Canada’s potential as a manufacturer of war materials was not overlooked by the War Office in London. Vast numbers of transport vehicles were designed to British requirements and supplied to the Allies throughout the war. Tanks were a more difficult proposition but in 1941 the Canadian Pacific Railway Company built some 1,400 Valentine tanks, most of which were supplied to Russia. The next stage was to design and build something more modern and the result was the Ram, named, it is said, from the family crest of Major General Frank Worthington, the senior Canadian tank officer.
The design of the Ram (in particular the engine, transmission and suspension), was based upon the American Medium M3 (Lee) and many components were supplied by the United States. Yet the Ram also revealed British influence. Early models had an auxiliary machine-gun turret and they were normally armed with British guns; 2 pounder and 6 pounder. The Montreal Locomotive Works undertook production of some 2,000 Rams but they never saw active service as gun tanks.
Rams were used by Canadian forces in Britain for training, but the regiments all fought in Shermans. Some Rams went to Europe as Observation Post tanks for the Royal Artillery but they are best remembered as turretless Kangaroo armoured personnel carriers. After the war many Rams (including our exhibit,) were supplied to the Dutch Army.
The Tank Museum’s Ram II
Our Ram was built at Montreal Locomotive Works in 1943 and has serial number CT-159418. It is a particularly interesting example because it was rearmed at one time with a 75mm gun, and was later used as a mobile target for light weapons, which is why every possible opening has been sealed or welded over.
The Ram is characteristic of those produced between registration CT159402 and 159502. It has the auxilliary machine-gun turret, no side doors or ventilation louvres in the hull sides and the turret pistol ports have been replaced with circular plates. It has Sherman-type T54E1 track links and Sherman suspension with trailing return rollers. The aerial mounts are in depressions on the turret roof, not mounted on brackets as in earlier tanks. One of a small batch acquired by the Dutch Army in 1946 and armed with the QF 75mm Mark 5.
It was originally acquired in the Netherlands by the Sherwood Rangers Association for display in Nijmegen. A Sherman, however, was felt to be more suitable, so a trade was arranged – and the Ram came to The Tank Museum in 1988.
