Osbourn, Michael E. Shortest Gap

The Story of the Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineer

This book covers the history of the Royal Engineers' armored engineer vehiclesfrom the first engineer tanks of World War I to the Churchill AVRE in all its variants. The scope extends from the Centurion and various Chieftain AVRE versions to the current Trojan AEV. The book aims to provide insight into the AVRE concept and to illustrate why these vehicles remain indispensable today for carrying out the engineering tasks deemed essential by the Army in combat.
The title "Shortest Gap" was chosen because armored engineers always seek the shortest gap to bridge using the means at their disposal. This could involve the deployment of fascines, bridges, or ARC (Armoured Ramp Carrier) vehicles within the zone of direct enemy fireprecisely the operational environment for which the AVRE was designed. In this context, "direct" implies that the vehicle was armored and intended for use within a combat group, possessing a level of protection comparable to that of main battle tanks. The book offers insights into the design and development of the vehicles, as well as the associated equipment and the personnel who operated them. Historical combat engagements involving AVRE vehicles are not covered, as this subject has already been extensively documented in other works; nor does the book address Royal Engineers' engineer vehicles intended for indirect employment. However, personal accounts from crew members provide valuable insights into the operation of these machines. Scale drawings of most Churchill variants and the Centurion AVRE have been kindly provided by the renowned model manufacturer AFV Club.