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Julianna Tay, Sean Lai and me at Kallang Ice World on 4th Oct 2008.

The Grant was the British version of the US M3 Medium or Lee tank. The Grant's revolving turret was redesigned to British specification. It was the first US medium tank and the first US tank to carry a 75mm gun.

 

At this stage the US could not cast a large enough turret for the 75mm so - borrowing ideas from the French Char B1 and the original Churchill - the larger gun was carried in the hull. Large numbers were supplied to the 8th Army in North Africa where it helped to turn the tide of the war before arrival of the later Sherman. Technology had advanced by the time of the Sherman whose 75mm gun WAS mounted in the revolving turret.

 

Some were supplied under Lend-Lease to the Soviet Union where the tank was not liked - earning the nickname 'Seven Men's Grave". As a general fault the Lee/Grant suffered from being of rivetted construction. If one of the rivets was struck a glancing blow by a passing round and was de-capped then the rest of the rivet could be driven into the vehicle like a bullet causing horrific injuries. This was one of the reasons why rivets ceased to be used on tanks.

 

The Grant was not an ideal tank. It was very high which made concealment difficult and the mounting of the hull 75mm restricted traverse and the ability to fire from behind a hill crest or ridge. However it was available in numbers at a time when it was needed.

 

It continued in use in the Far East with the British 14th Army where it was still far superior to the flimsy Japanese tanks. The 75mm gun was a useful bunker buster while the anti-tank gun was more than effective against any Japanese tank. As a final expedient British Lees and Grants were simply driven over the Japanese earth and timber bunkers to collapse them.

 

See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M3_Lee

 

My full set can be found here in approximate chronological order of service: www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/sets/72157594476965425/

Flexaret V, VII, Standart, VI, Standart

Medium format camera, old shoot. Scanned with Canon EOS M camera, by two halfs and stitched in PS.

About the camera

Ilford Sporti converted to pinhole with cola-can lens.

 

This was on top of a waste bin!

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