WWII
British 79th Armoured Division

Aug-Dec 1944
NW Europe

List B182-183

by Mark Bevis

1. Teeth Arm

6th, 42nd Assault Regiments, Royal Engineers (1st Assault Brigade)

    RHQ: 2 SMG squads, 4 trucks
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Churchill AVRE, 1x Churchill ARV
      3 Troops@ 6x Churchill AVRE (+ SBGs, fascines, towed Congers)

5th Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers (1st Assault Brigade, October 1944+)

    RHQ: 2 SMG squads, 4 trucks, few M29 Weasel
    4 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 1x LVT-4 Buffalo
      3 Troops@ 3x LVT-2, 5x LVT-4 Buffalo

6th Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers (1st Assault Brigade, October 1944+)

    RHQ: 2 SMG squads, 4 trucks
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Churchill AVRE, 1x Churchill ARV
      3 Troops@ 6x Churchill AVRE (+ SBGs, fascines, towed Congers)

    1 Squadron: 40x Terrapin amphibians

22nd Dragoons, 1st Lothian & Border Horse, Westminster Dragoons Armoured Regiments (30th Armoured Brigade)

    RHQ: 3x Sherman V, 2x Sherman ARV
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 1x Sherman V, 2x Sherman 1B(105mm)
      5 Troops@ 3x Sherman V Flail

11th RTR Armoured Regiment (30th Armoured Brigade, October 1944)

    RHQ: 2 SMG squads, 4 trucks, few M29 Weasel
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x LVT-2
      5 Troops@ 2x LVT-2, 5x LVT-4 Buffalo

11th RTR, 42nd RTR, 49th RTR Armoured Regs@ (1st Tank Bde, Aug-Oct 1944)

    RHQ: 3x Sheman II, 1x Grant ACV, 2x Sherman or Grant ARV
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Sherman II, 1x Grant ACV
      6 Platoons@ 3x Grant CDL searchlight tanks, 1x Sherman I

    1 Communication/Liaison Troop: 6-9x Daimler Scout Cars

Staffordshire Yeomanry divisional Armoured Regiment (October 1944+)

    RHQ: 4x Sherman V, 3x Sherman ARV, 1x Sherman IIDD
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Sherman IIDD
      4 Troops@ 4x Sherman II DD

    1 Recce/Liaison Troop: 6-12x Daimler Scout Cars

141st RAC, 1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry Flame Tank Regs (31st Tank Brigade)

    RHQ: 4x Churchill VII, 4x Churchill IV OP
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 1x Churchill VII, 2x Churchill VIIICS, 1x Churchill ARV, 1x Humber S/C
      5 Troops@ 3x Churchill VII Crocodile

    1 Communication/Liaison Troop:

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

Canadian 1st Armoured Carrier Regiment (31st Tank Brigade, October 1944+)

    RHQ: 2 SMG squads, 4 trucks
    2 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 5x Ram Kangeroo
      4 Troops@
        THQ: 3x Ram kangeroo, 3 Sections@ 3x Ram Kangeroo

49th RTR Tank Regiment (31st Tank Brigade, Dec 1944+)

    RHQ: 3x Sheman II, 1x Grant ACV, 2x Sherman ARV
    B CDL Squadron:
      SHQ: 2x Sherman II, 1x Grant ACV
      6 Platoons@ 3x Grant CDL searchlight tanks, 1x Sherman I

    A APC Squadron:

      SHQ: 5x Ram Kangeroo
      4 Troops@
        THQ: 3x Ram kangeroo, 3 Sections@ 3x Ram Kangeroo

2. Brigade Support

    1st Assault Engineer Brigade HQ: 2x Churchill IV, 4 trucks, 2 rifle sqds
      with:

      149th Assault Park Squadron:

        SHQ: 2x D8 armoured bulldozers
        4 Troops@ 3x D8 armoured bulldozers

    30th Armoured Brigade HQ: 7x Sherman V-HQ, 4x Sherman V OP, 7x Humber S/C, 2x AEC 6x6 ACV, 3x Sherman V

      1st CDL Tank Brigade HQ: 7x Sherman I-HQ/OP tanks, 7x Humber S/C, 2x AEC 6x6 ACV (up to October 1944)
      1 Defence Troop: 4x Sherman I
      1 Bridge Troop: 3x Valentine AVLB

    31st Tank Brigade HQ: 2x Churchill IV, 4 trucks, 2 SMG squads (Sept 1944+)

      with:
      1 Canadian APC Squadron:
        SHQ: 4x Ram Kangeroo (Sept 1944 only)
        4 Troops@ 16x Ram Kangeroo

3. Divisional Support

    Up to:

    1 Canadian APC Group:

      SHQ: 4x Priest Kangeroo (August 1944 only)
      3 Sections@ 16x Priest Kangeroo

    4 REME Workshop Troops@ fitters vehicles, gantry cranes
    A Wing Training Schools@ # Valentine DD, Sherman IDD, Sherman IIDD, etc in England
    109th Divisional Supply Company RASC: 22x DUKW
    4th Recovery Company, REME: recovery lorries
    269th Forward Delivery Squadron: tank transporters?
    557th Assault Training Unit: 33x Churchill AVRE, 2x Churchill ARV, 1x Churchill AVLB, 3x Churchill ARK, 5x Sherman Flail
    264th Special Delivery Squadron: ?

4. Notes

a) Radios are in all AFV.
b) The 79th Armoured Division has the following units:

    1st Assault Brigade of the 5th, 6th and 42nd Assault Engineer Regiments.
    30th Armoured Brigade of the 22nd Dragoons, 1st Lothian & Border Horse, and Westminster Dragoons Armoured Regiments with Flails, joined in October by the 11th RTR Armoured Regiment with Buffalos.
    1st Tank Brigade of the 11th RTR, 42nd RTR and 49th RTR Armoured Regiments with CDL searchlight tanks up to October 1944.
    At division there is the 141st RAC Tank Regiment with Crocodiles.
    In September 1944 the 31st Tank Brigade HQ joined the division and took control of the 141st RAC Crocodile Regiment, joined by the 1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry Crocodile Regiment and the Canadian 1st Armoured Carrier Regiment in October 1944, and the 49th RTR CDL/APC Armoured Regiment in December 1944.
    In October 1944 the Staffordshire Yeomanry Armoured Regiment joined at divisional level with Sherman DD tanks.

c) Usually squadrons are split up and individual troops assigned to other combat units. Hence all units can be used as Army support. APC Squadrons with Rams are organised to carry four infantry companies and Bttn HQ of an infantry battalion.
d) Towed Congers are gutted Universal Carriers carrying mineclearing rocket tube for clearing minefields.


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© Copyright 2004 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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