The 7th Support Group was a supporting formation within the

British 7th Armoured Division The 7th Armoured Division (Desert Rats) was an armoured warfare, armoured division (military), division of the British Army. It was formed as the Mobile Division (Egypt) on 27 September 1938, after increased tensions between Britain and the Ax ...

, active during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Western Desert Campaign The Western Desert campaign (Desert War) took place in the Sahara Desert, deserts of Egypt and Libya and was the main Theater (warfare), theatre in the North African campaign of the Second World War. Military operations began in June 1940 with ...

History

The 7th Support Group was formed from the expansion of the 7th Armoured Division's existing pivot group. The pivot group, and later the support group, controlled the division's motorised infantry, field artillery, anti-tank guns, and light anti-aircraft guns. While the artillery would provide support for the tanks on an attack, the infantry were intended to protect the division's base or occupy territory captured by the tanks and not supplement them. Towards the end of

Operation Crusader Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941) was a military operation of the Western Desert campaign during World War II by the British Eighth Army (with Commonwealth, Indian and Allied contingents) against the Axis forces (German and ...

, the support group joined the 1st Armoured Division for a couple of weeks before reverting to the command of the 7th Armoured Division. The 7th Support Group was abolished in February 1942, after Crusader came to an end, following a reorganization of the British armoured forces in North Africa.

Commanders

* Lieutenant-Colonel E. S. B. Williams (acting), from 22 January 1940 * Brigadier

William Gott Lieutenant-General William Henry Ewart Gott, (13 August 1897 – 7 August 1942), nicknamed "Strafer", was a senior British Army officer who fought during both the First and the Second World Wars, reaching the rank of lieutenant-general while ...

- initially the acting commander from 31 January 1940. Gott was then promoted from Lieutenant-Colonel to Brigadier, to officially become the formation's commander from 16 February 1940. * Brigadier John Campbell - Took command on 12 September 1941. During his tenure as commander, Campbell earned the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

Order of battle

Western Desert Force, 1939

* 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery * 1st

Kings Royal Rifle Corps The King's Royal Rifle Corps was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army that was originally raised in British North America as the Royal American Regiment during the phase of the Seven Years' War in North America known in the United Sta ...

* 2nd

Rifle Brigade The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...

Operation Compass

* 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery * 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps * 2nd Rifle Brigade

Operation Battleaxe, June 1941

* 1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery * 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery * 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps * 2nd Rifle Brigade

Operation Crusader, November 1941

3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Horse Artillery in the British Army. They are currently based at Albemarle Barracks, Northumberland, England. The regiment is equipped with MLRS and provides Deep Fires to the 1s ...

* 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery * 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps * 2nd Rifle Brigade *

60th (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics A six-sided polygon is a hexagon, one of the three regular polygons capable of tiling the plane. A hexagon a ...

* One Bty, 51st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

Footnotes

References

* * *

External links

British artillery in World War 2

{{British mobile brigades of the Second World War 7 Support Military units and formations established in 1938 Military units and formations disestablished in 1942