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121-563: Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers ( AVRE ), also known as Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers , is the title given to a series of armoured military engineering vehicles operated by the Royal Engineers (RE) for the purpose of protecting engineers during frontline battlefield operations. In protecting engineers, the vehicles also became a mobile platform for a variety of engineering purposes, mounting large calibre weapons for demolition, carrying engineering stores, mine clearance explosives,

242-634: A hull down defensive position made a particular contribution to Allied success. In one encounter, on 21 April 1943, during the start of the Battle of Longstop Hill , a Churchill tank of the 48th Royal Tank Regiment got the better of a German Tiger I heavy tank. A 6 pounder shot from the Churchill lodged between the Tiger's turret and turret ring, jamming the turret and injuring the German crew. They abandoned

363-480: A petard to be added. The petard mortar was a separate development, firing a large demolition charge, the "Bomb, Demolition Number I", that became known as the "flying dustbin". Development on this began in September 1942 and was united with the Churchill turret following experimental use on a Covenanter tank . With plenty of space inside the Churchill, a number of "flying dustbins" could be carried in addition to

484-493: A tank chassis and have special attachments in order to breach obstacles. Such attachments may include dozer blades, mine rollers, cranes etc. An example of an engineering vehicle of this kind is a bridgelaying tank, which replaces the turret with a segmented hydraulic bridge . The Hobart's Funnies of the Second World War were a wide variety of armoured vehicles for combat engineering tasks. They were allocated to

605-515: A 300 hp flat-12 Meadows DAV engine, the A20 had limited power compared to the 16-ton Covenanter. This was a less serious limitation than it might appear, owing to the British distinction between the high-speed cruiser tanks and the slow-speed infantry tanks . Vauxhall, who were already involved as consultants on the suspension, were approached to see if they could build the A20 and one example

726-513: A Churchill III or IV armed with a 230 mm petard spigot mortar , officially designated; Mortar, Recoiling, Spigot, 290mm, Mk I or II . The mount replaced the 6-pounder gun in welded turrets on the Mark III and cast turrets on the Mark IV, otherwise the vehicles are identical. The 6-pounder gun mounting was modified, and retained the 6-pounder sights although "flying dustbin" effective range

847-486: A dozer blade/bucket, deployable bridge, and the ability to launch a roadway. The project was cancelled in favour of completing normal engineering operations with the lightly armoured Combat Engineer Tractor (CET) while retaining the Centurion AVRE in frontline service. The FV4203 AVRE prototypes were later converted for Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (ARRV) trials. With the introduction of Challenger 1 ,

968-633: A flame-thrower, they were used like a regular tank. In addition, the Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE), Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV), and Bridgelayers variants were brought together. In action against the Chinese, they mostly fought as gun tanks, for example in the Third Battle of Seoul . To restore the 1st Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers ' position during the defence of Seoul, Brigadier Thomas Brodie of

1089-597: A headland. Two Mark II had been sent to North Africa for trials and they were joined by six Mk III Churchills (with the 6 pounder ) to form the Special Tank Squadron commanded by Major Norris King. They saw action in the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942. This detachment, called "Kingforce", supported the attack of 7th Motor Brigade first with three tanks at Kidney Ridge (where one

1210-511: A modified Covenanter tank capable of deploying a 24-ton tracked load capacity bridge (Class 24) that could span gaps of 30 feet. However, it did not see service in the British armed forces, and all vehicles were passed onto Allied forces such as Australia and Czechoslovakia. A Class 30 design superseded the Class 24 with no real re-design, simply the substitution of the Covenanter tank with

1331-462: A nearly horizontal 2.25 in (57 mm) plate and a vertical 6 inch plate. The hull sides, were, for the most part, 3.75 in (95 mm). The rear was 2 in (51 mm) and the hull top 0.525 in (13.3 mm). The turret of the Mark VII was 6 in (150 mm) to the front and 3.75 in (95 mm) for the other sides. The turret roof was 0.79 (20 mm) thick. Plate

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1452-550: A range from 25 millimetres (0.98 in) to 152 millimetres (6.0 in). Though this armour was considerably thicker than its rivals (including the German Tiger I tank, but not the Tiger II ) it was not sloped, reducing its effectiveness. Earlier models were given extra armour by the expedient of welding on extra plates. On the Mark VII, the hull front armour was made up of a lower angled piece of 5.5 in (140 mm),

1573-470: A regenerative steering system that was controlled by a tiller bar instead of the more commonplace brake levers or, as with the German Tiger I heavy tank, a steering wheel. The tiller was connected, with servo assistance, hydraulically to the steering brakes. The Churchill was also the first tank to utilise the Merritt-Brown triple differential gearbox, which allowed the tank to be steered by changing

1694-411: A separate manifold that fed three cylinders formed as a single cylinder head. The elements of the engine and ancillary components were laid out so they could be reached for maintenance through the engine deck covers. Air for the engine was drawn from the fighting compartment through air cleaners. Cooling air was drawn into the engine compartment through louvres on the sides, across the radiators and through

1815-611: A short barrelled L9A1 165 mm demolition gun, it entered service in 1963, replacing the Churchill AVRE. The vehicle was later renamed AVRE 165 relating to its primary armament. The armament was capable of firing a 60 lb (29 kg) high-explosive squash head (HESH) round. The vehicle front added a dozer blade to the front, and frequently towed the Giant Viper for mine clearance or other trailers for stores. Large turret bins provided stowage. The dozer attachment

1936-408: A suitably modified Valentine . As tanks in the war got heavier, a new bridge capable of supporting them was developed. A heavily modified Churchill used a single-piece bridge mounted on a turret-less tank and was able to lay the bridge in 90 seconds; this bridge was able to carry a 60-ton tracked or 40-ton wheeled load. Hobart's Funnies were a number of unusually modified tanks operated during

2057-589: A ton of 822C detonated while being unloaded from two lorries. The explosion caused numerous casualties and destroyed four nearby AVREs, while the lorries "disappeared". Giant Viper is a post-war re-working of the Conger concept using a trailer and pre-filled, safer, hose and explosive. It was used with Centurion and Chieftain AVREs (and other vehicles) and saw use in the Iraq conflict with them. It has been replaced with

2178-563: A traveling jib, where the front section was projected and then attached to the rear section prior to launching the bridge. This system had to be abandoned due to lack of success in getting it to work, however the idea was later used successfully on the Beaver Bridge Laying Tank . Once World War Two had begun, the development of armoured vehicles for use by engineers in the field was accelerated under Delaney's direction. The EBE rapidly developed an assault bridge carried on

2299-456: A variety of deployable roadways, and modified engineering bridges for gaps that the related Armoured Ramp Carrier ("ARK") vehicles could not overcome. Extremely high casualty rates among engineers was one of the primary reasons for the failure of the Dieppe raid of August 1942. Engineers were tasked with getting the tanks off the beach, destroying obstacles and building ramps. In the assault,

2420-632: A vertical position before detaching from the vehicle. During World War II the Sherman Crab was the primary (and most effective) mine clearance vehicle for the 79th Armoured Division, but AVREs carried a range of mine clearance devices to supplement them. A Lane marker attachment could be fitted to the sides of the AVRE to delineate lanes through minefields or cleared terrain. Similar to the Sherman Crab , it deployed both tape and lights. Snake

2541-598: A year as specified, the first Churchill tanks began rolling off the production line. A leaflet from the manufacturer was added to the User Handbook, which also described known faults, with work-arounds and what was being done to correct the problem. It said: Fighting vehicles are urgently required, and instructions have been received to proceed with the vehicle as it is rather than hold up production. All those things which we know are not as they should be will be put right. Harold Drew of Vauxhall achieved miracles with

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2662-420: Is no set template for what such a vehicle will look like, yet likely features include a large dozer blade or mine ploughs, a large caliber demolition cannon, augers, winches, excavator arms and cranes or lifting booms. These vehicles are designed to directly conduct obstacle breaching operations and to conduct other earth-moving and engineering work on the battlefield. Good examples of this type of vehicle include

2783-401: Is typically a modified tank hull converted to carry a bridge into battle in order to support crossing ditches, small waterways, or other gap obstacles. Another type of bridging vehicle is the truck launched bridge. The Soviet TMM bridging truck could carry and launch a 10-meter bridge that could be daisy-chained with other TMM bridges to cross larger obstacles. More recent developments have seen

2904-468: The Churchill tank was ordered. The Churchill proved ideal, having a large amount of space inside for demolition stores, and side exit doors. The interior munition storage was removed, as was the turret basket and co-drivers seat, replaced with stowage. This provided space for 36 cu. ft. of demolition supplies and tools. The turret, initially not required, was retained allowing a spigot mortar firing

3025-573: The Dieppe Raid in France. The Dieppe raid was planned to temporarily take control of the French port of Dieppe using a strong force of about 6,000 troops – mostly drawn from inexperienced Canadian units. The operation, codenamed Jubilee, would test the feasibility of opposed landings. Nearly 60 Churchill tanks from the 14th Army Tank Regiment (The Calgary Regiment (Tank)) were allocated to support

3146-479: The First World War , and thus emphasised the ability to cross difficult ground. The Churchill was hurried into production in order to build up British defences against a possible German invasion. The first vehicles had flaws that had to be overcome before the Churchill was accepted for wide use. After several marks (versions) had been built, a better-armoured specification, the Mark VII, entered service with

3267-820: The Panzer IV with the short-barrel 75 mm gun, and the Panzer III armed with the 50 mm gun) and the thick armour of all Churchill models could usually withstand several hits from any German anti-tank gun, in the later years of the war the German Panther tank had a 75 mm high-velocity cannon as its main armament along with increased protection, against which the Churchills' own guns often lacked sufficient armour penetration to fight back effectively. The Churchill had many variations, including many specialised modifications. The most significant change to

3388-556: The Python minefield breaching system . Anti-mine Plough was used to avoid cratering an approach and rendering it impassible to following vehicles. A number of types have been used. These push the mines to the sides of the vehicle where they can be dealt with later by sappers on foot. Alternatively, mine rollers like the Canadian Indestructible Roller Device (CIRD) could detonate mines ahead of

3509-417: The Royal Engineers forming the new 1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers , part of the 79th Armoured Division . The vehicles became the basis for a range of modifications and additions as part of Hobart's Funnies . AVRE vehicles have been known by several different names through their lifespan. Secrecy over the meaning of the codenames given to Hobart's Funnies in the lead-in to D-Day led many to refer to

3630-591: The Second World War by the 79th Armoured Division of the British Army or by specialists from the Royal Engineers . They were designed in light of problems that more standard tanks experienced during the amphibious Dieppe Raid , so that the new models would be able to overcome the problems of the planned Invasion of Normandy . These tanks played a major part on the Commonwealth beaches during

3751-422: The 2-pounder, and this gun was still fitted to every British tank until March 1942. In a 1942 exercise, one tank had to have its gearbox changed five times. Because of its hasty development, there had been little testing and the Churchill was plagued with mechanical faults. Most apparent was that the Churchill's engine was underpowered, unreliable, and difficult to access for servicing. Another serious shortcoming

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3872-420: The 30 Churchills in the first two waves of 10 LCTs were landed on the beach under heavy fire: the latter two waves were turned away. One Churchill was trapped in its LCT by shellfire. Of the 29 remaining (eight Mark I/IIs, three Oke flamethrower tanks, and 18 Mark IIIs), two sank en route to shore, and 11 were immobilized on the beach due to a combination of the chert shingle and indirect fire. Only 15 would get off

3993-543: The 75mm increased despite its worse anti-tank performance when compared to the 6pdr due to the HE rounds used by the 75mm being considerably more effective when used in infantry support roles. Churchills made use of the Vickers Tank Periscope MK.IV . In the Mark VII, the driver had two periscopes as well as a vision port in the hull front that could be opened. The hull gunner had a single periscope as well as

4114-543: The 79th Armoured Division states "Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers" however, although notes that it was rushed into print. As the latter was provided to all members of the division, the "Armoured Vehicle" terminology gained significant traction. The vehicles continue to be referred to primarily in the abbreviated "AVRE" form. When rarely defined, both the Churchill VII AVRE and the Centurion AVRE became known by both Assault and Armoured terms interchangeably, with

4235-587: The A22 or Infantry Tank Mark IV, were given to Vauxhall in June 1940. With a German invasion of Britain looking imminent, and the loss of a substantial amount of military vehicles in the evacuation from France, the War Office specified that the A22 had to enter production within a year. By July 1940, the design was completed and by December of that year the first prototypes were completed; in June 1941, almost exactly

4356-488: The AVRE into position, and then pushed across a minefield. A shaped end was created for the Snake to prevent it digging into the ground when pushed. Detonation destroyed the mines along the length of the pipe, forming a large path across the minefield. Conger was a similar device to Snake, providing a rocket propelled flexible tube that was carried in, and launched from, a converted engineless Universal Carrier towed behind

4477-448: The AVRE simply as an "engineer tank", most not knowing the AVRE name or what AVRE stood for. This led to confusion with other types of engineer tank, such as recovery vehicles. In October 1943 an army training memorandum was issued removing the ambiguity in naming and defining the "Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers" name for all users. The majority of documentation continued to refer to the abbreviated "AVRE" (or "A.Vs.R.E." in plural). Even

4598-458: The AVRE. Once in position, the hose was propelled by an attached rocket across the minefield. The tube was pump-filled with a special nitroglycerine based explosive known as 822C. The device was used operationally during the D-Day invasions, but operations were stopped after an explosion near the village of IJzendijke  [ nl ] . In preparations for use for an upcoming attack, more than

4719-657: The British Army. The improved versions performed well in the later stages of the war. The Churchill was used by British and other Commonwealth forces during the North African , Italian and North-West Europe campaigns. In addition, 344 Churchills were sent as military aid to the Soviet Union during the Second World War and more than 250 saw active service on the Eastern Front . The Churchill tank

4840-653: The CEVs or AEVs described above, these vehicles are designed to conduct earth-moving work on the battlefield and generally be anti-tank explosive proof. These vehicles have greater high speed mobility than traditional heavy equipment and are protected against the effects of blast and fragmentation. Good examples are the American M9 ACE and the UK FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor . These vehicles are equipped with mechanical or other means for

4961-477: The Canal Lock Bridge, which had sufficient length to span a canal lock . Major Martel mated the bridge with the tank and used hydraulic power generated by the tank's engine to maneuver the bridge into place. For mine clearance the tanks were equipped with 2 ton rollers . Between the wars various experimental bridging tanks were used to test a series of methods for bridging obstacles and developed by

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5082-494: The Centurion AVRE was struggling to keep up, while military requirements needed a larger number of trackways to be carried. Surplus Chieftain vehicles could have the turret removed to reduce the vehicle weight, providing enhanced mobility even when loaded with engineering stores. Removal of the turret would also allow six Class 60 trackways or three fascines to be carried on top of the vehicle. The Chieftain tank based "Willich Chieftain AVRE" entered service in 1987. This vehicle

5203-537: The Chieftain ARRV "CHARRV" as distinguished from the Challenger ARRV "CRARRV". Each CHAVRE provided a 10 tonne winch and Atlas crane for engineering operations, along with a trackway on top for multiple fascines or stores. It also fitted a dozer blade or mine plough. With no primary armament, CHAVRE was initially used alongside the Centurion AVRE. AVRE functions have been combined with others into

5324-521: The Churchill AVRE's own instruction book did not explain what A.V.R.E. stood for. With infrequent use of the full form, naming became confused. At the end of the war, the Final Report of the 79th Armoured Division, the records of the Department of Tank Design, and the official history of the 1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers, all use the "Assault Vehicle" terminology. The official history of

5445-706: The Churchill Mk II) dispensed with the howitzer (there had been only enough guns to equip 300 tanks ) and replaced it with a bow machine gun and on the Mk III, the 2 pounder was replaced with the 6 pounder, significantly increasing the tank's anti-tank capabilities. The tank underwent field modification in North Africa with several Churchills being fitted with the 75 mm gun of destroyed M4 Shermans. These "NA75" variants were used in Italy. The use of

5566-524: The Churchill and its Merrit-Brown Tank Gearbox produced by David Brown Limited ; "a brilliant design that went into production off the drawing board without adequate prototype testing and had the most disastrous teething troubles" according to Robotham , but British tanks were under-powered, under-gunned and unreliable. At the Tank Board level the Director of Artillery was still extolling the merits of

5687-474: The Churchill could cross terrain obstacles that most other tanks of its era could not. This capacity frequently proved useful, especially during the fighting in Normandy. One action in Normandy where the tank's ability to surmount obstacles was found to be of value was the capture of Hill 309 on 30/31 July 1944 ( Operation Bluecoat ) conducted by VIII Corps . The Churchill tank was produced with Vauxhall as

5808-547: The Churchill was that it was up-gunned from 2-pounder to 6-pounder and then 75 mm guns over the course of the war. By the war's end, the late model Churchill Mk VII had exceptional amounts of armour – considerably more than the German Tiger tank. However, the firepower weakness was never fully addressed. The Mark VII turret that was designed for the 75 mm gun was of composite construction – cast with top and bottom plates welded into position. While it had weaknesses,

5929-565: The Churchills could operate in Africa, was considered too slow to participate in the chase after the retreating Axis, sent back to Alexandria and disbanded after El Alamein. The 25th Army Tank Brigade of three regiments was sent to Africa, and went into action in February 1943 during the Tunisian campaign . It was followed by 21st Army Tank Brigade . Churchill tanks took part in containing

6050-411: The Department of Tank Design, proposed a vehicle to protect engineers during assault operations. Development commenced based on the experiences at Dieppe. Experiments used Churchill , Sherman and Ram tanks . The side door became a critical component for the new vehicle, allowing engineers to exit the vehicle under protection, and retreat back inside while blasting. In October 1942 a prototype based on

6171-766: The Experimental Bridging Establishment (EBE). Captain SG Galpin RE conceived a prototype Light Tank Mk V to test the Scissors Assault Bridge. This concept was realised by Captain SA Stewart RE with significant input from a Mr DM Delany, a scientific civil servant in the employ of the EBE. MB Wild & Co, Birmingham, also developed a bridge that could span gaps of 26 feet using a complex system of steel wire ropes and

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6292-481: The French Char B1 . This enabled the tank to deliver a useful high-explosive capability while retaining the anti-tank capabilities of the 2 pounder. However, like other multi-gun tanks, it was limited by a poor fire arc – the track horns limiting traverse – and elevation of only 9°. Despite the length of the gun the muzzle velocity was only 600 ft/s (180 m/s) . The Mark IVA (retrospectively

6413-532: The German offensive of Operation Ochsenkopf in February – March 1943. At a place called Steamroller Farm, two Churchill Mk III tanks of 51 RTR got ahead of their squadron. They came across an entire German transport column, which they ambushed and completely shot up before they rejoined. The result was the destruction of two 88 mm, two 75 mm and two 50 mm, four lesser anti-tank guns, 25 wheeled vehicles, two 3-inch mortars, two Panzer III tanks and infliction of nearly 200 casualties. A Churchill tank in

6534-685: The Italian mainland in 1943. There were six regiments with Churchills in Tunisia, these may have been kept out because Montgomery preferred the Sherman or because their 6-pdr guns were not considered suitable for the fighting in Italy. Churchills did land in Italy in April/May 1944 with 75mm gun armed Churchills arriving later. As the mainstay of the Tank Brigades, which operated in support of

6655-674: The Low Countries and into Germany, such as the fighting in the Reichswald during Operation Veritable . The Churchill was able to cross the muddy ground and force through the forests of the Reichswald; a contemporary report expressed the belief that no other tank could have managed the same conditions. A single Churchill, possibly a Mk V, was trialled in Burma in 1945. It was operated by the 3rd Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) from

6776-750: The Mk 5. Replacement of Centurion AVRE was planned to be accomplished by two new vehicles splitting the AVRE role: the Chieftain Armoured Engineering Vehicle (Gun) and Chieftain Armoured Engineering Vehicle (Winch) . Both were to be multi-role vehicles capable of more than just the AVRE function. FV4203 AVRE vehicles were almost identical to the Chieftain ARV, also based on the AEV (Winch), but added

6897-435: The Mk VII, was first used in the Battle of Normandy in 1944. The Mk VII improved on the already heavy armour of the Churchill with a wider chassis and the British 75 mm gun , which had been introduced on the Mk VI. It was primarily this variant, the A22F, which served through the remainder of war. It was re-designated A42 in 1945. The Churchill was a versatile project and was used in numerous specialist roles. The hull

7018-413: The Ordnance Depot at Kirkee (Khadki) by the end of November–early December 1945. Of the three regiments (battalions) involved, the 3rd Dragoon Guards accompanied the 254th Brigade when posted away while the 149th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps and the 150th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps were eventually disbanded at Ahmednagar on 28 February 1946, the majority of personnel already having been repatriated to

7139-414: The Tiger, which was subsequently captured by the British. Known as Tiger 131 , this was the first Tiger captured by the Western Allies and was particularly useful for intelligence. Tiger 131 has since been restored to full working condition and is now on display at The Tank Museum in Dorset , UK. As of early 2021, it is the only working Tiger tank in the world. Churchill tanks were not initially used in

7260-508: The Trojan Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV) based on the Challenger 2 chassis. Trojan will be equipped with an articulated excavator arm, a dozer blade and rails for fascines . 33 units have been ordered from BAE Systems Land Systems. Churchill III and IV AVRE vehicles were successfully used to breach defences in the D-Day landings, and continued in use through the rest of the allied advance to Nazi Germany. The Petard Mortar's ability to demolish obstructions and fortifications proved valuable to

7381-451: The U.S. M113 APC , IDF Puma , Nagmachon , Husky, and U.S. M1132 ESV (a Stryker variant). One of the major tasks of military engineering is crossing major rivers. Several military engineering vehicles have been developed in various nations to achieve this task. One of the more common types is the amphibious ferry such as the M3 Amphibious Rig . These vehicles are self-propelled on land, they can transform into raft type ferries when in

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7502-536: The UK Trojan AVRE , the Russian IMR, and the US M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle . Although the term "armoured engineer vehicle" is used specifically to describe these multi-purpose tank based engineering vehicles, that term is also used more generically in British and Commonwealth militaries to describe all heavy tank based engineering vehicles used in the support of mechanized forces. Thus, "armoured engineer vehicle" used generically would refer to AEV, AVLB, Assault Breachers, and so on. Lighter and less multi-functional than

7623-406: The United Kingdom or posted to other units. In mid-1944, at the request of Britain's War Office , the Churchill was tested by the Australian Army , along with the M4 Sherman . The results were to be used to determine any modifications required for use in the tropics; Matildas were used as a reference point in the tests at Madang , New Guinea . The Churchill was found to be, overall, superior to

7744-455: The allied advance, while the morale impact of seeing the large gun caused many enemies to abandon their positions. AVRE vehicles were frequently teamed with Churchill Crocodile flamethrowers for bunker clearance. The AVRE would crack the defences, allowing the flamethrower to soak the interior with flammable liquid, forcing those inside to surrender. Centurion AVRE and Chieftain CHAVRE vehicles were both successfully used in Operation Granby in

7865-580: The beach and over the sea wall onto the Dieppe promenade . Although these tanks were effective in engaging the defenders in the town's buildings, their further progress was blocked by concrete defences; the engineer demolition teams – killed or pinned on the beach – had not been able to accompany the tanks. Ten of these Churchills were able to return to the beach once the withdrawal had been signalled but they could not be evacuated. According to Henry, no Churchills were penetrated by German anti-tank fire while still manned. These surviving tank crews fought to cover

7986-420: The breached obstacle is still covered by enemy observation and fire, and then purpose built breaching vehicles will create additional lanes for following forces. Good examples of breaching vehicles include the US M1150 assault breacher vehicle , the UK Aardvark JSFU , and the Singaporean Trailblazer . Several types of military bridging vehicles have been developed. An armoured vehicle-launched bridge (AVLB)

8107-408: The breaching of man made obstacles. Common types of breaching vehicles include mechanical flails , mine plough vehicles, and mine roller vehicles. In some cases, these vehicles will also mount mine-clearing line charges . Breaching vehicles may be either converted armoured fighting vehicles or purpose built vehicles. In larger militaries, converted AFV are likely to be used as assault breachers while

8228-408: The conversion of AVLB and truck launched bridge with launching systems that can be mounted on either tank or truck for bridges that are capable of supporting heavy main battle tanks. Earlier examples of bridging vehicles include a type in which a converted tank hull is the bridge. On these vehicles, the hull deck comprises the main portion of the tread way while ramps extend from the front and rear of

8349-482: The demolitions stores. The petard was reloaded through a sliding cover that replaced one of the forward drivers hatches in the top of the hull. Together the vehicle was named Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers . Trials of the new vehicle were undertaken throughout 1943. The vehicle was not known as "Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers" at this time. Production commenced in 1944 based on a mixed fleet of Churchill III and IV vehicles. These were assigned to three regiments of

8470-621: The design parent. Subcontracted work on some tanks was provided by Whessoe Foundry & Engineering , Metropolitan‑Cammell Carriage & Wagon , Babcock & Wilcox , Newton, Chambers & Company and the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company ; the latter two produced some complete vehicles. Other contractors produced hulls and turrets which went to Vauxhall, Charles Roberts & Co , and Dennis Brothers for final assembly. In March and April 1942, Vauxhall stopped producing new tanks. Together with Broom & Wade (at High Wycombe ) they started rebuilding earlier tanks; about 700 of

8591-402: The distinction between Mark III and Mark IV. In August 1942, the Churchill was used offensively for the first time in the Dieppe Raid . The poor speed of the Churchill nearly caused production to be ceased in favour of the forthcoming Cromwell tank ; it was saved by the successful use of the Mk III at the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942. The second major improved Churchill,

8712-462: The early 1990s. Extended use of the Centurion AVRE made the Centurion tank, developed during the latter half of the second world war, the longest serving military vehicle in the British Army. The Carrot provided explosive charges on metal prongs extended from the front of the vehicle. These could be pushed up to an obstacle, released, and fired from within the vehicle, protecting engineers from

8833-570: The end of April 1945 for about a month. Although it proved impossible to bring the Churchill into action, on approach marches the tank proved at least the equal to the M3 Lee then in service. The 254th Indian Tank Brigade returned to India from Burma, arriving at Ahmednagar during July 1945. The brigade immediately began conversion from the Lee to the Churchill, the intention being for the newly equipped brigade to return to operations in October 1945. At

8954-512: The engine compartment by a fan driven by the clutch. This fan blew the air over the gearbox and out the rear of the hull. By opening a flap between the fighting compartment and the engine compartment, this airflow could be used to remove fumes produced by firing the armament. The 1,296 cu in (21.238 L) capacity engine was rated at 350 bhp (260 kW) at 2,000 rpm, delivering 960 lb⋅ft (1,300 N⋅m) torque over an engine speed range from 800 to 1,600 rpm. The gearbox featured

9075-408: The engineers were prone to gunfire while setting charges, and became a priority target for the defending forces. Those that did make it to the point where ramps could be built had lost much of their supplies on sunken landing craft. With tanks unable to leave the beaches, the raid stalled and failed. Following failure of the raid, a Royal Canadian Engineer officer, Lt J.J. Denovan who was attached to

9196-573: The first 1,000 built were included in this scheme. The reworked tanks got an "R" as a suffix to their WD number. Changes to the hull air intakes and the full length mudguards were the most obvious changes. Turrets for the earliest Marks were single piece castings. One thousand were supplied from the United States: 600 complete from General Steel and 400 from American Steel Foundries that were finished by other companies before shipping to UK. The Churchill first saw combat on 19 August 1942, in

9317-696: The form of traditional civilian equipment designed and built to unique military specifications. These vehicles typically sacrifice some depth of capability from civilian models in order to gain greater speed and independence from prime movers. Examples of this type of vehicle include high speed backhoes such as the Australian Army's High Mobility Engineering Vehicle (HMEV) from Thales or the Canadian Army's Multi-Purpose Engineer Vehicle (MPEV) from Arva. The main article for civilian heavy equipment is: Heavy equipment (construction) Typically based on

9438-535: The front of 60 mm – sufficient to protect against ordinary shells from the German 37 mm gun. Outline drawings were produced by Woolwich Arsenal based on the A12 Matilda turret – the Director of Mechanisation opposed a turretless design – and the engine and Wilson epicyclic transmission being developed for the A13 Mark III Covenanter tank . Detail design and construction of the A20

9559-525: The infantry and commandos; they would be put ashore by Landing Craft Tank vessels, along with the supporting engineers. Some problems were anticipated and allowed for: waterproofing of the hulls, canvas carpets ("Bobbin") to aid the tanks crossing the short stretch of shingle beach , engineer teams to demolish road blocks and a few of the tanks were fitted with flame-throwers . The tanks, a mix of Mark I with hull howitzers, Mark II (three with flamethrowers) and Mark III (some with Bobbin), were expected to enter

9680-558: The infantry, Churchill units were in operation more often than other tank units. The Churchill NA75s, Churchill Mark IVs converted to carry the US 75 mm gun, were used in Italy. As the Churchill proved to be a better gun platform than the Sherman , the effective range of the 75 mm was increased. Churchills saw widespread action in Normandy during the Battle of Hill 112 and Operation Bluecoat , as well as subsequent operations in

9801-437: The initial beachhead assaults by the British and Commonwealth forces in the D-Day landings. The British Churchill tank because of its good cross-country performance and capacious interior with side hatches became the most adapted with modifications, the base unit being the AVRE carrying a large demolition gun. Churchill tank#Churchill AVRE (Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers) The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV (A22) Churchill

9922-411: The landings. They were forerunners of the modern combat engineering vehicle and were named after their commander, Major General Percy Hobart . Hobart's unusual, specialized tanks, nicknamed "funnies", included: In U.S. Forces, Sherman tanks were also fitted with dozer blades, and anti-mine roller devices were developed, enabling engineering operations and providing similar capabilities. Post war,

10043-502: The latter Armoured term becoming more common. Nomenclature settled on Armoured Vehicle with the introduction of the Chieftain Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers. "Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers" has since become the accepted term, retrospectively applied to previous vehicles in most references. More recently, the AVRE designation appears to have been dropped from Trojan. Churchill AVRE was

10164-463: The need to exit the safety of the armoured vehicle interior. Onion built upon the Carrot concept providing a much larger frame of explosives to blow a larger gap in concrete obstacles. Goat provided a similar frame of explosives to Onion and Carrot, but carried horizontally to allow a much greater charge to be carried. This was released by prongs extending from the front, allowing it to pivot into

10285-811: The other tanks for jungle warfare. It was not used in the Pacific War ; only 46 of the 510 Churchills ordered by Australia were delivered by the end of the war, and the remainder of the order was cancelled. During the Korean War, the United Kingdom deployed 20 Churchill tanks from C Company, 7th Royal Tank Regiment , and arrived on the Korean Peninsula along with its first-sent troops in November 1950. Most of these tanks were Mk. VII (A42) 'Crocodile' flame-throwing tanks; despite being

10406-628: The outbreak of the Second World War, the A20 (its General Staff specification) was to supplement the Matilda II and Valentine infantry tanks . In accordance with British infantry tank doctrine and based on the expected needs of attacking a fixed defensive line, crossing wide trenches, possibly shell-cratered ground similar to First World War trench warfare it was to be immune to the current German 3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank guns and carry an unditching beam . A general outline produced by Woolwich Arsenal

10527-464: The overall weight (estimates were around 4%), the thicker armour of the A22F made up for. Welding also required fewer man-hours in construction. The hull doors changed from square to round which reduced stresses. A new turret went with the new hull. The sides, which included a flared base to protect the turret ring, were a single casting while the roof, which did not need to be so thick, was a plate fitted to

10648-510: The platform of a main battle tank, these vehicles go by different names depending upon the country of use or manufacture. In the US the term "combat engineer vehicle (CEV)" is used, in the UK the terms " Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE)" or Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (ARRV) are used, while in Canada and other commonwealth nations the term "armoured engineer vehicle (AEV)" is used. There

10769-484: The relative safety of the AVRE interior. In the remaining space, compartments in the sponsons were created fore and aft of the side hatches for "flying dustbin" ammunition. Post-war, new FV3903 Churchill AVREs were created using the Churchill VII base vehicle re-armed with a short barrelled L9A1 165 mm demolition gun. This fired a 64 lb (29 kg) HESH round. FV4003 Centurion Mk 5 AVRE. Armed with

10890-405: The relative speeds of the two tracks; this effect became more pronounced with each lower gear, ultimately allowing the tank to perform a "neutral turn" when no gear was engaged, where it could fully pivot within its own length and thus rotate in place. There were final reduction gears, of the planetary type, in the driving wheels. Although capable of 17 mph (27 km/h) the noise at that speed

11011-447: The same time the defeated British Expeditionary Force was evacuated from Dunkirk . While intended for "positional warfare" and direct assaults against fortifications (it was referred to as "Shelled Area Tank", or by the French phrase Char de Fortresse ) which had been rendered pointless by the fast pace of German armoured warfare a heavy tank that could defend the infantry from other tanks was still desired. At an initial 32 tons, with

11132-510: The sighting telescope on the BESA machine gun mounting. In the turret, the gunner and loader each had single periscope and the commander had two fitted in his hatch cupola. The armour on the Churchill, often considered its most important feature, was originally specified to a minimum of 16 millimetres (0.63 in) and a maximum of 102 millimetres (4.0 in); this was increased with the Mk VII to

11253-436: The time, it was assumed that the war against Japan would continue and that the new battleground would be Malaya. Although a small number of tanks were delivered, and some training undertaken, the end of the war against Japan meant that the conversion was not completed. At the end of September, the 254th Indian Tank Brigade was reassigned and posted away from Ahmednagar. All the Churchills delivered up to that point were returned to

11374-483: The top. Since the engines on the Churchill were never upgraded, the tank became increasingly slow as additional armour and armament was equipped and weight increased; while the Mk I weighed 40 long tons (41,000 kg) and the Mk III weighed 39 long tons (39,630 kg), the Mk VII weighed 40 long tons (40,640 kg). This caused a reduction in the tanks' maximum speed from its original 26 km/h (16 mph) down to 20.4 km/h (12.7 mph). Another problem

11495-437: The top. There were eleven bogies either side, each carrying two 10-inch wheels. Only nine of the bogies normally took the vehicle weight, the front coming into play when the vehicle nosed into the ground or against an obstacle, the rear acting in part as a track tensioner. Due to the number of wheels, the tank could survive losing several without much in the way of adverse effects as well as traversing steeper terrain obstacles. As

11616-475: The town and reach a nearby airfield before retiring back to the beach to be taken off by the LCTs. Half of the tank force would be held in reserve offshore. In the event, the German defences were stronger than expected. The beach was chert which included larger stones than the anticipated shingle: according to history professor Hugh Henry, the German defenders had previously considered it impassable to tanks. Only

11737-469: The tracks ran around the panniers, escape hatches in the side could be incorporated into the design. These were retained throughout the revisions of the Churchill and were of particular use when the Churchill was adopted as the AVRE . The Bedford Vehicles engine was effectively two engines in horizontally opposed configuration ("flat twelve") on a common crankshaft. There were four Solex carburettors each on

11858-471: The unit's LVT4 Buffalo amphibious vehicles, and was particularly effective on waterlogged ground. Military engineering vehicle A Heavy RE tank was developed shortly after World War I by Major Giffard LeQuesne Martel RE. This vehicle was a modified Mark V tank. Two support functions for these Engineer Tanks were developed: bridging and mine clearance. The bridging component involved an assault bridge, designed by Major Charles Inglis RE, called

11979-500: The value of the combat engineering vehicles had been proven, and armoured multi-role engineering vehicles have been added to the majority of armoured forces. Military engineering can employ a wide variety of heavy equipment in the same ways to how this equipment is used outside the military. Bulldozers , cranes , graders , excavators , dump trucks , loaders , and backhoes all see extensive use by military engineers. Military engineers may also use civilian heavy equipment which

12100-549: The vehicle by applying a vehicle-like ground weight. These pivoted up on their mountings upon explosion before dropping back down to continue. Roly-Poly and Bobbin both provided a track laying roll in front of the AVRE over which the AVRE drove (known as "carpet laying"). This provided a roadway over soft ground which the tanks would otherwise sink into. Roly-Poly used steel roller shuttering while Bobbin used reinforced fabric matting. Both were used on D-Day. Log Carpet provided an alternative formed of chain-linked logs. This

12221-699: The vehicle to allow other vehicles to climb over the bridging vehicle and cross obstacles. An example of this type of armoured bridging vehicle was the Churchill Ark used in the Second World War. Another type of CELLs are armoured fighting vehicles which are used to transport sappers ( combat engineers ) and can be fitted with a bulldozer 's blade and other mine-breaching devices. They are often used as APCs because of their carrying ability and heavy protection. They are usually armed with machine guns and grenade launchers and usually tracked to provide enough tractive force to push blades and rakes. Some examples are

12342-671: The water, and often multiple vehicles can connect to form larger rafts or floating bridges . Other types of military ferries, such as the Soviet Plavayushij Transportyor - Srednyj , are able to load while still on land and transport other vehicles cross country and over water. In addition to amphibious crossing vehicles, military engineers may also employ several types of boats. Military assault boats are small boats propelled by oars or an outboard motor and used to ferry dismounted infantry across water. Most CEVs are armoured fighting vehicles that may be based on

12463-461: The withdrawal of the infantry from the beach, and almost all were captured with their vehicles, having exhausted their main gun ammunition. The tank regiment's commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Johnny Andrews, was among those killed in action. Nearly 70% of the Canadians were killed, injured or captured and none of the raid's objectives were met other than the secret raid on the radar station on

12584-401: Was a mine-clearing line charge consisted of sections of 3-inch pipe filled with explosive to extend and then detonate across a minefield. The concept is similar to the bangalore torpedo but Snake is much larger – Snake pipes run the length of the AVRE vehicle with multiple pipes carried on the trackguards of modified AVREs. Once assembled together into longer lengths, Snake could be towed by

12705-498: Was a British infantry tank used in the Second World War , best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies , its ability to climb steep slopes , and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war. The origins of the Churchill's design lay in the expectation that war in Europe might be fought in conditions similar to those of

12826-476: Was also provided on regular tanks as the FV4019 Centurion Mk 5 Bulldozer. Centurion AVREs remained in use, and were up-armoured for Operation Desert Storm in 1991. FV4203 Centurion Mk 12 AVRE. A modified Artillery Observation Post vehicle, it was armed with the conventional 105 mm Royal Ordnance L7 rifled gun and provided with track width mine clearance ploughs instead of the dozer blade on

12947-621: Was designed by Capt D Clegg MBE RE. Twelve vehicles were built by 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment and 21 Engineer Base Workshop of the Royal Engineers under the direction of Lt Col JF Johnson RE based in the German town of Willich , hence its name. Some of these vehicles saw use in the First Gulf War . In 1989 a programme was launched to convert a further 48 vehicles with prototypes arriving in 1991. The Chieftain "CHAVRE" AVRE entered service in 1994. 48 units were produced by Vickers Defence Systems. The "CHAVRE" nomenclature mirrored that of

13068-586: Was developed with high squish pistons, dual ignition and sodium-cooled exhaust valves in Stellite seats to give 350 bhp. With France lost , the scenario of trench warfare in Northern Europe was no longer applicable and the design was revised by Dr H. E. Merritt , Director of Tank Design at Woolwich Arsenal , based on the combat witnessed in Poland and France. These new specifications, for

13189-408: Was expanded by Belfast shipbuilders Harland & Wolff with advice from the Department of Tank Design. The General Staff had proposed that it was armed with two QF 2 pounder guns , each located in a side sponson with a coaxial Besa machine gun . A third Besa and a smoke projector would be fitted in the front hull. To reduce weight the specification was revised to prefer a maximum armour to

13310-474: Was folded flat on raised supports over the AVRE with an explosive charge to release the front. The log carpet would then drop down in front of the tank log-by-log, with the weight dragging further logs from the top. Logs were robust, each,14 ft long by 27 in. diameter linked with 2 in. wire rope. This proved a challenge to load, and Log Carpet AVREs had to be driven into a pit to enable the logs to be loaded at ground-level. Log Carpet could also be fitted to

13431-402: Was hit "repeatedly" by anti-tank gun fire (including "friendly fire" from a British gun) and another took "a lot of punishment"), then the remaining five at Tell-el-Aqqaqir. The Churchills were fired on many times by Italian and German anti-tank guns, but only one was knocked out and partially caught on fire. One tank was said to have been hit up to 80 times. Kingforce, formed to test whether

13552-465: Was left to Harland & Wolff, who completed four prototypes by June 1940. During the construction period, the armament was reconsidered, including fitting either a 6-pounder gun or the French short 75 mm gun (as used on Char B1 ) in the forward hull – the former was considered too long and the latter would require redesigning the front of the hull. In the end, a 3-inch howitzer was chosen. The A20 designs were short-lived, however, as at roughly

13673-405: Was made up of simple flat plates, which were bolted together in earlier models and were welded in later models. The hull was split into four compartments: the driver's position at the front, then the fighting compartment including the turret, the engine compartment, and the gearbox compartment. The suspension was fitted under the two large "panniers" on either side of the hull, the track running over

13794-567: Was modified for military applications. Typically, this involves adding armour for protection from battlefield hazards such as artillery, unexploded ordnance, mines, and small arms fire. Often this protection is provided by armour plates and steel jackets. Some examples of armoured civilian heavy equipment are the IDF Caterpillar D9 , American D7 TPK, Canadian D6 armoured bulldozer , cranes, graders, excavators, and M35 2-1/2 ton cargo truck . Militarized heavy equipment may also take on

13915-512: Was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough . Winston Churchill told Field Marshal Jan Smuts "That is the tank they named after me when they found out it was no damn good!" The name only incidentally matched what became the British Army practice of giving service names beginning with C to tanks. Cruiser tanks were given names, such as the contemporary Covenanter, Crusader, Cromwell, Cavalier and Comet but infantry tank naming had no particular pattern. Initially specified just before

14036-522: Was only around 80 yards of 230 maximum. Crew was increased to six to accommodate a demolition NCO in addition to driver, commander, gunner, wireless operator, and co-driver/machine gunner. Internal ammunition stowage and the co-driver / hull gunner's seat was removed to provide compartments for demolition charges. This housed stores of the "General Wade" 26 lb explosive charge, and "Beehive" charges of up to 75 lbs of explosive. Both types of charge had to be set manually, but could be detonated from

14157-404: Was sent to Vauxhall at Luton to see if they could provide an alternative engine developing 350 bhp. To this end, they developed a flat-12 petrol engine. For speed of production, this engine was based on a Bedford Vehicles (Vauxhall's commercial vehicle operations) six-cylinder lorry engine, giving rise to its name of "Twin-Six". Although using sidevalves to fit within the space, the engine

14278-419: Was so great that the Churchill was limited to 10 to 12 mph (16 to 19 km/h) by not using the highest gear. The first turrets were of cast construction and were rounded in shape, providing sufficient space to accommodate the relatively small 2 pounder gun. To fulfil its role as an infantry support vehicle, the first models were equipped with a 3-inch howitzer in the hull in a layout very similar to

14399-403: Was specified as IT 80 , the cast sections as IT 90. The A22F, also known as "Heavy Churchill", was a major revision of the design. The most significant part was the use of welding instead of riveted construction. Welding had been considered earlier for the Churchill but, until its future was assured, this was no more than testing techniques and hulls at the firing ranges. What welding reduced in

14520-467: Was the tank's inadequate armament, the 2 pounder (40 mm) gun, which was improved by the addition of a 3-inch howitzer in the hull to deliver a HE shell, albeit not on a howitzer's usual high trajectory. Production of a turret to carry the QF 6 pounder gun began in 1941, but lack of supplies of the plate used in an all-welded design led to an alternative cast turret also being produced. These formed

14641-522: Was the tank's relatively small turret that prevented the use of powerful weapons; definitive versions of the tank were armed with either the QF 6-pounder or the derivative QF 75 mm gun. The 6-pounder was effective against armoured vehicles, but less so against other targets; the 75 mm was a better all-round weapon, but lacked in effectiveness against armour. Although the Churchills with their 6-pounders could outgun many contemporary German medium tanks (like

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