Churchill Crocodile Flame-thrower Tank in Normandy

The Crocodile was a flame-throwing variant of the British Churchill Tank developed under Major General Sir Percy Hobart and was produced from October 1943. The Crocodile had a flame projector which replaced the front mounted Besa machine gun which was connected to an armoured trailer via an armoured pipe mounted along the underside of the tank. The armoured trailer weighed 6 ½ tons and carried 1800 litres of fuel as well as a compressed propellant which was enough for 80 one seconds blasts.

The conversion kit was designed so that REME workshops in the field could convert any available Church Mk VII into a flame throwing Crocodile tank. The design of the conversion kit allowed the tank to retain it’s main turret mounted 75mm gun.

At H+35 on D-Day two troops of Crocodiles were planned to land in Normandy, they were No.15 Troop of C Squadron (Lt Davis) and No.13 Troop of C Squadron (Lt Sherman).

Three Crocodiles of No.15 Troop landed at Le Hammel where they debouched from their L.C.T's but they all became casualties in a few minutes. One sank in the rough sea; one became stuck in a deep crater on the beach and the third collapsed with broken tracks in attempting to scale a beach obstacle.

Three Crocodiles from No.13 Troops landed at La Riviere where one floundered in a deep crater in the sea and two Crocodiles managed to get a shore safely working in support of the 7th. Green Howards (69th Bde.)

Below is an extract from Flame Warfare Committees report "Analysis of operational use of Churchill Crocodile flame throwers in NW Europe, June-October 1944” which details the use of the Crocodiles in Normandy.

7 JUNE - CHERON (Hedgerows)
Tanks deployed: 2 , Fuel used: 8 shots
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: 150
Quality of enemy: Beach defence but above average
Remarks: Impromptu plan. Flame caused surrender. Scratch Inf. collected (Misc.R.A. and R.Sigs)

14 JUNE - SENAUDIERE (Village)
Tanks deployed: 2 out of 3, Fuel used: 1/8 of a trailer each
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: Nil
Quality of enemy: Good
Remarks: Inf. over a mile behind (50 Div.)

26 JUNE - Nath of CHENY
Tanks deployed: 3, Fuel used: 1/8 of a trailer each
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: 50 approx. next morning
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Mop up to get snipers out of hedgerows. P.W. came in next morning - 1 or 2 with burns (Misc.)

26/27 JUNE - ST. MAUVIEU (Village)
Tanks deployed: 5 on 3 occasions, Fuel used: 1/2 trailer each
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: A few to Inf.
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Mop up to get snipers out of houses. Lack of Inf. Support Good flaming showing how houses can be burnt by Crocodiles. (15 S. Div.)

27 JUNE - CHATEAU LE LANDEL (wood)
Tanks deployed: 3, Fuel used: 1/4 trailer each
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: Not known
Quality of enemy: Good
Remarks: Failure. Bad plan - bad tie up with Inf. Far too few Crocodiles for large objective. Good job for a Sqn. which would have saved many Inf. lives. (3 Brit. Div.)

2 JULY - RAURAY (Hedgerows)
Tanks deployed: 3, Fuel used: 1/4 trailer each
Enemy killed: 3 estimated, PoWs: 5
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Small job. No Inf. Snipers "flushed" out. (49 Div.)

3 July - CARPIQUET (Trenches)
Tanks deployed: 4 (omits 2 small actions),Fuel used: 1/4 trailer each
Enemy killed: 25 Approx, PoWs: 5
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: A half Sqn. of Crocodiles found itself among Germans who had not run away. No Inf. in support (3 Can.Div.)

8 JULY - LA BIJUDE - CAMBES (Trenches)
Tanks deployed: 6, Fuel used: 1/4 trailer each
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: Not known Believed some to Inf.
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: The Crocodiles got the Inf. through in the evening after they had two failures. Too few Crocodiles - should have been a Sqn. in early morning (59 Div.)

8/9 JULY - SENAUDIERE Area (Hedgerows and Woods)
Tanks deployed: 3 on 4 occasions, Fuel used: 1/2 trailer each in all
Enemy killed: 5 - 10 estimated, PoWs: 100 estimated
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Well-planned and carried out. Inf. followed up well. Tank support good. Small operations showing how Crocodiles can be invaluable to Inf. (50 Div)

9 JULY - PT.112 Near EVRECY (Hedgerows)
Tanks deployed: 3 out of 6, Fuel used: 1/4 - 1/2 trailer each
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: 3
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Small mop-up of snipers in Hedgerows. (43 Div)

11 JULY - East of HOTTOT (Hedgerows, woods and houses)
Tanks deployed: 3 on 3 occasions, Fuel used: 1/2 trailer each in all
Enemy killed: 5 - 10 estimated, PoWs: 100 estimated
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Well-planned small operations. Well carried out. (50 Div.)

15 JULY - BON REPOS (Hedgerows, Trenches, House)
Tanks deployed: 6, Fuel used: Full trailer each
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: Some to Inf. later
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Very well-planned and carried out. Different approach for Inf. carried out without casualties, thanks to Crocodiles. Fine flaming by all 6 tanks. (15 S. Div.)

17 JULY - Road triangle S.E. of ESCOVILLE (Hedgerows, trenches and house)
Tanks deployed: 12, Fuel used: 1/2 trailer each
Enemy killed: Quite a lot probably 20 - 40, PoWs: 200 - 300
Quality of enemy: Good
Remarks: Very well-planned and carried out. Continuous employment more or less for 5 hours. Crocodiles invaluable. Ideal use. (51st Div)

22 JULY - NOYERS (Hedgerows, wood, houses)
Tanks deployed: 3 on 4 occasions, Fuel used: 1/2 trailer each average in all
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: Some to Inf
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Three of these were well-planned small jobs. One was a failure, infantry did not come. (59 Div.)

24 JULY - BON REPOS (Hedgerows, House
Tanks deployed: 5 out of 7, Fuel used: 1/2 trailer each average
Enemy killed: 16, PoWs: About 30
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Very well-planned "shock" raid. Good artillery and tank support. Inf. followed up well. Fine flaming a big success. (53 Div.)

31 JULY - CAUMONT (wood)
Tanks deployed: 4 out of 7, Fuel used: 1/2 trailer each average
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: 10 - 20 estimated
Quality of enemy: Fair
Remarks: Well-planned and carried out. Little opposition in the event. Good flaming. (15 S. Div.)

31 JULY - ST. GERMAIN D'ECTOT (Hedgerows, houses)
Tanks deployed: 3 twice, Fuel used: 1/2 trailer each average in all
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: About 20
Quality of enemy: Fair
Remarks: Small operation. Flame valuable. (50 Div.)

? Aug. - ? (East of TILLEY) (Hedgerows and Ditches)
Tanks deployed: 4 out of 6, Fuel used: 1/5 trailer each average
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: Nil Known
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: The barrage was lost. The Inf were pinned. The tanks failed to support the Crocodiles. Disappointing. (15 S. Div.)

8 Aug - MAY-SUR-ORNE (Village)
Tanks deployed: 9 out of 12, Fuel used: 1/3 trailer each average
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: 100 approx.
Quality of enemy: Good S.S.
Remarks: Quick simple plan. Inf. tired and disheartened - had just been driven out. Behind the Crocodiles they had no casualties and retook the town. A flame-thrower triumph. All 9 Crocodiles in line. Ideal use. (2 Can. Div.)

8 AUG - SECQUEVILLE A LA CAMPAGNE (Hedgerows, wood)
Tanks deployed: 9, Fuel used: 1/6 trailer each average
Enemy killed: Nil known, PoWs: 50 approx
Quality of enemy: Poor
Remarks: Good plan. String artillery and tank support. Good Inf who followed up well. Enemy had been heavily bombed. Attack overwhelmed a weak defence. (51st Div)