9th Armored Brigade, Royal Tank Corps WWII.
- Skala:
- 1:35
- Status:
- Påbegynt
- Påbegynt:
- April 5, 2024
9th Armored Brigade was established in August 1941 from the 4th Cavalry Brigade of the Territorial Army in the Middle East.
First Action: El Alamein; Typically operating as an independent Brigade, 9th Armored Brigade was, however, placed under command of the General Freyburg's 2nd New Zealand Infantry Division for the 2nd El Alamein Battle tasked with clearing lanes in the German minefields and destroying anti-tank positions beyond (Operation Lightfoot) to clear the way for the armored reserve to then break into the enemy's rear positions (Operation Supercharge). As planned, the tanks of the 9th Armored Brigade would make a night assault on the German AT line once the lanes in the minefields were cleared by 2nd NZI. It was not until near daybreak that the assault was able to proceed due to delays in the minefield clearing and the tanks became silhouetted by the rising sun making them easy targets for German AT fire. The attack was pressed forward despite heavy losses sufficiently weakening the German line to draw in the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions from the south creating gaps in the front there. 102 of 128 Tanks were lost in the Brigade's attack but Operation Supercharge was able to succeed in no small part due to their sacrifice.
After El Alamein, the Brigade refitted and conducted security duties in Syria until 1944 when the Brigade deployed to Italy to support the British 78th, 4th Indian, and 10th Indian Infantry Divisions.
OOB
3rd Hussars RTR, 3/42-5/43
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry RTR, 1941-5/1943, 1944-1945
Warwickshire Yeomanry, 1941-5/1943, 1944-1945
Inns of Court Regiment, (Recce) 1941-1943
14th/20th King's Hussars, 1/1945- 5/1945, Shermans and Kangaroos
7th Hussars RTR, 10/1944-1945 (DD Shermans)
4th Hussars RTR, 1/1945 (Shermans and M7 Kangaroos)