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Sexton

1943 COLD WAR SELF-PROPELLED ARTILLERY WORLD WAR 2

History

The Canadian Sexton Self-Propelled Gun (SPG) is designed to use a 25 lb cartridge, the same standard caliber ammo used by the British Army. During World War II, the British Tommy used the American 105mm M7 Priest self-propelled howitzer against the Germans in Africa.

This particular use of American weapons required the British Army to be specially equipped with dedicated 105mm shells, rather than operating on standard supply lines marked between forward positions and British supply depots. In addition, it will take time for the M7 ammunition to be transported on its own from American depots before it reaches British forces. In 1942, the British War Office asked the U.S.

Army to mount the 25-pounder to the M7 chassisthis was attempted, but failed during the 25-pounder test.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army and the Canadian government's Munitions Division are designing a version of the SPG using the 25-pounder gun on the body of the American M3 Lee medium tank. A prototype has been completed and shipped to the UK for testing. The 25-pounder was fire-tested and proved suitable for British needs, and Britain ordered another 300 in May 1943, naming it the Sexton.

The first batch of 300 will be built on the Grizzly medium tank, essentially the Canadian version of the American M4A1 Sherman medium tank, known in the Canadian Army as the "Sexton Mark II". The rest will be medium "Ram" armored hulls and have been identified as "Sexton Mark I".

All Sextons were built at the Montreal Locomotive Works, Canada, which produced 2,150 SPGs for Canadian and British units between 1943 and 1945. In 1943, the British Eighth Army received their first Sixton, just in time for the Italian campaign. During D-Day, some Sextonians opened fire on German coastal positions from landing craft as they approached the beach. These have little effect because they are not very accurate in water.

Later, during the Normandy and Northwest European campaigns, Sexton was assigned to a tank battalion for limited air defense and direct fire support to enemy infantry.

Sometimes Sexton was used as a howitzer for "diving fire" (fire at the enemy), and sometimes as an artillery platform for direct fire missions. While working with French and British artillery, Sexton was used to engage company-sized units on a series of hills between friendly forces.

On this mission, a barrage of Sexton cannons put their 25-pounders in maximum firing position and, with minimal expense, flashed the shells over hills and into enemy infantry units. Sexton was also used for hit-and-run missions, as in Holland, where Sexton advanced and shelled German positions under cover of darkness, only to retreat to British lines before German artillery returned fire.

This tactic has been used successfully time and time again in indirect fire support missions.

Sexton is a very successful design. It is equipped with a 400 hp air-cooled 9-cylinder radial engine Continental R-975. She can hit 25 mph on paved roads, albeit slower than off-road. The system carries a crew of six, primarily armed with her single 25-pound field gun, usually carrying 2 x Bren. The 303 caliber light machine gun provided close air defense and fire support against advancing enemy forces.

Storage rooms for ammunition and personal equipment are provided on board. In bad weather, the crew was given a tarpaulin (the sergeant kept a tower open). Camouflage nets were also provided to hide Sexton from searching for enemy aircraft.

The Montreal Locomotive Works built 2,510 Sextons of various types, some of which were in British service until 1956.