23rd Army tank Brigade

Valentine Mk II, Infantry tank, 40th RTR, July 1942, El Alamein Line. The tanks arrived at Suez in a desert camouflage and markings of the 8th Armored Division (GO), under which the brigade was to be subordinate to.  

Valentine Mk II, Infantry tank, 40th RTR, July 1942, El Alamein Line. The tanks arrived at Suez in a desert camouflage and markings of the 8th Armored Division (GO), under which the brigade was to be subordinate to.  

25 Pounder Self-propelled howitzer, Bishop, 121st Field Regiment RA, Egypt, November 1942.
The Bishop self-propelled gun was the result of the need for mobile artillery in North Africa. In July 1941, specifications were given to the Birmingham Carriage and Wagon Company who constructed a prototype by November 1941. The design, based on the Valentine tank, was simply to remove the turret and top of the hull over the fighting compartment and install the 25 PDR gun in a large boxlike casement. An order for 100 units was place immediately and by July 1942, 80 Bishops were completed but further orders beyond the original 100 were cancelled as the RAC favored the US M7 Priest which was just then coming into service. Bishops would see service in North Africa from October 1942 to May 1943, and Italy until late 1943.
The interim nature of this vehicle meant it was rushed into production to meet a desperate need, but it was less than ideal. The large box like structure created a very high profile and the gun had very limited elevation reducing its range by 50%. In addtion to that, the basis Valentine tank was a slow vehicle making the Bishops too slow to keep up with Shermans and Crusaders.
 

Sherman II (M4A2), 46th RTR, Anzio Beachhead, Italy, January 1944. The 46th RTR was detached from the Brigade for Operation Shingle, The amphibious landing at Anzio on January 22, 1944. In support of the 1st Infantry Division (Royal Army), they advanced to Campoleone and then faced heavy German counter attacks in early February. The front became a stalemate until the breakout of the Allies south of the Gustav Line in May 1944. By July, the 46th RTR had rejoined the 23rd Tank Brigade in Palestine for rest and refit before Operations in Greece in October 1944.
Kit is a re-purposed Dragon Tarawa M4A2 USMC (I stripped it down and repainted it). I painted it with Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab over black and white pre-shading. I also used Star Decals and AFV Club T-49 tracks. Crusader turret stowage box, partial sand skirts, and other fixtures were from spares.  

Sherman II (M4A2), 46th RTR, Anzio Beachhead, Italy, January 1944. The 46th RTR was detached from the Brigade for Operation Shingle, The amphibious landing at Anzio on January 22, 1944. In support of the 1st Infantry Division (Royal Army), they advanced to Campoleone and then faced heavy German counter attacks in early February. The front became a stalemate until the breakout of the Allies south of the Gustav Line in May 1944. By July, the 46th RTR had rejoined the 23rd Tank Brigade in Palestine for rest and refit before Operations in Greece in October 1944. 

Sherman II (M4A2), 46th RTR, Anzio Beachhead, Italy, January 1944. The 46th RTR was detached from the Brigade for Operation Shingle, The amphibious landing at Anzio on January 22, 1944. In support of the 1st Infantry Division (Royal Army), they advanced to Campoleone and then faced heavy German counter attacks in early February. The front became a stalemate until the breakout of the Allies south of the Gustav Line in May 1944. By July, the 46th RTR had rejoined the 23rd Tank Brigade in Palestine for rest and refit before Operations in Greece in October 1944. 

Sherman II (M4A2), 46th RTR, Anzio Beachhead, Italy, January 1944. The 46th RTR was detached from the Brigade for Operation Shingle, The amphibious landing at Anzio on January 22, 1944. In support of the 1st Infantry Division (Royal Army), they advanced to Campoleone and then faced heavy German counter attacks in early February. The front became a stalemate until the breakout of the Allies south of the Gustav Line in May 1944. By July, the 46th RTR had rejoined the 23rd Tank Brigade in Palestine for rest and refit before Operations in Greece in October 1944.