Just been reading about the first use of the 6 Pounder in action in the desert in 1942. It seems the British loved them as they could finally hit back with something decent. Has anyone got any views on them from the Germans or Italians?
A tiny and rather dismissive snippet from a german report on Dieppe mentioned in Fletcher's 'Mr Churchill's Tank', they're obviously referring to the 6pdr fitted in Churchill IIIs, but I think it's the same gun.: the 6 pounders performance 'does not approach that of Russian guns of the same calibre'. Ammunition revealed no new or noteworthy features Sadly no note or reference to this German report, but it does say it found it's way to british intelligence. I'm sure I've read more on german appraisals, but they're buried in the sort of book that has no bloody index - will have a shufti.
From;"Canadian Artillery" Rob By July 1944, the 6-pounder was proving inadequate against the bulk of German medium and heavy armour; against the frontal armour of heavier tanks like the Tiger or Panther, the 6-pounder was all but useless. In Italy, some Canadian infantry battalions withdrew the 6-pounders in favour of creating "tank hunting" platoons armed with the PIAT. It was with one of these tank hunting units which Private Ernest "Smokey" Smith performed deeds for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
