British tank Cromwell

Officially designated Cruiser Tank Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M), this armoured vehicle represented a milestone in the evolution of British mechanised infantry during the Second World War. The name, a tribute to Oliver Cromwell, the famous 17th-century commander and Lord Protector of England, was initially given to three different projects under development, creating a complex genealogy that deserved clarification. The genesis of the Cromwell had its roots in the military doctrine developed in the interwar period.  Based on the experiences of the First World War and subsequent exercises, British theorists had concluded that the future of armoured warfare required a clear specialisation of roles.