The 3rd Armoured Brigade, previously the 1st Heavy Armoured Brigade, was an

armoured Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. B ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

that saw service in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

with the 1st Armoured Division and the 2nd Armoured Division in the North African Campaign. The brigade headquarters was disbanded on 11 January 1943.

Order of battle

The 3rd Armoured Brigade: * 2nd Royal Tank Regiment ''(until 11 August 1940)'' *

3rd Royal Tank Regiment The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (3 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army in existence from 1917 until 1992. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It originally saw action as C Battalion, Tank C ...

''(until 22 May, re-joined 19 June, left 30 June 1940, re-joined again 29 October 1940, left again 25 January 1941)'' * 5th Royal Tank Regiment ''(until 18 February 1941, re-joined 24 March, left 14 April 1941)'' *

1st King's Dragoon Guards The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was raised by Sir John Lanier in 1685 as the 2nd Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed the 2nd Ki ...

''(from 26 February until 22 March 1941)'' *

3rd The King's Own Hussars The 3rd (The King's Own) Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, including the First and the Second World Wars, before being amalgamated with the 7th Queen's Own Hussars, to ...

''(from 26 February until 14 April 1941)'' *

6th Royal Tank Regiment The 6th Royal Tank Regiment (6 RTR) was a regiment of the Royal Tank Regiment, of the British Army, until 1959. It originally saw action as 6th Battalion Tank Corps in 1917. First World War When tanks were first used in action in 1916, they wer ...

''(from 28 February until 14 April 1941)'' *

1st Royal Tank Regiment The 1st Royal Tank Regiment (1 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army. It is part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps and operationally under 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. History Formation The regime ...

''(from 9 to 18 May 1941)'' * D Squadron,

7th Royal Tank Regiment The 7th Royal Tank Regiment (7th RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army from 1917 until disbandment in 1959. History The 7th Royal Tank Regiment was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. The regi ...

''(from 16 May until 18 September 1941)''

Commanders

Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. I ...

Vyvyan Pope Lieutenant-General Vyvyan Vavasour Pope CBE DSO MC & Bar (30 September 1891 – 5 October 1941) was a senior British Army officer who was prominent in developing ideas about the use of armour in battle in the interwar years, and who briefly ...

''(until 20 April 1940)'' * Brigadier

John Crocker General Sir John Tredinnick Crocker, (4 January 1896 – 9 March 1963) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both world wars. He served as both a private soldier and a junior officer in the First World War, and as a distinguished br ...

''(from 20 April until 21 September 1940)'' * Brigadier R. G. W. Rimington ''(from 21 September 1940 until 8 April 1941)'' *

Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...

H. D. Drew ''( Acting, from 8 April until 2 June 1941)'' *

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

G. M. O. Davy ''(Acting, from 2 June until 18 July 1941)'' * Lieutenant Colonel F. Brown ''(Acting, from 18 to 29 July 1941)'' * Colonel R. C. Keller ''(Acting, from 29 July 1941)''

References

Bibliography

External links

* Armoured brigades of the British Army in World War II Armoured brigades of the British Army Military units and formations established in 1938 Military units and formations disestablished in 1943 {{UK-mil-unit-stub