Churchills at Madang-2 - Australian Forces | Gallery

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#1

Churchills at Madang-2

Official caption: "MADANG, NEW GUINEA. 1944-10. A Churchill VII tank being assisted from a bog by a Sherman M4A2 medium tank and another Churchill VII tank during tests conducted at HQ 4 Armoured Brigade." All these tanks were provided by the British Army. Items of note: 1: The Churchill in the foreground is devoid of any mudguards and it is hard to make out if the other has them fitted or not. 2: The captions states that the Sherman is an M4A2 but it clearly has a composite hull. The following info comes from the Anzac Steel website. "Tank No. T263412, an M4 manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation (serial No. 59427), had a welded rear hull with cast front. It had rubber chevron tracks, solid bogie wheels, early style sprocket and solid idler. The gun was mounted in an M34A1 Gun Mount, and the turret had a loader's hatch. Applique plates were welded on the hull sides. This tank carried the name 'The Stag' during the jungle trials"

This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://ww2incolor.com/gallery/australian-forces/49667/churchills-at-madang-2
#2

Pity the film has not been uploaded yet

An Australian Army research film produced by the Military History Cinema Section.

This film was photographed during comparison trials between Churchill and Sherman tanks and provides a graphic illustration of the facts submitted in a report to the War Office.

The trials were conducted in the jungle terrain of New Guinea using British Churchill Mk IV, Mk V and Mk VII Infantry tanks and American Sherman M4A1 and M4A2 Medium tanks.

The Australian crews had to be trained prior to the trials in the operatrion of the Churchill tanks by British Army instructors.

Tests conducted included, a mud test, hill climbing, driving through thick scrub, armament tests involving firing 75mm and 95mm main guns on a Japanese style bunker constructed from coconut logs. Recovery tests using a Dolly tractor and an Armoured Recovery Vehicle adapted from a General Lee Tank. Also shows the maintenance procedures undertaken at the Tank Park at the conclusion of each days trials.

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/F07352

#3