Regiments That Served With The 7th Armoured Division

During its history the 7th Armoured Division many different units served with the Division and its Brigades. I have tried to include as many as possible with as much information as possible, but I apologise is I have omitted any.

The History of the Royal Army Service Corps: The Royal Army Service Corps was formed from the historical Board of Ordnance, Commissary General and other organisations such as the Corps of Waggoners. Its familiar organisation really can in 1889, when the Army Service Corps was formed by amalgamation of Commissariat and Transport Staff and Commissariat and Transport Staff Corps. In 1902, the Mechanical Transport Section transferred from Royal Engineers and in 1914 Inland Water Transport section was transferred to Royal Engineers. After serving everywhere during the First World War, in 1918, it was named the Royal Army Service Corps. The Royal Army Service Corps amalgamated with Transportation and Movement Control Service of the Royal Engineers, in 1965 to form the Royal Corps of Transport. On 5th April 1993, the Royal Corps of Transport was absorbed along the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Royal Pioneer Corps, Army Catering Corps, and the Postal and Courier Service of the Royal Engineers to form the Royal Logistic Corps.

Before and during World War Two the RASC was organised into companies and although they were not formally organised into a battalion, the RASC units of a division were collected under the Commander, Royal Army Service Corps. Some companies carried out petrol supply duties, other general supply work while others were assigned to units such as the 131st (Queen's) Lorried Infantry Brigade to transport the troops around in lorries and Troop Carrying Vehicles. The RASC did not man the 'Kangaroo' carriers, who were instead driven by men from the Royal Armoured Corps.

New Zealand Army Service Corps

4th New Zealand Reserve Coy

The New Zealand Army Service Corps was formed 1 March 1913 and saw service in Egypt during WW1. In 1922 the Permanent Army Service Corps was formed and was amalgamated with the Territorial Force on 9th January 1947, with both regular and territorial units seeing service during the war in the Middle East, Italy and the Far East campaigns. It was granted the  prefix "Royal" on 12th July 1947 and on 12th May 1979 was renamed the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport. This new Corps later became part of Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment.

The No.4 New Zealand Reserve Company served with 7th Armoured Division during Operation Compass and earned fame by borrowing rifles and joining the assault on Tummar West where they charged at the head of the British infantry with cries of "Come on you Pommie bastards"

The Royal Corps of Signals

The Greek armies had the Torch Telegraph and the Water Telegraph, and the Roman Army used coloured smoke as a means of communication. In England, during the 16th century, beacons were used and, in 1796, the Admiralty adopted a shutter-type machine, known as the 'Murray Lettering Telegraph'. Morse Code and electric telegraph were used for the first time in the Crimean War (1835-1837) and, following the Abyssinian War of 1867, a Signal Wing was formed by the Royal Engineers at Chatham.

In 1884, the Telegraph Battalion Royal Engineers was formed and took part in the Nile Campaign, later playing a prominent role in the Ashanti Campaign of 1895-1896. It was during this campaign that men of the telegraph Battalion hacked a path for an overhead line from the Cape coast to Prahsu, covering 72 miles through jungle. It was in this campaign that as members of the Telegraph Battalion staggered out of the jungle then confronted King Prempeh who so surprised by their action then offered the surrender of his Army. King Prempeh's throne is now displayed in the Royal Signals Museum at Blandford.

Signalling remained the responsibility of the Telegraph Battalion during the Boer War and until 1908, when the Royal Engineer Signals Service was formed and provided communications during World War One. At this time, the Despatch Rider came into prominence and 'wireless sets' were introduced into service. Wireless communications were provided in France and Flanders and also in the campaigns in Salonika, Palestine and Mesopotamia.

The first official agreement to form a separate Signal Corps, from the Royal Engineers, was made in 1918, before the end of World War One. Due to various policy delays, the formation of the 'Corps' was delayed until 1920. A Royal Warrant was signed by the Secretary of State for War, the Rt. Hon Winston S Churchill, who gave the Sovereign's approval for the formation of a 'Corps of Signals' on 28th June 1920. Six weeks later, His Majesty the King conferred the title 'Royal Corps of Signals'.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the Corps increased its strength and had personnel serving in overseas stations such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ceylon, Egypt, Jamaica and many other 'out-posts of the Empire'. The largest portion of the Corps was overseas, one third being concentrated in India. Throughout World War Two, members of the Corps served in every theatre of war and, at the end, the Corps had a serving strength of 8,518 officers and 142,472 soldiers.

The Corps still strives to live up to its motto, 'Certa Cito', which freely translated means 'Swift and Sure', with the Corps taking precedence after the Royal Engineers.

Middlesex Yeomanry

Service History:

From the 1940 onwards, the Divisional Signals for the 7th Armoured Division were provided by men from the Middlesex Yeomanry, with eventually both the 1st and 2nd Battalions being represented units the including elements from both served in joined the Division. The men of the Middlesex Yeomanry saw service in all the Divisions campaigns from the Western Desert, to Italy, Normandy and though the Low Countries to Germany itself.

Short History

This short history of the Middlesex Yeomanry is an attempt to show it changed from the role of that of local armed police to an effective military force with a record of distinguished service in South Africa 1900-02; the Great War 1914-1918, the Second World War 1939-1945, and today a highly sophisticated technical unit forming part of the 39th (Skinners) Signal Regiment (V).

It was during the Napoleonic Wars that the Gentlemen of Uxbridge sought permission from the Government to form a Military Association to maintain law and order when the Regular Forces were sent to the coast to protect the country against invasion by the French. A Cavalry Troop was raised in 1797 and titled the 'Uxbridge Volunteer Cavalry' and its first Captain-Commandant was Christopher Baynes Esq., (later Sir Christopher). The role of the Uxbridge Volunteer Cavalry was to act as armed police and support the Civil Powers in maintaining law and order in the local parishes.

A second troop was raised in 1798 with the change of title to 'Uxbridge Yeomanry Cavalry'. Captain-Commandant Christopher Baynes was appointed Major-Commandant and the UYC was given a wider sphere of operation. The volunteers provided their own clothes and horses, and received no payment if called out to quell a disturbance.

At the end of the war with France the number of Yeomanry units was reduced and it was not until 1830 that the Uxbridge Yeomanry Cavalry was reformed to maintain the peace during a period of extreme poverty, when rioters terrorised the inhabitants and destroyed machinery which was being introduced into the agriculture and cotton industries.

The uniform worn by the Uxbridge Yeomanry Cavalry was of the Light Dragoon pattern with a broad-topped shako of dark green, ornamented with a brass Maltese Cross with the Arms of the County of Middlesex placed in the centre, and the motto adopted was 'Pro Aris et Focis', which can be loosely interpreted as 'For Hearth and Home'. In 1856 the badge was changed to a gilt metal six-pointed star, surmounted by the Royal Crown, and a circle bearing the regimental motto 'Pro Aris et Focis' enclosing the Royal Cypher 'VR'.

Middlesex Yeomanry Cavalry - 1871

There were variations to the uniform until 1871 when the Uxbridge Yeomanry Cavalry was ordered to raise a fourth troop and to change its title to 'Middlesex Yeomanry Cavalry'. The Commanding Officer adopted the Hussar uniform, keeping the green Hussar tunic with black collars and cuffs; yellow Hussar lace on the collars, cuffs, and back, with three across the breast. Blue-black overalls with double red Hussar stripes; a Hussar Busby with dark green bag, and a red-under-green brush, with yellow lines, trimmings and bosses. Subsequent changes were made which proved to be unpopular and it was not until Lt. Col. W. Duncan took over command in April 1910 that the Hussar uniform was firmly established. The only changes were a Hussar Busby with red bag, and overalls with double yellow stripes, as worn today by Escorts on ceremonial occasions

Royal Escorts

Throughout the 19th century the regiment was often required to perform escort duty to the Sovereign and the Royal family. The first occasion was in 1834 when King William IV travelled through Uxbridge to visit the Marquess of Westminster at Moor Park.

After the death of the King in 1837 the regiment were frequently called upon to escort Queen Victoria through Middlesex on her way to Windsor, and on reaching the county boundary the Escort would hand over to a detachment of the Royal Horse Guards to escort her to the Castle.

Duke of Cambridge's Hussars - 1884. 

In April 1884 the Queen graciously honoured the Regiment with the title 'Middlesex (Duke of Cambridge's Hussars) Yeomanry Cavalry'. There were many changes in the Yeomanry Force during the later years of the 19th century. The Squadron became the official unit. The Middlesex Yeomanry was formed of two squadrons, each with two troops, and the regiment was brigaded with the Royal Berkshire Yeomanry Cavalry, which formed the 1st Yeomanry Brigade.

South African War - 1900-1902

Soon after the reverses in Natal the Government found that the only way to raise a large number of mounted men was to call upon the Yeomanry for volunteers to serve overseas. There was an immediate response from the regiment and by the end of January 1900 the Middlesex Yeomanry had raised three Companies, the 34th, the 35th (2nd 'Middlesex Yeomanry), and the 62nd (3rd Middlesex Yeomanry) plus a maxim-gun detachment. The 34th and 35th Companies together with two Companies raised in Kent formed the 11th Battalion under, command of Colonel Kenyon Mitford, the Commanding Officer of the Middlesex Yeomanry. The 62nd was placed under command of the 14th Battalion.

In January 1901 a second contingent of Yeomanry was raised to replace the original 34th, 35th and 62nd Companies, and with a fourth Company, the 112th, formed the 112th (Kent and Middlesex) Battalion under command of Colonel R.B .Firman (Middlesex Yeomanry). "Few Yeomanry Regiments have such proud memories of daring in South Africa as the two fights against such heavy odds which occurred at Senekel and Tweefonteen". {Historical Records of The Middlesex Yeomanry 1797-1927).

Middlesex (Duke of Cambridge's Hussars) Imperial Yeomanry. 1900-1914

With the end of the South African War m 1902 there was a general reorganisation of the Yeomanry. The title of the whole force was changed to Imperial Yeomanry' and the name of the regiment changed to 'Middlesex (Duke of Cambridge's Hussars) Imperial Yeomanry'.

The regiment was increased to four squadrons totalling 596 all ranks, which included a machine-gun detachment. At the time there were four new Yeomanry regiments toeing recruited in London, so it was not an easy task to increase the strength of the regiment from 200 to about 600 all ranks.

1st County of London Yeomanry Middlesex, (Duke of Cambridge's Hussars)

On the 1st April 1908 the regiment became part of the Territorial Force being recruited in London. The title then changed to the 1st County of London Yeomanry, Middlesex, (Duke of Cambridge's Hussars) and with the other London Yeomanry Units formed the London Mounted Brigade

The Great War - 1914-1918 In the summer of 1914 the regiment was in camp at Moulsford Berkshire when the declaration of war with Germany interrupted the inter-regimental sports planned to take place on the Bank Holiday. Instead the regiment returned to headquarters and by the 5th August was ready to mobilise.

The Middlesex Yeomanry together with the 1st City of London Yeomanry (The Rough Riders) and the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (The Sharpshooters) formed the 8th Mounted Brigade of the Yeomanry Mounted Division.

It was the Yeomanry Regiments of this Division which were used as detached regiments and brigades on the Egyptian, Gallipoli and Salonica fronts and with the Desert Column under General Allenby, took part in the advance from the Suez Canal culminating in the Battles of Gaza in 1917.

Major A.M. Lafone V.C. 27th October 1917

General Allenby's attack on Beersheba had been planned for the 31st October and the regiment, with two sub-sections of the 21st Machine-gun Squadron, were holding fortified points 720 and 630 along the line El Buggar - Bir el Girheir. At dawn on the 27th October the small force at point 720, under command of Major Lafone, who was ordered to hold the position at all costs, faced a fierce attack by a superior force of Turks and suffered heavy shelling and machine-gun fire, which lasted for several hours. Most of his small force had been killed or wounded and he ordered the survivors to go back, whilst he continued to fire from the shoulder at point blank range to cover the withdrawal of his men. At 11.15 hrs the position was over-run. Later that afternoon the 53rd Division advanced up the hill in attack formation and the Turks retreated to their defence positions. The railway had been saved and the construction of the railhead at Karm continued, which then General Allenby's offensive to open as planned.

Major Lafone was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross "For most conspicuous bravery, leadership and self-sacrifice when holding a position for over seven hours against vastly superior forces............His cheerfulness and courage were a splendid inspiration to his men, and by his leadership and devotion he was enabled to maintain his position, which he had been ordered to hold at all costs".

Royal Signals - 1920.

After the war there was a reduction in the number of cavalry regiments and the Middlesex Yeomanry decided to accept the role of Cavalry Signals to the 2nd Cavalry Division, and recruiting started on the 20th May 1920, while the majority of surplus Yeomanry Regiments chose to convert to Artillery. The 2nd Cavalry Divisional Signals (Middlesex Yeomanry) was integrated with the newly formed Royal Corps of Signals in June of that year. The regiment fought hard to retain its old title, privileges, cap badge, motto and uniform, including the ancient custom of NCO's wearing a crown above their stripes, and the Quarter-master wearing four stripes with a crown. The shoulder title worn by the men changed to 'Royal Corps of Signals' with the concession of a 'Y' above it.

Second World War - 1939-1945

The years between the wars had seen the cavalry regiments gradually change from mounted to mechanised regiments, although the 2nd Cavalry Division had retained some of its horses at the outbreak of war in 1939.

Following the Munich crisis in 1938, and the subsequent threat of war, thousands of young men and women volunteered to join the armed forces. In December 1938 the title of the regiment changed to Mobile Divisional Signals (Middlesex Yeomanry) T.A. until a second regiment was formed in 1939 and the title changed to 1st (Middlesex Yeomanry) Cavalry Divisional Signals in November 1939. The second regiment became the 2nd (Middlesex Yeomanry) Armoured Divisional Signals.

The 1st Cavalry Division was sent to the Middle East and arrived in Palestine in January 1940. The 2nd Armoured Division (less 22nd Armoured Brigade) arrived in Egypt on New Year's Day 1941. It was a critical stage of the war.' General Wavell had recently driven the Italians out of Cyrenaica and the Germans were threatening to advance through the Balkans into Greece, so the Allied Forces were threatened on two fronts.

The 1st Cavalry Division played a prominent part in the campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Persia, and some of the units were sent to the Western Desert with the 2nd Armoured Division to face the newly formed German Afrika Korps.

The mechanisation of the cavalry regiments brought about changes, and the 1st Cavalry Division became 10th Armoured Division which included the 9th Armoured Brigade and many of the 1st Middlesex Yeomanry formed the Divisional Signals.

In 1942 the 10th Armoured Division became part of 8th Army and took a prominent part in the Battle of El Alamein, where 9th Armoured Brigade (with Middlesex Yeomanry Signal Squadron) had an independent role under command of the 2nd New Zealand Division. Afterwards the brigade was withdrawn to Palestine/Syria area to prepare for the part it was to play in the Italian campaign.

A Special Wireless Section from the 1st Middlesex Yeomanry was sent to Crete in April 1941, and the 1st Armoured Brigade (No 3 Squadron & part No 2 Squadron, 2nd Middlesex Yeomanry) went with the expeditionary force to Greece.

The remnants of the 2nd Armoured Division, reinforced by 3rd Armoured Brigade and equipped with worn out tanks left behind after General Wavell's campaign in December 1940, had been sent to the Western Desert in March 1941. At the beginning of April the Division was attacked by the German Afrika Korps which had recently arrived in north Africa, and in spite of a fiercely fought rear-guard action Divisional Headquarters was surrounded at Mechili and forced to surrender on the 8th April.

Many survivors found their way into Tobruk and back to base to reinforce 7th Armoured Division and other units being re-fitted, At about the same time the Allied troops were being evacuated from Greece and, by the end of May, Crete had been lost to the German paratroops.

It is rare to find the Middlesex Yeomanry named in books written about the Second World War, yet the 1st Middlesex Yeomanry was the Signal Regiment to the 1st Cavalry Division, and the 2nd Middlesex Yeomanry the Signal Regiment to 2nd Armoured Division. It was the result of both regiments being reduced in strength by the loss of so many Signal Troops to reinforce other formations that, by April 1941, the Middlesex Yeomanry could no longer operate as a regiment.

Thereafter Middlesex Yeomen were to be found serving in all formations of Royal Signals throughout the Middle East, including the Long Range Desert Group, Small Boats Sections, Special Operations Executive, Airborne Signals, and later in north-west Europe, India, and Burma. At all times they continued to wear the Middlesex Yeomanry cap badge and badges of rank, wherever they served.

22nd Armoured Brigade (No .4 Squadron, 2nd Middlesex Yeomanry) arrived in Egypt, as an independent armoured brigade, at the beginning of October 1941 and was in action at Sidi Rezegh in November. There followed the relief of Tobruk and the enemy was again forced back to the Tripolitanian border at El Agheila. The Brigade returned to base at the beginning of 1942 and was re-equipped and by the 27th May the Brigade was back in the desert ready to meet Rommel when he attacked the Gazala Line. It was a long summer as Rommel gradually encircled the Allied Forces who fought fiercely in the heat and dust storms at 'Knightsbridge' and Bir Hachcim, until the fall of Tobruk and they were forced back to the Alamein Line.

General Montgomery took command of the 8th Army in August 1942 and, with the increasing number of troops and modern equipment supporting the Allies, defeated Rommel at Alam Haifa at the beginning of September. It was the turning point of the war. On the 7th September 22nd Armoured Brigade became a permanent part of 7th Armoured Division (The Desert Rats) and remained with the Division until the end of the war.

At the Battle of El Alamein on the 23rd October 1942, 7th Armoured Division was in the south of the line, but moved north at the beginning of November, then through the minefields and joined in the pursuit of the enemy via Tripoli to Tunis which ended with the defeat of the enemy forces in North Africa in May 1943.

In September 1943 the 7th Armoured Division landed at Salerno on the west coast of Italy where it came under command of the 5th American Army, and after crossing the River Volturno the Division returned to the U.K. to prepare for the Second Front. The Division arrived in East Anglia in January 1944 where it prepared for the invasion of Europe, and landed on the Normandy beaches on D+1, 7th June 1944.

7th Armoured Division was in action at Caen, Villers-Bocage, Falaise, Ghent, Eindhoven, Nijmegen then across the Rhine into Germany, the surrender of Hamburg and the end of the war in May 1945.

Airborne Signals and afterwards 1945-1995

The regiment was re-formed in 1947 and became the 16th Airborne Divisional Signals (Middlesex Yeomanry) T.A., and continued as such until the T.A. Airborne Division was reduced to a Parachute Brigade Group in 1956

The Middlesex Yeomanry Signal Regiment became 40 Signal Regiment (Middlesex Yeomanry) T.A., until 1961 when it was amalgamated with 47 (London) Signal Regiment T.A. and the newly formed regiment became known as 47 Signal Regiment (Middlesex Yeomanry) T.A. The-new regiment was given the role of SHAPE Troops. (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), No.3 Squadron, 40 'Signal Regiment, 305 (Parachute Brigade) Signal Squadron T.A., did not become part of 47 Signal Regiment (Middlesex Yeomanry) T.A. but continued in its role as the Signal Squadron to 44 Parachute Brigade, retaining its Middlesex Yeomanry cap badge and badges of rank.

Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve - 1967

When the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve was formed in 1967 the Middlesex Yeomanry retained its title, but like so many other yeomanry regiments was reduced to squadron establishment and became 47 (Middlesex Yeomanry) Signal Squadron TAVR, 31st (Greater London) Signal Regiment.

The Squadron was permitted to continue the ancient custom of NCO's wearing a crown above their stripes, and the SQMS wearing four stripes and a crown, and Middlesex Yeomanry collar badges continued to be worn on regulation uniform, but the Middlesex Yeomanry cap badge was forfeited for the Royal Signals 'Mercury' cap badge.

The coloured side hat of scarlet, piped with gold, and rifle green flaps piped with gold with scarlet tipped peak and two buttons, worn by officers and soldiers off duty, was also retained. Officers caps have an embroidered cap badge, in gold on rifle green cloth, of an oval strap bearing the motto Pro Aris et Focis, in the centre the cypher MYC, and the whole ensigned by St Edward's crown. Soldiers wear a metal Middlesex Yeomanry collar badge as a cap badge. The khaki/green woven lanyard representing the rigging line of an army parachute commemorating the previous service of the unit, and the webbing stable belt in black over crimson, gold, green, and black stripes, fastened by two nickel plated buckles and black leather straps, worn when in shirt sleeve order, are also retained.

In 1995 47 (Middlesex Yeomanry) Signal Squadron (V) came under command of the 39th (Skinners) Signal Regiment (V).

Royal Army Chaplains Department

To the soldiers they became know as 'The Padres' and 'The Sky Pilots', but wherever the British and Commonwealth Army fought the Royal Army Chaplains' Department were also there to provide First Aid and pastoral care for friend and foe alike with many undergoing Parachute training so that they could serve in the Airborne units.

Many Chaplains have died on the battlefield with 12 of the 60 Chaplains serving with the Army in the Crimea War, dying there. In the First World War 179 Chaplains were killed in action and another 134 in the Second World War. There are three Royal Army Chaplains' Department holders of the Victoria cross, with them being The Reverend Theodore Bailey Hardy VC DSO MC CF (the highly decorated non-combatant) for rescuing wounded soldiers from no-mans land in April 1918. He was later killed in action at Rouen, France 18th October 1918. The other two are The Reverend William Robert Fountain Addison VC and The Reverend Edward Noel Mellish VC.

One thing that should be remembered about those of the Chaplains, who served in the front line, is that it takes great courage to go into battle armed only with one's faith and a Bible!

A Brief History of the Intelligence Corps

Prior to the Boer War the British Army tended to form ad hoc intelligence organisations during campaigns in order to provide the commander with the necessary information and intelligence to defeat our enemies. John Churchill, The first Duke of Marlborough stated that ‘no war can be conducted successfully without early and good intelligence’. Despite the benefit from the use of intelligence, the organisations that were set up were disbanded in peacetime

First World War

The work of the officers and men of the Intelligence Corps and Intelligence Department during the First World War extended to all theatres and behind enemy lines. Former metropolitan Police Officers operated, as field security police, to great effort behind our own lines identifying enemy agents, be they French, Belgian or German nationals and thy also helped ensure that the rear areas and lines of communications remained free from the threat of subversion, espionage and sabotage. The Corps also successfully ran a number of agents behind enemy lines and in Europe these were able to observe the movement of German troops across the continent and provide timely and accurate indications of German intentions on the western and eastern fronts. The Corps also developed prisoner of war and refugee debriefing techniques, and became involved in psychological operations. Despite all its excellent work at the conclusion of the war most of the Intelligence Corps was disbanded.

Second World War

In the years leading up to the Second World War no effort was put into contingency planning for wartime Intelligence Corps. The Army was less prepared for this second Great War than it had been for the first. If it had not been for the efforts of Major, later Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templar there would have no intelligence organisation at all on 4th September 1939. His work, supported by Captain (Retired) F C Davies MC who trained the security sections, allowed the British Expeditionary Force to deploy to France with 31 Field Security Sections. Upon this small foundation the Corps eventually grew to 3040 officers and 5930 other ranks. The Corps was formally constituted with the consent of King George VI on 15th July 1940, with the formation being notified on 19th July 1940 in Army Order 112. 

The skills of the Corp’s soldiers in languages and interrogation were one again used to extract information from the Prisoners of war, and the civilian population of countries liberated by the Allies. During the war Signals Intelligence was developed beyond all recognition compared to the simple tactical interception and direction finding used in the First World War. The importance of the teams working to crack the Enigma Code at Bletchley Park is now well know - the Corps contributed greatly to the work at the locations, plus the outstations that collected the raw information. One such collection site is now the home of the Corps - Chicksands in Bedfordshire. About 40% of the army personnel at Bletchley were cap badged Intelligence Corps. At the tactical level, box bodied vehicles, known as ‘Gin Palaces’, operated as mobile signals interception units providing support to operations at Corps and Divisional level, operating, close to the front line.

Once again representatives of the Corps were ‘in at the kill’ at the war’s end and soon formed a key element of the various armies of occupation in both Europe and the Far East. Colonel Ewart was Montgomery’s interpreter when the Germans surrendered at Luneburg Heath. In January 1945 the Corps’ establishment was some 3040 officers and 5930 soldiers with 1553 attached officers.

Post War

After World War Two the main threat was from Communism and the Corps has played a major role in the games of counter-espionage, intelligence and counter-intelligence that characterised the Cold War in Europe and Asia in the latter half of the twentieth century. Since the second world war, the Corps has deployed with the British Amy on all its major deployments - Palestine, Cyprus, Korea, Suez, Brunei, Indonesia, Dhofar, Northern Ireland, Falkland Islands, the Gulf, Africa and the Former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In recognition of its meritorious service the Corps was declared an ‘Arm’ on 1st February 1985. An ‘Arm’ is defined as those Corps whose role is to be close in combat with the enemy.

Corps of Military Police.

The RMP Museum, The Keep at Roussillon Barracks Chichester

Corps of Military Police

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 The Royal Armoured Corps was in 1939 formed to encompass a Cavalry Wing (cavalry regiments which had mechanised), and the Royal Tank Regiment. Other regiments joined later as they mechanised. From 1939 to 1945 also included numbered RAC regiments converted from infantry battalions.

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