward driver and gunners hatches, were those side doors (Round and rectangular) also escape hatches?
Also was there a floor hatch?

Regards
Tom

 

TCS
the driver and co -drivers ( he had to operate a Besa m/c gun on the MK1V) hatches were also the escape hatches the gunner did not have an escape hatch - he shared his with the Commander wheras I as wireless op had one all to myself - which came in handy when the force of the first shot knocked me to the floor - I was last out.....the co drivers escape hatch also held our coleman cooker and tea kettle which were always first out !

Ramcal
the Churchill on that clip with the 95mm petard is a Mark V11 which was really superior to anything else - what we had was the Mark V which was a mod of the Mk 1V which we had with the 6 pounder only - the Mark V11 had the British made 76mm. which was way ahead of anything previous - the real tragedy was the fact that the 17 pounder couldn't be fitted as the turret ring was too small. Don't think there was anything in Italy above the MK V

 

TCC,
Thanks for that.
Quote:
The co drivers escape hatch also held our coleman cooker and tea kettle which were always first out !

Hard to believe that you would think of such things when you are madly trying to exit after a hit!

Regards
Tom

 

I don't think it was there for use after an emergency exit, it was there for use during routine stops, if you look at photos of Churchill crews (for example on the NIH site) the crews invariably form up around the co drivers door for a "Brew" -the most important thing in the British Army- its a wonder it is not classed as a "parade".

Although the Churchill turret is snug (the turret ring is only 54inches) the general interior layout fits taller soldiers better than many other tanks.

After the Mk1 with 3inch How. was discontinued, a cut out in the co-drivers seat to clear the recoil and an extension of the drivers controls (the handle bar- you thought you got away from bikes?) to assist aiming, remained as standard until MkVII, I suppose that the half handle bar could have been useful to a Crocodile gunner in some circumstances but by then it had gone.

 

Razin -
you got that right about the importance of the benghazi kettle - it was always first into action on stopping - our tank held the record for a brew in the squadron - 90 seconds from stopping - we were having a cup of Chai....
Cheers

 

Tom Canning

yes, faster than a modern kettle.

 

Waiting to advance on Le Havre.

 

The Crocodile-trailer combination was tested extensively for loading and transportation on railway wagons. There is a distinct lack of photo evidence but I came across the following report so I made a model to see if it worked. The dairies of Colonel SO Screen, RE contained the results of the test loadings on the railway wagons in weekly dated reports to committee. The model train does work and the ramp wagon is scratch built from styrene sheet. The tank is a Corgi model and the trailer from Quarter-kit, with modifications to fully articulate the hinge in the fuel connection. There are problems with weight distribution in this first attempt. In the next update the tank will be hollowed out to reduce weight and lead plates added to the ramp wagon.

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Churchill crocodiles can be loaded onto warflat with trailer on next warflat. The tank to be loaded 3ft back from centreline of warflat, with coupled trailer on the next warflat to the rear (or ramp wagon if end of train), the front of the warflat with the tank will have the trailer of the next tank/trailer combination to the front. Tanks are chocked and chained. Trailers are not chained and have chocks against the inside of the wheels to prevent sideways movement. Sleepers are used as chocks and are nailed to the floor of the wagon. Warflat wagons should be close coupled and safety chains used on the first ring closest to the wagon.

<table x:str="" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 796pt;" width="1060" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><col style="width: 605pt;" width="806"><col style="width: 191pt;" width="254"><tbody><tr style="height: 11.25pt;" height="15"> <td class="xl24" style="height: 11.25pt; width: 605pt;" width="806" height="15">21May1944: Test to load a Churchill Crocodile tank and trailer onto one flat wagon unsuccessful;</td> <td class="xl25" style="border-left: medium none; width: 191pt;" width="254">
</td> </tr></tbody></table>
<table x:str="" style="border-collapse: collapse;" width="783" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="16"><col style="width: 605pt;" width="806"><col style="width: 191pt;" width="254"><tbody><tr style="height: 11.25pt;" height="15"> <td class="xl24" style="height: 11.25pt; width: 605pt;" width="806" height="15">04Jun1944: On 31May44 test at Farnborough showed that Crocodile tank on one wagon and connected trailer on the next;</td> </tr></tbody></table>
18Jun1944; New Churchill VII being produced at 9’8” instead of 9’6”;
x36 Churchill crocodiles, with connected trailer on next vehicle, moved from Farnborough to Portsmouth;

 

Uk- Flame Tank -- Flames Over Britain -- Chapter Vi -- 1946

 

A couple of shots of the fuel trailer being replenished with heavy fuel and nitrogen propellent cylinders. I think by men of the 141st RAC (The Buffs), the original flame regiment.