British armoured fighting vehicles of World War II

The British Army extensively used a variety of armoured fighting vehicles during the Second World War. This article is a summary of those vehicles.

Tankettes

These were a type of small armoured fighting vehicle resembling a tank, intended for infantry support or reconnaissance. Tankettes were designed and built by Britain between about 1930 and 1935, and saw some combat in the early stages of the Second World War. With a weight of less than 2 tonnes and only a Vickers machine gun for armament they were soon replaced by other vehicles and delegaded to British Home Guard units.
*Carden Loyd Tankette

Vickers Tanks

These inter-war tanks were built to supply the British Army after WWI. Heavier than most light tanks, they proved to be under-gunned and under-armoured. Some did see action in France and the Low Countries in 1940. They were armed with either the QF 3 pdr or the Vickers machine gun. All were withdrawn from service by 1941.
*Vickers Mark E
*Vickers Medium Mark I
*Vickers Medium Mark II

=Light Tanks=

These were a series of similar small tanks produced by Britain in the years between World War I and World War II. They saw use in training, and in limited engagements with British Empire units. All models weighed 5-10 tonnes, were armed with either a Vickers machine gun, or a Vickers .50 machine gun, and had a crew of 2-3 men.
*Light Tank Mk I
*Light Tank Mk II
*Light Tank Mk III
*Light Tank Mk IV
*Light Tank Mk V
*Light Tank Mk VI

Airborne Light Tanks

These light tanks were produced during the war primarily for British parachute troops. They were armed with the QF 2 pdr anti-tank gun.
*Light Tank Mk VIII
*Light Tank Mk VII Tetrarch I

=Cruiser Tanks=

These medium tanks were the mainstay of British amoured units during the war. Weighing 10-35 tonnes they were fast and mobile, and were designed to operate independently of the slow-moving infantry and the heavier Infantry tanks. They were built specifically to fight against other tanks. They were armed with anti-tank guns, from the QF 2 pdr to the QF 17 pdr.
*Mk I (A9)
*Mk II (A10)
*Mk III (A13)
*Mk IV (A13 Mk II)
*Mk V, Covenanter (A13 Mk III)
*Mk VI Crusader (A15)
*Mk VII Cavalier (A24)
*Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M)
*Challenger (A30)
*Comet I (A34)

=Infantry Tanks=

The infantry tank was a concept developed by Britain in the years leading up to World War II. They were generally more of a heavy tank compared to the lighter cruiser tanks. They were designed to work as close support for the infantry, and not to engage enemy tanks. They were armed with either the QF 2 pdr, QF 6 pdr, or the QF 75 mm.
*Mk I, Matilda I (A11)
*Mk II, Matilda II (A12)
*Mk III, Valentine
*Mk IV, Churchill (A22)
*Centurion Tank

=Self-Propelled Artillery=

Self-propelled artillery vehicles were a way of giving mobility to the Royal Artillery. They were high mobility Self-propelled guns, usually based on a tank cassis, carrying either a large QF 25 pdr, QF 75 mm or alternatively a mortar. They are used for long-range indirect bombardment support on the battlefield.
*Bishop
*Deacon
*Archer - (Tank destroyer)

=Armoured Personnel Carriers=

Armoured personnel carriers were armoured fighting vehicles developed to transport infantry on the battlefield. They usually only had a machine gun although variants carried the QF 2 pdr, or mortars. They were not designed to take part in a direct-fire battle, but to carry the British troops to the battlefield safe.
*Bren Gun Carrier
*Loyd Carrier
*Terrapin (Amphibious)

=Armoured Cars=

Light and medium scout and reconnaissance vehicles used by most British Army units, especially reccon battalions and cavalry units. These fast wheeled vehicles usually weighed about 5 tonnes and were armed with Bren Guns, or Boys anti-tank rifles, Besa machine guns, or even QF 2 pdrs.
*AEC Armoured Car
*Coventry Armoured Car
*Daimler Armoured Car
*Guy Armoured Car
*Humber Armoured Car
*Lanchester Armoured Car
*Morris CS9
*Rolls-Royce Armoured Car
*Standard Beaverette
*Humber Light Reconnaissance Car
*Morris Light Reconnaissance Car
*Otter Light Reconnaissance Car
*Dingo Scout Car
*Humber Scout Car

Other vehicles

*Armoured Trucks
**Bedford OXA
*Armoured Command Vehicles
**AEC Armoured Command Vehicle
**Guy Lizard ACV
*Artillery tractors
**AEC Matador
**Morris C8
**Scammell Pioneer
**Canadian Military Pattern
*Trucks and lorries
**Bedford QLD
**Austin K2
**Morris 15 cwt
*Tank transporters
**Diamond T tank transporter
**Scammell Pioneer Semi-trailer

=Commonwealth Armoured vehicles=

Armoured vehicles built in Britain for Commonwealth and Imperial Forces.
*Tanks
**Ram tank (Canada)
**Sentinel tank (Australia)
*Self-Propelled Artillery
**Sexton (Canada)
*APC
**Kangaroo (Canada)
*Armoured Cars and Scout Cars
**Dingo Scout Car (Australia)
**Lynx Scout Car (Canada)
**S1 Scout Car (Australian)
**Fox Armoured Car (Canada)
**Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car (South Africa)
**Rhino Heavy Armoured Car (Australia)
**Rover Light Armoured Car (Australia)
**Armoured Carrier Wheeled Indian Pattern (India)
*Trucks
**C15TA Armoured Truck (Canada)

Lend-Lease Armoured vehicles

American armoured vehicles retrofitted with the British guns and were used by British and British-supplied Allied forces throughout the war.
*Sherman Firefly - M4 Sherman medium tank
*Grant Tank - M3 Lee medium tank
*Achilles IIC - M10 Wolverine tank destroyer
*Honey Tank - M3 Stuart light tank
*Locust - M22 light tank
*Chaffee - M24 light tank
*Priest - M7 self-propelled artillery

Prototypes

These vehicles were never put into production.
*Black Prince Tank
*Excelsior Tank
*Tortoise Tank
*Valiant Tank
*Alecto (SPG)
*TOG1
*TOG2

ee also

*British armoured fighting vehicle production during World War II

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/britsatwar/tanks.html British Tanks]
* [http://www.warlinks.com/armour/index.html?menu=click+for+menu WW2:A British Focus - Armoured]