Post by yanmacca on May 6, 2017 11:25:55 GMT
Hi everyone, I have been reading all your posts regarding the ACW and modern age naval stuff, but I am no expert on these subjects so I have kept to what I know, and I don’t know how many of you are into how units are formed, but seeing that we have a great thread regarding the US Army, I have included a British thread to hopefully run side by side with the US one.
To kick off, I have posted a list of how the British changed their armoured divisions during ww2, now this was no mean feat as they were at war at the time and trying to develop these units and train them in their new formats, must have been quite a challenge.
If you look closely you will note that the amount of infantry included in these divisions went from a couple of battalions to a whole brigade plus a motorised battalion to work exclusively with the armoured element. At one time the artillery regiments were also split and divided amongst the brigades and resemble US RCTs with armour, infantry and artillery in one brigade.
Here are the divisions below and how they changed format eight times [well nine really as they changed again in 1945 but these changes were not used during ww2).
I have note these subtle but important changes in yellow and added a table to show the equivalent force in the US Army.
British Army Military Terms -------------- US Army Military Equivalent
Armoured Regiment Tank Battalion
Armoured Squadron Tank Company
Armoured Troop [3 x Tanks] Tank Platoon [Five Tanks]
Armoured Division [May 1939 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Light Armoured Brigade [3 x Light Armoured Regiments]
Heavy Armoured Brigade [3 x Heavy Armoured Regiments]
Total of 349 Light & Heavy Tanks
Divisional Support Group [consisting of]:
2 x Motorised Infantry Battalions
Royal Horse Artillery Regiment
Light Anti-Tank & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Field Park Squadron [Royal Engineers]
Field Park Troop [Royal Engineers]
This TO&E has split its armour into two distinct brigades and almost looks like a cavalry division circa 1850, note the lack of infantry.
Armoured Division [April 1940 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
2 x Armoured Brigades [3 x Armoured Regiments]
Total Tanks in Division: 340
Divisional Support Group [consisting of]:
2 x Motorised Infantry Battalions
Royal Horse Artillery Regiment
Light Anti-Tank & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Royal Engineer Group
Field Park Squadron
Field Park Troop
Now we see that both armoured brigades are equipped the same, but still a lack of infantry
Armoured Division [October 1940 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Car Regiment
2 x Armoured Brigades [3 x Armoured Regiments + 1 x Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 340
Divisional Support Group [consisting of]:
Motorised Infantry Battalion
Royal Horse Artillery Regiment
Anti-Tank Regiment
Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Royal Engineers
Field Park Squadron
Field Park Troop
Now we see that that each armoured brigade has their own infantry component and the addition armoured car regiment at division level
Armoured Division [February 1942 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Car Regiment
Armoured Brigade Group [3 x Armoured Regiments + 1 x Motorised Infantry Battalion + RHA Regiment including Anti-Tank Battery + Light Anti-Aircraft Battery + Royal Engineers Field Squadron]
Motorised Infantry Brigade Group [3 x Motorised Infantry Battalions + RHA Regiment including Anti-Tank Battery Royal Engineers Field Squadron]
The changes made here are that one of the armoured brigades has been omitted and replaced by an infantry brigade, these brigades were now called groups, plus each brigade has its own artillery component and engineer units
Armoured Division [May 1942 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Brigade [3 x Armoured Regiments + 1 x Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 227
Motorised Infantry Brigade [3 x Motorised Infantry Battalions]
Artillery Brigade [Royal Horse Artillery Regiment, Anti-Tank Regiment & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]
Engineer Group [2 x Royal Engineer Field Squadrons & Royal Engineer Field Park Squadron]
The brigades had lost the term groups and also had their artillery and engineers returned back to their normal regimental positions
Armoured Division [August 1942 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Car Regiment
Armoured Brigade [3 x Armoured Regiments + 1 x Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 186
Motorised Infantry Brigade [3 x Motorised Infantry Battalions]
Artillery Brigade [Royal Horse Artillery Regiment, Anti-Tank Regiment & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]
Engineer Group [2 x Royal Engineer Field Squadrons & Royal Engineer Field Park Squadron]
This is similar to the May TO&E, but for a three regimental artillery brigade with three regiments [Field, AT & AA], plus the tank strength in the division has dropped to under 200
Armoured Division [April 1943 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment
Armoured Brigade [3 x Armoured Regiments & Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 278
Infantry Brigade [3 x Infantry Battalions & Infantry Support Group]
Artillery Brigade [Royal Horse Artillery Regiment (Towed) Royal Artillery Field Regiment (Self-Propelled), Anti-Tank Regiment & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]
Engineer Group [2 x Royal Engineer Field Squadrons & Royal Engineer Field Park Squadron]
The tank strength has been increased and the infantry brigade has its own support group
Armoured Division [March 1944 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment
Armoured Brigade [3 x Armoured Regiments & Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 343
Infantry Brigade [3 x Infantry Battalions & Infantry Support Group]
Artillery Brigade [Royal Horse Artillery Regiment (Towed) Royal Artillery Field Regiment (Self-Propelled), Anti-Tank Regiment & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]
Engineer Group [2 x Royal Engineer Field Squadrons, Royal Engineer Bridging Troop & Royal Engineer Field Park Squadron]
This is the final configuration which the British used right through France and Italy up to the wars end in 1945
To kick off, I have posted a list of how the British changed their armoured divisions during ww2, now this was no mean feat as they were at war at the time and trying to develop these units and train them in their new formats, must have been quite a challenge.
If you look closely you will note that the amount of infantry included in these divisions went from a couple of battalions to a whole brigade plus a motorised battalion to work exclusively with the armoured element. At one time the artillery regiments were also split and divided amongst the brigades and resemble US RCTs with armour, infantry and artillery in one brigade.
Here are the divisions below and how they changed format eight times [well nine really as they changed again in 1945 but these changes were not used during ww2).
I have note these subtle but important changes in yellow and added a table to show the equivalent force in the US Army.
British Army Military Terms -------------- US Army Military Equivalent
Armoured Regiment Tank Battalion
Armoured Squadron Tank Company
Armoured Troop [3 x Tanks] Tank Platoon [Five Tanks]
Armoured Division [May 1939 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Light Armoured Brigade [3 x Light Armoured Regiments]
Heavy Armoured Brigade [3 x Heavy Armoured Regiments]
Total of 349 Light & Heavy Tanks
Divisional Support Group [consisting of]:
2 x Motorised Infantry Battalions
Royal Horse Artillery Regiment
Light Anti-Tank & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Field Park Squadron [Royal Engineers]
Field Park Troop [Royal Engineers]
This TO&E has split its armour into two distinct brigades and almost looks like a cavalry division circa 1850, note the lack of infantry.
Armoured Division [April 1940 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
2 x Armoured Brigades [3 x Armoured Regiments]
Total Tanks in Division: 340
Divisional Support Group [consisting of]:
2 x Motorised Infantry Battalions
Royal Horse Artillery Regiment
Light Anti-Tank & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Royal Engineer Group
Field Park Squadron
Field Park Troop
Now we see that both armoured brigades are equipped the same, but still a lack of infantry
Armoured Division [October 1940 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Car Regiment
2 x Armoured Brigades [3 x Armoured Regiments + 1 x Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 340
Divisional Support Group [consisting of]:
Motorised Infantry Battalion
Royal Horse Artillery Regiment
Anti-Tank Regiment
Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Royal Engineers
Field Park Squadron
Field Park Troop
Now we see that that each armoured brigade has their own infantry component and the addition armoured car regiment at division level
Armoured Division [February 1942 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Car Regiment
Armoured Brigade Group [3 x Armoured Regiments + 1 x Motorised Infantry Battalion + RHA Regiment including Anti-Tank Battery + Light Anti-Aircraft Battery + Royal Engineers Field Squadron]
Motorised Infantry Brigade Group [3 x Motorised Infantry Battalions + RHA Regiment including Anti-Tank Battery Royal Engineers Field Squadron]
The changes made here are that one of the armoured brigades has been omitted and replaced by an infantry brigade, these brigades were now called groups, plus each brigade has its own artillery component and engineer units
Armoured Division [May 1942 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Brigade [3 x Armoured Regiments + 1 x Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 227
Motorised Infantry Brigade [3 x Motorised Infantry Battalions]
Artillery Brigade [Royal Horse Artillery Regiment, Anti-Tank Regiment & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]
Engineer Group [2 x Royal Engineer Field Squadrons & Royal Engineer Field Park Squadron]
The brigades had lost the term groups and also had their artillery and engineers returned back to their normal regimental positions
Armoured Division [August 1942 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Car Regiment
Armoured Brigade [3 x Armoured Regiments + 1 x Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 186
Motorised Infantry Brigade [3 x Motorised Infantry Battalions]
Artillery Brigade [Royal Horse Artillery Regiment, Anti-Tank Regiment & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]
Engineer Group [2 x Royal Engineer Field Squadrons & Royal Engineer Field Park Squadron]
This is similar to the May TO&E, but for a three regimental artillery brigade with three regiments [Field, AT & AA], plus the tank strength in the division has dropped to under 200
Armoured Division [April 1943 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment
Armoured Brigade [3 x Armoured Regiments & Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 278
Infantry Brigade [3 x Infantry Battalions & Infantry Support Group]
Artillery Brigade [Royal Horse Artillery Regiment (Towed) Royal Artillery Field Regiment (Self-Propelled), Anti-Tank Regiment & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]
Engineer Group [2 x Royal Engineer Field Squadrons & Royal Engineer Field Park Squadron]
The tank strength has been increased and the infantry brigade has its own support group
Armoured Division [March 1944 Establishment]
Division Headquarters
Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment
Armoured Brigade [3 x Armoured Regiments & Motorised Infantry Battalion]
Total Tanks in Division: 343
Infantry Brigade [3 x Infantry Battalions & Infantry Support Group]
Artillery Brigade [Royal Horse Artillery Regiment (Towed) Royal Artillery Field Regiment (Self-Propelled), Anti-Tank Regiment & Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment]
Engineer Group [2 x Royal Engineer Field Squadrons, Royal Engineer Bridging Troop & Royal Engineer Field Park Squadron]
This is the final configuration which the British used right through France and Italy up to the wars end in 1945