Quote:
Originally posted by Crewman
The number of 17-pounders in the Polish regiment is 0, whereas the SAR has up to 12. The Poles would be unable to fight against the German Tigers, but the SAR would be ready to do it.
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Gregory;
Regarding the lack of 17pdr equipped tanks in 10th Mounted Rifles Regiment. There was something about the fact that since Royal Armoured Corps, Armoured Recce Regiments, within the armoured divisions at that time were equipped with the Cromwell (loosely, the 10th Mounted Rifles' 'WE' was based on the British one for an armd recce regt), the Sherman 17pdr 'Firefly' was issued to Sherman equipped Armd Regts (for ease of maintenance), with the Cromwell equipped Armd Recce Regts receiving the 17pdr Challenger (which mechanically was almost identical to the Cromwell, again ease of maintenance), but there was production problems with the Challenger, which delayed it's issue to units, with the 17pdr 'Firefly' being issued in lieu of until the Challenger was ready for issue.
In the case of 10th Mounted Rifles Regiment, I seem to remember something about them not wanting the 'Firefly', deciding instead to await the delivery of the Challenger, which with the regiment being Cromwell equipped, made maintenance easier. I'll see if I can find the exact reference to this.
Also, when the Sherman 17pdr 'Firefly' first came on line, the priority of issue was to Armoured Regiments first (Sherman gun tank equipped), not Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments, which in the case of British units within 21st Army Group, were Cromwell equipped.
Cheers
