The Pacific Armour series presents accurate and interesting illustrations of armoured vehicles that served in the Pacific during WWII, with this volume detailing Australian armoured vehicles of foreign origin.
In 1939 the Australian Army had barely two dozen tanks and armoured cars, but once war broke out in the Pacific armoured vehicles entered service at an astounding pace. By the end of 1942, there were three armoured divisions, and by the war's end the army operated thousands of tanks, armoured cars and carriers. This was due to Australia begging for, borrowing or building a vast array of vehicles. This volume focuses on the "begged and borrowed", which were vehicles primarily of American and British origin.
Initially the Australian Army planned for large scale armoured and mechanised warfare to defend the Australian continent. However, it was in jungle warfare that small tank formations learnt to fight alongside the infantry in often brutal and unforgiving conditions. In particular, the Matilda II tank excelled in campaigns across the Southwest Pacific until the final days of the war.
Australia developed a wartime armoured force that was mixed, unique, and substantial. This volume details sixteen types of imported vehicles, with a focus on local modifications, accurate vehicle markings and combat service.