The US M10 was the most produced US tank destroyer of WWII. The British M10s
were called Achilles IIC because of the modification of the main gun from a 3 inch
gun to a quick-firing British 17 Pounder. The conversions took place at the Royal
Arsenal at Woolwich. The Mk. IC had a diesel engine while the Mk. IIC had a
gasoline engine. Even the gun of the Mk. IIC was having difficulty against the
heavy armor of the German Panthers and Tigers. Gradually the M36 Jackson with
its heavier armor began to take over from the M10 and Achilles.
The 3rd Infantry Division was part of the miraculous evacuation at Dunkirk. After
this fiasco the Division spent four years in the UK training so this wouldn�t happen
again. The 3rd Division landed on Sword Beach in Normandy on D-Day and with
the help of what the British called 3 inch SPM (self-propelled mounts) M10 Mk I
and the M10 Mk II they were able to repel a German counter-offensive that
managed reach the beaches. The 3rd fought its way through the Netherlands and
was involved in the invasion of Germany. From Sword Beach to Bremen in
northwest German the 3rd suffered 2,586 killed. At various times the 3rd Division
has been referred to as the �Iron Division� or �Iron Sides�.