WWII
British Guards Armoured Division

July 1944
Europe

List B186

by Mark Bevis

1. Teeth Arm

2nd Armoured Battalion Grenadier Guards, 1st Armoured Battalion Coldstream Guards, 2nd Armoured Battalion Irish Guards

    Bttn HQ: 4x Sherman V, 1x Cromwell OP(artillery rear link)
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 4x Sherman
      3-4 Troops@ 2-3x Sherman, 1x Firefly

    1 Recce Squadron:

      SHQ: 2x Stuart V, 2x Daimler S/C
      3 Troops@ 1-3x Stuart VI, 3x Daimler Scout Car

    1 maintenance Troop: 4x Sherman ARV Mk.2, 3x M5 REME H/T

1st Motor Rifle Battalion Grenadier Guards (5th Guards Armoured Brigade)

    Bttn HQ: 4x M3 H/T, 3 rifle sqds
    3 Companies@
      CHQ: 2x M3A1 White S/C, 1 rifle sqd, 1 PIAT, 1x 2"
      1 Section: 2x 3" mortars, 2x Universal Carriers
      3 platoons@ 4x M3 H/T, 4(8 man) rifle sqds, 3 LMG, 1x 2", 1 PIAT
      1 platoon: 2x Loyd Carrier, 2(6 man) rifle sqds, 2 LMG
      1 platoon:
        PHQ: 2x Universal Carrier, 1 LMG 3 sections@ 3x Carrier, 3 LMG, 1 PIAT, 1x 2", 1 rifle sqd

    1 Support Company:

      CHQ: 1x Carrier, 1x Daimler Scout Car
      3 platoons@ 2x 6pdr, 2x Loyd Carriers, 2 LMG
      2 MG platoons@ 5x Universal Carrier, 4x MMG

5th Coldstream Guards, 3rd Irish Guards, 1st Welsh Guards Infantry Battalions

    Bttn HQ: 2 rifle sqds, 2x trucks, 1 radio van(artillery rear-link)
    3 Companies@
      CHQ: 2 rifle sqds, 1 lorry
      3 platoons@ 1(6 man) rifle PHQ sqd, 1x 2", 1 PIAT, 2 lorries
      3(10 man) rifle squads, 3 LMG

    1 Support Company:

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

2nd Armoured Battalion Welsh Guards Divisional Armoured Recce Regiment

    RHQ (Bttn HQ): 6x Cromwell IV, 2x Cromwell ARV
    3 Squadrons@
      SHQ: 2x Cromwell IV, 2x Cromwell VICS
      4 Troops@ 3x Cromwell IV

    1 Recce Troop:

      THQ: 2x Daimler S/C, 2x Stuart VI
      3 Troops@ 3x Stuart VI, 3x Daimler S/C

2. Brigade Support

    5th Guards Armoured Brigade HQ: 7x Sherman-HQ, 2x AEC 6x6 ACV, Air Liaison Team, 3x Sherman-OP, 3x Cromwell Dozer
      with:

      1 Defence Troop: 3x Sherman V
      1 Bridge Troop: 3x Valentine AVLB

    32nd Motorised Infantry Brigade HQ: 4 rifle sqds, 2 LMG, 2 lorries, 2 trucks, Air liaison team in radio van

      with:

      1st Independent Machine Gun Company:

        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, 4 LMG, OP Team in Carrier

3. Divisional Support

    Up to:

    153rd Field Artillery Regiment:

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

    55th Field Artillery Regiment

      3 Artillery Batteries@
        BHQ: 1 radio van, 2 trucks, 2 rifle sqds, 1 PIAT, 4 AALMG
        2 Troops@ 4x 25pdr, 4x Quad tractors, radio van, 2 AALMG, 1 PIAT, 2 OP teams

    21st Anti-Tank Regiment:

      2 Anti-Tank Companies@
        CHQ: 2x M3 halftrack
        3 Troops@ 4x M-10 Achilles, 1x M3 halftrack

      2 Anti-Tank Companies@

        CHQ: 1x M3 H/T
        3 Troops@ 4x l7pdr with M3 H/T or Crusader Towers

    94th Light AA Regiment:

      2 Batteries@
        CHQ: 1 rifle sqd, 1 truck
        3 Troops@ 6x 40mm Bofors, 6 trucks, 2 LMG

      1 Battery:

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

    14th, 615th 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

    148th 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 AFV and other PHQ.
b) Infantry squads have Hawkins 75 A/T grenades.
c) M3 Halftracks and Shermans do not have .50".
d) The Division has the 5th Guards Armoured Brigade with 3 Armoured Regiments and one Motor Rifle Battalion, and the 32nd Motorised Infantry Brigade with three battalions.
e) Divisional Artillery OPs are in Sherman V-OP or Universal Carriers or trucks.
f) Some Shermans and Fireflys in the 1st Coldstream Guards have 4.5" rocket rails on their turret sides.


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© Copyright 2004 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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