4th Royal Tank Regiment

The 4th Royal Tank Regiment (4 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army until 1993. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It originally saw action as D Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917. In 1940, it briefly amalgamated with the 7th Royal Tank Regiment, as the 4th/7th Royal Tank Regiment, returning to its previous title four months later.

4 RTR was captured at Tobruk on 21 June 1942. On 1 March 1945, 144th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps was redesignated 4th Royal Tank Regiment to replace the original The newly-retitled regiment equipped with Buffalo LVTs took part in Operation Plunder, ferrying troops of 51st Highland Division across the Rhine on the night of 23/24 March 1945. The Commanding Officer (Lt-Col Alan Jolly) planted the World War I standard of the original D Battalion on the far bank.

In 1946, 4 RTR was stationed at Shandur, Suez Canal Zone. It assisted in the ending of the British Mandate over Palestine.

In 1959, it again amalgamated with 7th Royal Tank Regiment, this time without change of title, and in 1993 due to Options for Change, amalgamated with 1st Royal Tank Regiment.

Fighting or 'A' vehicles of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment carried a distinctive "Chinese" eye on each side, a tradition continued by the 1st Royal Tank Regiment upon amalgamation. Tanks were generally named, with all names beginning with the letter "D". Examples of names include Destroyer, Dakeyne, etc.

The 4th Royal Tank Regiment has strong Scottish connections and in the late 1970s, a pipes and drums was formed, wearing the Hunting Rose tartan. The Pipes & Drums were transferred to the 1st Royal Tank Regiment upon amalgamation in 1993. The Regiment lives on, in commemorative form, as D Squadron, 1st Royal Tank Regiment.

Awards

 * Philip John Gardner – Victoria Cross Tobruk 1941