Service
Used by units of the 79th Armoured Division in concert with the Churchill AVRE, and other Funnies, the Crocodile was an effective assault weapon whose threat could induce enemy troops to retreat or surrender. The Crocodile was a specialised weapon, best used against suitable targets and it was limited by the short range of its flamethrower. On the other hand, it was used so successfully against bunkers that many bunkers surrendered after the first ranging shots. Aspects of the mechanism were considered by the British to be so secret that disabled units, if they could not be recovered, were rapidly destroyed by any means, even air strike, if necessary.
British Crocodiles supported the U.S. Army in the Normandy bocage, at the Battle for Brest, and during Operation Clipper, the Anglo-American assault on Geilenkirchen. C Squadron also supported the 53rd Welch Division assault on s`Hertogenbosch in October 1944.
The units that used the Crocodile were in Europe, the 31st Armoured Brigade:
- 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry
- 141st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (The Buffs, Royal East Kent Regiment)13th Troop C squadron 141 RAC saw action on the first day of the Normandy invasion.
- 7th Royal Tank Regiment
In Italy the 25th Armoured Assault Brigade operated Crocodiles.
From late 1950 until their withdrawal in 1951, Churchill Crocodiles served in Korea as part C Squadron, 7th Royal Tank Regiment in 29th Brigade.
Read more about this topic: Churchill Crocodile
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