Ram: "Anglo-Canadian Cruiser"

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Here’s an interesting read on the Canadian Ram Cruiser Tank:

https://warspot.net/536-anglo-canadian-Cruiser

“A Ram I cruiser tank proudly shown off in the Toronto Star newspaper. As evidenced by the missing periscope in the commander’s hatch door, this tank is not yet fully assembled. The original caption refers to it as the M3”

[maple_leaf_eh]

A few years ago I met the fellow who restored the CWM's Ram's .30-cal turret. He was a former Regular Army weapons tech or vehicle mechanic (I forget which) who released and took the Algonquin College Applied Museum Studies program. As their 6th semester work placement, students have to find a job and find a project. This man's was that little turret. He had plenty of stories about how careful he had to be with the artifact and the limitations required by the restoration shop's labour and safety rules.

I had a succession of students helping me organize the Mapping and Charting archives. In one situation the royal "we" salvaged boxes of glass magic lantern slides from the old Natural Resources Canada basements. One of the co-ops realized they were published by a settlement propaganda office. That same term, the other co-op found snapshots taken by army surveyors of Inuit people with dates and places. We arranged to share those pictures with Library and Archives Canada for a "naming" project they had to return photos of previous-era subject to modern-day residents of the Arctic. Giving someone a high quality photo of their grandparents is a big deal, especially when only southerners had cameras.

[Ed Storey]

The Tank Museum in Bovington, England also has a Ram I that they have marked as a 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment vehicle.



The .30-cal turret came from the CFB Kingston training area in the mid 1990s. Barry Beldam had spotted it and showed me the location. The turret was in a debris field of FT17 running gear and tracks located behind the rifle range. The photographs show how the turret was situated and its' excellent condition once it was rolled over. I was responsible for putting the CWM onto the FT17 parts and .30-cal turret making the necessary arrangements for Range Control to allow access.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Where's my thumbs up icon?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

The .30-cal turret came from the CFB Kingston training area in the mid 1990s. Barry Beldam had spotted it and showed me the location. The turret was in a debris field of FT17 running gear and tracks located behind the rifle range. The photographs show how the turret was situated and its' excellent condition once it was rolled over. I was responsible for putting the CWM onto the FT17 parts and .30-cal turret making the necessary arrangements for Range Control to allow access.

I recall reading about your discovery of the FT17 parts and auxiliary MG turret. Where is it now? If the CWM still has it, I know of an initiative for a Kangaroo Regiment display which could use this.

[Ed Storey]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

I recall reading about your discovery of the FT17 parts and auxiliary MG turret. Where is it now? If the CWM still has it, I know of an initiative for a Kangaroo Regiment display which could use this.

I believe that turret was the one used on the CWM's 'Kanagaroo'.

ED

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Here’s an interesting read on the Canadian Ram Cruiser Tank:

https://warspot.net/536-anglo-canadian-Cruiser

After posting it here as a kind of bookmark, I am now slowly going through this and found it is not without faults. E.g. "There were plenty of changes “below the belt”. The driveshaft that ran across the length of the hull like in all American tanks was moved, and the driver was placed beside the transmission. This allowed the hull to be lowered" is not entirely correct. Yes, the driver was repositioned from the top of the transmission to the side, but the driveshaft was NOT moved.

On the plus side it describes in detail the conversion of Ram tanks with 75-mm gun, all 40 of which eventually ended up with the Netherlands Army - see attached photo.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

I believe that turret was the one used on the CWM's 'Kangaroo'.

You mean "Marion"? I do know that that Kangaroo - Shop No.1112, WD No. CT-40892 - was delivered to the CWM complete with auxiliary MG turret.
So I hope the auxiliary MG turret you found still sits on a shelf in a warehouse somewhere.


Source: https://www.mapleleafup.nl/g104/kangaroo.htm