British 11th Armoured Division
Encyclopedia
The 11th Armoured Division, known as The Black Bull, was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

 division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...

 formed in 1941 during the Second World War. The Division was formed in response to the unanticipated success of German panzer division
Panzer Division
A panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force branches of the Wehrmacht as well as the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II....

s. It was responsible for several major victories in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

 after D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...

, and it participated in the rapid advance across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands and the Rhine crossing. The Division was disbanded in January 1946 and reformed towards the end of 1950. In 1956, it was converted into the 4th Infantry Division
British 4th Infantry Division
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...

.

History

In Poland and western Europe in 1939 and 1940, the German armoured formations demonstrated what some observers felt were dramatically improved new tactics, leaving the Allied forces with a perceived need to address these developments. The continued evolution of the Royal Armoured Corps
Royal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...

 was the British answer.

The Division was organized in March 1941, in Yorkshire under Major General Percy Hobart
Percy Hobart
Major-General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart KBE CB DSO MC , also known as "Hobo", was a British military engineer, noted for his command of the 79th Armoured Division during World War II...

. A veteran of the Royal Tank Corps, he had already strongly influenced the shape of the 7th Armoured Division, but his original and innovative ideas had led to his retirement from the army. Reinstated after the disasters of 1940, he further realised his vision with the 11th Armoured. Under his leadership the Division adopted the “Charging Bull” as its emblem. From 1942 to 1944 it conducted intensive training while gradually receiving new, more modern equipment.

In July 1944, after the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...

 invasion of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

, the British 11th Armoured Division participated in Operations Epsom
Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom, also known as the First Battle of the Odon, was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 26 and 30 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy...

 and Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...

. It also participated in the drive to Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...

, the fastest and deepest penetration into enemy territory ever made at that time. On 4 September, the Division captured the city of Antwerp.

Soon thereafter, the Division pushed forward into the German-occupied Netherlands. In March 1945, it crossed the river Rhine and captured the German city of Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...

 on 2 May 1945. It occupied the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen was a Nazi concentration camp in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle...

 on 15 April 1945. When the Division entered the camp, more than 60,000 emaciated prisoners were found in desperate need of medical attention. More than 13,000 corpses in various stages of decomposition lay scattered around the area. Units of the Division and its higher formations were detached to oversee the cleanup of the camp. From the end of the war in Europe (8 May 1945), the Division controlled the province of Schleswig Holstein until it was disbanded in January 1946.

The 11th Armoured Division was reformed in the autumn of 1950, but was converted into the 4th Infantry Division
British 4th Infantry Division
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...

 in 1956.

Normandy

The Division landed on Juno Beach
Juno Beach
Juno or Juno Beach was one of five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. The sector spanned from Saint-Aubin, a village just east of the British Gold sector, to Courseulles, just west of the British Sword sector...

 on 13 June 1944 (D+7). It was deployed in all major operations of the British Second Army
British Second Army
The British Second Army was active during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front and in Italy...

, including Operations Epsom, Goodwood, and Bluecoat, and the battles around the Falaise Gap.

Operation Epsom

The 11th Armoured Division, as part of the British VIII Corps, was committed to action on 26 June as part of Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom, also known as the First Battle of the Odon, was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 26 and 30 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy...

. It entered the Scottish 'corridor', opened beforehand by the 15th (Scottish) Division. Despite mistakes in navigation, which slowed down the 159th Infantry Brigade
159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
.The 159th Infantry Brigade was a motorised infantry brigade of the British Army during World War II.- History :The creation of the 11th Armoured Division was part of the British answer to the success of German panzer divisions in the previous years...

 in Mouen, the 11th managed to seize the bridges at Grainville
Grainville
Grainville is a commune in the Eure department in northern France.-Population:...

 and Colleville. It then progressed southward to Hill 112
Hill 112
Operation Jupiter was an attack launched by the British Second Army's VIII Corps on 10 July 1944. The objective of the attack was to capture the villages of Baron-sur-Odon, Fontaine-Étoupefour, Chateau de Fontaine and recapture Hill 112. Following the capture of these objectives the Corps would...

 (a dominant feature in the Normandy battlefield near the village of Baron) and succeeded in capturing and holding this high ground against increasingly intense German counter-attacks. However, a renewed attack by fresh SS-Panzerdivisions transformed what was intended as a breakthrough into a battle for position. On 30 June, General Miles Dempsey
Miles Dempsey
General Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey, GBE, KCB, DSO, MC was commander of the British Second Army during the D-Day landings in the Second World War...

, commanding the Second Army, fearing a general counter-offensive, ordered the 11th Armoured to withdraw from Hill 112. Operation Epsom was considered a failure, but it did force the German army to abandon its offensive plans.

Operation Goodwood

The 11th Armoured was then moved to the east of Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....

 to spearhead Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...

. Planning and execution errors, coupled with strong German defences, led to a tactical British defeat. Operation Goodwood was cancelled on 20 July, with the 11th Armoured being withdrawn from the front line to rest and refit. In only two days of fighting, it had lost 200 tanks, representing more than half of its complement. The subsequent reorganization saw the 23rd Hussars
23rd Hussars
The 23rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1940 to 1946. It had no lineal connection with the earlier 23rd Regiment of Dragoons .-History:...

 absorb the remainder of the 24th Lancers
24th Lancers
The 24th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1940 to 1944.- Origins :The regiment was raised in December 1940 from a cadre of personnel taken from the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and the 17th/21st Lancers, and was assigned to 29th Armoured Brigade of 11th Armoured Division...

 (the 8th Armoured Brigade).

Operation Bluecoat

The 11th Armoured was directed again to the west, to take part in Operation Bluecoat
Operation Bluecoat
Operation Bluecoat was an attack by the British Second Army at the Battle of Normandy during the Second World War, from 30 July – 7 August 1944. The geographical objectives of the attack were to secure the key road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pinçon...

. Beginning on 30 July, it seized Martin-Saint-des-Besaces. The Division spotted an intact bridge on the Souleuvre river, which enabled it to drive the Germans back. In what became the famous “Charge of the Bull,” the division liberated Le Bény-Bocage
Le Bény-Bocage
Le Bény-Bocage is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-References:*...

 on 1 August and quickly progressed southward. Although severely weakened at that time, the German army remained ever-present and dangerous. From 5 August, The 11th Armoured worked with the Guards Armoured Division and 15th (Scottish) Division to push back a counter-attack of the 9th SS Panzer Division. On 7 August, near Chênedollé
Chênedollé
Chênedollé is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-References:*...

, one single Tiger managed to destroy 14 tanks of the 23rd Hussars
23rd Hussars
The 23rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1940 to 1946. It had no lineal connection with the earlier 23rd Regiment of Dragoons .-History:...

.

After being replaced by the 3rd Infantry Division, the 11th Armoured was attached to XXX Corps. It progressed eastward hard on the heels of the Germans, who were retreating after the failure of the Mortain
Mortain
Mortain is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Geography:Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the Cance, a tributary of the Sélune.-Administration:Mortain is the seat of a canton...

 counteroffensive. The 11th Armoured seized Flers
Flers, Orne
Flers is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.The inhabitants are called Flériens.-Geography:Flers is bordered to the north by the communes of Saint-Georges-des-Groseillers and Aubusson, to the north-east by Ronfeugerai, to the west by La Lande-Patry and Saint-Paul, to the...

 on 17 August, then moved toward Putanges. From 19 August, it pushed the Germans back north of Argentan
Argentan
Argentan is a commune, and the seat of two cantons and of an arrondissement in the Orne department in north-western France.Argentan is located NE of Rennes, ENE of the Mont Saint-Michel, SE of Cherbourg, SSE of Caen, SW of Rouen and N of Le Mans....

 and captured the commander of the German 276th Infantry Division and more than 900 other prisoners.

Once the fight for the Falaise gap was over, the 11th Armoured liberated L'Aigle
L'Aigle
L'Aigle is a commune in the Orne department in Basse-Normandie in north-western France.This commune used to be known as Laigle. According to Orderic Vitalis, the nest of an eagle was discovered during the construction of the castle....

 on 23 August and crossed the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...

 on 28 August.

Belgium and The Netherlands

After a night move, and an unprecedented advance of 60 miles in one day, the Division liberated Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...

 on 1 September. The same day, it captured General Eberbach, commander of the 7th Army (Germany). Advancing to Lens
Lens, Belgium
Lens is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. In 2007 its population was 4042. The total area is 49.42 km² which gives a population density of 80 inhabitants per km²....

, then Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....

, the Division was then committed to the fight for Antwerp, which it liberated on 4 September. Two days later, it tried to establish a bridgehead over the Albert Canal
Albert Canal
The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, named after King Albert I of Belgium. It connects the major cities Antwerp and Liège and the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a depth of , a free height of and a total length of...

, but the attempt failed due to intense enemy fire. After this failure, 11th Armoured had to cross much further to the east, at Beringen. It advanced then to Helchteren, Peer
Peer, Belgium
Peer is a municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium. On January 1, 2006 Peer had a total population of 15,810. The total area is 86.95 km² which gives a population density of 182 inhabitants per km²....

, Bree
Bree, Belgium
Bree is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006 Bree had a total population of 14,503. The total area is 64.96 km² which gives it a population density of 223 inhabitants per square km...

, and cleared the area between the Albert Canal and the Maas up to 12 September. The Division was then rested for a week.

Market Garden

11th Armoured was not directly committed to Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....

. Instead, it was tasked with securing the right flank of the operation. Attached to XIII Corps
XIII Corps (United Kingdom)
XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day on...

, it began moving on 18 September. Advancing in two columns, it managed to reach the US 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...

 at Nuenen
Nuenen
Nuenen is a town in the municipality of Nuenen, Gerwen en Nederwetten, in the Netherlands.Vincent Van Gogh resided in Nuenen from 1883-1885. During that time he painted many character studies of peasants and weavers that culminated in The Potato Eaters...

, while on the 22nd its engineers established a bridge over the Willemsvaart canal. The Division could then make an encircling move around Helmond
Helmond
Helmond is a municipality and a city in the province of North Brabant in the southern Netherlands.- Quarters and Neighbourhoods :*Quarter 11 Inner City**Neighbourhood 0 Centrum**Neighbourhood 2 Leonardus**Neighbourhood 3 Heipoort...

, forcing the Germans to withdraw on 25 September.

At the beginning of October, the Division was employed in clearing pockets of German resistance remaining west of the Maas. The operation developed promisingly with 159th Brigade, battling its way across the Deurne canal. Unfortunately, the attack was quickly stopped by obstinate German resistance. Further delay was imposed by the growing supply shortage and the launching of an enemy counter-attack in the south. There was also a skillful German defence which postponed clearing of the Maas for several weeks. During this period the Division came into contact with troops from the United States and the divisional sign was referred to as "the Swell Bison"!

Preparations for a new crossing attempt were delayed until the second half of November. On the 22nd, 159th Brigade managed to cross and to seize the village of America. It progressed to Horst, before being relieved by units of the 15th (Scottish) Division. On 30 November, it attacked the fortress of Broekhuizen, which was defended by German parachutists. The enemy inflicted heavy losses, before capitulating on 5 December. The western bank of the Maas was also cleared.

From The Ardennes to the Rhine

At the beginning of December, units of the 11th Armoured Division were placed in reserve around Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...

. The infantry was to benefit from a longer rest, while tank crews would receive new Comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...

 tanks, a vehicle armed with a powerful 77 mm gun which was capable of engaging German panzers at longer range.

The start of the Ardennes offensive, (the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...

) modified British ambitions. Being one of few formations in reserve, the 11th Armoured was urgently recalled to active service with its old tanks and directed to hold a defensive line along the Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...

, between Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....

 and Givet
Givet
Givet is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France very close to the Belgian border. It lies on the river Meuse where Emperor Charles V built the fortress of Charlemont....

. On 24 December, its advanced positions spotted and destroyed several tanks of the 2nd Panzer Division, east of Dinant
Dinant
Dinant is a Walloon city and municipality located on the River Meuse in the Belgian province of Namur, Belgium. The Dinant municipality includes the old communes of Anseremme, Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Dréhance, Falmagne, Falmignoul, Foy-Notre-Dame, Furfooz, Lisogne, Sorinnes, and Thynes.-Origins to...

. From 26 December onwards, the Germans started to withdraw and 11th Armoured was replaced by the 6th Airborne Division, after having pushed the enemy back beyond Celles
Celles, Hainaut
Celles is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Hainaut. It consists of the former municipalities of Celles, Escanaffles, Molenbaix, Popuelles, Pottes, and Velaines....

. Only 29th Brigade was retained in support of the Airborne units. It forced the Germans back to La Bure and Wavreille between 3 January and 7 January. From the 9th on, it reached Grupont, before being finally directed the following day to Ypres for rest, refit and training activities.

The Rhineland

On 17 February 1945 the 159th brigade was recalled to the front, to add its weight to the Allied forces committed in the Rhineland. The infantry of the 11th Armoured received orders to seize Gochfortzberg, south of Üdem, then to break the Schlieffen line and capture Sonsbeck
Sonsbeck
Sonsbeck is a municipality in the district of Wesel, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km west of Wesel, and 25 km south-east of Cleves as well as 8 km from the historic city of Xanten....

, in order to support the II Canadian Corps
II Canadian Corps
II Canadian Corps was a corps-level formation that, along with I Corps and I Canadian Corps , comprised the First Canadian Army in Northwest Europe during World War II.Authorization for the formation of the Corps headquarters became effective in England on...

 which progressed towards Hochwald
Waldbröl
Waldbröl is a town is in the southern part of the Oberbergischer Kreis , in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geographical location:The city lies on the slopes of the Nutscheid and is part of the Naturpark Bergisches Land...

 from the north. The brigade attack started on 26 February. Under challenging conditions, Gochfortzberg was seized on 28 February, Sonsbeck on 3 March.

Germany

The 11th Armoured was held in reserve until 28 March, when it crossed the Rhine at Wesel
Wesel
Wesel is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.-Division of the town:Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighoven, Ginderich, Feldmark,Fusternberg, Büderich, Flüren and Blumenkamp.-History:...

, heading for the river Weser. Despite sporadic pockets of resistance, it reached Gescher
Gescher
Gescher is a municipality in the district of Borken, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located near the border with the Netherlands.It is most often known for its bell work, and it includes a Museum of Bells. It also has bus services to...

 on the evening of 30 March. 3rd RTR arrived at the river Ems in Emsdetten
Emsdetten
Emsdetten is a town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Geography :Emsdetten is situated on the river Ems, approx...

; they then reached the Dortmund-Ems canal
Dortmund-Ems Canal
The Dortmund–Ems Canal is a 269 km long canal in Germany between the inland port of the city of Dortmund and the sea port of Emden. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after 215 km at the lock of Herbrum near Meppen. From there, the route goes over a length of 45 km over...

 the following day.

After crossing the canal on 1 April, the 11th Armoured approached Ibbenburen
Ibbenbüren
Ibbenbüren or Ibbenbueren is a medium-sized town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is on position 185 of the largest cities in Germany and the largest city in Tecklenburger Land.-Geography:...

 and was heavily engaged on the Teutoburger Wald heights. The villages of Brochterbeck & Tecklenberg were captured, albeit at a high price. Further east, the wooded hills were defended by companies of NCOs, who savagely counter-attacked the 3rd Monmouthshires. Later, the intervention of the 131st Infantry Brigade (7th Armoured Division) made it possible to overcome their opposition, but 3rd Monmouthshire, already weakened during previous campaigns, had to be replaced by 1st Cheshires.

Divisional units continued toward the Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...

 canal. After crossing via a captured bridge, it moved towards the Weser, reached by leading elements near Stolzenau
Stolzenau
Stolzenau is a municipality in the district of Nienburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the left bank of the Weser, approx. 20 km southwest of Nienburg, and 25 km northeast of Minden.-External links:* * by Norman Streat* *...

 on 5 April. A week later, the 11th Armoured liberated the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
Bergen-Belsen was a Nazi concentration camp in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle...

. A local agreement with German commanders made it possible to declare the neighbourhood of the camp an open area, and the fighting moved northeast. The Division reached the river Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...

 near Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...

 on 18 April.

Last Attack

On 30 April, the 11th Armoured Division launched their last attack. It crossed the Elbe at Artlenburg
Artlenburg
Artlenburg is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Artlenburg has an area of 11.85 km² and a population of 1,619 ....

, then against little opposition, occupied Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...

 on 2 May and Neustadt
Neustadt in Holstein
Neustadt in Holstein is a town in the district of Ostholstein, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated on the Bay of Lübeck , approx...

 on 3 May (Cap Arcona). It finished the war by patrolling the surrounding countryside, collecting 80,000 prisoners which included 27 Generals.

After the German surrender, the Division was used as an occupation force in the Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...

 area. On 23 May, units of the division were employed in the capture of members of the Dönitz
Dönitz
Dönitz is a village and a former municipality in the district Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Klötze....

 government in Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...

.

The 11th Armoured Division was disbanded at the end of January 1946. During the campaign in northwestern Europe, it lost 1,820 killed and more than 8,000 wounded. Its rotation in tanks was 300%.

General Officer Commanding

Commanders included:
Appointed General Officer Commanding
9 March 1941 Major-General Percy Hobart
Percy Hobart
Major-General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart KBE CB DSO MC , also known as "Hobo", was a British military engineer, noted for his command of the 79th Armoured Division during World War II...

22 February 1942 Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....

 C.H.M. Peto (acting)
21 April 1942 Major-General Charles Keightley
Charles Keightley
General Sir Charles Frederic Keightley, GCB, GBE, DSO was a senior officer in the British Army during and following World War II.-Military career:...

17 May 1942 Major-General Percy Hobart
15 October 1942 Major-General Brocas Burrows
Brocas Burrows
Lieutenant General Brocas Burrows CB DSO MC was Commander-in-Chief of West Africa Command of the British Army from 1945 to 1946.-Military career:...

6 December 1943 Major-General George Roberts
George Philip Bradley Roberts
Major-General George Philip Bradley Roberts CB, DSO, MC, , better known as "Pip", was a British commander of an armoured division during the Second World War.-Military career:...

1950 Major-General Henry Foote
Henry Robert Bowreman Foote
Major General Henry Robert Bowreman Foote VC CB DSO was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Life and career:Foote was born in Ishapore, India the son of...

1953 Major-General Harold Pyman
Harold Pyman
General Sir Harold English Pyman GBE KCB DSO was a British Army General who achieved high office in the 1960s. He was the eldest son of Harold English Pyman and Christian Jane Scott, and the great-grandson of George Pyman....

1955 Major-General John Anderson
John Anderson (British Army officer)
General Sir John D'Arcy Anderson GBE KCB DSO was a British Army General who reached high office in the 1960s.-Military career:Anderson was commissioned into the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in 1929...

March 1956 Major-General Reginald Hewetson
Reginald Hewetson
General Sir Reginald Hackett Hewetson GCB CBE DSO is a fomer Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:...


Component Units

(On 6 June 1944)

British 29th Armoured Brigade
British 29th Armoured Brigade
- History :Created in 1940 it served mainly with the 11th Armoured Division, notably in the Battle of Normandy and the campaign in Western Europe.- Component Units :*22nd Dragoons - Until Jan '41...

  • 3rd Royal Tank Regiment
    3rd Royal Tank Regiment
    The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment was an armoured regiment of the British Army until 1992. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It originally saw action as C Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917....

  • 23rd Hussars
    23rd Hussars
    The 23rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1940 to 1946. It had no lineal connection with the earlier 23rd Regiment of Dragoons .-History:...

  • 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry
    Fife and Forfar Yeomanry
    The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry was an Armoured Yeomanry Regiment of the British Territorial Army from 1793 to 1956 when it was amalgimated with the Scottish Horse....

  • 8th battalion The Rifle Brigade


British 159th Infantry Brigade
  • 4th battalion The King's Shropshire Light Infantry
    The King's Shropshire Light Infantry
    The King's Shropshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army, formed in 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. The KSLI was amalgamated with three other county light infantry regiments in 1968 to became part of The Light Infantry...

  • 1st battalion The Herefordshire Regiment
  • 3rd battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment


Divisional troops
  • 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry
    Northamptonshire Yeomanry
    The Northamptonshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army formed in 1794 as volunteer cavalry, it later served in an armoured role before being reduced to squadron level in 1956...

  • 13th (Honourable Artillery Company
    Honourable Artillery Company
    The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...

    ) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
    Royal Horse Artillery
    The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...

  • 151st (Ayrshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
    Royal Artillery
    The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...

  • 75th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery
  • 58th (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
    Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
    The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....

    ) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
  • 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
    15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
    The 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was created as part of the reduction in the cavalry in the aftermath of World War I. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 15th The King's Hussars and the 19th Royal Hussars on 11 April 1922, becoming the...


See also

  • British Armoured formations of the Second World War
    British Armoured formations of the Second World War
    The British Armoured formations of the Second World War refers to the Armoured Divisions and Independent Armoured and Tank Brigades deployed by the British Army during the Second World War. They had two types of armoured vehicle. The Infantry tank which was heavily armoured and slow, designed to...


External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK