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The 5th Guards Armoured Brigade was an
This brigade was converted from the 20th Infantry Brigade (Guards) on 15 September 1941. It was stationed in the
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 fr ...
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.
Br ...
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 ...
, a component unit of the Guards Armoured Division
The Guards Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army during the Second World War. The division was created in the United Kingdom on 17 June 1941 during the Second World War from elements of the Guards units, the Grenadier G ...
, that served 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 opposin ...
in North-west Europe
Northwestern Europe, or Northwest Europe, is a loosely defined subregion of Europe, overlapping Northern and Western Europe. The region can be defined both geographically and ethnographically.
Geographic definitions
Geographically, Northw ...
from June 1944 until May 1945.
History
This brigade was converted from the 20th Infantry Brigade (Guards) on 15 September 1941. It was stationed in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
on training and home defence duties, anticipating a potential German invasion German invasion may refer to:
Pre-1900s
* German invasion of Hungary (1063)
World War I
* German invasion of Belgium (1914)
* German invasion of Luxembourg (1914)
World War II
* Invasion of Poland
* German invasion of Belgium (1940)
* G ...
. The brigade remained in the United Kingdom until 30 June 1944 when it arrived in Normandy
Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
with the rest of the Guards Armoured Division as part of Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The operat ...
. The brigade served throughout the North West Europe Campaign The North West Europe campaign was a campaign by the British Commonwealth armed forces in North West Europe, including its skies and adjoining waters during World War II. The term Western Front has also sometimes been used informally. The United S ...
. On 12 June 1945 it was converted to the 5th Guards Brigade.
Commanders
* Brig. W.A.F.L. Fox-Pitt * Lieut. Col. R. Myddleton * Brig. C.M. Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn * Brig. Norman Wilmshurst Gwatkin 1943–45Component Units
Structure upon formation in 1941: * Headquarters * 1st Battalion,Coldstream Guards
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...
- Armoured
* 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
"Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it."
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = Slow: " Scipio"
, mascot =
, equipment =
, equipment ...
- Motorized Infantry
* 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards
"Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it."
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = Slow: " Scipio"
, mascot =
, equipment =
, equipment ...
- Armoured
* 2nd Battalion, Irish Guards
("Who Shall Separate s")
, colors =
, identification_symbol_2 Saffron (pipes), identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan
, identification_symbol =
, identification_symbol_label = Tactical Recognition F ...
- Armoured
See also
*British Armoured formations of World War II
During the Second World War the British Army deployed armoured divisions and independent armoured and tank brigades.
Background
During the interwar period, the British Army examined the lessons learnt from the First World War; and a need was seen ...
* List of British brigades of the Second World War
This is a list of British Brigades in the Second World War. It is intended as a central place to access resources about formations of brigade size that served in the British Army during the Second World War.
* List of British airborne brigades o ...
References
External links
* * Armoured brigades of the British Army in World War II Military units and formations established in 1941 Guards Division (United Kingdom) Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 {{UK-mil-unit-stub