42nd Royal Tank Regiment

Troops of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry shelter behind a Matilda II tank of 42 RTR during manoeuvres at Knowsley Park, Prescot, 30 July 1940

The 42nd Royal Tank Regiment (42 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army from 1938[1] until 1956. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps.

The unit was formed by converting the 7th (23rd London) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, a Territorial Army infantry battalion, into a tank unit. For a short while it was 42 (7 (23 London) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment) Battalion of the Royal Tank Corps before becoming part of the Royal Tank Regiment in 1939.[2]

The unit formed part of 1st Army Tank Brigade.

For the invasion of Northern Europe in 1944, it was equipped with Canal Defence Light Grant tanks. These were not used in battle.

From 1947, it was in the 22nd Armoured Brigade under the 56th (London) Infantry Division.

In 1956, the regiment was converted back to infantry, becoming the "23rd London" again.[3]

Notes and references

  1. ↑ http://www.royaltankregiment.com/en-GB/betweenthewars.aspx
  2. ↑ http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitData.aspx?UniX=9289&Tab=Uhi
  3. ↑ http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/militia_vol_territorial/mvt45_1.html

External links


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