Ram Command /OP

[David Herbert]

I have the remains of a very late Ram which I intend to restore as a Command / OP tank. I have owned it for longer than I care to admit but things got stalled whenI got divorced and then other stuff got in the way but I have now got back to trying to find out what was inside C/OPs so that I can reproduce it.

All the published photos that I can find relate to the pilot vehicle which was significantly different to the production ones. These photos usualy have a small white lable visible somewhere with a nomber in the 2xx range and show the contractor's first attempt at fulfilling the spec. Idealy I would like to find factory photos of the production C/OPs being built or even better original engineering drawings of the interior fittings.

The production C/OPs were nombered in the CT20xxxx series in two batches ( see ramtank.ca ) but I have no idea if the shop no. followed on from the gun tanks or were in their own series or if there was a difference between the two batches. I am quite sure, despite statements in many articles on Ram, that although there was definately the intent to convert existing gun tanks in the UK this was never done. Also I have found no evidence of them in the British Army. There are references to Ram GPO but I am satisfied that these are very early Sextons (which initialy were known as 25pdr Ram SP) with the guns removed very much like the Priest Kangaroo. There was one in a scrap yard in the south of England (now safe with a private collector) and I have spoken to several veterans who used them but none who remembered Ram C/OP.

I have the Operators Manual CMD-LW1 but have never seen the Parts list Suppliment for the C/OP which would obviously be a big help. Anyone out there got one ?

In the book 'Design Record Canadian - Developed military vehicles WW2' there is a list of Files, Design change instructions, Design deviation permits and Design change requests. Does anyone have access to these so that I could obtain copies ?

If anyone out there is interested in my quest I would very much like to hear from them and will of course do my best to help anyone that I can.

Best wishes to friends old and new

David