British General Cunningham launched ‘Operation Crusader’ counter attack on 18th November with 750 tanks of which 280 were the newly arrived US made M3 Stuart Tanks (nicknamed ‘Honey’ by the British tank crews), supported by 600 guns. The situation had now been reversed.Īfter an abortive raid by Rommel in the North African desert campaign in November 1941. The Panzers that were now being used in the Desert Campaign had upgraded armour and main gun. Shells fired from the guns fitted to their tanks just bounced off the frontal armour of the Matilda and Char B1.
Their panzers did not have enough armour to protect their crews compared to the French Char B1-bis heavy tank and the British Matilda II tank. It did not help that the Germans had learnt the lessons from the Blitzkrieg and the Battle for France. Gunnery was the main inadequacy of the British tanks at that time. When we did knock out a panzer it was usually more by good luck than good judgement." British Tank driver Jack Rollinson commented, "They could knock out a German, but the problem was you never got close enough before he gave you a thoroughpasting. Yes the guns on the British tanks could knock out these enemy tanks but the problem was the poor effective range of the British guns. In the spring of 1941 rumours were already circulating back to British tank crews preparing for action that the Crusader and new M3 Stuart tanks currently in use in the Desert were no match for the German Panzer Mark III and Mark IV tanks in equal combat. Stuart Light Tank M3A1 The M3 Stuart tank arrives in North Africa 1941 The Museum is called Musée des Blindés ou Association des Amis du Musée des Blindés, 1043, route de Fontevraud, 49400 Saumur, France. This Stuart Light Tank M3A1 can be found at the French Tank Surviving Stuart Light Tank M3A1 restored in France Surviving Allied WW2 Tanks
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