Cruiser Mk III
Encyclopedia
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk III (A13
) was a British
cruiser tank
of the Second World War
. It was the first British cruiser tank to use the Christie suspension
system which gave higher speeds and better cross-country performance, previous models of cruiser tanks having used triple wheeled bogie suspension.
and Mk II
Cruiser tanks were restricted, since the British Army had decided to produce a more advanced and faster cruiser tank which would incorporate the Christie suspension
designed by American inventor J. Walter Christie
and have better armour. In 1936, General Martel
, a pioneer in tank design who had published works on armoured warfare and pioneered the lightly armoured "tankette
" to enhance infantry mobility, became Assistant Director of Mechanization at the War Office
. Later that year Martel witnessed demonstrations of Soviet tank designs including the BT tank, which had been influenced by Christie's work. He urged the adoption of a tank that would use the suspension system and also follow Christie's practice of using a lightweight aircraft engine such as the Liberty Engine
. The government authorized purchase and licensing of a Christie design via the Nuffield Organization rather than contact the Soviet authorities.
The vehicle obtained from Christie became the basis of the Cruiser Mk III (A13). It had to be extensively redesigned as it was too small. A new company Nuffield Mechanisations Ltd was formed for the development and production of the design.
At a meeting of the General Staff, an official specification was determined. This included 30mm armour, a 2 pdr gun, road speed of 30 mph. A subsequent review of the specification by Martel and Hobart
approved 30mm armour all round provided cross-country speed could be kept at 25 mph. Pending the delivery of the A13, an interim design was approved - of the A7, A9 and A10, the A9 was selected.
The first prototype (the A13-E1) was delivered in 1937. Following testing of the two prototypes, the A13 was ordered into production and a total of 65 were manufactured. The Mk III weighed 14 long ton
s (14,200 kg) had a crew of 4, a 340 hp engine which gave a top speed of 30 mph (48 km/h) and was armed with a 2 pounder gun
and a machine gun. However, when it was introduced into service in 1937, the Army still lacked a formal tank division.
Sixty five were built, the original order being for 50. The order was completed by mid 1939.
.
As part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to France, the Cruiser Mark II equipped units in the 1st Armoured Division
.
In the Western Desert 1940-1941 (Libya)
they were in the units of the 7th Armoured Division
.
A-13 (tank)
The A-13 was a series of British light tanks designed and built before and during the Second World War. There are several different types of tanks designated by their mark.*Cruiser Mk III*Cruiser Mk IV*Covenanter tank...
) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cruiser tank
Cruiser tank
The cruiser tank was a British tank concept of the inter-war period. This concept was the driving force behind several tank designs which saw action during the Second World War....
of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was the first British cruiser tank to use the Christie suspension
Christie suspension
The Christie suspension is a suspension system developed by American engineer Walter Christie for his tank designs. It allowed considerably longer movement than conventional leaf spring systems then in common use, which allowed his tanks to have considerably greater cross-country speed and a lower...
system which gave higher speeds and better cross-country performance, previous models of cruiser tanks having used triple wheeled bogie suspension.
Design and development
Orders for the Mk ICruiser Mk I
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk I was a British cruiser tank of the interwar period. It was the first cruiser tank: a fast tank designed to bypass the main enemy lines and engage the enemy's lines of communication, along with enemy tanks...
and Mk II
Cruiser Mk II
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk II , was developed alongside the A9, and was intended to be a heavier, infantry tank version of that type. In practice it was not deemed suitable for the infantry tank role and was classified as a "heavy cruiser"....
Cruiser tanks were restricted, since the British Army had decided to produce a more advanced and faster cruiser tank which would incorporate the Christie suspension
Christie suspension
The Christie suspension is a suspension system developed by American engineer Walter Christie for his tank designs. It allowed considerably longer movement than conventional leaf spring systems then in common use, which allowed his tanks to have considerably greater cross-country speed and a lower...
designed by American inventor J. Walter Christie
J. Walter Christie
John Walter Christie was an American engineer and inventor. He is best known for developing the Christie suspension system used in a number of World War II-era tank designs, most notably the Soviet BT and T-34 series, and the British Covenanter and Crusader Cruiser tanks, as well as the Comet...
and have better armour. In 1936, General Martel
Giffard LeQuesne Martel
General Sir Giffard Le Quesne Martel, KCB, KBE, DSO, MC , familiarly known as "Q Martel", was a British Army officer during World War I and World War II....
, a pioneer in tank design who had published works on armoured warfare and pioneered the lightly armoured "tankette
Tankette
A tankette is a tracked combat vehicle resembling a small tank roughly the size of a car, mainly intended for light infantry support or reconnaissance. Colloquially it may also simply mean a "small tank"....
" to enhance infantry mobility, became Assistant Director of Mechanization at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
. Later that year Martel witnessed demonstrations of Soviet tank designs including the BT tank, which had been influenced by Christie's work. He urged the adoption of a tank that would use the suspension system and also follow Christie's practice of using a lightweight aircraft engine such as the Liberty Engine
Liberty L-12
The Liberty L-12 was a 27 litre water-cooled 45° V-12 aircraft engine of 400 horsepower designed both for a high power-to-weight ratio and for ease of mass production.-History:...
. The government authorized purchase and licensing of a Christie design via the Nuffield Organization rather than contact the Soviet authorities.
The vehicle obtained from Christie became the basis of the Cruiser Mk III (A13). It had to be extensively redesigned as it was too small. A new company Nuffield Mechanisations Ltd was formed for the development and production of the design.
At a meeting of the General Staff, an official specification was determined. This included 30mm armour, a 2 pdr gun, road speed of 30 mph. A subsequent review of the specification by Martel and Hobart
Percy Hobart
Major-General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart KBE CB DSO MC , also known as "Hobo", was a British military engineer, noted for his command of the 79th Armoured Division during World War II...
approved 30mm armour all round provided cross-country speed could be kept at 25 mph. Pending the delivery of the A13, an interim design was approved - of the A7, A9 and A10, the A9 was selected.
The first prototype (the A13-E1) was delivered in 1937. Following testing of the two prototypes, the A13 was ordered into production and a total of 65 were manufactured. The Mk III weighed 14 long ton
Long ton
Long ton is the name for the unit called the "ton" in the avoirdupois or Imperial system of measurements, as used in the United Kingdom and several other Commonwealth countries. It has been mostly replaced by the tonne, and in the United States by the short ton...
s (14,200 kg) had a crew of 4, a 340 hp engine which gave a top speed of 30 mph (48 km/h) and was armed with a 2 pounder gun
Ordnance QF 2 pounder
The Ordnance QF 2-pounder was a British anti-tank and vehicle-mounted gun, employed in the Second World War. It was actively used in the Battle of France, and during the North Africa campaign...
and a machine gun. However, when it was introduced into service in 1937, the Army still lacked a formal tank division.
Sixty five were built, the original order being for 50. The order was completed by mid 1939.
Combat history
Like most British cruisers, the A 13 was fast but under-armoured and proved unreliable mechanically. Most were lost in the French campaign in 1940, but a few were used in Greece and the North African campaign in 1940-41. The basic design was used for the Cruiser Mk IVCruiser Mk IV
The Tank, Cruiser, Mk IV was a British cruiser tank of the Second World War. It followed directly on from the Tank, Cruiser, Mk III . The first Mk IVs were Mk IIIs with extra armour fitted to the turret...
.
As part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to France, the Cruiser Mark II equipped units in the 1st Armoured Division
British 1st Armoured Division
The 1st Armoured Division is an armoured division of the British Army. Originally formed in November 1937 as the Mobile Division, it saw extensive service during the Second World War, was disbanded afterward, was reconstituted in 1976, and remains in service today...
.
In the Western Desert 1940-1941 (Libya)
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
they were in the units of the 7th Armoured Division
British 7th Armoured Division
The 7th Armoured Division was a British armoured division which saw service during the Second World War where its exploits made it famous as the Desert Rats....
.