75mm SP, Autocar

[Kingfish]

Just where exactly did this vehicle fit in the British OOB? I see that it can be purchased from the armor section all the way up to the end of the war.

In contrast, the equivalent American unit is listed in the vehicle section, and with the exception of the AA variants all other gun-armed HTs are no longer available after Feb '44.

[JasonC]

They are the same M3 halftracks with short 75mm ("French 75" type), used by the US in North Africa as SP TDs. After the African campaign, the US phased them out in favor of M10s, in the TD units. They were last used by the US Army in the MTO in the Sicilian campaign. Marine units continued to use them in the Pacific until the end of the war (as SPA, not having any Japanese tanks to contend with, to speak of).

The remainder were given to the Brits. They did not use them as direct fire TDs, but as light SPA, in a role parallel to the use of M8HMCs in US service. They acted as a organic fire support element in armored cavalry regiments, and (parallel to the US use of Sherman 105s) in some armor regiments. The intention and the usual practice was to employ them for indirect fire, and in organizational terms they were part of the headquarters section, a single battery in a battalion-sized armor unit. While you might see them on-map in a defensive situation or other ad hoc use, normally you'd just see a 75mm FO, instead.

[Kingfish]

Thank you Jason. I was wondering why they were available when as you said the US had phased them out, and the Brits were already well stocked with better AFVs.