The 42nd Royal Tank Regiment (42 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army from 1938[1] until 1956. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps.
42nd Royal Tank Regiment | |
---|---|
Active | November 1938 – October 1956 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Armoured |
Size | One regiment |
Part of | Royal Armoured Corps |
Motto(s) | Fear Naught |
March | Quick: "My Boy Willie" (all RTR regiments) Slow: "The Royal Tank Regiment Slow March" |
The unit was formed on 1 November 1938 by converting the 7th (23rd London) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, a Territorial Army (TA) infantry battalion, into a tank unit. For a short while it was 42nd (7th (23rd London) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment) Battalion of the Royal Tank Corps before the corps was redesignated the Royal Tank Regiment in 1939.[2][3]
The regiment was mobilised on the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 as part of 21st Army Tank Brigade, composed of three TA battalions of the Royal Tank Regiment.[4]
The unit formed part of 1st Army Tank Brigade in 1941–42, serving with it in the Western Desert Campaign including the Second Battle of El Alamein.[5]
For the invasion of Northern Europe in 1944, it was equipped with Canal Defence Light Grant tanks. These were not used in battle.[citation needed]
From 1947, when the TA was reconstituted, the regiment was in 22nd Armoured Brigade under the 56th (London) Infantry Division.[6]
In 1956, the regiment was converted back to infantry, becoming the 23rd London again.[3][7]
This article about a specific British military unit is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |