I have just read a reference that in 1945 150 British Cromwells were supplied to the French. Anyone know anything about this? were they ever used in action? Possible Indochina after the war?
Here´s the best site on the net I found on Cromwell tank`s history... http://freespace.virgin.net/shermanic.firefly/a27m.html according to it : It only served in North West Europe (at least in WW2) and was not used in Italy, nor in the Middle or Far East, baring a few test vehicles, until after WW2. Post war it saw action in Korea and soldiered on as a training tank, until at least 1960. Exports seem few and baring use by the Poles and Czech's under British leadership it was not used by foreign nations, except for the odd test vehicle, like the one shipped to the US for comparative trials. The one exception would seem to have been the single one captured in Korea from the British and then used against them, until the Cromwells grandson (the Centurion) took it out with a well placed 20 Pdr shot.
Although I can't help with Mahross' query, I had to chip in as my Dad served on Cromwells at the end of the war. Here's a nice piccy : - http://www.fmdinning.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm
The FFI do seem to have had Cromwells and a handful of Cavaliers. Not something I know much about as decent books in English on French Armour seem to be all but non-existent. I'm very interested though as this is not unlike my longstanding quest for more info on postwar French Panthers, something's also nagging at the back of my mind that some of the Centaurs & Cromwells used by Greece postwar may have come via France?? Really not sure without a bit more checking though . As Ross's query is so old I guess he might have found more by now. Cheers, Adam.
Of topic but, Didn't the Israelis 'acquire' two Cromwells from the British Army in Palestine in 1948?
The British intervened in the communist/royalist and democratic forces civil war units of british armour were dispatched and combined with airborne troops pretty much snatched victory from the reds at the last minute on orders from Churchill they may have left the armour. There were marines involved as well they were the last unit using the centaur engineer versions on normandy and they may have simply left. There was a lot of kit left for the Greeks post war pictures show extensive use of British weapons . The greeks also had a lot of troops evacuated after the german invasion these may have been equiped with armour before being sent home. Though I dont know any direct referces to supplies of armour by the brits.
Yes they did http://www.ww2f.com/weapons-wwii/26078-post-war-use-allied-vehicles-tanks-3.html#post326616
