WWII
British 7th Armoured Division

May-June 1944
Europe

List B159

by Mark Bevis

1. Teeth Arm

1st RTR, 5th RTR, 4th County of London Yeomanry Armoured Regiments (22nd Armoured Brigade)

    RHQ (Bttn HQ): 4x Cromwell IV, 1x Cromwell OP Tank
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Cromwell IV, 2x Cromwell-CS
      4 Troops@ 1x Firefly Vc, 3x Cromwell III or IV

    1 Recce Troop:
      THQ: 2x Stuart IV or V
      3 Sections@ 3x Stuart IV or V, 3x Humber Scout Car

    1 AA Troop: 2 Sections@ 3x Crusader AA Mk.2 (4th CLY has some Centuar AA)
    1 Maintenance Troop: 3x Cromwell ARV, 3x M5 REME halftrack

1st Battalion Rifle Brigade Motor Battalion (22nd Armoured Brigade)

    Bttn HQ: 4x M3 halftrack, 3 rifle sqds
    3 Companies@
      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1x 2" mortar, 2x M3 H/T, 1 PIAT, 2x 3" mortars
      3 platoons@ 4(8 man) rifle sqds, 3 LMG, 1x 2" mortar, 4x M3 H/T , 1 PIAT
      1 platoon:
        PHQ: 1-2x Universal Carrier, 1 LMG
        3 sections@ 3x Carriers, 3 LMG, 1 rifle sqd, 1x 2", 1 PIAT

    1 Support Company:
      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
      3 platoons@ 4x 6pdr , 2 LMG, 4x Loyd Carriers or trucks
      2 MG Platoons@ 4x Vickers MMG, 5x Universal Carriers

8th Hussars Divisional Armoured Recce Regiment

    RHQ: 4x Cromwell IV, 3x Daimler S/C, 3x Cromwell ARV, 2x M5 REME H/T
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Cromwell IV, 2x Cromwell VICS, 1x M5 REME H/T
      5 Troops@ 3x Cromwell IV

    1 Recce Troop:

      THQ: 2x Stuart V
      3 Sections@ 3x Stuart V, 3x Daimler Scout Car

    1 AA Troop: 6x Crusader AA Mk.2
    1 Communication/Liaison Troop:

      THQ: 3x Humber Scout Car
      3 Sections@ 3x Humber Scout Car

Infantry Battalion (131st Queens Infantry Brigade)

    Bttn HQ: 2 rifle sqds, 4 trucks, 1(8 man) sniper squad
    4 Companies@
      CHQ: 1(13 man) rifle squad, 1 lorry
      3 platoons@ 1(6 man) rifle PHQ squad, 1 x 2" mortar, 2 lorries, 1 PIAT, 3(10 man) rifle sqds, 3 LMG

    1 Support Company:

      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
      1 platoon: 6x 6pdr, 2 LMG, 12x Loyd Carriers
      1 platoon: 3(6 man) rifle/engineer sqds, 1 lorry, 3 LMG, 1 flamethrower
      1 battery: 6x 3" mortars, 7 Carriers or 6 trucks, radio truck
      1 platoon:
        PHQ: 1x Universal Carrier, 1 LMG, 1x Daimler S/C
        4 sections@ 3x Carriers, 3 LMG, 1 rifle sqd, 1x 2" mortar , 1 PIAT

2. Brigade Support

22nd Armoured Bde HQ: 7x Cromwell-HQ, 6x Sherman V OP, 2x AEC 6x6 ACV, 7x Humber S/C, 2x Cromwell ARV, Air Liaison Team

    with:
    1 AA Section: 4x Crusader AA Mk.2;
    1 Bridge Troop: 3x Valentine AVLB
    1 Defence Troop: 3x Cromwell IV

131st Infantry Bde HQ: 4 rifle squads, 2 LMG, 2 trucks, 3 lorries, Air Liaison Team

    with:
    C Company, 1st Bttn, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers:
      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
      4 platoons@ 4x Vickers MMG, 5x Universal Carriers or light trucks
      1 platoon: 4x 4.2" mortars, 8x Loyd Carriers, OP Team in Carrier

3. Divisional Support

Up to:

    3rd Royal Horse Artillery Regiment, 146th Field Artillery Regiment@
      3 Artillery Batteries@
        BHQ: 2 rifle sqds, 2 trucks, radio van, 4 AALMG
        2 Troops@ 4x 25pdr, 4 trucks, radio truck, 2 AALMG, OP Team

    5th Royal Horse Artillery Regiment:

      3 Batteries@
        BHQ: 1 radio van, 2 trucks, 2 rifle sqds, 1 PIAT, 4 AALMG
        2 Troops@ 4x 25pdr Sexton, 1 radio van, 2 OP Teams

    15th Light AA Regiment:

      3 Batteries@
        CHQ: 1 rifle squad, 1 truck
        3 Troops@ 4x 40mmL60 Bofors, 4 trucks, 2x 40mm Bofors SP on truck

    65th Anti-Tank Regiment:

      2 Batteries@
        CHQ: 2x M3 halftrack
        2 Troops@ 4x M10 Wolverine, 1x Crusader Tower PHQ
        1 Troop: 4x M10 Achilles, 1x Crusader Tower PHQ
        2 Batteries@
          CHQ: 1 rifle squad, 1 truck or M3 halftrack
          3 Troops@ 4x 17pdr, 4x trucks or Crusader Tower or M3 H/T, 2 LMG

    4th, 621st Field Engineer Squadrons@

      SHQ: 4(11 man) rifle sqds, 1 LMG, 1 PIAT, 4 lorries, 1x Jeep
      3 Troops@ 1(17 man) PHQ squad, 4(12 man) rifle/engineer sqds, 4 LMG, 4 lorries or 6x M3 halftracks, 6x Humber Light Recce S/C

    143rd Engineer Park Company:

      CHQ: 3 rifle sqds, 4 lorries
      1 Bridge Troop: 1x 40t 80' Bailey Bridge in 15x 3-ton lorries, 51 men
      1 Stores Section: 12 assault boats, 3 bulldozers, 3 tractors, 29 men
      1 Workshop Section : 44 men, recovery lorries

4. Notes

a) Radios are in all tanks and armoured cars, and other PHQs.
b) Infantry squads may have Hawkins 75 A/T grenades.
c) The 7th Armoured Division has the 131st Queens Infantry Brigade of the 1st/5th, 1st/6th, 1st/7th Infantry Battalions ; the 22nd Armoured Brigade of the 1st RTR, 5th RTR, 4th County of London Yeomanry Armoured Regiments and the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade Motor Battalion; and at division there is the 8th Hussars Armoured Recce Regiment.
d) Two OP per Artillery Regiment are in Sherman -OP Tanks, rest are in trucks or Daimler Scout Car.
e) Shermans do not have .50" AAHMG. M3 H/T has .30" M1919A4 Browning MG.
f) Most Cromwells are Mk.IV with 75mm, small numbers are Mk.III with 6pdr.


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© Copyright 2003 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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