Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

World War 2, Middle East, Australian Army Ordnance Corps, 1942

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1942

Overview

View of damaged Grant tank after El Alamein

Historical information

The Grant was a compromise design with several flaws but was selected because it could quickly enter mass production. The U.S. Army needed a medium tank armed with a 75mm gun and the United Kingdom had an immediate demand for 3,650 medium tanks Design commenced in July 1940, production in December 1940 and the first M3s were operational in late 1941.

The M3 had considerable firepower and good armour, but serious drawbacks in its general design and shape, including high silhouette, archaic sponson mounting of the main gun preventing the tank from taking a hull-down position, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance.
After some initial success in North Africa, its overall performance was not satisfactory and the tank was withdrawn from combat in most theatres as soon as the M4 Sherman tank became available in larger numbers.

Alongside the Matilda II, the M3 Grant was the mainstay of the Australian armoured forces during the war. By December 1942, 757 M3 Medium tanks had been delivered to Australia (and 20 more lost in transit). By June 1944, this force comprised 266 petrol and 232 diesel versions. Many vehicles kept their factory olive drab livery, while others were camouflaged using an Australian specified olive-green/beige pattern. The Grant tanks in Australian service were powered by Wright (Continental) R975 EC2 engine rated at 400hp, with a synchromesh 5-speed transmission. All petrol-engined Grants were declared obsolete at the end of the war and were locally disposed.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-P1900.2766

Item type

Photographs

Themes

War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 2

Year

1942

Links to additional resources

M3 General Grant Tank

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia