In Italy, Churchill 6-pdr gun tanks remained in service until the war's end, primarily due to the gun's superior performance as an anti-tank weapon over the 75-mm. With the arrival of the Mark V 6-pdr and APDS ammo it was an even more lethal weapon than the one mounted on our tanks in Tunisia.Kapten Gars wrote: Issued to units from June 1944 onward (i.e Overlord/Normandy campaign)
AFAIK most Churchill's at that time were armed with the 75mm gun, although units in Italy may still have had the 6 pdr, don't know enough on that subject.
It should not be forgotten that Churchills were the first tanks to knock out Tigers (in Tunisia) and the first of the Western Allies to do the same to Panthers (in Italy). It so happened that, in both instances, they were tanks of my Regiment, the North Irish Horse.
Having read with great interest the many postings on the subject of gun size, it seems that a very important point is being overlooked. In World War Two, when tank guns were hand-loaded, size of the gun was of less importance than the ability to get shots off faster than ones opponent.