| Year | June 1941 |
| Vehicle Type | Heavy Infantry Tank |
| Origin & Designer | Britain/Various |
| Numbers Produced | 303 |
| Crew | 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader Hull Gunner & Driver) |
| Main Armament | 1 x OQF 2 pdr L/50 Mk. IX Gun & 1 x 3in Mk. I Howitzer |
| Main Armament | [@sponson_traverse] |
| Elevation | 2 pdr/Turret: -15° to +20°. 3in/Hull: -5° to + |
| Turret Traverse | 360° (Powered) |
| Gun Traverse | [@gun_traverse] |
| Gun Mount | [@gun_mounts] |
| Maximum Range | [@maximum_range] |
| Armour Penetration | [@armour_penetration] |
| Gun Sight | No. 30 Mk. IIS (2 pdr) No. 31 (3in) |
| Secondary Armament | 1 x 7.92mm Besa Machine Gun (Coaxial). 1 x .303 Bren Machine Gun (AA Mount). |
| Smoke Discharger | 2 x 2in Smoke Mortars |
| Ammunition Carried | 150 x 40mm & 58 x 76.2mm + 4.950 x 7.92mm & 600 x .303 + 25 x Smoke |
| Height | 2.49m |
| Width | 3.25m |
| Length | 7.44m |
| Combat Weight | 38.000 kg |
| Ground Clearance | 0.51m |
| Fording Depth | 0.91m |
| Trench Crossing | 3.66m |
| Obstacle Clearance | 1.22m |
| Climbing Ability | 34° |
| Radio | No. 19 Set |
| Armour | Hull Front: 89mm. Hull Sides: 76mm. Hull Rear: 50mm. Hull Top: 16mm. Hull Bottom: 16mm. Gun Mantle: 102mm. Turret Front: 102mm. Turret Sides: 88mm. Turret Rear: 88mm. Turret Top: 28mm. |
| Engine | Two Bedford Twin-Six (Petrol) |
| Transmission | 4 Forward & 1 Reverse |
| Maximum Road Range | 259 km |
| Maximum Cross Country Range | 154 km |
| Maximum Water Range | [@maximum_water_range] |
| Maximum Road Speed | 26 kph |
| Maximum Cross Country Speed | 14 kph |
| Maximum Water Speed | [@maximum_water_speed] |
| Variants | [@variants] |
| Notes | The British Army was still under the illusion that the next war in Europe would fought in the same way as the last, therefore they kept to the tradition of a slow moving Infantry tank that could gap trenches and take heavy punishment. The Churchill was supposed to be the next in a line of Infantry tanks that started with the Matilda series. The first Churchill saw action in the ill-fated Dieppe raid in which most floundered on the beach. Six Churchill saw action in the second battle of El Alamein. Churchill production was about to be suspended in 1943 but for the exploits at the battle of Longstop hill in Tunisia, there the Churchill shown its true potential as a tough tank with good climbing ability which guaranteed that the Churchill should be kept in production. The Mk. I had a turret mounted 2 pdr and a 3in howitzer mounted in the hull, and it was this version that landed in support of the Canadians at Dieppe, it was also used in Tunisia and a few survived to take part in the battles to breech the Gothic Line in Italy late in the war. |