| 1st (UK) Armoured Division | |
|---|---|
Insignia of the 1st (UK) Armoured Division |
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| Active | 1937–1945 1960 – present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Armoured Division |
| Size | Second World War 14,964 men[1] 343 tanks[nb 1][nb 2] |
| Part of | Land Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Herford, Germany |
| Engagements | Second World War |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Major General J I Bashall CBE |
| Notable commanders |
Willoughby Norrie Herbert Lumsden Richard Hull Rupert Smith |
The 1st Armoured Division is an armoured division of the British Army. Originally formed in November 1937 as the Mobile Division, it saw extensive service during the Second World War, was disbanded afterward, was reconstituted in 1976, and remains in service today. It should not be confused with 1st Infantry Division which saw service in the Second World War as a separate formation.
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Following an initiative by General Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd, the Division was initially established in November 1937 under Major-General Alan Brooke as the The Mobile Division.[3] It first saw service in incomplete form under the command of Major-General Roger Evans when the second British Expeditionary Force was sent to France in 1940.[4] It landed in France on 14 April 1940 and was evacuated on 16 June, having served south of the River Somme, isolated from the other British formations.
For the rest of 1940 and up until 27 August 1941, the division was stationed in the United Kingdom on anti-invasion duties under the command of Major-General Willoughby Norrie. It then embarked for Egypt under the command of Major General Herbert Lumsden and arrived in Egypt on 13 November 1941. Following the wounding of Herbert Lumsden, Major-General Frank Messervy took command in January 1942 retaining command until Lumsden returned in March.[5] It took part in many of the major battles of the later part of the campaign against Rommel including Gazala, First El Alamein, Second El Alamein, Tebaga Gap, Akarit, El Kourzia and Tunis.[4] In August 1942 Major-General Raymond Briggs took control[6] and in July 1943 Major-General Alexander Galloway took over the baton.[7]
From the end of the Tunisian campaign the division remained in North Africa until May 1944. It then transferred to Italy, fighting one last battle at Coriano in the fighting on the Gothic Line.[4] Major-General Richard Hull took over command for this part of the campaign in August 1944.[8] The division was disbanded on 1 January 1945.
The order of battle was as follows:[9]
It was not until 1960 that the Division re-emerged in the British Army. It was reformed as 1st Division following the disbanding of the 1st Infantry Division and was initially based at Verden an der Aller in Germany.[10] During the 1970s, the division consisted of two "square" brigades, the 7th Armoured Brigade and 11th Armoured Brigade. It was renamed 1st Armoured Division in 1976.[10] In 1978 the Headquarters moved to Shiel Barracks in Verden in Germany.[11] After being briefly reorganised into two "task forces" ("Alpha" and "Bravo"), in the early 1980s it consisted of the 7th, 12th, and 22nd Armoured Brigades.[10]
Divisional formations and units have deployed on many other operations such as internal security in Northern Ireland, The Falkland Islands, Belize and United Nations tours in Cyprus, Bosnia and Kosovo. The headquarters of the division was deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990 to command British land forces. It had two brigades under its command, 4th and 7th Armoured Brigade. During the war it came under the US VII Corps and was part of the great armoured left-hook that destroyed many Iraqi Republican Guard formations. The two brigades in the division alternated heading the advance.[12]
In 1993 HQ 1st Armoured Division was disbanded and the 1st (UK) Armoured Division formed from the 4th Armoured Division. The Divisional Headquarters was deployed in command of Multi National Division South West in Bosnia in 1996 – 97 and 1998 – 99.[13]
The Division headquarters again deployed to the Gulf area in 2003. It again commanded British forces in the area, this time with three full brigades under its control. Those were 7th Armoured Brigade again, along with 16 Air Assault Brigade, and 3 Commando Brigade. In a combined arms operation the division secured southern Iraq, including the city of Basra during the invasion. It came under I Marine Expeditionary Force during the 2003 conflict.[14]
The 1st (UK) Armoured Division is currently the only British division to be stationed in Germany. The headquarters as been stationed since 1993 at Wentworth Barracks in Herford.[15] The Division currently reports to Army Headquarters at Andover.
The divisional badge dates from 1983, and combines the hollow red triangular "spearhead" badge of 1st Infantry Division with the charging rhinoceros badge of 1st Armoured Division as displayed in World War II.
The following brigades make up the 1st (United Kingdom) Armoured Division:[10]
Commanders have been:[16]
GOC The Mobile Division
GOC 1st Armoured Division
GOC 1st Division
GOC 1st Armoured Division
GOC 1st (UK) Armoured Division
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