Provided to Britain by the US Lend Lease system, over 50% of the British Shermans in Europe were of the ‘V’ model, with extra armoured plates welded to the sides to add protection to the ammunition lockers. Armed with the ubiquitous 75mm gun, the Sherman V was initially a great improvement on ‘home grown’ tanks, but by late 1944 German anti tank weapons had the measure of them, often now being referred to by both British and Americans as ‘Ronsons’ or ‘Tommy Cookers’ by the Germans , due to their proclivity to burn... rapidly, if hit and penetrated. Over 7000 were provided to Britain and used both in Northwest Europe and Italy. .