PK.40177 CHURCHILL S.B.G. ASSAULT BRIDGE

Churchill AVRE ( Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers) A Churchill III or IV equipped with the Petard, a 290 mm Sipot mortar, throwing the 40 lb (18 kg) "Flying dustbin" with its 28 pound high explosive warhead; a weapon designed for the quick levelling of fortifications developed by MD1. The AVRE was designed after the Canadian defeat at Dieppe, and could also be equipped with numerous other attachments, such as mine flails, fascine  rollers, explosive placers etc. Post war the Churchill AVRE was re-armed with a breech-loaded low velocity 165mm demolition gun which was less dangerous for the loader (the hull gunner) as he previously had to stick his head and torso out of the Spigot Mortar armed AVRE to load the Mortar. The crew of six were drawn from the Royal Engineers, except for the driver who came from the Royal Armoured Corps. One of the RE crew was a demolitions NCO sapper responsible for priming the "Flying dustbin" and who led the crew when they dismounted from the tank to place demolition charges ("Wade" charges).

Drie uitvoeringen mogelijk;

• 5th Assault Regiment (SABRE), 'A" Squadron, Germany 1945.
• 6th Assault Regiment (BULLDOG), 'B' Squadron, Germany, April 1945.
• 42nd Assault Regiment (SEPOY), 'C' Squadron, France, September 1944.

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