Matilda II in Australian Service

Commonwealth of Australia (1942-1945) Infantry Tank – 400 Delivered Her Majesty Heads East By 1940, the Matilda II Infantry Tank had made a name for itself in the western deserts of North Africa, aptly earning the moniker of ‘Queen of the Desert’. However, by 1941, the Matilda II had fallen behind the increasing pace of desert warfare in …

Matilda Frog and ‘Murray FT’ Flame Tank

Commonwealth of Australia (1943-1945) Flamethrower Infantry Tank – 25 Built A Need for Firepower In early 1943, a General Staff specification was issued for a tank mounted flame projector for use by Australian units in the Pacific. Plans were submitted for a cordite based flamethrower designed by Major A.E Miller, the commanding officer of the Australian 2/9 Armoured …

Matilda Dozer

Commonwealth of Australia (1945) Infantry Tank – 18 Built Clearing the way Although the Matilda II could negotiate a wide variety of jungle undergrowth, even toppling trees when the need arose, conditions in the Pacific were not ideal for tanks and some areas were still considered impassable to them. The Japanese took advantage of the rough terrain across …

AC I Sentinel Cruiser Tank

Commonwealth of Australia (1942-1943) Cruiser Tank – 65 Built The only WWII Australian tank design Among the Commonwealth nations, Canada probably had the best industrial capacities and helped Allied tank production during the war. Canadian factories built Shermans and Valentines, as well as the Ram or the Sexton, which were indigenous designs. Australia and New Zealand …