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79th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)
The 79th Armoured Division was a specialist armoured division of the British Army created during the Second World War. The division was created as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944, D-Day. Major-General Percy Hobart commanded the division and was in charge of the development of armoured vehicles that were solutions to problems of the amphibious landing on the defended French coastline; these unusual-looking tanks it developed and operated were known as "Hobart's Funnies". They included tanks that floated, could clear mines, destroy defences, carry and lay bridges, and roadways. The practical use of these specialist tanks was confirmed during the landings on the beaches. Its vehicles were distributed as small units across the divisions taking part in the landings and subsequent operations. The division remained in action during the North-west European Campaign, providing specialised support during assaults to the 21st Army Group and, occasional ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Divisional Insignia Of The British Army
Formation signs at the division level were first introduced in the British Army in the First World War. They were intended (initially) as a security measure to avoid displaying the division's designation in the clear. They were used on vehicles, sign posts and notice boards and were increasingly, but not universally, worn on uniform as the War progressed. Discontinued by the regular army after 1918, only a few Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Territorial divisions continued to wear them before 1939. Reintroduced officially in late 1940 in the Second World War, divisional formation signs were much more prevalent on uniforms and were taken up by many other formations, independent brigades, Higher Formation Insignia of the British Army, corps, armies, overseas and home commands, military districts and lines of communication areas. The sign could be based on many things, geometry (simple or more complex), heraldry, regional or historical associations, a pun, the role of the division or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hobart's Funnies
Hobart's Funnies is the nickname given to a number of specialist armoured fighting vehicles derived from tanks operated during the Second World War by units of the 79th Armoured Division of the British Army or by specialists from the Royal Engineers. They were designed in light of problems that more standard tanks experienced during the amphibious Dieppe Raid, so that the new models would be able to overcome the problems of the planned invasion of Normandy. These tanks played a major part on the Commonwealth beaches during the landings. They were forerunners of the modern combat engineering vehicle and took their nickname from the 79th Division's commander, Major General Percy Hobart. The vehicles converted were chiefly Churchill tanks and American-supplied M4 Sherman tanks. History Plans to invade continental Europe were completely revised after the failure of the raid on Dieppe in 1942. Allied units in Normandy would need to overcome terrain, obstacles and coastal forti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle For Brest
The Battle for Brest was fought in August and September 1944 on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. Part of the overall Battle for Brittany and the Allied plan for the Operation Overlord, invasion of mainland Europe called for the capture of port facilities, in order to ensure the timely delivery of the enormous amount of war wikt:materiel, materiel required to supply the invading Allied forces. It was estimated that the 37 Allied divisions to be on the continent by September 1944 would need 26,000 tons of supplies each day. The main port the Allied forces hoped to seize and put into their service was Brest, France, Brest, in northwestern France. Background Early in the war, after the Fall of France in 1940, the United States and the United Kingdom began planning an eventual "Invasion of Western Europe" to be put into effect when and if the United States joined the war. American and Canadian troops would be moved from North America to England un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
185th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 185th Infantry Brigade (185 Bde) was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army raised during the Second World War that participated in the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944, fighting in the Normandy Campaign and the subsequent campaign in North-West Europe with the 3rd British Infantry Division. History The Brigade was formed on 1 September 1942 by redesignation of 204th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home), a static Home Defence formation serving under Durham and North Riding Area HQ.Joslen, p. 360. It was assigned frontline infantry battalions and became the infantry component of the new 79th Armoured Division. When 79th Armoured was reorganised as a specialist armour formation in April 1943, 185th Brigade transferred to the 3rd Infantry Division, training for Operation Overlord. The 3rd Infantry Division was the first British formation to land at Sword on D-Day. During the often intense fighting from Sword to Bremen, the 3rd Infantry Division suffered 2,586 kill ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Major-general (United Kingdom)
Major general (Maj Gen) is a two-star rank, "two-star" rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. The rank was also briefly used by the Royal Air Force for a year and a half, from its creation in April 1918 until August 1919. In the British Army, a major general is the customary rank for the appointment of division (military), division commander. In the Royal Marines, the Commandant General Royal Marines, Commandant General holds at least the rank of major general. A major general is senior to a Brigadier (United Kingdom), brigadier but subordinate to a Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), lieutenant general. The rank is OF-7 on the Ranks and insignia of NATO, NATO rank scale, equivalent to a Rear admiral (Royal Navy), rear admiral in the Royal Navy or an air vice-marshal in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. Insignia and nomenclature The rank insignia is the star (or 'pip') of the Order of the Bath, over a crossed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chief Of The General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff (CGS) has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board; he is also the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Army Board. Prior to 1964, the title was Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS). Since 1959, the post has been immediately subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom), Chief of the Defence Staff, the post held by the professional head of the British Armed Forces. The current Chief of the General Staff is General Roland Walker, Sir Roland Walker, who succeeded General Patrick Sanders (British Army officer), Sir Patrick Sanders in the role on 15 June 2024. Responsibilities The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is the professional head of the Army, with responsibility for developing and generating military capability from an integrated Army (Regular and Reserve) and for maintaining the fighting effectiveness, efficiency ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke
Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke (23 July 1883 – 17 June 1963), was a senior officer of the British Army. He was Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom), Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), the professional head of the British Army, during the Second World War, and was promoted to field marshal on 1 January 1944. Brooke trained as an artillery officer and became Royal School of Artillery, Commandant of the School of Artillery, Larkhill in 1929. He held various divisional and corps level commands before the Second World War and became Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces, C-in-C Home Forces in 1940. He then became Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom), Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1941. In that role he focused on strategy and, in particular, on the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II, Mediterranean theatre. Here, his principal aims were to rid North African Campaign, North Africa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
General (United Kingdom)
General (or full general to distinguish it from the lower general officer ranks) is the highest rank achievable by serving officers of the British Army and the Royal Marines. The rank can also be held by Royal Marines officers in tri-service posts, for example, Generals Sir Gordon Messenger and Gwyn Jenkins, Sir Gwyn Jenkins, former Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom), Vice-Chiefs of the Defence Staff. It ranks above Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), lieutenant-general and, in the Army, is subordinate to the rank of Field marshal (United Kingdom), field marshal, which is now only awarded as an honorary rank. The rank of general has a NATO-code of Ranks and insignia of NATO, OF-9, and is a four-star rank. It is equivalent to a Admiral (Royal Navy), full admiral in the Royal Navy or an air chief marshal in the Royal Air Force. Officers holding the ranks of Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), lieutenant-general and Major-general (United Kingdom), major-general m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northern Command (United Kingdom)
Northern Command was a Home Command (military formation), Command of the British Army from 1793 to 1889 and from 1905 to 1972. Nineteenth century Great Britain was divided into military districts on the outbreak of Anglo-French War (1793–1802), war with France in 1793. The formation in the North, which included Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland and County Durham, Durham, was originally based at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle upon Tyne until other districts were merged in after the Napoleonic Wars. In 1840 Northern Command was held by Major-general (United Kingdom), Major-General Charles James Napier, Sir Charles James Napier, appointed in 1838. During his time the troops stationed within Northern Command were frequently deployed in support of the civil authorities during the Chartism, Chartist unrest in the northern industrial cities. Napier was succeeded in 1841 by Major-General William Maynard Gomm, Sir William Gomm, when the command included the counties of Northumb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
11th Armoured Division
The 11th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army which was created in March 1941 during the Second World War. The division was formed in response to the unanticipated success of the German panzer divisions. The 11th Armoured was responsible for several major victories in the Battle of Normandy from in the summer of 1944, shortly after the Normandy landings, and it participated in the Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine, the Rhine crossing in March 1945. It was disbanded in January 1946 and reformed towards the end of 1950. In 1956, it was converted into the 4th Infantry Division. Background and formation The 11th Armoured Division was organized in March 1941, in Yorkshire under Northern Command, under Major-General Percy Hobart. A veteran of the Royal Tank Regiment, he had already strongly influenced the shape of the 7th Armoured Division, but his original and innovative ideas had led to his early retirement from the army. Reinstated after the dis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Troops In Egypt
British Troops in Egypt was a command of the British Army. History A British Army commander was appointed in the late 19th century after the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882. The British Army remained in Egypt throughout the First World War and, after the War, remained there to protect the Suez Canal. Following Egypt's independence in 1922, the United Kingdom and Egypt entered into a treaty in 1936 whereby British troops remained to protect the canal and to train the Egyptian Army. HQ BTE occupied a garrison role while the Western Desert Campaign was fought against Italy and Germany during the Second World War. Initially British troops in the area consisted of the Mobile Division (Egypt), later to become the 7th Armoured Division, and the Cairo Brigade. On 5 July 1942, 'A' Force Depot was redesignated as 74th Armoured Brigade (Dummy Tanks) in Egypt under the command of Headquarters British Troops in Egypt. The "brigade" was redesignated a number of times: as 24th Armoured Brigade (D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)
The 7th Armoured Division (Desert Rats) was an armoured division of the British Army. It was formed as the Mobile Division (Egypt) on 27 September 1938, after increased tensions between Britain and the Axis powers. This was part of an effort to reinforce and maintain the British strategic presence in Egypt to defend the Suez Canal, which was seen as vital to the British Empire's interests. In February 1940, the formation was renamed as the 7th Armoured Division. During its early years, the jerboa was adopted as the mascot and divisional insignia giving rise to the nickname Desert Rats. The division fought in most of the major battles of the Western Desert campaign, was then engaged in the Tunisian campaign, and this was followed by the participation in the Italian campaign. It was then withdrawn from Italy and dispatched to the United Kingdom, to prepare for Operation Overlord. In June 1944, it landed in France and subsequently fought across western Europe and ended the war ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
