The 25th Army Tank Brigade was an armoured brigade formation of the British Army that was active before and during the Second World War. It served with the British First Army and the British Eighth Army during the battles in North Africa and Italy.

History

The unit was formed on 3 September 1939 as a 2nd Line Territorial Army Tank Brigade, but had very few tanks. On 28 May 1940, it was converted to the 2nd Motor Machine Gun Brigade in recognition of this lack of tanks, but converted back to an Army Tank Brigade on 10 December 1940. It was redesignated the 25th Tank Brigade on 1 June 1942. Churchill tanks advance to Gothic Line August 1944 IWM NA 18088

Churchill tanks advance to Gothic Line August 1944 IWM NA 18088

It fought in Tunisia under the British First Army and in the Italy as part of the British Eighth Army.

Commanding officers

* Brig. T.D. Murray * Brig. R.H. Maxwell * Lieut. Col. D. Dawnay (acting) * Brig. James Noel Tetley * Brig. E.W.H. Clarke

Order of battle

43rd Royal Tank Regiment The 43rd (6th (City) Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers) Royal Tank Regiment (43 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps that tested and demonstrated specialised Armoured Fighting Vehicles during World Wa ...

(until 28 May 1940, rejoined 27 April, left 17 October 1941) *

49th Royal Tank Regiment 49th Royal Tank Regiment (49 RTR), later 49th Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment and 49th Armoured Carrier Regiment, was a regiment of the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps during World War II that operated specialised armoured fighting vehicle ...

(until 28 May 1940, rejoined 27 April 1941, left 28 February 1942) *

51st (Leeds Rifles) Royal Tank Regiment The 51st (Leeds Rifles) Royal Tank Regiment (51 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army that fought in the Tunisian and Italian campaigns during World War II and continued to serve during the 1950s. Origin In April 1938, ...

(until 28 May, rejoined 10 December 1940, left 1 January 1945) *

11th Royal Tank Regiment The 11th Royal Tank Regiment (11 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army. It is part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. History The 11th Royal Tank Regiment was raised during World War II in January 1941 ...

(from 10 December 1940, left 26 April 1941, rejoined 29 February, left 5 August 1942) * 12th Royal Tank Regiment (from 10 December 1940, left 26 April 1941) *

142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps The 142nd (Suffolk) Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (142 RAC) was an armoured regiment of the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps that was raised in World War II and saw active service. The regiment served in the final stages of the North African Ca ...

(from 9 November 1941, disbanded 18 December 1944) *

151st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps The 151st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (10th Bn King's Own) (151 RAC) was an armoured regiment of the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps that was raised during the Second World War. History Origin The 151st Regiment RAC was formed on 1 December ...

(from 5 August, left 2 September 1942) * North Irish Horse (from 3 September 1942 until 3 December 1944)

Notes

References

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External links