The 1st Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army and formed in 1937. The division was commanded by a general officer commanding (GOC), who received orders from a level above him in the chain of command, and then used the forces within the division to undertake the mission assigned. In addition to directing the tactical battle in which the division was involved, the GOC oversaw a staff and the administrative, logistical, medical, training, and discipline concerns of the division.[1] From its founding to being disbanded in 1945, the division had eight permanent GOCs.
| Mobile Division 1st Armoured Division 1st British Armoured Division | |
|---|---|
 Alan Brooke, the first commanding officer of the Mobile Division | |
| Active | 1937–1945 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Engagements | Second World War |
On 24 November 1937, after several years of debate on such a formation, the division was founded as the Mobile Division.[2][3] It was then renamed, in April 1939, as the 1st Armoured Division.[4] Following the start of the Second World War, subordinate units and formations were withdrawn from the division to reinforce others. It was eventually deployed for combat, in May 1940, when it was dispatched to France and subsequently fought in the Battle of France before being withdrawn back to the UK in June during Operation Aerial.[5] In late 1941, the division was sent to North Africa where it took part in the Western Desert campaign, notably fighting at the Battle of Gazala, and the First and the Second Battles of El Alamein.[6][7][8] During 1942, Major-General Herbert Lumsden was wounded in action twice while leading the division, and Major-General Alexander Gatehouse was wounded once.
The division then fought in the Tunisian campaign until the Axis defeat in North Africa in May 1943.[9] It was during this period that it was temporarily renamed the 1st British Armoured Division, to avoid it being confused with the American 1st Armored Division that was also fighting in the campaign. With the conclusion of fighting in Tunisia, the division remained in North Africa until 1944. In May 1944, it started to move to Italy to fight in the Italian campaign. Between late August and the end of September, the division fought in several engagements as part of the Allied assault on the German Gothic Line.[10][11] Due to a manpower crisis within the British Army, the division was chosen to be broken up to provide reinforcements for other formations to attempt to keep them at full strength. In October 1944, the division relinquished command of its final troops and ceased to be an operational formation. It was then officially disbanded on 11 January 1945.[12][13][a]
General officer commanding
| No. | Appointment date | Rank | General officer commanding | Notes | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 November 1937 | Major-General | Alan Brooke | The division was formed in the United Kingdom, as the Mobile Division. | [3] |
| 2 | 15 July 1938 | Major-General | Roger Evans | During Evans's tenure, the division mobilised for the Second World War. By the outbreak of the war, the formation had been redesignated as the 1st Armoured Division. In May 1940, the division was deployed to France and returned to the UK the following month. | [10][16] |
| 3 | 24 August 1940 | Major-General | Willoughby Norrie | [10] | |
| 4 | 5 November 1941 | Major-General | Herbert Lumsden | During Lumsden's tenure, the division was deployed to North Africa to fight in the Western Desert Campaign. Lumsden was wounded during an aerial attack, following the division's arrival in Egypt. | [10][17] |
| 5 | 3 January 1942 | Major-General | Frank Messervy | [10] | |
| 4 | 12 February 1942 | Major-General | Herbert Lumsden | Lumsden was wounded in action on 19 July 1942. | [10] |
| 5 | 19 July 1942 | Major-General | Alexander Gatehouse | When Lumsden was wounded in action, Gatehouse was made the new commander of the division. The division was based in the El Alamein line, while Gatehouse was located in Cairo on other duties. Brigadier Arthur Fisher oversaw the division until Gatehouse arrived late on 20 July, without being made the official acting commanding officer. Gatehouse was wounded in action on 22 July 1942. | [10][18] |
| Acting | 22 July 1942 | Brigadier | Arthur Fisher | [10] | |
| 4 | 15 August 1942 | Major-General | Herbert Lumsden | [10] | |
| 6 | 19 August 1942 | Major-General | Raymond Briggs | The division entered the Tunisian Campaign during March 1943. On 5 April 1943, the division was redesignated as the 1st British Armoured Division. | [10] |
| Acting | 27 April 1943 | Brigadier | Thomas Bosvile | [10] | |
| 6 | 1 May 1943 | Major-General | Raymond Briggs | [10] | |
| Acting | 15 July 1943 | Brigadier | Robert Peake | [10] | |
| 7 | 17 July 1943 | Major-General | Alexander Galloway | [10] | |
| Acting | 18 February 1944 | Brigadier | Edward Jones | [10] | |
| 7 | 29 February 1944 | Major-General | Alexander Galloway | [10] | |
| Acting | 8 March 1944 | Brigadier | Richard Goodbody | [10] | |
| Acting | 14 March 1944 | Brigadier | Edward Jones | [10] | |
| Acting | 19 March 1944 | Colonel | John MacDonnell | [10] | |
| Acting | 24 March 1944 | Brigadier | Edward Jones | [10] | |
| 7 | 27 March 1944 | Major-General | Alexander Galloway | [10] | |
| Acting | 10 April 1944 | Brigadier | Edward Jones | [10] | |
| 7 | 15 April 1944 | Major-General | Alexander Galloway | [10] | |
| Acting | 27 April 1944 | Brigadier | Edward Jones | [10] | |
| 7 | 10 May 1944 | Major-General | Alexander Galloway | On 27 May 1944, the division was transferred to Italy to take part in the Italian campaign. | [10] |
| 8 | 14 August 1944 | Major-General | Richard Hull | On 28 October 1944, the division ceased to be an operational formation. | [10] |
| Acting | 24 November 1944 | Lieutenant-Colonel | James Vogel | On 11 January 1945, the division was disbanded while based in Italy. | [10] |
Notes
Footnotes
Citations
References
- Barr, Niall (2004). Pendulum of War: The Three Battles of El Alamein. London: Jonathan Cape. ISBN 978-0-22406-195-7.
- Crow, Duncan (1971). British and Commonwealth Armoured Formations (1919–46). AFV/Weapons Series. Windsor: Profile Publications. OCLC 471709669.
- Doherty, Richard (2013). British Armoured Divisions and their Commanders, 1939-1945. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-84884-838-2.
- Ellis, Lionel F. (1954). Butler, J. R. M. (ed.). The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. OCLC 1087882503.
- French, David (2001) [2000]. Raising Churchill's Army: The British Army and the War Against Germany 1919–1945. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-199-24630-4.
- Haythornthwaite, Philip (2016). Picton's Division at Waterloo. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78159-102-4.
- Jackson, William; et al. (2004) [1988]. Victory in the Mediterranean, Part II – June to October 1944. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. VI. London: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84574-071-9.
- Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.
- Lord, Cliff; Watson, Graham (2003). The Royal Corps of Signals: Unit Histories of the Corps (1920–2001) and its Antecedents. West Midlands: Helion. ISBN 978-1-874622-07-9.
- Perry, Frederick William (1988). The Commonwealth Armies: Manpower and Organisation in Two World Wars. War, Armed Forces and Society. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-71902-595-2.
- Playfair, I. S. O.; et al. (2004) [1960]. Butler, J. R. M. (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East: British Fortunes Reach their Lowest Ebb (September 1941 to September 1942). History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. III. London: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84574-067-2.
- Playfair, I. S. O.; et al. (2004) [1966]. Butler, J. R. M. (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Destruction of Axis Forces in Africa. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. IV. London: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 978-184574-068-9.