Kangaroo at the CWM

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by servicepub
On June 9 the CWM received a Ram tank from Belgium. Upon inspection it appears to be a Kangaroo. This is based on;
the turret was sitting on top of the tank as an after-thought (not in the raceway, etc...); the interior of the tank is painted green; the interior has a bracket for a second No.19 set; the ammo racks etc.. have been removed; and, the gunners seat has been removed. The tank still shows remnants of the formation symbol (171 on a green over brown field with a white bar below). This is, I believe, the HQ Squadron of the 1st Cdn Armd Bde. Question is - assuming everything is as surmised - why would this unit have a Kangaroo?

Clive, good news! Would you happen to have a photo? I'm 99% sure it is the Ram Kangaroo I helped locate for a collector about a decade ago. It has Montreal Locomotive Works Shop No.1112 and War Department Census No. CT-40892. The picture below shows it while on a range in England in the mid-1980s. Together with the Ram in the background it was acquired by a military vehicle parts dealer who also sourced a incorrect turret (earlier type) for it.

kangar02.jpg
Source: https://www.mapleleafup.nl/g104/kangaroo.htm

He never got round to doing anything with it so it was then bought by someone who was involved in the Mill project, who later decided to sell it again. I was sorry to see it go, but I am happy to hear the rumours confirmed that it ended up with the CWM. Now if only they will restore it to running condition before all the vets of the 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment have faded away...

As for the remnants of the formation symbol - the HQ Squadron of the 1st Cdn Armd Bde must have used this Ram while it was still a tank, which was later converted into a Kangaroo after they had converted to Sherman tanks.