Cruiser Tanks in the Western Desert
 
 

Content

 
 
 
Cruiser Tank A9
A9 Cruiser Tank of 7th Arm.Div., 7th Arm.Brig., 1st [Btn.] RTR, Operation "Compass", Dec 1940
OOB and TO&E of 7th Arm.Div., Operation "Compass", Dec 1940
"ARNOLD" & "ADA" of 1st [Btn.] RTR during pre-Compass field exercises
Turret Names Initials according to alphabetical order :
"A" for 1st [Btn.] RTR, "F" for 6th [Btn.] RTR
Turret Names Background (and Sqn. symbol colour !) according to rank in Armoured Brigade :
"RED" for Senior Regiment (1 RTR in 7th Arm.Brig.) , "BLUE" for Junior Regiment (6 RTR in 4th Arm.Brig.)
"FLY FLAPPER" of 6th [Btn.] RTR during pre-Compass field exercises
A9 Cruiser Tank of 1st RTR again
Derna pass, Spring 1941
Frequently photographed ex-1 RTR Cruiser A9 "ANTILOPE", damaged and abandoned on Derna Pass
All kinds of Axis supply columns climbing up and down, passing "ANTILOPE"...
1 RTR becoming Junior Regiment of 4th Armoured Brigade after "Compass",
hence the new Arm of Service number "30" on green background


 
 
 
Cruiser Tank A9CS
A9CS Cruiser Tank mounting the 3.7in. Howitzer in the modified gun mantlet
Transporting the Cruiser Tank A9CS
A9CS Cruiser Tank on the back of the 18-ton Mack EXBX tank transporter...
...eventually stuck in soft sand


 
 
 
Cruiser Tank A10[CS]
A10 Cruiser Tank of 32nd Armoured Brigade during Operation "Crusader", Nov/Dec 1941
...abandoned and surrounded by curious German soldiers
Note rare side installation of additional fuel drum
Cruiser A10CS of 5th RTR with lateral fuel drum
Cruiser A10CS "EASTERN" of 5th RTR in Portland Stone / Medium Brown two-tone camouflage
Undergoing Repair, Nile Delta workshop, April 1941


 
 
 
Cruiser Tank A13
A13 Mk.IIa Cruiser Tank "AMY" of 1st RTR, 7th Arm.Brig., 7th Arm.Div. during Operation "Compass"
A13 Mk.IIa Cruiser Tank of 5th RTR, 3rd Arm.Brig., 2nd Arm.Div., Libya, spring 1941
A13 Mk.IIa Cruiser Tank "EDGECUMBE" of 5th RTR with lateral Fuel Drum and Rear Cannisters
Abandoned A13 Mk.IIa Cruiser Tank of unidentified unit (AoS "53"), early 1941
German D.A.K. soldiers examining the abandoned enemy tank
A13 Mk.IIa Cruiser Tank during Operation "Crusader"
A13 Mk.IIa Cruiser Tank of HQ 2nd [Btn.] RTR, 7th Arm.Brig., 7th Arm.Div., Nov 1941


 
 
 
Cruiser Tank A15 "Crusader"
Early A15 Cruiser Tank "Crusader" of 6th RTR, 7th Arm.Brig., 7th Arm.Div. during Operation "Battleaxe"
Abbassia camp, Egypt, May 1941, shortly after arrival with famous "Tiger" convoy at Alexandria on May 12
Note the two different styles of road wheels
White-red-white "Flash" of Operation "Crusader"
Later up-armoured Gun Mantlet
Early production A15 under field maintenance [IWM]
Reconnaissance in the desert...

A15 "Crusader" during Operation... "Crusader" !
A15 Cruiser Tank "Crusader" of 4th CLY, 22nd Arm.Brig., 7th Arm.Div.
Italians examining an abandoned A15
A15 "FONTENOY" of 6th RTR, 7th Arm.Brig., 7th Arm.Div.
Defeat and ...
Victory !
 
 
 
A15 "Crusader III" at El Alamein, Oct 1942
A15 Cruiser Tank "Crusader III" of 9th Lancers, 2nd Arm.Brig., 1st Arm.Div.


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Last Updated: Mar 21, 2021