6th Armoured Division

6th Armoured Division
6th ARMOURED DIVISION

Nick Name:
The Iron Fist

Formed:
12th September 1940

Service Record:
Tunisia
Italy
Austria

Operations and Campaigns:
Tunisian Campaign
Operation Torch
Italian Campaign
Operation Diadem

Unit Structure 1939 to 1945:

Divisional Staff:

Commanding Officers:
Major General J.T. Crocker (27th September 1940)
Brigadier E.D. Fanshawe (9th January 1941)
Major General J.T. Crocker (22nd February 1941)
Major General H. Lumsden (15th October 1941)
Major General C.H. Gairdner (29th October 1941)
Major General C.F. Keightley (19th May 1942)
Major General V. Evelegh (19th December 1943)
Brigadier W.E.G. Hemming (15th February 1944)
Major General V. Evelegh (19th March 1944)
Major General G.W.R. Templer (24th July 1944)
Brigadier C.A.M.D. Scott (5th August 1944)
Brigadier F.N. Mitchell (13th August 1944)
Major General H. Murray (21st August 1944)

Brigades:

20th Armoured Brigade (16th October 1940 to 23rd April 1942)
Commander: Brigadier E.D. Fanshawe (14th April 1940)
Units:
1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (3rd September 1939 to 6th April 1943)
1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry (3rd September 1939 to 3rd April 1943)
2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry (3rd September 1939 to 20th April 1943)
2nd Battalion the Rangers (15th October 1940 to 21st March 1941)
10th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps (22nd March 1941 to 7th January 1943)

26th Armoured Brigade (9th November 1940 to 2nd May 1944)
Commanders:
Brigadier M.B. Burrows (12th October 1940)
Brigadier A.C.W. Richardson (1st December 1940)
Colonel W.P. Wyatt (9th July 1941)
Brigadier W.P. Wyatt (14th July 1941)
Brigadier C.A.L. Dunphie (25th August 1942)
Brigadier G.P.B. Roberts (13th March 1943)
Brigadier R.A. Hull (19th June 1943)
Colonel G.W.C. Draffen (29th September 1943)
Brigadier R.A. Hull (10th October 1943)
Colonel G.W.C. Draffen (18th December 1943)
Brigadier F.N. Mitchell (7th January 1944)
Units:
16th/5th Lancers (12th October 1940 to 9th January 1944)
17th/21st Lancers (12th October 1940 to 31st August 1945)
2nd Lothians and Border Horse (12th October 1940 to 17th July 1945)
4th Queen's Own Hussars (28th July to 31st August 1945)
2nd Battalion, Tower Hamlets Rifles (16th October 1940 to 14th January 1941)
10th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) (15th January 1941 to 29th May 1944)
1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (22nd July to 31st August 1945)

6th Support Group (1st November 1940 to 31st May 1942)
Commander: Brigadier T. Lyon-Smith (2nd November 1940)
Units:
12th Regiment (Honourable Artillery Company) Royal Horse Artillery (2nd November 1940 to 31st May 1942)
72nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery (2nd November 1940 to 31st May 1942)
51st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (15th January 1941 to 31st May 1942)
9th Battalion Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (3rd February 1941 to 24th April 1942)
38th Irish Infantry Brigade (9th June 1942 to 16th February 1943)
Commanders:
Brigadier M. O’Donovan (12th January 1942)
Brigadier N. Russell (1st July 1942)
Units:
2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles (13th January 1942 to 31st August 1945)
1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers (13th January 1942 to 31st August 1945)
6th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (15th January 1942 to 5th August 1944)

1st Guards Infantry Brigade (24th March 1943 to 29th May 1944)
Commanders:
Brigadier F.A.V. Copland Griffiths (14th July 1940)
Brigadier S.A. Foster (14th April 1943)
Units:
3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards (4th June 1940 to 31st August 1945)
2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards (3rd September 1939 to 3rd March 1945)
3rd Battalion Welsh Guards (1st March 1943 to 31st August 1945)

61st Infantry Brigade (29th May 1944 to 31st August 1945)
Commanders:
Lieutenant Colonel D. Darling (21st May 1944)
Brigadier A.C. Gore (25th May 1944)
Lieutenant Colonel R. Fyffe (11th January 1945)
Brigadier A.C. Gore (5th February 1945)
Units:
2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) (22nd May 1944 to 8th August 1945)
7th Battalion Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) (22nd May 1944 to 22nd July 1945)
10th Battalion Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) (30th May 1944 to 20th March 1945)
1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps (8th March 1945 to 22nd June 1945)
1st Battalion Welch Regiment (29th June 1945 to 31st August 1945)
2nd Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (19th July 1945 to 31st August 1945)
1st Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment (19th July 1945 to 31st August 1945)

24th Guards Brigade (18th May to 12th June 1943)
Commanders:
Lieutenant Colonel W.S. Stewart Brown (1st May 1943)
Brigadier A.S.P. Murray (13th May 1943)
Units:
1st Battalion Scots Guards (1st March 1940 to 31st August 1945)
1st Battalion Irish Guards (1st March 1940 to 13th March 1944)
5th Battalion Grenadier Guards (5th June 1942 to 28th March 1945)

36th Infantry Brigade (22nd January to 2nd February 1943)
Commander: Brigadier B. Howlett (17th December 1942)
Units:
5th Battalion Buffs (8th June 1940 to 31st August 1945)
6th Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment (8th June 1940 to 31st August 1945)
21st Indian Infantry Brigade (16th April to 4th May 1944)
Commander: Brigadier B.S. Mould (15th March 1943)
Units:
1/5 Mahratta Light Infantry (15th November 1942 to 31st August 1945)
3/15 Punjab Regiment (15th January 1943 to April 1945)
5th Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment (26th November 1942 to 5th June 1945)

Divisional Troops:

Royal Corps of Signals:
6th Armoured Divisional Signals Regiment (12th September 1940 to 31st August 1945)
Infantry:
"B" Heavy Support Group (19th December 1944 to 11th February 1945)
1st Heavy Support Company (Middlesex Regt) (12th February to 31st August 1945)

Royal Artillery:
12th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery (1st June 1942 to 31st August 1945)
152nd (Ayrshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (15th June 1942 to 31st August 1945)
72nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery (1st June 1942 to 31st August 1945)
51st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (1st June 1942 to 3rd November 1944)

Royal Engineers:
5th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers (19th November 1940 to 6th March 1944)
8th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers (15th December 1940 to 31st August 1945)
625th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers (7th March 1944 to 31st August 1945)
144th Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers (19th November 1940 to 31st August 1945)
6th Bridging Troop, Royal Engineers (25th December 1943 to 21st August 1945)
"B" Heavy Support Group (19th December 1944 to 11th February 1945)
1st Heavy Support Company (Middlesex Regt) (12th February to 31st August 1945)

Reconnaissance:
1st Derbyshire Yeomanry (10th November 1940 to 31st August 1945)