But there weren't many of them.

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Timbo in Oz

In Reply to: My understanding... posted by FenderLover on February 9, 2017 at 17:58:39:

I had forgotten that one. They looked weird, a long muzzle braked gun on a carriage with cart wheels, and 180 deg. traverse.
They were never used in North Africa, which is germane - ;-) - to the issues around the 2pdr. And, they were never fitted to German tanks.
Tank guns (and A/tk guns used in them) is where we are at.
JBTWay in reading one of the pages the book you have found claims that the Aussie Matilda IIs with 2pdrs did fire explosive shell. But, most of the authorities on this state that the HE shell was never mfd in quantity.
Japanese bunker systems were hard to deal with until tanks were available. And I'd have preferred a Matilda to a Sherman for that job.
A 2pdr firing solid shot would be very good at firing into bunker slits, HV round flat trajectory ...., likely better at that than the 3" howitzer.
Once the slit was opened up though?! Ouch!!! 'Pick and shovel' was what the technique was called by tank crews throughout SEA and the Pacific. Shermans or Matildas. You use mortars / artillery firing HE with super-quick fuses to clear the foliage etc from the bunker, so you can see the slit/s. Then use shot to open up the slit, and then just one HE round. Medium arty usually has too much dispersion to pin-point a heavy round on to a bunker, waste of ammo trying.
IME your own Bn's mortars are good enough IF you have the right fuses.
I would not be surprised if these Aussie SPac. tank units had a higher proportion of Matilda IIs with the 3" howitzer, than the Matilda units in the Middle East, or in France in 1940.
Bunker busting takes a while, until it becomes a known drill, but saves on infantry, which I support ;-)!, and attacks don't get bogged down.
Part of the drill is to map the mutual support aspect of a given bunker system. And, reduce those bunkers that are links - before knocking out the remaining and isolated bunkers. This applies no matter what weapon systems you have / don't have.
A perfect bunker system is theoretically possible and Asians tend to be good at them.
:-)

Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger

Edits: 02/09/17 02/09/17 02/11/17

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - AFV Weapons Profile No. 31: Australian Sentinel and Matildas - FenderLover 12:10:24 02/08/17 (6)

Interesting. Some detail on the Matilda's actual use is a good thing. - Timbo in Oz 20:12:39 02/08/17 (5)

RE: Interesting. Some detail on the Matilda's actual use is a good thing. - Mr_Steady 15:44:33 02/09/17 (4)

After mid 1942 on maybe, not before. - Timbo in Oz 16:38:57 02/09/17 (3)

My understanding... - FenderLover 17:58:39 02/09/17 (2)

Two more things Steve, it was Barbarossa that got the 3.7cm named 'Doornocker', not France 1940 - Timbo in Oz 12:22:13 02/11/17 (0)

But there weren't many of them. - Timbo in Oz 22:33:38 02/09/17 (0)

Follow Ups

But there weren't many of them. - Timbo in Oz 22:33:38 02/09/17 (0)

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