1st Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)

1st Armoured Brigade
Active	1939-1942
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Armoured
Size	Brigade
Engagements	Battle of Greece Battle of El Alamein
Commanders
Notable commanders	Willoughby Norrie

The 1st Armoured Brigade was a regular British Army unit formed on 3 September 1939, by the redesignation of the 1st Light Armoured Brigade.

History

At the start of the war, the brigade was based in the United Kingdom, initially as part of the 1st Armoured Division and then as part of the newly formed 2nd Armoured Division. In November 1940, it was shipped to Egypt, arriving on 1 January 1941. In March 1941, the brigade was dispatched to Greece as part of General Maitland Wilson's unsuccessful attempt at stopping the German invasion. On 29 April 1941, the brigade was evacuated to Egypt.

The 1st Armoured Brigade served in the Western Desert Campaign with the 7th Armoured Division at the Battle of El Alamein. The brigade was disbanded on 21 November 1942.

Organisation

During its short existence, the brigade controlled the following units;

• 1st Armoured Brigade HQ
• Armoured Troops
  • The King's Dragoon Guards (3 September 1939 – 24 January 1941)
  • 3rd (The King's Own) Hussars (3 September 1939 – 28 August 1940)
  • 4th (The Queen's Own) Hussars (3 September 1939 – 5 June 1942)
  • 8th (The King's Royal Irish) Hussars (10 May 1941 – 8 August 1941)
  • 1st Royal Tank Regiment (21 January 1942 – 5 June 1942)
  • 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (11 August 1940 – 28 October 1940)/(13 February 1941 – 8 August 1941)
  • 6th Royal Tank Regiment (5 February 1941 – 21 March 1941)
  • 1st Battalion The Rangers / 9th Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps (25 February 1941 – 11 February 1942) (Mechanised Infantry)
• Brigade Troops (assigned between March and June 1942);
  • 11th Battalion, The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) (Mechanised Infantry)
  • 104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (Field Artillery)
  • 4th Field Troop, Royal Engineers (to 4 May 1942)
  • 20th Field Troop, Royal Engineers (from 4 May 1942)
  • 67th Service Company, Royal Army Service Corps
  • 307th Service Company, Royal Army Service Corps
  • 12th Light Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
• Brigade Troops (assigned between 26 February 1941 – 1 May 1941 while in Greece);
  • 2nd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (Field Artillery)
  • 102nd (Northumberland Hussars) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery (Anti-tank)
  • 155th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
  • 3rd Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
  • 142nd Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers
  • 1st Armoured Brigade Service Company, Royal Army Service Corps
  • 1st Support Group Company, Royal Army Service Corps
  • 4th Light Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps

Commanding Officers

Commanding officers included;

• 1939–1940 Brigadier Charles Willoughby Moke Norris "Baron Norrie of Wellington, New Zealand & Hawkesbury Upton"
• 1940–1940 Colonel C F Ledward (acting)
• 1940–1941 Brigadier Harold Vincent Spencer Charrington "Rollie"
• 1941–1941 Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Charles Keller (acting)
• 1941–1941 Brigadier Harold Vincent Spencer Charrington "Rollie"
• 1941–1941 Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Charles Keller (acting)
• 1941–1941 Lieutenant Colonel Henry Dinham Drew (acting)
• 1941–1941 Brigadier Edward Cecil Neville Custance
• 1941–1941 Lieutenant Colonel W I Leetham (acting)
• 1941–1941 Brigadier Douglas Arnold Stirling
• 1941–1942 Lieutenant Colonel R B Sheppard (acting)
• 1942–1942 Brigadier Arthur Francis Fisher
• 1942–1942 Brigadier George Herbert Norris Todd

References

• Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, ISBN 1-843424-74-6