17pdr SP Achilles - Operational Use

Operational Use

Unlike the Americans, who saw the M10 as a tank hunter once it became clear that the Germans had gone on the defensive, the British still viewed the Achilles as a mobile anti-tank gun. The standard anti-tank gun used in infantry units in the British Army was the 6 pounder anti-tank gun, a small, light gun able to defeat the more common German Panzer IV and Sturmgeschütz with regular ammunition but not the heavier Tigers and Panthers. The next generation British gun, the 17 pounder anti-tank gun, was able to deal with Tigers and Panthers but was less swiftly deployable than the 6 pounder due to its larger size.

As a result, the British used the Achilles as a quickly deployable anti-tank gun, able to reinforce a position taken by infantry and engage counter-attacking German forces while the slower towed 17 pounders were pulled up and dug in for a more long-term defensive presence. This had the advantage of mitigating the weak armour protection of the Achilles as being used defensively usually allowed it to fire the vital first shot. This was in line with the original design concept of the vehicle, intended to blunt German "blitzkrieg" attack tactics. The M10/Achilles turret had an extremely slow manual only turret rotation, but this was not a significant tactical limitation when the tank was used in its "proper" defensive role. In this role it was clearly superior to German Stugs which had no turret rotation. The Stug's were more successful in any event in the east due to a different tactical environment where their low profile and heavy armor was a significant asset. Usually, the only time the British used the M10 and Achilles offensively was in support of Churchill tank units as they did not have associated 17 pdr armed tanks like Sherman and Cromwell tank troops did.

Achilles went ashore on D-Day, equipping units of the Royal Artillery and Royal Canadian Artillery in Armoured Division or Corps Anti-tank Regiments. A typical A/Tk Regiment would have 4 Batteries, 2 x Towed 17 Pdr Batteries, 1 x Achilles and 1 x M10 Battery. The M10 Battery was replaced by a second Achilles Battery as more vehicles became available. Perhaps the most successful action of the Achilles was conducted by B troop, 245th Battery, 62nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery attached to the Hamilton Light Infantry during Operation Charnwood. South of Buron, a counterattack by a mixed force of Panzer IV and Panther tanks of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment was defeated by Achilles and 17-pounder anti tank guns of 245th Battery, 62nd Antitank Regiment. Thirteen German tanks were destroyed in one of the most successful antitank engagements of the campaign, for the loss of four self-propelled guns and a further four damaged.