100:
96:, was designed for the quick levelling of fortifications. The Petard was reloaded by traversing the turret to point front, slightly to the left, with the barrel directly over the co-driver's sliding hatch. The regular two piece co-driver's hatch was plated over, and a small sliding hatch was installed to allow access to the Petard. The Petard barrel would then be 'broken' vertically, and the co-driver would slide open his hatch. The co-driver would then push the projectile into the barrel. The barrel would then be closed, the Petard traversed back down, and the turret rotated back to its original position. The co-driver's hands were briefly exposed during the process.
340:
180:
211:
263:
69:
282:, and began work on a Churchill-based bridge-layer in 1942. The bridge ("Bridge, Tank, 30 ft, No.2 "), which could support a tank of 60 tons or be used by Class 40 wheeled traffic, was carried on top of a turretless Mk III or Mk VI chassis. When the obstacle was reached, an arm (driven by hydraulics in the tank) pivoted at the front of the tank and placed the bridge in position. The Churchill Mk VII was used with the No. 3 bridge from 1945 to 1946.
227:
383:, the main designer and lead manufacturer of the Churchill was already set up for full production of the Gun Carrier with parts and armour ordered and complained with the result that the full order was re-instated before being cut back to 50. The 50 were built between July and November 1942 during which they were the subject of debate about whether they were artillery or tanks. The decision came down in favour of tank, and the
471:
310:
99:
250:
Ark Mk II had a wider, 4 ft (1.2 m) instead of the usual 2 ft (0.61 m), trackway on the left side so narrower vehicles could also use the ARK. These were conversions of the Ark Mark I in mid-1944. The "Italian
Pattern" Ark Mk II ( initially called "Octopus") was produced in Italy
363:
The design used a fixed square thick plate superstructure with the gun in a ball mount low in the front next to the driver. The front was 88 mm (3.5 in), sides 76 mm (3.0 in) with overall weight of 39 tons. Internal stowage included a provision for 12 HE explosive rounds as well
323:
The
Churchill Crocodile was a Churchill VII that was converted by replacing the hull machine gun with a flamethrower projector. The fuel, and the compressed gas to drive it, was in an armoured wheeled trailer towed behind. It could fire several one second bursts out to a distance of over 150 yards.
292:
The "Mobile Bailey Bridge" was a complete bridge suitable for class 40 traffic spanning a 70–80 ft (21–24 m) gap. The bridge itself was 150 ft (46 m) long with 10 ft (3.0 m) ramps at either end. This would be assembled at a safe distance from the gap and then pushed to
53:
equipment. A tank containing the flame fuel was fitted at the rear, with a pipe from it leading to the fixed angle mounting on the front hull to the left, leaving the hull machine gun unobstructed. Three (named "Boar", "Beetle" and "Bull") were present in the first wave at Dieppe; they were quickly
197:
Mk II – A Churchill Mark III or Mark IV with a fixed turret/superstructure with a dummy gun. It was equipped for recovering other tanks from the battlefield. It mounted a front jib with a 7.5 ton capacity, a rear jib rated for 15 ton and a winch that could pull 25 tons. With just a three-man crew,
296:
The "Mobile Brown Bridge" was an improvement on the Mobile Bailey. Named after a
Canadian Royal Engineer in Italy, the Bailey bridge was carried on a Churchill which had its turret removed while an AVRE carried and pushed the rear of the bridge. With the first Churchill in position the AVRE would
300:
The "Mobile Dalton Bridge", named after an RE officer, was a 140 ft (43 m) long Bailey bridge that was carried on an ARK while a second AVRE pushed. The process was the similar to the Brown Bridge. When the ARK reached the near side of the gap, it stopped and the AVRE pushed the bridge
355:
specifically for use against German tanks. Of the infantry tanks, neither the
Churchill nor Valentine could mount a turret with a high velocity gun larger than the 6-pounder, but it was proposed that a fixed superstructure could carry a larger gun with limited traverse. The
395:, got WD numbers with an S prefix, the same as self-propelled guns. Requirements and tactics had in the meanwhile changed again to focus on the general purpose 75mm gun in the Churchill and a smaller proportion of 17-pounder tanks in use, of which work on the
293:
the site by a
Churchill AVRE with another aiding by towing from the front; the middle of the bridge was supported by Orolo unpowered tracked roller units. At the site the AVRE pushed the bridge out over the gap and then disconnected itself.
461:
A much larger, longer and higher trackway ramp than the ARK for crossing 60 ft (18 m). The 25-foot-long front ramps were launched into position with rockets. Ten built and two delivered in 1945 but not used in action.
378:
The pilot vehicles were ready for testing in early 1942 and found to be satisfactory. However, in order not to impede production of the
Churchill (with the 6-pounder gun) the order was reduced to 24 vehicles.
234:
The
Armoured Ramp Carrier (ARK) was a turretless Churchill with ramps at either end and trackways along the body to form a mobile bridge. Fifty of these were built on Mark II and Mark IV Churchills. The
119:, which are large bundles of wood carried on the front of the tank and dropped into trenches to help the Churchill cross over them, devices to place explosive charges against obstacles, and
254:"Lakeman Ark" was an experimental design for attacking very high obstacles. It was a turreted Churchill with the trackways built above the height of the turret, and long ramps at the rear.
243:
was two ARKs used side by side to give a wide crossing. The ramps on these were folding types giving a longer, 65 ft (20 m), crossing. The Twin-ARK was used for the post-war
1115:
92:
that throws the 230 mm (9.1 in) 40 lb (18 kg) Bomb
Demolition Number 1 ("Flying dustbin") with a 28-pound high-explosive warhead. The Petard, developed by
301:(riding on rollers on the top of the ARK) out over the gap. Once the far end of the bridge was on solid ground the AVRE disengaged and the ARK backed out under the bridge.
402:
None are known to have been used in combat as the 17-pounder anti-tank gun gave the
British the necessary firepower. Some had the gun removed and converted to the "Snake"
1110:
156:
Other versions that did not see active service were equipped with anti-mine ploughs, mine rollers, or special demolition charges to destroy reinforced concrete walls.
360:
anti-aircraft gun had been replaced by the 3.7-inch gun so these were selected and
Vauxhall was provided with 100 guns and given the task of producing the vehicle.
387:
asked for some changes; by that point in production these could not be incorporated. The prototype was built by Vauxhall and had a T-number, the other 49 by
1095:
981:
153:
responsible for priming the "Flying dustbin" and who led the crew when they dismounted from the tank to place demolition charges ("Wade" charges).
267:
135:
670:
328:" – another vehicle used by the 79th Armoured Division. A working example can still be seen at the Cobbaton Combat Collection in North Devon.
1012:
989:
962:
936:
913:
479:
313:
The flame projector on the Churchill Crocodile was in the hull machine gun ball-mount in the hull front plate leaving the main gun unaffected
49:
in 1942, the Oke flamethrowing tank was named after its designer, Major J.M. Oke. The design was basically a Churchill tank fitted with the
331:
The combination of projector and trailer was produced as a kit that could be fitted to a Churchill; no more than 800 kits were produced.)
977:
946:
297:
push the bridge out over the gap; an extra 20 ft tail on the bridge acted as a counterweight while the bridge was put in position.
159:
Post-war, new Churchill AVREs were developed on the basis of a modified Churchill Mk VII armed with a breech-loading low velocity 165mm
123:: massive reels of canvas on drums that were unrolled in front of the Churchill to help it over soft terrain. They were used during the
1047:
138:
on D-Day. They were extremely successful and served until the end of the war. A further 574 followed. While the driver came from the
1075:
289:
parts on skids that was moved into position by one or two Churchill AVREs. Usual use was to bridge cratered roads while under fire.
120:
63:
339:
251:
using US ramps on Churchill Mk III chassis and did not have trackways on the tank itself (vehicles drove on the tank's tracks).
81:
179:
210:
111:
bridge, which was carried at the front of the tank and laid across ditches or narrow rivers up to 30 feet wide, and the
351:
Coming out of a General Staff request in 1941 to investigate fitting high velocity large calibre guns on infantry and
388:
72:
Churchill AVRE with fascine on tilt-forward cradle. This particular example is a post-WW2 AVRE on the MK VII chassis.
502:
with a spigot mortar the round fits over a solid rod, in this case 29mm diameter, rather than inside a mortar barrel
367:
As an anti-tank gun, the 3-inch gun had a maximum range of 12,000 yards and was a bit more effective than the 57 mm
1105:
483:
396:
164:
403:
188:
103:
AVRE 230mm Petard Mortar and its ammunition (projectile standing on its flat nose, with tail facing up, at right)
384:
147:
1100:
1030:
1022:
262:
456:
372:
194:
Mk I – A turretless Mk I with a jib that could be fitted at front or rear. Production began in early 1942
368:
139:
131:
124:
674:
905:
539:
444:
325:
318:
68:
50:
127:
to help the Churchill over soft sand, and also served to leave a trackway for following vehicles.
432:
84:(AVRE) was a Churchill Mark III or IV equipped with the "Mortar, Recoiling Spigot, Mark II" (or
1071:
1043:
1008:
1004:
985:
958:
932:
909:
215:
160:
820:
Flails for minefield clearance and specifications and acceptance of Churchill Flail (FV 3902)
892:
357:
244:
199:
108:
198:
there was enough room to carry the crew of the tank being recovered. Armament was a single
797:
410:
380:
279:
226:
168:
143:
470:
285:
Bridges could also be deployed by the Churchill. "Skid Bailey" was a bridge formed from
928:
275:
115:(CIRD), which was used to protect the tracks of a tank from mines. It could also carry
30:
1089:
593:
286:
89:
352:
309:
42:
856:
414:
171:. The name of the AVRE was later changed to "Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers".
112:
77:
46:
576:
823:
791:
628:
566:
428:
392:
107:
The AVRE could also be equipped with numerous other attachments, such as the
17:
134:, 180 AVREs had been converted. They were first deployed in Normandy by the
837:
951:
The Great Tank Scandal: British Armour in the Second World War - Part 1
571:
116:
1070:. New Vanguard 272. illustrated by Henry Morshead. Osprey Publishing.
1003:. New Vanguard No. 4. illustrated by Peter Sarson and Mike Chappell.
344:
150:
270:
in action during a demonstration in the Mezzano area, 30 March 1945.
274:
The British already had experience of bridge-laying tanks with the
76:
Proposed by a Canadian engineer as a result of experience from the
469:
338:
308:
261:
225:
219:
209:
178:
98:
67:
974:
The Universal Tank: British Armour in the Second World War Part 2
954:
93:
406:
device and used for trials and training of that in 1942–43.
925:
Churchill's Secret Weapons: the story of Hobart's Funnies
902:
An Illustrated Data Guide to Battle Tanks of World War II
540:"Tank Infantry A22B Churchill Mark III AVRE (E1988.88)"
474:
A postwar Churchill Kangaroo viewed from the left rear
588:
586:
762:
760:
534:
532:
530:
528:
222:in Italy on two stacked Churchill ARKs, April 1945
793:Evolution of The Churchill Tank | "No Damn Good"?
482:was a turretless Churchill hull converted to an
776:
774:
772:
709:
707:
705:
457:Cecil Vandepeer Clarke § The Great Eastern
1116:Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944
838:"The Churchill Toad arrives – to say goodbye"
695:
693:
29:This is a list of specialist variants of the
8:
656:
654:
652:
650:
982:Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
800:. Event occurs at 21:47-22:00, 22:12-22:18
335:Gun Carrier, 3-inch, Mk I, Churchill (A22D)
880:British and American Tanks of World War II
183:Churchill ARV Mk II with front jib erected
142:, the five other crew were drawn from the
1042:. AFV Profile No. 1. Profile Publishing.
887:Chamberlain, Peter; Ellis, Chris (1971).
878:Chamberlain, Peter; Ellis, Chris (1969).
741:
739:
737:
371:at 1,000 yards but less than the 76.2 mm
1111:World War II tanks of the United Kingdom
1061:. AFV Profile No.20. Profile Publishing.
673:. Royal Engineers Museum. Archived from
515:
495:
146:. One of the RE crew was a demolitions
41:A Churchill Mark II or Mark III with a
167:with about 40 lb (18 kg) of
745:Chamberlain & Ellis, 1969. p68-69
722:Chamberlain & Ellis (1969) p72-73
687:Chamberlain & Ellis (1969) p70-71
431:built on a Churchill chassis using a
113:Canadian Indestructible Roller Device
7:
409:One unrestored survivor is held at
1057:Chamberlain, Peter; Ellis, Chris.
699:Chamberlain & Ellis (1969) p73
660:Chamberlain & Ellis (1969) p70
25:
1096:Heavy tanks of the United Kingdom
1001:Churchill Infantry Tank 1941–1945
790:Chris Copson (17 February 2024).
579:from the original on 7 July 2022.
671:"Assault bridging and equipment"
594:"Churchill AVRE - Spigot Mortar"
230:Churchill Ark Mk II (UK Pattern)
64:Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers
978:Her Majesty's Stationery Office
132:invasion of France in June 1944
82:Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers
58:Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers
1059:Churchill and Sherman Specials
857:"Churchill Great Eastern Ramp"
423:Churchill Flail FV3902 or Toad
191:were built from the Churchill
1:
1027:Silver Ghosts and Silver Dawn
567:"AVRE 230MM - Fact Checking"
435:engine to drive the flails.
389:Beyer, Peacock & Company
163:demolition gun that fired a
923:Delaforce, Patrick (2006).
900:Chant, Christopher (1997).
618:Chamberlain and Ellis p 205
266:A Churchill bridgelayer of
1132:
906:Chelsea House Publications
484:armoured personnel carrier
454:
397:Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger
324:The Crocodile was one of "
316:
61:
404:mine-clearing line charge
385:Department of Tank Design
343:Churchill Gun Carrier in
189:armoured recovery vehicle
175:Armoured Recovery Vehicle
47:amphibious raid on Dieppe
1066:Fletcher, David (2019).
1031:Constable & Robinson
1023:Robotham, William Arthur
972:Fletcher, David (1993).
443:A chargelayer, like the
268:51st Royal Tank Regiment
214:A Churchill tank of the
1068:Churchill Infantry Tank
1040:Churchill, B.I.T. Mk IV
999:Perrett, Bryan (1993).
893:Arms & Armour Press
475:
427:A 1950s mine-clearing
413:, it had been used at
348:
314:
271:
231:
223:
184:
136:79th Armoured Division
104:
73:
1038:White, B. T. (1983).
859:. Armourinfocus.co.uk
473:
399:was making progress.
342:
312:
265:
229:
213:
206:Armoured Ramp Carrier
182:
102:
71:
54:lost, and abandoned.
808:– via Youtube.
754:Fletcher 2019 p32-33
245:Conqueror heavy tank
140:Royal Armoured Corps
125:invasion of Normandy
45:. Developed for the
826:, 1955, WO 32/17394
633:armourinfocus.co.uk
598:armourinfocus.co.uk
565:Armoured Archives.
375:under development.
319:Churchill Crocodile
305:Churchill Crocodile
130:By the time of the
51:Ronson flamethrower
889:The Churchill Tank
882:. Arco Publishing.
480:Churchill Kangaroo
476:
451:Great Eastern Ramp
433:Rolls-Royce Meteor
349:
315:
272:
232:
224:
185:
105:
74:
1106:Vauxhall vehicles
1014:978-1-85532-297-4
1005:Osprey Publishing
991:978-0-11-290534-9
964:978-0-11-290460-1
938:978-1-84415-464-7
915:978-1-85501-856-3
766:Fletcher 2019 p32
635:. Armour in Focus
600:. Armour in Focus
546:. The Tank Museum
216:North Irish Horse
161:Royal Ordnance L9
16:(Redirected from
1123:
1081:
1062:
1053:
1034:
1018:
995:
968:
942:
919:
896:
883:
869:
868:
866:
864:
855:Chris Shillito.
852:
846:
845:
834:
828:
827:
816:
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809:
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805:
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778:
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743:
732:
729:
723:
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714:
711:
700:
697:
688:
685:
679:
678:
677:on 25 June 2010.
667:
661:
658:
645:
644:
642:
640:
629:"Churchill AVRE"
625:
619:
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610:
609:
607:
605:
590:
581:
580:
562:
556:
555:
553:
551:
536:
523:
520:
503:
500:
364:as the AP ones.
358:QF 3-inch 20 cwt
326:Hobart's Funnies
200:Besa machine gun
109:Small Box Girder
21:
1131:
1130:
1126:
1125:
1124:
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1121:
1120:
1086:
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1084:
1078:
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1037:
1021:
1015:
998:
992:
971:
965:
947:Fletcher, David
945:
939:
929:Pen & Sword
922:
916:
899:
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877:
873:
872:
862:
860:
854:
853:
849:
836:
835:
831:
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798:The Tank Museum
789:
788:
784:
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770:
765:
758:
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749:
744:
735:
731:Delaforce p. 71
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459:
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441:
425:
411:The Tank Museum
347:, 25 March 1943
337:
321:
307:
280:Covenanter tank
260:
208:
177:
144:Royal Engineers
66:
60:
39:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1129:
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1113:
1108:
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1101:Infantry tanks
1098:
1088:
1087:
1083:
1082:
1076:
1063:
1054:
1049:978-0671060091
1048:
1035:
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943:
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874:
871:
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829:
811:
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768:
756:
747:
733:
724:
715:
713:AFV Profile 20
701:
689:
680:
662:
646:
620:
611:
582:
557:
544:tankmuseum.org
524:
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494:
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467:
464:
452:
449:
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421:
336:
333:
317:Main article:
306:
303:
276:Valentine tank
259:
256:
207:
204:
176:
173:
62:Main article:
59:
56:
38:
35:
31:Churchill tank
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1079:
1077:9781472837349
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472:
465:
463:
458:
450:
448:
446:
438:
436:
434:
430:
422:
420:
418:
417:as a target.
416:
412:
407:
405:
400:
398:
394:
390:
386:
382:
376:
374:
373:QF 17-pounder
370:
365:
361:
359:
354:
353:cruiser tanks
346:
341:
334:
332:
329:
327:
320:
311:
304:
302:
298:
294:
290:
288:
287:Bailey bridge
283:
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269:
264:
257:
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242:
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221:
218:crossing the
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195:
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187:Two marks of
181:
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145:
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97:
95:
91:
90:spigot mortar
87:
83:
79:
70:
65:
57:
55:
52:
48:
44:
37:Churchill Oke
36:
34:
32:
27:
19:
18:Churchill Ark
1067:
1058:
1039:
1026:
1000:
973:
950:
927:. Barnsley:
924:
901:
888:
879:
861:. Retrieved
850:
841:
832:
819:
814:
802:. Retrieved
792:
785:
750:
727:
718:
683:
675:the original
665:
637:. Retrieved
632:
623:
614:
602:. Retrieved
597:
570:
560:
548:. Retrieved
543:
518:
498:
477:
460:
445:Double Onion
442:
426:
419:
408:
401:
377:
369:QF 6-pounder
366:
362:
350:
330:
322:
299:
295:
291:
284:
273:
258:Bridgelayers
253:
249:
240:
236:
233:
196:
193:
186:
169:C4 explosive
158:
155:
129:
106:
85:
75:
43:flamethrower
40:
28:
26:
804:23 February
780:White, 1983
522:Perrett p16
415:Lydd Ranges
78:Dieppe Raid
1090:Categories
1029:. London:
976:. London:
904:. London:
824:War Office
510:References
455:See also:
429:flail tank
393:Manchester
165:HESH round
1025:(1970).
984:Museum.
949:(1989).
577:Archived
466:Kangaroo
447:device.
381:Vauxhall
278:and the
241:Twin Ark
237:Link Ark
117:fascines
863:6 March
572:YouTube
121:bobbins
1074:
1046:
1011:
988:
980:, for
961:
935:
912:
842:Milweb
345:Dorset
151:sapper
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550:5 May
490:Notes
220:Senio
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865:2010
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641:2016
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552:2016
478:The
439:Goat
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148:NCO
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