20 Nov 2022 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Bob Womack]

M7 Priest. It is funny how the gun tub had so many different shapes over the life of the design.

Bob

[Mark in Rochester]

M7 Priest. It is funny how the gun tub had so many different shapes over the life of the design.

Bob

Variants

M7 at the Tank Museum Brussels (Belgium)


M7



The first M7s produced were based on modified M3 Lee medium tank chassis. To maintain a low silhouette, the howitzer elevation had to be restricted to 35°. In May 1942, after only a month of production, the vehicle was altered to increase its ammunition stowage from 57 to 69 rounds. This was achieved by placing seven rounds on the left wall and five on the right. The M7 also went through a fairly rapid shift from being based on the M3, to having more commonality with the M4 Sherman. The first major example was the adoption of the M4's three-piece housing, single-piece casting, and suspension. In British service, some M7s carried a radio set, which took the place of 24 rounds of ammunition.

M7B1



Completing the shift, the M7B1 was entirely based on the M4A3 Sherman chassis. 826 M7B1 were produced from March 1944 to February 1945.
M7B2
During the Korean War, the limited elevation of the howitzer became noticeably problematic. 127 M7B1 were modified to permit an elevation of 65° to increase the effective range of the howitzer. The machine gun mount also had to be raised to give a 360° firing arc.


Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 in Korea (1951)
"Defrocked Priest"


As one part of the Allied effort to capture Falaise and break out from the Normandy beachhead, 72 M7s had their main guns removed in the field for service as armored personnel carriers and were first used in Operation Totalize. These field-modified vehicles were referred to as "Defrocked Priests", "Unfrocked Priests" or as "Holy Rollers". The work was done in one week by 250 personnel from 14 British and Canadian Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer units.36 vehicles each were allocated to the 4th Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Canadian Division and the 154th (Highland) Brigade of the 51st (Highland) Division, which led the attack.


Kangaroo

A Canadian armored personnel carrier conversion of the M7 for use by British and Commonwealth units in northern Europe. The Kangaroo could carry 20 infantry plus a crew of two. A total of 102 were converted between October 1944 and April 1945. The name "Kangaroo" became generic for all conversions of armored fighting vehicles into personnel carriers, including Ram tank conversions.
25pdr Howitzer Motor Carriage T51
M7 fitted with 25 pounder gun in July 1942

[Bob Seijas]

I'll bet they all had Ma Deuce someplace... what a weapon!

[CINDERS]

1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment here is their official hat badge of which I have 3 the other not pictured is silver leading me to believe right or wrong it may be an officers one, these are the second variation as the 'roo has a longer neck and the "O" in Armatos is rounder than in the first strike.

Latin meaning = Bearing armed Men