OTL Ram was based on M3 (Lee and Grant) suspension, but was the first in its class to mount 2-pounder or 6-pounder guns in a large turret. Post WW2, the Dutch installed 75mm QF guns in a batch of Rams.
OTL Montreal Locomotive Works did not have to bend armour plate because they could cast armour as big as an entire Ram hull.
OTL No Kangaroos were purpose-built in Canada. Instead, Kangaroos were converted by a Canadian field workshop in Normandy starting during the summer of 1944. Kangaroo workshops started by de-frocking a batch of M7 Priests that had “shot out” their 105 mm guns. Subsequent batches of Kangaroos were based on Ram, Sexton or Churchill hulls. All the Kangaroos unnecessarily exposed infantry by forcing them to climb up the sides of the vehicle. Few Kangaroos got side ladders. None had seats in the infantry compartment. Ram-based Kangaroo (artillery) ammo carriers were often called “Wallabies.”
OTL Post War the Canadian Army converted a batch of M4A2E8s into Kangaroos by removing turrets.
OTL The primary motivation for converting Kangaroo APCs was the horrendous losses suffered by Canadian infantry regiments. The Black Watch of Montreal suffered 350 percent casualties during WW2! If Prime Minister MacKenzie-King was forewarned about casualties creating the Conscription Crisis of 1944, he probably would have ordered Montreal Locomotive Works to start building APCs a year earlier.
ATL The next question involves which chassis purpose-built APCs would be based upon.
OTL Montreal Locomotive Works built Valentines, Rams, Sextons and a few M4 Grizzlies. So th choice narrows down to Valentine or M3 hulls.
ATL Purpose-built APCS would be preceded by (fictitious) Bishop 2 SP guns (Valentine chassis) or M12 SP 155mm guns (Sherman chassis.) American 155mm SP batteries were issued one M20 cargo/ammo carrier per gun. M12 and M20 were based on M4 chassis with the driver in the bow, but a mid-mounted engine that freed up the rear hull for ammo, crew or 155mm howitzer. The next step is building significant numbers of portees/ammo carriers to support those SP guns. Converting ammunition carriers to APCs would merely involve welding on more armour plate. The greatest advantage of converted M3/M4-based mmo carriers is the ability to load and unload through rear hatches, reducing the time infantry are exposed to enemy fire.
OTL Montreal Locomotive Works did not have to bend armour plate because they could cast armour as big as an entire Ram hull.
OTL No Kangaroos were purpose-built in Canada. Instead, Kangaroos were converted by a Canadian field workshop in Normandy starting during the summer of 1944. Kangaroo workshops started by de-frocking a batch of M7 Priests that had “shot out” their 105 mm guns. Subsequent batches of Kangaroos were based on Ram, Sexton or Churchill hulls. All the Kangaroos unnecessarily exposed infantry by forcing them to climb up the sides of the vehicle. Few Kangaroos got side ladders. None had seats in the infantry compartment. Ram-based Kangaroo (artillery) ammo carriers were often called “Wallabies.”
OTL Post War the Canadian Army converted a batch of M4A2E8s into Kangaroos by removing turrets.
OTL The primary motivation for converting Kangaroo APCs was the horrendous losses suffered by Canadian infantry regiments. The Black Watch of Montreal suffered 350 percent casualties during WW2! If Prime Minister MacKenzie-King was forewarned about casualties creating the Conscription Crisis of 1944, he probably would have ordered Montreal Locomotive Works to start building APCs a year earlier.
ATL The next question involves which chassis purpose-built APCs would be based upon.
OTL Montreal Locomotive Works built Valentines, Rams, Sextons and a few M4 Grizzlies. So th choice narrows down to Valentine or M3 hulls.
ATL Purpose-built APCS would be preceded by (fictitious) Bishop 2 SP guns (Valentine chassis) or M12 SP 155mm guns (Sherman chassis.) American 155mm SP batteries were issued one M20 cargo/ammo carrier per gun. M12 and M20 were based on M4 chassis with the driver in the bow, but a mid-mounted engine that freed up the rear hull for ammo, crew or 155mm howitzer. The next step is building significant numbers of portees/ammo carriers to support those SP guns. Converting ammunition carriers to APCs would merely involve welding on more armour plate. The greatest advantage of converted M3/M4-based mmo carriers is the ability to load and unload through rear hatches, reducing the time infantry are exposed to enemy fire.
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