| Original caption: “Columns of British tanks and armored cars moving up towards the front at dusk.” Dozens of American-built Stuart light tanks advance to the battlefield during the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. By 1941, the Stuart was a mature design, and was more durable and dependable than the British tanks of the day, leading to its nickname of “Honey” in the United Kingdom Royal Army 7th Armored Division. But the Stuart only had a range of 45 miles (72 kilometers) in rough desert conditions and preferred to refuel after about 20 miles in order to have some petrol in reserve for maneuvering in action. At best, refueling slowed progress so that in a pursuit the faster Stuart was unlikely to catch up with the slower, but longer-legged German tanks; at the worst, refueling often seemed to be required when action was imminent, which was inevitably inconvenient. In technical terms it was closer to the cruiser tanks than to the infantry tanks, and so was used as such when 1st issued to units in the Western Desert in 1941. In terms of armament, its 37 millimeter (1.45-inch) gun was similar to the standard British 2 pounder (40 millimeter, 1.57 millimeter) gun in anti-armor penetration at usual combat ranges, but had the advantage of also firing a high explosive round which was useful in engaging targets other than tanks such as anti-tank guns and infantry. Over 4,500 Stuarts were made, of which Britain received nearly 2,000, including 50 of the diesel-powered version. Gasoline-fueled M3s were designated Stuart I in British service while the diesel version was known as the Stuart II. When a new M3 Stuart tank arrived in the Middle East it had to go into the workshops to be prepared for service in the desert, not only by fitting sand guards and so on, but it had to undergo at least 17 modifications, some almost trivial, others long-winded and vital, before it could be sent forward to a fighting regiment. The 1st combat use of the Stuart took place on November 19, 1941, in a sharp battle between the 8th Hussars and Kampfgruppe Stephan of 5.Panzer-Regiment of the 21.Panzer-Division near Gabr Saleh. The 8th Hussars lost 20 Stuarts, while the Germans lost 2 Panzerkampfwagen III and 1 Panzerkampfwagen II light tank. Heavy fighting by all 3 Stuart regiments took place the following day, and only 98 Stuarts were operational by the end of the day’s combat. The Stuarts later took part in the intense fighting for the Sidi Rezegh airfield. The 4th Armored Brigade was committed to the battle on the afternoon of November 22. During the night of November 22-23, tanks of 1st Battalion of 8.Panzer-Regiment, 15.Panzer-Division stumbled into the night leaguer (overnight temporary defensive position) of the 8th Hussars and the 4th Armoured Brigade Headquarters. In the darkness and confusion they overwhelmed the unit, capturing the regiment’s commander, 167 troops and 35 Stuart tanks. Only 7 Stuart tanks managed to escape the debacle. The fighting showed that the Stuart and Crusader tanks were barely adequate for tank fighting. This was not simply a matter of gun and armor. Although many accounts of the desert fighting suggest that the German tanks were better armored and had longer-range guns, this was not the case. The 30 millimeter (1.18 inch) superstructure front armor of the Panzerkampfwagen III Ausführung (“Model”) G could theoretically be penetrated by the “Honey’s” gun at 1,500 meters (4,900 feet), while the anzerkampfwagen III Ausführung G’s 50 millimeter (1.96-inch) gun could penetrate the “Honey’s” 38 millimeter (1.49 inch) superstructure front at similar ranges. Most engagements took place at closer ranges where both tanks were vulnerable to each other’s fire, and shots were often fired against the side armor of opposing tanks, where there was no clear advantage to either side. The German advantage was in less appreciated factors such as tactics, training, command and control, and fightability of the tank. The Panzerkampfwagen III was better laid out for tank fighting than the Stuart, having a turret crew of 3: commander, gunner and loader. The commander could concentrate on directing his tank, and coordinating its actions with those of neighboring tanks. The German tank periscope was superior, using an early form of stadiametric rangefinding. Gun elevation was geared, so that after firing the 1st shot, the German gunner could adjust his fire with precision. In the M3 light tank, the commander had to double up as gunner. This seriously distracted him from his function of observing enemy actions and made the tank almost blind in combat. When operating the gun, the commander had no means of vision other than the tank’s telescopic sight, or a small pistol port. The British realized this shortcoming, and as an expedient, shifted crew functions. During combat, the commander moved to the rear of the turret, while the redundant hull co-driver moved into the turret and served as gunner. Although the Stuart was not equal to the Panzerkampfwagen III, it did not fare badly in comparison to British cruiser tanks of the period which were also decidedly inferior in durability. According to the 4th Armored Brigade commander, only 12 Stuarts were lost due to mechanical breakdown during Operation Crusader. Indeed, it was the basic automotive reliability of the Stuart that helped keep the Desert Rats in the field in the later stages of the battle. Its main problem was its poor range: undamaged tanks were sometimes abandoned, and the need for frequent refueling stops restricted the mobility of the brigade. A number of intact Stuarts were recovered by the Germans in 1941 and more were captured in early 1942. By the time of the Gazala and El Alamein fighting, 10 or 12 were in German service, and they were sometimes designated as Panzerkampfwagen M3 747(a). The Stuart continued to see combat in the January 1942 fighting. But following Crusader, shipments of the more powerful M3 Lee and Grant medium tanks began to arrive. As a result, the armored regiments began reorganizing, and gradually shifted to a composition of 1 squadron of Stuarts and 2 squadrons of Grants. By the time of the Gazala battles and the defense of the Alamein line in the spring of 1942, 12 of the armored regiments still included Stuart squadrons. Many of these were the new intermediate production type with the round homogenous turret and new vision ports. The role of the Stuart continued to decline as more modern equipment became available. As the new M4A1 Sherman medium tank began to arrive in the summer of 1942, the Stuarts were shifted out of the line squadrons, and transferred to reconnaissance. By the time of the Alamein offensive in the autumn of 1942, the 8th Army was operating 128 Stuarts, about 11 percent of its force. By the end of the North Africa campaign, the Stuart was obviously no longer capable of facing Axis armor. Since it was mainly intended for reconnaissance, some British recce troops modified the Stuart by removing its turret, a practice 1st started in the Western Desert. The lighter weight made the vehicle faster and more nimble than turreted Stuarts, and these features were sometimes judged more valuable than the firepower of the 37 millimeter (1.45) gun. These were dubbed “Stuart Recces” and varied considerably in detail. Stuarts were also used as ammo carriers. Sergeant Frederick W. Mott (September 27, 1919 – January 5, 1982) Number 1 United Kingdom Royal Army Film and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit, made this photo. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0735.jpg |
| Image Size | 336.54 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2650 x 1866 |
| Photographer | Frederick Mott |
| Photographer Title | Number One United Kingdom Royal Army Film and Photo Section, Army Film and Photographic Unit |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | November 3, 1942 |
| Location | |
| City | El Alamein |
| State or Province | Matrouh |
| Country | Egypt |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | E 18915 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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