Sherman Register

India

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Please contact me if you can add to and/or correct the information on this page.

During WW2, units from India equipped with Sherman Vs fought in Burma. This wartime equipment soldiered on for a long time, as The Central India Horse regiment used Sherman Vs from 1960 to 1966.
In the early 1950s, the US approved a sale of 200 Sherman tanks worth $19 million. Shermans with 76mm guns were used by both India and Pakistan - though only in a supporting role to the Centurions and Pattons which made up their main strength - in the 1965 war in Kashmir.
Pakistan captured two Indian Shermans from the 2nd Royal Lancer with French 75 mm guns in 1965. Unknown if this is a French modification (like the M50 delivered to Israel) or if this was done by the Indian Army themselves (note: the Indian Army used the AMX-13 with 75 mm gun).

Jane's listed the Sexton 25pdr SP Gun as in service in late 1981.

Sanjay Badri-Maharaj added the following remarks:
"After reading your website, I can add a few points: the Sherman left Indian service only after the 1971 war where No.4 Independent Armoured Sqn. used the type. India upgraded two regiments worth of Shermans with the French 75mm guns as a desperate venture to improve their capability against Pakistani armour. The conversion was not deemed a success as the gun mechanism was not altered. There were some very serious problems with traverse and firing on the move. However, it is possible that this tank continued until 1971 - it was described as the 'upgunned Sherman' and this designation was used to describe the tanks of the No.4 Indep. sqn.
As a point of interest, Indian fielded 332 Shermans in the 1965 war - Pakistan fielded 305. India also fielded a total of 608 tanks against Pakistan's 756. During the battle of Assal Uttar, 76mm Shermans and jeep mounted 106mm RCLs scored a number of successes against attacking Pakistani M-48s after the latter were decimated by Indian Centurions."

Shermans retrofitted with 76mm guns: M4A1E4 and M4A3E4

Scans courtesy of George Balin via Tom Gannon

The photo on the left shows an Indian M4A1E4 (retrofitted with a 76mm gun). It was photographed after it was captured by Pakistan.

Scan courtesy of George Balin via Tom Gannon

Another Indian Sherman retrofitted with a 76mm gun, this time an M4A3E4, photographed after being captured by Pakistan.

Link: for more information and pictures of Sherman tanks used during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak Wars, visit the Patton Nagar page on Bharat Rakshak, the Consortium of Indian Military Websites.

Sources:

Foss, Christopher F. (ed.), Jane's Armour and Artillery 1979- 80. First Edition. London: Jane's Publishing Co.Ltd., 1979, p.321, 630-643.
Central India Horse 1947-72 (some information supplied by Peter Brown).
Crow, Duncan, British and Commonwealth Armoured Formations (1919-46). (AFV Weapons series/Profile Book 2). Windsor: Profile Publications Ltd., 1972, p.61-72 (SBN 85383-081-9).
Khan, Za, 'The Way It Was'. Defence Journal, May - November 1999 (see: http://www.defencejournal.com).
Kumar, Dinesh, Defence in Indo-US Relations, 1997 or 1998 (see: http://www.idsa-india.org/an-aug-8.html).
Prasad, Bisheswar (ed.), Official History of the Indian Armed Forces in the Second World War 1939-45. Technical Services: Ordnance & IEME. Combined Inter-Services Historical Section, (India & Pakistan), 1962.
White, B.T., British Tank Markings and Names. The unit markings, individual names and paint colours of British armoured fighting vehicles, 1914-1945. London: Arms and Armour Press, 1978, p.63.
Zaloga, Steven J., The Sherman Tank in US and Allied Service. (Vanguard series no.26). London: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1982, p.32 (ISBN 0-85045-427-1).

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Page created: 26-03-1999
Last update: 05-11-2001