World War Photos

M3 Grant in Australia 1942/43

In 1942, as the threat of Japanese operations in New Guinea and the potential for a direct attack on Australia became imminent, Australia was given priority for Lend-Lease tank shipments. Though these shipments were categorized under the “UK” in Lend-Lease data, they were shipped directly from the United States to Australia. By April 1942, 54 M3 medium tanks had already arrived in Australia, and by the end of the year, a total of 757 M3 medium tanks had been shipped. The breakdown included:

• 266 Grant (petrol)
• 232 Grant (diesel)
• 239 Lee (petrol)

These tanks represented a variety of subtypes, such as the M3, M3A2, M3A3, and M3A5 Grants, and were primarily used to equip the 1st Australian Armoured Division.

Modifications and Adaptations

The Australian Army made several modifications to the Grants and Lees based on their own experiences and combat practices, some of which were modeled after British desert warfare, while others were informed by operations against the Japanese. Key adaptations included:

• Anti-mine netting on the engine deck, a feature inspired by combat in Burma.
• Modifications to address local conditions, such as improved stowage.
• Development of a cast steel applique to reinforce the vulnerable transmission cover, which was based on lessons learned with the Matilda tank.
• A locally designed wading trunk, developed to facilitate amphibious operations or river crossings.

Concerns with Late Production M3 Medium Tanks

Interestingly, the Australians found that late-production M3 medium tanks, which had substituted a belly hatch for side escape hatches, were less suitable for jungle warfare. They considered these tanks defective under such conditions and even explored the possibility of adding side doors through an overhaul. However, this plan, along with several other ideas, such as a Grant with the Australian Cruiser Tank Mk. III turret with a 25-pounder gun, a Grant with a Frog flamethrower, or a Grant with a hedgehog rocket projector, never materialized.

Specialized Engineer Vehicles

The shortage of specialized engineer vehicles led to various local modifications. One notable development was a tank recovery vehicle based on the M3 Lee, as well as the adaptation of the U.S. M1 dozer blade to the Grant.

Australian Armor in Combat

Apart from the use of Stuarts during the Papua New Guinea campaign, most Australian armored operations in 1944-1945 involved the Matilda infantry tanks. For example, the 2/1st Armoured Brigade had three Grant M3A5 tanks that were initially held for HQ defense, but when not needed for this role, they were converted into Dozer Grants by fitting Sherman M1 dozer blades to the front. Although these modified tanks did not see combat, they were deployed at Balikpapan, marking the only time Australian Grants were sent into a combat theater during World War II. The 4th Armoured Brigade, equipped with Grants, was prepared for operations to clear the Japanese from Java, but the war ended before they could be deployed.

Post-War Service

After the war, Australia retired the Grant tanks with Continental radial engines and kept the diesel-powered variants in service for some time. The last of these diesel Grants remained in service until October 1955, marking the end of their operational use in Australia.