My Valentines…

The tank first served in Operation Crusader in the North African desert, when it began to replace the Matilda Tank. It was extensively used in the North African Campaign, earning a reputation as a reliable and well-protected vehicle. The Valentine shared the common weakness of the British tanks of the period: its 2-pounder gun lacked high-explosive (anti-personnel) capability, and soon became outdated as an anti-tank weapon too. The small size of the turret and of the turret ring made mounting larger guns a difficult task. Although versions with the 6-pounder and then with the Ordnance QF 75 mm gun were developed, by the time they were available in significant numbers better tanks had reached the battlefield. Another weakness was the small crew compartment and the turret for only two men. A larger turret with a loader position added was used in some of the 2-pounder versions, but the position had to be removed again in variants with larger guns.

By 1944 the Valentine had been almost completely replaced in front-line units of the European Theatre by the Infantry Tank IV Churchill and the US-made Sherman. In the Pacific the tank was employed in limited numbers at least until May 1945. It was used in New Zealand service, some with the main armament replaced by the 3 inch howitzer taken from Australian Matilda CS tanks on the Solomons in 1943.

In Soviet service the Valentine was used from the Battle of Moscow until the end of the war. Although criticized for its low speed and weak gun, the Valentine was liked due to its small size, reliability, and generally good armour protection.

INFANTRY TANK, MARK III, VALENTINE
Designed as a heavy infantry support tank (it lacked the “A” because it was not designed to meet a specific General Staff specification), the Valentine was pressed into service as a cruiser tank in Eighth Army in North Africa, beginning in June 1941. A stable gun platform with good mechanical reliability, it was nonetheless obsolete by 1942 because of low speed and small turret, which prevented it from mounting a larger-caliber gun. The Valentine continued in service for the remainder of the war.

Production dates: May 1940–1944
Number produced: 8,275
Manufacturer: Vickers Armstrong; Canadian Pacific (Montreal) produced 1,420, beginning with Valentine VI (all but 30 of these, retained for training, were delivered to the Soviet Union)
Crew: 3–4 (commander, gunner, driver; loader on Mks III and V)
Armament: 1 x 2-pounder (40mm) ROQF Mk. IX or X; 1 x 7.92mm Besa machine gun (coaxial) (Valentine VIII, IX, X mounted a 6-pounder/57mm in place of the 2-pounder; Valentine XI mounted a 75mm gun)
Weight: 39,000 lbs. (41,000 lbs. in Mks VIII–XI)
Length: 17’9”
Width: 8’8”
Height: 7’6”
Armor: maximum 65mm; minimum 8mm
Ammunition storage and type: 79 x 2- pounder; 3,150 x 7.92mm (53 rounds in 6-pounder Valentine VIII, IX, and X; with 1,575 x 7.92mm)
Power plant: AEC six-cylinder 135-hp engine; Valentine II, AEC 131-hp diesel engine; Valentine IV, GMC 135-hp diesel engine; Valentine X, GMC 165-hp diesel engine
Maximum speed: 15 mph
Range: 90 mph
Fording depth: 3’
Vertical obstacle: 2’9”
Trench crossing: 7’6”
Special characteristics (pos/neg): Excellent mechanical reliability and stable gun platform. Rendered obsolete by 1942 as a consequence of its low speed and small turret, which prevented mounting a larger main gun. Special models: observation platform and command tank; antimine tank; bridgelayer; DD (Duplex Drive); flamethrower.