Page Four
Summation
The actions at Dieppe (of the fourteen Calgary Regiment's fatalities two were killed in their tanks) and later by KingForce at El Alamein, proved that the Churchill could withstand a great deal of damage making it a safer tank to crew than its thinner-skinned sisters. Given this knowledge, when committed to full-scale action in Tunisia, crews found their confidence in the capabilities of their vehicles was not misplaced, rather it was reinforced upon discovering Churchills were capable of knocking out Tigers, the first tanks so to do.
The Hitler Line battle demonstrated how unsuitable Shermans were in an initial assault role, which raises the question, why were they used? The answer, the NIH had no choice but to deploy them due to a decision reached while the regiment was still harboured in Algeria. The original intention was that units of the two Tank Brigades would be fully equipped with Mark IV 6-pdr Churchills (except for two CS versions per squadron) prior to shipment to Italy, however, due to many of the intended replacements being diverted to be fitted with Sherman 75mm guns, the North Irish Horse resultant war establishment shortage was made up by eighteen Shermans. The conversions, initially titled as Churchills Mark VI then as Churchills Na75, were not delivered until some weeks after the Hitler Line battle.
Sources:
1 The Hinge of Fate, Page 953. Churchill, Winston S.
2 Battle Axe Division, Ford, K. Page 69.
3 Historical Document Records, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
4 Juno Beach Centre, Canada.
5 The Battle for North Africa, 1940-43, Page
480. Jackson, W.G.F.
6 Extract from North Irish Horse Battle Report., Page 25.
7 A Full Life, Page 170. Horrocks, R.G.
8 The Battle for North Africa, 1940-43, Page 471. Jackson, W.G.F.
9 A Noble Crusade, Page 219, Doherty, Richard.
10 Extract from North Irish Horse Battle Report, Page 35.
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