One of the most interesting, but poorly documented, periods of tank warfare is the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, in which – against all odds – a newly established country prevailed against numerous and well-equipped enemies. Catastrophic British post-war policies in the region led to an escalation of the conflict into an all-out war that included air force clashes as well as armor.
From a tank research point of view, this particular conflict is quite interesting because it involved a huge variety of armored vehicles of various ages, including some real relics of the past, such as the Hotchkiss H39 (re-armed with a 2pdr gun in Syrian service) and the Renault R35, both pre-war French light tanks from the 1930s.
Israeli M4A4 Sherman in the Latrun museum
Israel used a wide variety of both purchased and captured vehicles too, but the tank that would remain one of the mainstays of the Israeli armored units was the M4 Sherman.
The M4 Medium Tank is possibly the best tank from World War II alongside the Soviet T-34. The excellent firepower of the 76mm gun-equipped later models, combined with good mobility and the solid protection it offered its crew, made it a popular and successful vehicle. Although it was replaced in American service by the Pershing/Patton tank series after the war, many Shermans were purchased by other countries and used for decades in some cases. The heavily modernized Chilean Shermans served until the 1990s!
By 1948, the nascent Israeli military lacked pretty much everything. While the small arms situation was immensely helped by imports from France and Czechoslovakia, armor remained a problem for years after the conflict. An often repeated theory is that all the early Israeli Shermans came from Italy, but this is not quite true.
The very first Sherman in Israeli Service was an M4A2, powered by a diesel engine that was already in Palestine. It was essentially a wreck, left behind by the retreating British in a repair depot near the city of Tira. The tank originally belonged to Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, a tank unit that received these vehicles after the losses in the famous Second Battle of El Alamein. The unit remained in the Middle East until 1943, when it departed and left this vehicle behind. After that it rusted for five years in a shed before the ingenious Israeli restored it to working order. The vehicle was armed with the standard 75mm M3 gun and was named “Meir”.
One of the earliest Israeli Shermans
The final fate of “Meir” is unfortunately not known – it survived the Independence War (and so did at least one of its original crewmembers, a Canadian by the name of Lionel Druker), but what happened to it afterwards remains a mystery. Several sources claim it was converted into a self-propelled gun.
The "Italian" Shermans were a result of an Israeli initiative to obtain more armored vehicles from Italy for the 82nd Tank Battalion. A team was sent to look for suitable tanks and 32 M4’s armed with 105mm howitzers were purchased. The tanks were still in serviceable condition. A bigger problem was the fact they were demilitarized: the guns had their barrels destroyed to prevent them from firing.
Wrecks from which the first Israeli Shermans were built
The first ten tanks arrived in Haifa – without functional weaponry – in November 1948 and were immediately stripped down for maintenance. The rest were sent in two more shipments and arrive in November 1948 and January 1949 respectively. The 105mm guns could in most cases not be repaired and Israel had to look for suitable armament elsewhere.
A solution was eventually found. The Israelis purchased 50 Krupp field guns from Switzerland in September 1948 – originally they had been intended for field artillery service, but the technicians converted them to serve as tank guns. Unfortunately, the conversion was far too complicated and the “Krupp” Shermans were only ready in April 1949, too late to actually see combat during the War of Independence. Luckily, there were other options.
Three functional 75mm M3 tank guns were purchased from Italy and brought to Israel just in time for the three M3 equipped Shermans (along with one Cromwell) to participate in Operation Horev, the successful December 1948 Israeli push against the Egyptians in the western Negev desert. Amongst the three Shermans was the vehicle nicknamed “Tamar” after one of the technicians caring for it, widely recognized as the “first Israeli Sherman” instead of “Meir”. “Tamar” unfortunately became the first Israeli Sherman ever lost in combat as it was knocked out and abandoned near El Arish.
It is unclear how many Shermans were actually used during the War of Independence. Most likely none of the “Krupp” Shermans made an appearance, although some sources state that as many as 14 Israeli Shermans were active during the war. By the time the war ended, however, it is known that Israel was in possession of 32 of the 33 Shermans it had during the war (the “Italian” and “Meir”), with only one Sherman lost in battle (the “Tamar”).
"Tamar" during a parade
These vehicles would form the mainstay of the Israeli Defense Force's armored units (the 82nd Tank Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade). Shortly after the war, the "Krupp" Shermans were all re-armed with more recently acquired M3 guns and a number of additional Shermans were purchased from the Philippines. These formed an odd mixture of various Sherman features, including some very peculiar conversions, such as the M4A4s (originally powered by the Chrysler A57 Multibank monstrosity) with their engines replaced with Continental R-975 radial engines from the early M4s. These conversions were not made locally but rather purchased, most likely from France.
Israeli Shermans in 1950s during a parade
But this would not be enough. Israel was well-aware that its enemies – Syria and Egypt in particular – were still bitter from the defeat and were purchasing modern equipment of Soviet origin in order to prepare for another attack. As a consequence, Israel opted to start purchasing 76mm Sherman variants in early 1956 (specifically the M4A1 (76) W and M4A3 (76) W models). These "long-barreled" Shermans were officially designated M1 Super Sherman (this name originally belonged to the M1 model, not the M50 or M51 as is commonly claimed). The 75mm Shermans were re-designated to M3 afterwards. Both the M1s and the M3s participated in the 1956 Sinai war and would continue to serve for years to come.
- D.Eschel - Chariots in the Desert
- T.Gannon - Israeli Sherman
- R.P.Hunnicutt - Sherman (A History of the American Medium Tank)
Moja ya kipindi cha kuvutia zaidi, lakini haijathibitishwa vizuri, ya vita vya mizinga ni Vita vya Uhuru vya Israeli vya 1948, ambapo <unk> dhidi ya uwezekano wote <unk> nchi mpya ilifanikiwa dhidi ya maadui wengi na wenye vifaa vizuri. Mikataba ya Uingereza ya baada ya vita katika eneo hilo ilisababisha kuongezeka kwa mgogoro katika vita vya jumla ambavyo vilijumuisha mapigano ya jeshi la anga na silaha. "Kutokana na utafiti wa tank, vita hii ni ya kuvutia sana kwa sababu ni kuhusisha aina kubwa ya magari ya kivita ya umri mbalimbali, ikiwa ni pamoja na baadhi ya vitu halisi ya zamani, kama vile ""Hochkiss"" H39 (rearmed na 2PDR bunduki katika huduma ya Syria) na ""Renault"" R35, wote kabla ya vita Kifaransa mizinga nyepesi kutoka 1930s." M4A4 Sherman ni aina ya gari la kivita la Israeli, ambalo lilitumiwa na jeshi la Israeli la kivita la Israeli, lakini kwa sasa ni moja ya mizinga ya kivita ya Israeli. M4 Medium Tank ni moja ya mizinga bora zaidi ya Vita Kuu ya Pili ya Dunia, pamoja na T-34 ya Sovieti. Nguvu ya moto ya juu ya aina ya 76mm, pamoja na mwendo mzuri na ulinzi thabiti uliotolewa na wafanyakazi wake, ilifanya kuwa gari maarufu na mafanikio. Ingawa ilibadilishwa katika huduma ya Marekani na Pershing na Patton tank mfululizo baada ya vita, wengi Shermans walikuwa kununuliwa na nchi nyingine na kutumika kwa miongo katika baadhi ya kesi. Mashine hiyo ya aina ya Sherman ya Chile ilitumika hadi miaka ya 1990! Mwaka 1948 jeshi la Israeli lilipokuwa likijengwa, lilikuwa na silaha nyingi. Ingawa silaha ndogo zilisaidiwa sana na bidhaa kutoka Ufaransa na Chekoslovakia, silaha zilibaki kuwa tatizo kwa miaka mingi baada ya vita. Nadharia inayorudiwa mara nyingi ni kwamba Shermans wote wa mapema wa Israeli walitoka Italia, lakini hilo si kweli kabisa. "Mfano wa kwanza wa ""Sherman"" katika huduma ya Israeli ilikuwa M4A2 iliyoendeshwa na injini ya dizeli ambayo ilikuwa tayari katika Palestina." Meli hiyo ilikuwa imeharibiwa na majeshi ya Uingereza yaliyokuwa yakirudi nyuma katika ghala la kurekebisha karibu na jiji la Tira. Tank hiyo ilitengenezwa na Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, kikosi cha mizinga kilichopokea magari hayo baada ya kushindwa katika vita vya pili vya El Alamein. Kikosi hicho kilibaki Mashariki ya Kati hadi 1943, wakati kiliondoka na kuacha gari hili nyuma. Baada ya hapo ilichakaa kwa miaka mitano katika kibanda kabla ya Mwisraeli huyo mwenye ustadi kuirudisha katika hali nzuri ya kufanya kazi. Gari hilo lilikuwa na bunduki ya kawaida ya 75mm M3 na liliitwa <unk>Meir<unk>. "Meli hiyo ya ""Meir"" haijulikani ni nini kilichompata baada ya vita vya Uhuru, lakini bado haijulikani ni nini kilichompata baada ya vita hivyo." Vyanzo kadhaa vinadai kwamba ilibadilishwa kuwa bunduki inayoendesha yenyewe. "Sherman ya Italia" ilikuwa matokeo ya mpango wa Israeli kupata magari zaidi ya kivita kutoka Italia kwa ajili ya Kikosi cha 82 cha Tank." Timu ilitumwa kutafuta mizinga inayofaa na 32 M4s silaha na 105mm howitzers zilinunuliwa. Mizinga hiyo ilikuwa bado katika hali nzuri ya kutumika. Tatizo kubwa zaidi lilikuwa kwamba silaha hizo hazikuwa na silaha: makombora hayo yalikuwa yameharibiwa ili yasiruhusiwe kufyatua risasi. Meli hizo kumi za kwanza zilipelekwa Haifa mnamo Novemba 1948 na mara moja ziliondolewa kwa ajili ya matengenezo. Meli hizo zilitolewa katika mizigo miwili na kuwasili mnamo Novemba 1948 na Januari 1949. Kwa sababu ya kuwa bunduki za 105mm hazingeweza kurekebishwa, Israeli ililazimika kutafuta silaha zinazofaa mahali pengine. Mwishowe suluhisho lilipatikana. Israel ilinunua bunduki 50 za Krupp kutoka Uswisi mnamo Septemba 1948 - awali zilikuwa zimekusudiwa kwa huduma ya makombora ya uwanja, lakini mafundi waliwafanya kutumika kama bunduki za mizinga. Kwa bahati mbaya, kubadilisha ilikuwa ngumu sana na <unk>Krupp<unk> Shermans walikuwa tayari tu Aprili 1949, marehemu sana kuona vita wakati wa Vita vya Uhuru. Kwa bahati nzuri, kulikuwa na njia nyingine za kufanya hivyo. "Mashine tatu za kivita za aina ya M3 za 75mm zilinunuliwa kutoka Italia na kuletwa Israeli kwa wakati kwa ajili ya ""M3"" tatu za Sherman (pamoja na Cromwell moja) kushiriki katika operesheni ya Horev, ushindi wa Desemba 1948 wa Israeli dhidi ya Wamisri katika jangwa la magharibi la Negev." Miongoni mwa Sherman tatu kulikuwa na gari lililoitwa <unk>Tamar<unk> baada ya mmoja wa mafundi waliomtunza, anayetambuliwa sana kama <unk>Sherman ya kwanza ya Israeli<unk> badala ya <unk>Meir<unk>. <unk>Tamar<unk> kwa bahati mbaya akawa Sherman ya kwanza ya Israeli iliyowahi kupotea katika mapigano kwani ilishindwa na kuachwa karibu na El Arish. Haijulikani ni magari mangapi ya Sherman yaliyotumiwa wakati wa Vita vya Uhuru. "Kupitia mashambulizi ya ""Krupp"" ya Shermans, jeshi la Israeli lilijaribu kuondoa silaha hizo, lakini hakuna hata moja iliyokuwa na uwezo wa kuishambulia." Wakati vita vilipokwisha, Israeli ilikuwa na 32 ya 33 ya Sherman (Italian na Meir) na moja tu ya Sherman ilipoteza vita. "Tamar"" wakati wa maandamano Magari haya yangekuwa nguzo kuu ya vitengo vya kivita vya Jeshi la Ulinzi la Israeli (Battalioni ya 82 ya Tank ya Vikosi vya 7 vya Vipande vya Mavazi)."" Baada ya vita, Sherman zote za Krupp zilipatiwa silaha mpya na bunduki za M3 zilizopatikana hivi karibuni na idadi ya Sherman za ziada zilinunuliwa kutoka Ufilipino. Mfano wa M4A4 ni M4A4 (mwanzoni iliendeshwa na Chrysler A57 Multibank) na injini zao zilibadilishwa na injini za radial za Continental R975 kutoka mapema M4s. Mabadiliko hayo hayakufanywa mahali hapo bali yalinunuliwa, yaelekea kutoka Ufaransa. Shermans ya Israeli katika miaka ya 1950 wakati wa gwaride Lakini hii haingekuwa ya kutosha. Israel ilijua vizuri kwamba maadui zake - hasa Syria na Misri - bado walikuwa na uchungu kutokana na kushindwa na walikuwa wakinunua vifaa vya kisasa vya asili ya Sovieti ili kujitayarisha kwa shambulio jingine. Kwa sababu hiyo, Israel ilichagua kuanza kununua aina za Sherman za 76mm mapema 1956 (haswa M4A1 W na M4A3 W). "M1 Super Sherman"" ni jina la kwanza la M1 Super Sherman, na sio M50 au M51 kama inavyojulikana." "Mashine ya ""Sherman"" ya 75mm ilibadilishwa jina kuwa ""M3"" baada ya hapo." M1 na M3 zilikuwa zikitumika katika vita vya Sinai mwaka 1956 na baadaye zilitumiwa katika vita vya Marekani. - D.Eschel - Chariots in the Desert - T.Gannon - Israeli Sherman - R.P.Hunnicutt - Sherman (Historia ya American Medium Tank)