Sherman Register - Sherman APCs

Grizzly APC

The Ram Kangaroo remained in British Army service after the war, but the Canadian Army left theirs in the huge vehicle dumps in the Netherlands.
Apparently, 'back home' a number of Grizzlies were modified into APCs. It is not known how many were converted and if this was done during or after WW2. But in 1954 at least 40 Grizzly APCs were delivered to Portugal as MDAP supplies from Canada.

(Please click on the photos (as applicable) to jump to large-scale copies)

	Although it is a rather low quality picture, this is the only contemporary one I could find. It shows a Grizzly APC with a DND census number on the side of the hull ("62-425"?) which means the picture was taken during training in Canada. Other AFVs shown in the full picture are Lynx Scout Car, M5A1 Stuart, M4A2(76)W HVSS and Universal Carrier. Thus, the picture must have been taken in Canada between 1946 (when the Canadian Army received their M4A2(76)W HVSS Shermans) and 1954 (when the Grizzly APCs were sent over to Portugal).
	The photo on the left shows a number of the "Grizzly Kangaroos", when in a Portuguese scrapyard in 1995. One person is adamant about spotting a number of turretless recovery Shermans (just like the British ARV I) in this scrapyard. By early 1996 they were all gone, reportedly scrapped, but rumours have it they were sold to the USA. Who has seen them since?
	These are not merely turretless Grizzlies, but are clearly specifically adapted to their role as APCs. Photos show the following typical modifications: additional driver's hatch locks and springs periscope holders removed from driver's hatches and plated over auxiliary generator filler cap removed and aperture plated over (aux. generator removed?) "A" aerial mount fitted on right-hand hull top next to turret ring (to the right and to the rear of co-driver's hatch) No.19 radio set relocated from the turret into the right-hand sponson battery boxes relocated from the hull floor into the left-hand sponson two sets of three steel rungs welded on each hull side (one on the 2nd and 3rd bogies, two rungs above each bogie). On of these Grizzly APCs was based on the hull of a Skink AA tank, as it had the characteristic ribs on the glacis plate (see AFV News, Vol.33, No.2, May-Aug. 1998, p.16).

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Last update: 25-08-2000