WWII
British 7th Armoured Division

Sept-Nov 1944
France

List B164-165

by Mark Bevis

1. Teeth Arm

5th Dragoon Guards Iniskillings, 1st RTR, 5th RTR Armoured Regiments

    RHQ: 3x Cromwell IV, 2x Cromwell-OP tanks
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Cromwell IV, 1x Cromwell VICS
      3 Troops@ 2x Cromwell IV, 1-2x Firefly Vc

    1 Recce Troop:
      THQ: 1x Stuart Recce, 1x Universal Carrier
      3 Sections@ 1x Stuart V or Stuart Recce, 1x Daimler Scout Car, 1x Universal Carrier+ 3 LMG

    1 Maintenance Troop: 2x Cromwell ARV, 3x M5 REME halftrack

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

    Bttn HQ: 3x M3 halftrack, 2 rifle squads
    3 Companies@
      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1x 2" mortar, 2x M3 H/T, 1 PIAT,
      1 section: 2x 3" mortars, 2x Universal Carriers, no crews
      2-3 platoons@ 3(6 man) rifle sqds, 3 LMG, 1x 2" mortar, 4x M3 H/T , 1 PIAT
      1 platoon:
        PHQ: 1x Universal Carrier, 1 LMG
        2 sections@ 3x Carriers, 3 LMG, 1 rifle sqd, 1x 2" mortar, 1 PIAT

    1 Support Company:
      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck (crews used as infantry replacements)
      2 platoons@ 4x 6pdr, 2 LMG, 4x Loyd Carriers or trucks no crews
      2 MG Platoons@ 4x Vickers MMG, 5x Universal Carriers no crews

8th Hussars Divisional Armoured Recce Regiment

    RHQ: 3x Cromwell IV, 1x Daimler S/C, 2x Cromwell ARV
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 1x Cromwell IV, 2x Cromwell VICS, 1x Challenger
      3 Troops@ 3x Cromwell IV, 1x Challenger

    1 Recce Troop:
      THQ: 2x Daimler Scout Car
      2-3 Sections@ 3x Daimler S/C &/or Universal Carrier

    1 AA Troop: 5x Crusader AA Mk.2
    1 Communication/Liaison Troop:
      THQ: 1x Daimler Scout Car
      3 Sections@ 3x Daimler Scout Cars

11th Hussars Corps Armoured Car Regiment (attached)

    RHQ: 4x Humber Scout Cars, 3 staff cars, 2 Jeeps
    4 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Humber S/C, 2x Staghound I, 1 Jeep
      4 Troops@ 2x Daimler II armoured car, 1x Daimler Scout Car, 1x M3A1 White S/C, 1(6 man) rifle sqd, 1 LMG, 1 PIAT
      1 Troop: 3x AEC Mk.III armoured cars, 1x Humber S/C
      1 patrol section: 2x Daimler Scout Car /twin Vickers K MMG

    1 AA Troop: 5x Staghound AA
    1 Communication/Liaison Troop:
      THQ: 3x Staghound I
      4 Sections@ 2x Staghound I, 3x Daimler S/C

Infantry Battalion (131st Queens Infantry Brigade Sep-Oct 1944)

    Bttn HQ: 2 rifle sqds, 2 lorries
    2 Companies@
      CHQ: 1(6 man) rifle squad, 1 truck
      2-3 platoons@ 3 (6 man) rifle sqds, 3 LMG , 1x 2" mortar, 1 PIAT, 2 lorries

    1 Reserve Company:
      CHQ: (6 man) rifle squad, 1 truck
      2 platoons@ 3 (10 man) rifle sqds, 3 LMG, 1x 2" mortar, 1 PIAT, 2 lorries

    1 Support Company:
      CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
      1 platoon: 4-6x 6pdr, 2 LMG, 12x Loyd Carriers
      1 platoon: 2(5 man) rifle/engineer sqds, 1 lorry, 3 LMG
      1 battery: 4-6x 3" mortars, 7 Carriers or 6 trucks, radio truck, no crews
      1 platoon:
        PHQ: 1x Universal Carrier, 1 LMG, 1x Daimler S/C
        2-3 sections@ 3x Carriers, 3 LMG, 1 rifle sqd, 1x 2" mortar , 1 PIAT

Infantry Battalion (131st Infantry Brigade, November 1944+)

    Bttn HQ: 2 rifle sqds, 2 lorries, 1(8 man) rifle sniper squad
    4 Companies@
      CHQ: 1(13 man) rifle squad, 1 truck
      3 platoons@
        1(6 man) rifle PHQ squad , 1x 2" mortar, 1 PIAT, 2 lorries
        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 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: 5x Cromwell-HQ, 6x Sherman V OP, 2x AEC 6x6 ACV, 5x Humber S/C, 4x Cromwell ARV, Air Liaison Team

    with:
    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

List B165

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:

      1 Battery:
        CHQ: 1 rifle squad, 1 truck
        3 Troops@ 6x 40mm Bofors on Morris trucks

      2 Batteries@
        CHQ: 1 rifle squad, 1 truck (static, left on Somme)
        3 Troops@ 6x 40mmL60 Bofors, 4 trucks, 2 LMG

    65th Anti-Tank Regiment:

      2 Batteries@
        CHQ: 2x M3 halftrack
        2 Troops@ 4x M10 Wolverine, 1x Crusader Tower PHQ
        1 Troop: 3-4x 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(12 man) PHQ squad, 3(10 man) rifle/engineer sqds, 4 LMG, 4 lorries or 6x M3 halftracks, 2-6x 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, 1 bulldozer, 3 tractors, 29 men
      1 Workshop Section : 44 men, recovery lorries

    1 Provost (MP) Company: 100 men, Jeeps, motorcycles

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, 5th Dragoon Guards Armoured Regiments and the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade Motor Battalion; and at division there is the 8th Hussars Armoured Recce Regiment and 11th Hussars Armoured Car 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) Daimler II armoured cars can have Littlejohn squeezebore adaptor for firing APCNR.
g) By this time infantry losses were so severe that crews from anti-tank guns, MMG teams and mortars had been drafted in as infantry replacements.
h) By November some tank troops have two Fireflys, and the Queens Brigade had all three battalions merged into the 1st/5th Battalion, the brigade being filled out to full strength by the 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment, with all three battalions at full strength. The brigade became the 131st Brigade.


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© Copyright 2003 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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