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The Australian Army's tanks have seen combat during the Second World War and the Vietnam War, where they proved successful despite some of the designs employed being considered obsolete. The first Australian tanks were a small number of British medium and light tanks which were operated mainly for training purposes during the 1920s and 1930s.
Crew of M3 tank at Souk el Arba, Tunisia, November 23, 1942. The M3 tank's first action during the war was in 1942 during the North African Campaign. [36] British Lees and Grants were in action against Rommel's forces at the Battle of Gazala on 27 May. In the preparations for the battle the Eighth Army received 167 M3 tanks.
The Army operates the M3 version. [30] The Army has purchased 600 of the latest version the M4 with first deliveries received in 2021. [30] [31] The M4 will be rolled out over five years. An M3 will be replaced when it reaches its ten year life span. [30] The Army has yet to procure a fire control system for the M4. [30]
As a result, the majority of Australia's military weapons and equipment were initially imported from the United Kingdom or the United States. However, as the war progressed, many of these imported items were gradually replaced by locally produced versions, as Australia's industrial capacity expanded to meet the demands of the conflict.
The decision to form the 1st Armoured Division was inspired by the success of mass tank tactics in Europe during the early stages of World War II. [1] The Australian War Cabinet approved the formation of an armoured division in July 1940, [2] and 1st Armoured Division was established on 1 July 1941, under the command of Major General John Northcott. [3]
The 1st Army Tank Battalion was equipped with Matilda II infantry tanks and had previously formed part of the 3rd Army Tank Brigade. [6] The 2/6th Armoured Regiment had formed part of the 1st Armoured Division until August 1942 when it and its M3 Stuart light tanks were transferred to New Guinea.
The Australian Army was founded by a merger of the six separate armies of the six independent Australian British colonies. When those forces merged officially on 1 March 1901, during the Second Boer War in South Africa, all six colonies had troops already engaged in combat in the field.
The most numerous tank used by the Australian Army was the M3 Lee. Several hundred of these equipped the armoured divisions, but unlike the Stuarts and Matildas, they did not see action. [ 217 ] An Australian scout car known as the Dingo [ 218 ] was produced as an interim measure until adequate supplies of the Canadian Staghound armoured car ...