11th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)

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11th Armoured Division

An ammunition carrier of the 11th Armoured Division explodes after being hit by a mortar round during Operation Epsom on 26 June 1944
Active World War II, 1952–56
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
Type Armoured
Nickname The Black Bull
Engagements Normandy
Operation Epsom
Operation Goodwood
Hill 112
Operation Bluecoat
Falaise Gap
Operation Market Garden
Battle of the Bulge
Operation Varsity
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Maj.Gen.Percy Hobart
Maj.Gen. Charles Keightley
Maj.Gen. 'Pip' Roberts

The 11th Armoured Division, known as The Black Bull, was a British Army division formed in 1941, during World War II.

Contents

[edit] History

The creation of the 11th Armoured Division was the British answer to the success of German panzer divisions in the previous years. In Poland in 1939 then in Western Europe in 1940, the German armoured elements had clearly displayed new tactics and methods of fighting, and the Allied Forces now had to address those developments in Europe.

Creation of the 11th Armoured Division was ordered in March 1941. Organization and training originally started in Yorkshire. The lead of the young division was initially entrusted to General Percy Hobart. A veteran of the Royal Tank Corps, he had already strongly influenced the shape of the 7th Armoured Division, but his original and innovative ideas had led to his retirement from the army. Reinstated after the disasters of 1940, he could further realise his vision with the 11th Armoured, which benefitted from his long experience of armoured warfare. Under his inspiration the division adopted the “Charging Bull” as its emblem. From 1942 to 1944 it began intensive training while gradually receiving new, modern equipment.

It was one of the most famous British armoured divisions of the war, known mainly for its role in the battles of Northwestern Europe in 1944-45. It was nicknamed "The Black Bull" after its insignia.

In July 1944, soon after the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day (June 6, 1944), the British 11th Armoured Division broke out of the Normandy beachhead and advanced into France, before turning northward to Belgium as part of Operations Epsom and Goodwood in Normandy. They also participated in the "swan" to Amiens This was the fastest and deepest penetration into enemy territory ever made, until the Gulf War (1991). On September 4, 1944, the 11th Armoured Division captured the city of Antwerp in Operation Market Garden and went on to participate in the Battle of the Bulge.

Soon thereafter, the 11th Armoured Division pushed forward into the German-occupied Netherlands. In March 1945, it crossed the Rhine River and by the end of the war had advanced to the northeast and captured the German city of Lübeck on May 2, 1945. From the end of the war in Europe (8 May 1945) the Division controlled the province of Schleswig until it was disbanded in January 1946.

As it drove into Germany, the 11th Armoured Division occupied the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on April 15, 1945, pursuant to an April 12 agreement with the retreating Germans to surrender the camp peacefully. When the 11th Armoured Division entered the camp, they found more than 60,000 emaciated and ill prisoners in desperate need of medical attention. More than 13,000 corpses in various stages of decomposition lay littered around the camp. Units of the Division and its higher formations were detached to oversee the work needed in the camp.

The Division was reformed in the autumn of 1950, but then was converted into the 4th Infantry Division in 1956.

[edit] In Normandy

The 11th Armoured landed on Juno Beach on June 13. It was to be deployed in all major operations of the 21st Army Group - Epsom, Goodwood, Bluecoat, and Falaise gap.

[edit] Operation Epsom

The 11th AD, as part of the British VIII Corps, was committed by June 27, in Operation Epsom, to action in the Odon river sector. It entered the “Scottish corridor” opened beforehand by the 15th (Scottish) Division, and despite navigation mistakes which slowed down the 159th Infantry brigade in Mouen, it managed to seize the bridges at Grainville and Colleville. It then progressed southward to Hill 112 (a dominant feature in the Normandy battlefield near the village of Baron) and succeeded in capturing, then holding, this high ground against increasingly intense German counter-attacks. However, a renewed attack of fresh SS-Panzerdivisions called from reserve transformed what was intended as a breakthrough into a battle for position. On June 30 General Miles Dempsey, commanding the 2nd British Army, fearing a general counter-offensive, ordered the 11th Armoured to withdraw from Hill 112. Epsom failed…

[edit] Operation Goodwood

The 11th Armoured was then moved east of Caen, to spearhead the Goodwood operation. The objective of this drive was to circumvent the city from the eastern side and to break towards Falaise. 11th Armoured sprang early in the morning of July 18th, and carried out a remarkable progression. Unfortunately, German resistance hardened strongly as the division ran deeper into German-held positions. Losses increased even more during the afternoon, when the Division was found blocked on the Bourguebus ridge. It managed to seize the following day the strongly defended villages of Soliers and Hubert-Folie, but the momentum was definitively lost. Goodwood was cancelled on July 20th, with 11th Armoured being withdrawn from the frontline to rest and refit. In this two-days fighting, it had lost 200 tanks, more than half of its complement.

Because of suffered casualties, 11th Armoured had to be reorganized. The 23rd Hussars absorbed the remainders of the 24th Lancers ,(8th Armoured Brigade), then the 11th Armoured was once again directed to the west, to take part in “Bluecoat”.

[edit] Operation Bluecoat

Starting to attack on July 30th, it progressed quickly towards the south, seized Martin-Saint-des-Besaces then spotted an intact bridge on Souleuvre river, which enabled it to drive to the Germans backs. In what became the famous “charge of the bull” the division liberated Le Bény-Bocage on August 1, then progressed quickly southward. Although severely weakened at that time, the enemy remained present and dangerous: along with units of the Guards Armoured Division and 15th (Scottish) Division, the 11th Armoured had to push back a counter-attack of 9th SS-Panzer Division from August 5th. Two days later, around Chênedollé, one single Tiger managed to destroy 14 tanks of the 23rd Hussars.


After being replaced by the 3rd Infantry Division, the 11th Armoured was attached to the XXX Corps. It progressed eastward, on the heels of the Germans who were retreating after the failure of the Mortain counterstroke. The 11th Armoured, seized Flers on August 17, then moved on Putanges. From August 19th on, it pushed the Germans back north of Argentan, it captured the commander of German 276th Infantry Division, Gen. Badinski, and more than 900 prisoners.

Once the fight of the Falaise gap was over 11th Armoured liberated L’Aigle August 23, then crossed the Seine August 28th.

[edit] Belgium and Netherlands

After its participation in the last stage of the Normandy campaign, 11th Armoured Division again performed the “charge of the bull”. This was also known as "the Great Swan". After a night ride, and an unprecedented advance of 60 miles in one day, the Division liberated Amiens September 1st. The same day, it captured Gen Eberbach, commander of the 7th German Army. Progressing by Lens, then Tournai, the Division was then committed in the fight for Antwerp, which it liberated on September 4th. Two days later, it tried to establish a bridgehead on the Albert Canal, but the attempt failed in intense enemy fire. After this failure, 11th Armoured had to cross much more to the east, at Beeringen. It advanced then by Helchteren, Peer, Bree, and cleared the area between the Albert Canal and the Maas up to September 12. The 11th Armoured, known as Taurus Pursuant was then put at rest for one week.

[edit] Market Garden

11th Armoured was not directly committed in Market Garden. Instead, it was in charge of securing the right flank of the operation. Attached to the XIII Corps, it was put moving on September 18. Progressing in two columns, it managed to reach the 101st Airborne Division at Nuenen, while on the 22nd its engineers established a bridge on the Willemsvaart canal.The Division could then make an encircling movement around Helmond, forcing the Germans to withdraw on September the 25th.


At the beginning of October, the 11th AD was employed to clean pockets of German resistance remaining west of the Maas. The operation developed promisingly with 159th Brigade, battling its way across Deurne canal. Unfortunately, the attack was quickly stopped by obstinate German resistance. In addition to the growing supply shortage and the launching of an enemy counter-attack more in the south, this skilful German defence postponed cleaning of the Maas for several weeks. During this period the Division came into contact with troops from the United States and the divisional sign was referred to as "the swell bison"! Preparations for a new crossing attempt were delayed until the second half of following month. On November 22nd, 159th Brigade managed to cross and to seize the village of America. It progressed by Horst, before being relieved by the Scots of the 15th (Scottish) Division. November 30, it attacked the fortress of Broekhuizen, defended by German parachutists. Enemy inflicted heavy losses, before capitulating on December 5. On this date, the Western bank of the Maas was cleared.

[edit] From Ardennes to the Rhine

At the beginning of December, units which composed the 11th Armoured were redirected towards Ypres. Infantry was to benefit from a longer rest, while tank crews would receive new Comet tanks, with a powerful 77mm gun at least able to engage German panzers at comfortable range.

The start of the Ardennes offensive,(Battle of the Bulge) modified British projects. Being one of the too rare units in reserve, the 11th Armoured was urgently recalled to active service with its old tanks and directed to hold a defensive line along the Meuse, between Namur and Givet. On December 24, its advanced positions spotted and destroyed several tanks of the 2nd Panzer Division, east of Dinant. From December 26 onwards, the Germans started to withdraw and 11th Armoured was replaced by the 6th Airborne Division, after having pushed the ennemy back beyond Celles. Only 29th Brigade was maintained in support of the Airborne units. It forced the Germans back to La Bure and Wavreille between January 3 and January 7. From the 9th on, it reached Grupont, before being finally directed the following day to Ypres for rest, refit and training activities.

[edit] Rhineland

On February 17th, 1945 the 159th brigade was recalled to the front, to add its weight to the allied forces committed in the Rhineland. The infantry of the 11th Armoured received the mission to seize Gochfortzberg, south of Udem, then to break the Schlieffen line and capture Sonsbeck, in order to support the 2nd Canadian Corps which progressed towards Hochwald from the north. Attack of the brigade started February 26th. Under challenging conditions, the Brigade seized Gochfortzberg , on February 28th, then approached Sonsbeck on March 3.


[edit] Germany

The 11th Armoured was held in reserve until March 28th. On this date, it crossed the Rhine at Wesel, in direction of the mouth of Weser. Progressing quickly in spite of sporadic pockets of resistance, it reached Gescher on March 30th, in the evening. The following day, 3rd RTR arrived on Ems river in Emsdetten, before crossing and reaching the Dortmund-Ems canal the following day.

After crossing the Dortmund-Ems canal on April 1st, the 11th Armoured approached Ibbenburen and was heavily engaged on the heights of Teutoburger Wald. The villages of Brochterbeck & Tecklenberg were captured at a high price. Further east, the wooded hills were defended by companies of NCOs, who savagely counter-attacked the 3rd Monmouthshire. Later on, intervention of the 131st Infantry Brigade (7th Armoured Division) made it possible to overcome their opposition, but 3rd Monmouthshire, already weakened during previous campaigns, had to be replaced by 1st Cheshire's.

11th Armoured continued toward the canal of Osnabruck. After having crossed it on a captured bridge, it moved towards Weser, reached by leading elements near Stolzenau on April 5th. One week later, the 11th Armoured liberated the concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen. A local agreement with German commanders made it possible to declare the neighbourhoods of the camp open area, and the fighting moved northeast. Progressing towards Elba, the 11th Armoured was the first British unit to reach this river in the neighboorhood of Luneburg the 18th.

[edit] Last Attack

On April 30th the 11th Armoured was launched in a last attack. It crossed Elba in Arlenburg, then, practically without meeting opposition, occupied Lübeck on May 2nd. It finished the war by patrolling the surroundings, and collecting 80,000 prisoners including 27 Generals. It is there that the capitulation of Germany put an end to its triumphal walk.

At the end of the war, 11th Armoured,was used as occupation force in the Schleswig-Holstein area. On May 23, it was employed to capture members of the Dönitz government in Flensburg.

[edit] Dissolved

11th Armoured Division was dissolved end of January, 1946. During the campaign in northwestern Europe, its losses rose to 1.820 killed and more than 8.000 wounded. Its rotation in tanks was 300%.

[edit] Commanders


[edit] Component Units

(On 6 June 1944)

British 29th Armoured Brigade
Main article: British 29th Armoured Brigade
British 159th Infantry Brigade

[edit] Support Units

[edit] Note

[edit] References

  • Delaforce, Patrick. The Black Bull: From Normandy to the Baltic with the 11th Armoured Division. 
  • "E.W.I.P", Edgar W I Palamountain. Taurus Pursuant: A History of 11th Armoured Division. 
This article incorporates text from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and has been released under the GFDL.

[edit] External links

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