Armour in Canada: Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works
The data and photos found on this page has been compiled by the author, unless otherwise credited. Any additions, corrections or amendments to the lists of Armoured Fighting Vehicles in Canada found on these pages would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.
(Anthony Sewards Photo)
Canadian M4A1 Tank, Medium, Cruiser (Grizzly 1), Manufacturer’s data plate.
(Author Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works (75-mm gun), Shop No. 13, North Gate, CFB Borden Military Museum, Ontario.
The Grizzly I was a Canadian built M4A1 Sherman tank with some modifications, most notably it was fitted with Canadian Dry Pin (CDP) tracks. Another difference between Canadian and US built M4A1s, is that the Grizzlies were equipped with stowage boxes on their turrets similar to many British tanks.
After the fall of France in 1940, it was decided that Canada should manufacture its own tanks, rather than be supplied from the UK or with US-built tanks, for the armoured divisions that were being formed. For speed of introduction, the native design would be based on the US M3 tank. The limitations of the M3 design led to extensive reworking of the design of the Ram Cruiser Tank. This was produced at the new factory of Montreal Locomotive Works.
The Ram was suitable for training but the M4 Sherman which quickly followed the M3 design was superior and the Ram production line was switched over to Grizzly production in August 1943. Production of the Grizzly was halted as US tank production would be sufficient for all the Allies and the production line was switched instead to the Sexton self-propelled gun Mk II. The Sexton was designed after the US M7 Priest SP Gun which used the M3 and then M4 chassis. The Sexton Mk II used the Grizzly chassis, the upper hull modified to carry the Commonwealth standard QF 25-pounder gun instead.
The Grizzly differed in the suspension from the M4, having a 13, instead of 17, tooth idler and CDP tracks. Some were planned for conversion to the Skink anti-aircraft tank with a turret mounting four 20-mm cannon. Following the war, a number of Grizzly tanks and Sexton self-propelled guns were sold to Portugal as part of the NATO military assistance program where they served until finally being retired in the 1980s. (Wikipedia)
All 188 Grizzly were built without the CDP tracks originally. These were added postwar. Only the Montreal Locomotive Works Sexton SPGs rec’d the CDP tracks and sprockets from the factory — after Grizzly production had ended (Oct to Dec ’43). (Roy Chow)
(Author Photos)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works (75-mm gun), Shop No. 98, MGen Worthington Memorial Park.
(Doug Knight Photos)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Work, with 17-pounder Firefly turret, (Serial No. 65), one of a kind prototype, Museum Hangar.
(Author Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), Shop No. 178. Montreal Locomotive Works manufactured the American M4A1 Sherman tank under licence and named it the Grizzly. The main difference was that the Grizzly used Canadian Dry Pin tracks and a sprocket with 13 teeth instead of the Sherman’s 17 teeth. There was also a 2-inch bomb thrower and the vehicle used British-style stowage. MLW produced 188 Grizzlies between September and December 1943. Some were shipped to Europe, but most were used in training in Canada. Production stopped when it was realised that American production lines could produce far more tanks than Canada, and that our efforts were better directed to the Sexton self-propelled gun. The Grizzly chassis was used as a basis for the Canadian-developed Skink anti-aircraft tank. The Grizzly continued in service in Canada after the Second World War. The CWM Grizzly starred in the television series “Band of Brothers”. CWM 20000230-002.
(RCA Museum Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), Shop No. 51, 10, 33, previously part of the Dr. William Gregg Collection donated to the RCA Museum.
(DND Photos)
A few Grizzly tanks were converted into the Skink anti-aircraft tank with a turret mounting four 20 mm Polsten machineguns. The standard turret was replaced with a cast turret mounting four 20mm cannon (originally Hispano-Suizas, later British Polstens) with a combined rate of fire of 2,600 rounds per minute. However, by the time the pilot vehicles were produced in 1944 the allies had gained almost complete air superiority, and the project was cancelled with only 3 pilots built due to lack of need
Grizzly I Tanks preserved overseas
(Oxyman Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), Duxford, Imperial War Museum, UK. M4A1 Grizzly I (CT160194) is painted as Serial No. T146929, “Akilla”, a regular 75mm Sherman from A Squadron, Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, commanded by Sgt George Dring. After landing in the first wave at Gold beach, Sgt Dring fought inland and in two days of fighting in Normandy at Rauray and Bois du Homme, destroyed 3 x Tiger, 1 x Jagdpanther, 2 x Panthers and 2 x Pz.IV. They also captured 2 x Tiger that bogged down behind one they destroyed.
(geni Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade markings, Portsmouth, UK.
(FaceMePLS Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), “Robin Hood”, Sherwood Rangers Monument, Groesbeek, Netherlands.
(Tony Vickers Photos)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), painted as CT160211, Freedom Museum, Groesbeek, Netherlands.
(Zala Photos)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), Polish Army Museum, Warsaw, Poland.
(LeviJr00 Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), painted at T-224878, at the Museum of Military History, Vienna, Austria.
(Alan Wilson Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), Lisbon, Portugal. Another is on display in Entroncamento. In 1954 fifty-five were sold to Portugal, where they served until the 1980s. This example is on display within the Instituto Universitário Militar (Military University Institute).
(Simon Q Photo)
Tank, Medium, M4A1, Cruiser, Grizzly 1, DND, Montreal Locomotive Works, (75-mm gun), Shop Number 25, painted as T224878, on display at the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK.