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ABriefHistoryofthe7thArmouredDivision
DesertRats
Thisfamousformationfirstcameintobeingin1938,itwasformedfrom
garrisontroopsstationedinNorthAfricaforthepurposeofprotectingthe
vitalSuezcanalfromthegrowingItalianEmpirewhichpossessed
Cyrenaica,TripolitaniaandEthiopia.
InitiallydesignatedaMobileForceinSeptember1939theywererenamed
ArmouredDivision(Egypt).On16February1940theytooktheirfinal
name,whichwouldlastthemuntiltheendofthewar,the7thArmoured
Division.
In1938MobileForcewasestablishedontheEgyptiancoastatMersa
Matruh,120mileswestofAlexandria.Thefirstunitstomakeupwhat
wouldbecometheDesertRatswerethe7th,8thand11thHussars,and
1stRoyalTankRegiment(1RTR)ablysupportedbythe3rdRoyalHorse
Artillery(3RHA).Equipmentwasinitiallyoldandlightwiththe8th
Hussarsonlyhaving15cwttrucksarmedwithmachineguns.InOctober
1938theywerejoinedbytheirfirstinfantryunit,1stBattalionTheKings
RoyalRifleCorps(1KRRC).
TheywerecommandedbyMajorGeneralPercy
Hobartwhostartedacomprehensivetraining
programmeconcentratingoncoordination
betweenthedifferentarmsoftheMobile
Division.Withthearrivalofthe6thRTRhealso
reorganisedtheDivisionintothreebrigades
consistingofaLight(ArmouredCarsandMkVI
tanks~7,8,&11Hussars),Heavy(A9Cruisers
~1&6RTR)andPivotGroup(1KRRCand
RHA).
TrainingcontinuedinCairoduringthewinterof
193839andinMay1939theywentoutintothe
deserttotestallthattheyhadlearned.
Hobartwantedtroopsthatcouldsurviveand
fightintheharshconditionsoftheWestern
 Desertandledbytheextremelyexperienced
11thHussarsthemenoftheMobileDivision
wentaboutimprovingtheirdesertcraft.

WiththeoutbreakofwarinSeptember1939the
MobileDivisiontookapositionontheEgyptian
Libyanborderwheretheywatchedforsignsof
Italianactivity.Unfortunatelytheextremely
talentedHobartwasrelievedofhiscommand
afterfallingoutwithGeneralSirHenryWilson.
GeneralMichaelCreaghtookcommandofthe
DivisioninDecember1939andwithhimcame
newandimprovedequipment.

TheDivisionalsorenameditsbrigadesoncemore,the Commandersofthe7thArmouredDivision
Lightbecamethe7thArmouredBrigade,theHeavy
becamethe4thArmouredBrigadeandthePivotGroup 3September1939 Maj.Gen.P.C.S.Hobart
becametheSupportGroupwiththe2ndBattalion,The
RifleBrigade(2RB)added. 16November1939 (acting)Brig.J.A.L.Caunter
4December1939 Maj.Gen.M.OM.Creagh
The16thofFebruary1940sawtheDivisionsfinalname
changewhenitwasredesignatedthe7thArmoured 6March1941 Maj.Gen.SirM.OM.Creagh
DivisionandataboutthesametimetheDivisionalso 1April1941 (acting)Brig.J.A.L.Caunter
receiveditsfamoussymbol,theJerboa(desertrat),
designedbyTrooperKenHilloftheRTR.Themensoon 13April1941 Maj.Gen.SirM.OM.Creagh
tooktotheJerboaandtheDivisionwassoonbeing 3September1941 Maj.Gen.W.H.E.Gott
referredtoastheDesertRats.
6February1942 Maj.Gen.J.C.Campbell
FinallyinApril1940theItaliansstartedmakingmovesup (killed6Feb1942)
tothefrontiernearSollum,andtheDesertRatsbeganto 23February1942 (acting)Brig.A.H.Gatehouse
prepareforthecomingfight.The11thHussars(Armoured
Cars)andtheSupportgroupmadepreparationsatMersa 9March1942 Maj.Gen.F.W.Messervy
MatruhwheretheycouldreconnoitrethedesertforItalian 19June1942 Maj.Gen.J.M.L.Renton
movement.
14September1942 Maj.Gen.A.F.Harding
On10June1940theItaliansdeclaredwarandthe11th 20January1943 (acting)Brig.G.P.B.Roberts
Hussarswhohadbeenpatrollingtheborderuntilthen
finallycrossedit.FromJuneuntilSeptembertheDesert 24January1943 Maj.Gen.G.W.E.J.Erskine
RatsengagedandharassedtheItaliansinvariousraid
4August1944 Maj.Gen.G.L.Verney
takingsupplies,ambushingpatrolsandtakingnumerous
prisoners. 22November1944 Maj.Gen.L.O.Lyne

By14thJune,the7thHussars,withacompany
oftheKingsRoyalRifleCorpandabatteryof4
RHAcapturedtheItalianFortCapuzzo.Onthe
samenightthe11thHussarscapturedFort
Maddalena.16Junesawthefirsttankbattlein
theWesternDesert,the7th&11thHussars
foughtaforceofItaliantanksandtruckmounted
Infantry.AfterasharpencountertheDesertRats
hadknockedouttwelvetanksandcapturedan
entireinfantrybattalion.

Onthe13September1940theItalian10thArmy
launchedacounterattackandby16September
wereinSidiBarrani,andby28Septemberthey
hadhalted60milesinsideEgypt.

Theyhadrunlowonsuppliesandwerehemmed
inbythe11thHussarandthe7thArmoured
SupportGroup.TheDesertRatshadheldthem
sufficientlythankstotherecentreinforcements
ofthe2ndand7thRTRand3rdHussarswith
MatildasandA9andA10Cruisers.

TheItaliancollapseandretreatwasdramatic,
over20,000prisonersweretaken,theBritish
forcessufferingonly700casualties.TheItalian
Armywentintofullretreat.

Duringtheirflighttheywereharassedbythe7th
ArmouredSupportGroupaswellasthe11th
Hussars.IntheendtheItalianshadleftbehind
38,000prisoners,237gunsandover70tanks.
ThroughoutDecembertheDesertRats
continuedtoprobetheItalians.

InJanuary1941theDesertRatstookpartinthecapture
ofTobrukandBardia.TheWesternDesertForcewas
nowrenamedtheXIIICorpsandconsistedofthe7th
Armouredand6thAustraliandivisions.
AstheItalian10tharmywasoncemoreontheretreat
fromTobruk,theAustralianscloselyontheirtail,the
DesertRatscutacross150milesofdeserttointercept
theItaliansatBedaFommonthecoast20milesnorthof
Agadabia.On5Februarythe11thHussarsand2RB
arrivedatBedaFommandhaltedtheItaliancolumnson
theroad.The4thArmouredBrigadejoinedthemon6
February.

TheItaliansfoughthardandonlysurrenderedaftertheir
artillerywasclearedoffthedominatinghillknownasThe
Pimple.TheItalian10thArmyhadbeenallbut
destroyed.

Afterahardfightandalongslogacrossthedesertthe
DesertRatswereinneedofrefittingandreturnedto
Egypt,beingreplacedinthelinebythe2ndArmoured
Division.

ByApril1941theAfrikaKorpshadarrivedinNorth
Africa,andwhiletheDesertRatswererefittinginEgypt,
theGermansandItaliansattacked.

RommelandhisAfrikaKorpshad
quicklyoverwhelmedtheunderstrength
2ndArmouredDivision(onebrigade
wasinGreece)andcutoffTobruk.The
7thArmouredwereoncemorecalledto
thefronttostopthetide.

On14May1941OperationBrevitywas
launchedwiththeaimoftakingSollum
andFortCapuzzoandrelievingTobruk.
FortCapuzzowasquicklytakenbythe
11thHussars,butadeterminedcounter
attackbytheGermansretookit.Ahalt
wascalledtotheadvanceand
defensivepositionsweretakenup
aroundHalfayaPassaboveSollum.

Itwasdefendedby4thRTRand3rdBattalion
ColdstreamGuardswhoheldoutagainst
Germanattacksfortwoweeksbeforefinally
beingpushedout.Brevityhadfailed.

RommelfortifiedtheLibyanfrontierandwaited
forthenextBritishmove.

ThenextBritishoperationwasBattleaxe,its
focusbeinganalloutattackontheAxis
positionswiththepossibilityofrelievingTobruk.
The4thIndianDivisionhadreturnedtriumphant
fromEastAfricaandwastobesupportedbythe
4thArmouredBrigadedetachedfromtheDesert
Ratsduringtheinitialassault.TheBritishwere
confidentthattheheavilyarmouredMatildaIIsof
the4thArmouredwouldbemorethanthe
Germanscouldhandle.Onceengagedthe7th
ArmouredDivisionwouldjointhe4thArmoured
forthebreakthoughontoTobruk.

OperationBattleaxewaslaunchedon
thenightof1415June1941.Rommels
wellorganiseddefenceandantitank
gunsquicklycalledahalttotheattack.
ThePaK36and38s,andafewFlaK36
88mmgunsavailableprovedmorethan
enoughtodealwiththeBritishtanks,
eventhemightyMatildasuffered.

TheBritishpersistedandattackedagain
thefollowingday,butranintoRommels
counterattackingforces.The15th
PanzerDivisiondrivingforFort
Capuzzo,whilethe5thLightDivision
drovearighthookaroundtheBritish
flankstrikingtheDesertRatsleftflank.
The7thArmouredwerepushedbackto
theirstartingpositionsofthreedays
beforehand.

November1941sawthenextmajorBritishoffensive,OperationCrusader.Beforethenbothsideshadbeenbuildingup
reinforcements.TheDesertRatsnowconsistedof:

4thArmouredBrigade(HoneyStuarts) SupportGroup
2ndRHA 3rdRHA
8thHussars 4thRHA
3rdRoyalTankRegiment 1stKingsRoyalRifleCorps
5thRoyalTankRegiment 2ndRifleBrigade
2ndScotsGuards 60thFieldRegimentRA
OneBty,51stFieldRegimentRA
RoyalEngineers
DivisionalTroops
4thFieldSquadron
143rdFieldParkTroop
102ndRHA
KingsDragoonGuards
7thArmouredBrigade(Crusaders,A10,A13) 11thHussars
4thSouthAfricanArmouredCarRegiment
7thHussars 1stLightAARegimentRA
2ndRoyalTankRegiment DivisionSignals
6thRoyalTankRegiment

22ndArmouredBrigade(Crusaders)
2ndRoyalGloucestershireHussars
3rdCountyofLondonYeomanry
4thCountyofLondonYeomanry

Theattackwasunderwayon18Novemberthe
DesertRatshookedaroundtheopendesert
flankoftheGermansandby20Novemberhad
overruntheairfieldatSideRezeghwith6th
RTR.Allthreetankbrigadeswerenowengaged
onthehighgroundspreadalongtheTrigh
Capuzzoroad,allfightingbattlesoftheirown
againstcounterattackingGermanforces.Atthe
endof21NovembertheDesertRatshadbeaten
offtheattacking21stand15thPanzerDivisions,
butonlywithheavylossesofbothmenand
tanks.

Onthemorningof22November,thePanzers
wereoncemorereadytoattack.25pdrsquickly
engagedthemfollowbyaspiritedattackbythe
2ndRTRwiththeir12remainingtanks.Chaos
eruptedallaroundtheairfieldastheother
brigadesoftheDesertRatsconvergedontheir
comrades.

Atdawnof23Novemberthe7th
ArmouredDivisionwithdrewtotheridge
aboveSidiRezegh.Laterthe22nd
ArmouredBrigadewenttothereliefof
the5thSouthAfricanBrigade,attacking
againandagainunfortunatelythey
wereunabletosavetheSouth
Africans.

Onto1942
TheAxiswereontheattackagainin
early1942,buttheDesertRatswere
absentoncemoregettingrefittedafter
thebattlesofOperationCrusader.They
returnedtothefightingatthefrontin
April.InMaytheytookpartinthebattle
forGazalaLine.

TheGazalaLinewasaseriesof
defencesrunningbetweenGazalaon
thecoastandBirHacheiminthe
desert.

ThedefenceshadbeensetupbytheBritish
betweenJanuaryandApril1942.TheGazala
LinewasheldbytheXIIICorpswhiletheXXX
Corps(includingboththe1stand7thArmoured
Divisions)waspositionedinthedeserttothe
south.

Ontheeveningof26MaytheGermansattacked
theGazalaLineassaultingitfrontallywhileat
thesametimesendingahookaroundthedesert
flank.ThespeedoftheGermanadvancecaught
theDesertRatsoffguardandtheirscattered
Brigadesfoundthemselvesfightinginisolated
pockets.Bytheafternoonof27MaytheDesert
Ratswerewidelyscatteredandinnopositionto
resist,theGermansthenturnedtheirattentionto
201stGuardsBrigadeintheKnightsbridge
defensiveboxfurthernorthalongtheGazala
Line.Theyalsoattackedthe9thKRRCat
Retmadefensivebox,pushingthembacktoBir
ElGubi.

TheGermanshadextendedasfarastheir
supplylineswouldallowthemaroundthe
southernflanksothefocusnowswitchedtothe
areaaroundthepositionsofthe150thBrigadeto
 theeastofRotundaMteifelwheretheGermans
hadclearedmineseithersidetoshortensupply
lines.On28Maythe4thArmouredBrigade
attackedtheGerman90thLightDivision
stoppingtheadvancingenemy.By29Maythe
Germanadvancehadstoppedduetofuel
shortagesandtheywentaboutclearingmines
andpreparingdefences.

Britishcounterattackscontinuedthrough29to
31May,andjustastheBritishthoughttheyhad
RommelcorneredhisItalianallieswerefinally
abletopunchthroughasupplycolumnandsave
hisforce.RefuelledandresuppliedRommelset
aboutattackingoncemore.Thestruggle
continuedthroughto7June.

TheareaofthewhirlingtankandantitankmeleebecameknownasTheCauldron.Despitereinforcementsfromthe
22ndArmouredBrigadetheDesertRatsonceagainwerescatteredbytheassaultingGermanson6June.

ThebattlesoftheCauldroncontinueduntiltheBritishfinallywithdrewon17Juneandaftersomedelayingaction
withdrewbackacrosstheEgyptianbordertotakepositionsalongthelinebetweentheQattaraDepressionandEl
Alamein.By1July1942alltheunitsoftheDesertRatswereonorbehindtheElAlameinLine.

ThesuccessoftheAxisattheGazalaLineandthesubsequenttakingofTobrukbuoyedtheirconfidenceandRommel
wasdeterminedtotakethelineatElAlameindespitetheseriouslossesinflictedonthembythe7thArmouredandthe
restof8thArmy.

OrderOfBattleApril1942(Gazala)
4thArmouredBrigade DivisionalTroops
1stRHA 102ndRHA
8thHussars KingsDragoonGuards
3rdRoyalTankRegiment 15thLightAARegimentRA
5thRoyalTankRegiment
1stKingsRoyalRifleCorps RoyalEngineers
7thMotorBrigade 4thFieldSquadron
143rdFieldParkTroop
4thRHA
9thKingsRoyalRifleCorps
2ndRifleBrigade
9thRifleBrigade

1stElAlamein
TheGermanattack(1stEl
Alamein)waslaunchedon1
July,withjustthe15thPanzer,
21stPanzerand90thLight
DivisionsagainsttheSouth
AfricansandIndians.
Tenaciousdefenceandthe
timelyarrivalofthe4thand
22ndArmouredBrigades
stoppedthem.By3July
RommelsAfrikaKorpswas
downto26runningtanks,but
despitethistheywereableto
inflictheavylosesonthe1st
ArmouredDivisionbefore
stopping.

TheBritishhadachanceto
destroytheAfrikaKorps,but
despitetheresourcesoftwo
Corpswereunabletodestroy
theGermans.

AllthreeGermanDivisionswereableto
withdrawwest.Fightingcontinuedforafurther
twomonthswithbothsidesbeingtoo
disorganisedtotakeanyrealadvantageof
success.

OncemoreaftertheferociousfightingofMay,
JuneandJulytheDesertRatswereduefora
refit.

TheElAlameinpositionswereuniquefrom
previousdefensivepositionsastherewasno
opensouthernflank.TheQattaraDepression
provedhazardousandonlycrossablebylight
vehicles.TheBritishsettledinandstartedto
prepareforattack.

Onthenightof30/31August
theGermansattackedthelines
oncemore,thistimethey
encounteredtroublecrossing
theminefieldsandwereshelled
bythe7thArmouredand2nd
NewZealandDivisionswhile
tryingtocross.Ingeneralthe
Germanattackwasntashard
pressed,theirlackoffuel
limitedtheirmovement.The
6pdrsoftheRifleBrigade
knockedout12tanksnear
Himeimat.

By1SeptembertheGermans
werewithdrawingagain.

Aftermuchtraining,preparationsandbuildupitwasfinallythe8thArmiesturntostrike.On23October1942the(2nd)
BattleofElAlameinbegan.

DesertRatsatElAlamein
4thLightArmouredBrigade 131st(Queens)Brigade
3rdRHA 1st/5thQueensRoyalRegiment
OneSquadron8thHussars 1st/6thQueensRoyalRegiment
4thHussars 1st/7thQueensRoyalRegiment
RoyalScotsGreys 53rdFieldRegimentRA
2ndDerbyshireYeomanry 60thFieldRegimentRA
1stKingsRoyalRifleCorps TwoBty,57thAntitankRegt.RA
11thFieldCompanyRELightAA
22ndArmouredBrigade
RoyalEngineers
1stRoyalTankRegiment
5thRoyalTankRegiment 4thFieldSquadron
4thCountyofLondonYeomanry 21stFieldSquadron
4thFieldRegimentRA 143rdFieldParkSquadron
97thFieldRegimentRA
1stRifleBrigade DivisionalTroops
11thHussars
15thLightAARegimentRA
65thAntitankRegt.RA(NorfolkYeomanry)
44thReconnaissanceRegiment
DivisionSignals

The7thArmouredDivisionwasdeployedonthesouthern
flanksupportedbytheFreeFrenchBrigade,bothunits
weretocaptureHimeimatHillandcontainthe21st
PanzerDivisionwhiletheAustraliansandHighlanderson
theNorthernflankbrokethoughthedefencestoletthe
1stand10thArmouredDivisionspourthroughthegap.

Initialprogresswasslow,aftertheFreeFrenchgotafoot
holdontheHimeimatHilltheywerethrownoffagain.
TheDesertRatsstoppedtoregroupandonthenightof
24/25Octoberthe131stBrigadesecuredabridgeheadto
thewestoftheminefields.Thenextdaythe44th
DivisiontookcontrolofthebridgeheadandtheDesert
Ratswerewithdrawntothereserve.

Onthenightof29/30OctobertheDesertRatsconducted
amockattacktodivertattentionfromelsewhereandon
the31stthedivisionmovednorth.

By3NovemberitseemedtheAxisforceswereaboutto
crack,soanoffensivethrustbythe7thArmoured,1st
Armouredand2ndNewZealandDivisions(Operation
Supercharge)wasplanned.

On4NovemberthedivisionsadvancedwiththeDesert
Rats131stbrigadeand22ndArmouredbrigade,ledby
the11thHussarsadvancedthroughElAqqaqirwith
orderstoadvanceonDabaandcutofftheAxisretreat
alongthecoastroad.Onceintheopendesertlittle
enemypresencecouldbefound,theAxisforceshad
withdrawnandwereinfullretreat.

TheArmoureddivisionscontinuedtofollowtheGermans
astheyfledwesttakingallavailabletransportwiththem
abandoningthemostlyItalianfoottroopstotheirfate.

Byearly1943theDesertRatswererefitted
onceagainandreadyforthefinalpushtoforce
theAxisfromNorthAfrica.The7thArmoured
 nowcameupagainsttheMarethLineof
defencesbuiltbytheFrenchalongtheirborderin
TunisiaforprotectionagainsttheItaliansin
Tripolitania.TheDesertRatshelpedfendoffone
GermancounterattackatMedenineon6March,
butitwasnotuntil23MarchthattheMareth
LinewasbreachedandtheDesertRatswereon
themoveagain.

TheDesertRatsleftthe8thArmyandjoinedthe
1stArmyforthebreackthroughdrivefrom
MedjezElBabinnorthernTunisia,onthe
doorstepofTunis.Oncethebreachhadbeen
madebythe4thBritishand4thIndianDivisions,
supportedbytheChurchillsofthe25thArmy
TankBrigade,the7thand6thArmoured
DivisionsracedfortheTunisiancapitalandfinal
defeatoftheAxisinNorthAfrica.

TheDesertRatsservedbrieflyinItalyafterthe
SalernolandingsbeforeheadingbacktoBritain
tomakepreparationsforthecominglandingsin
France.

Butthatsanotherstory...

LastUpdatedOnWednesday,October26,2011byBlakeatBattlefront

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