10th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)

The 10th Armoured Division was a British Army armoured division active from 1941-44 and 1956-57. It was formed from the 1st Cavalry Division, a 1st Line Yeomanry unit. The 1st Cavalry Division had been serving in Palestine. The division was converted from cavalry to armour and redesignated from 1 August 1941.

History
The divisional sign was a fox's mask, representing the hunting tradition of the formation's cavalry and Yeomanry units. The division was originally under command of HQ British Troops Palestine and Transjordan, but transferred to Ninth Army when the headquarters was redesignated on 1 November 1941. It later was transferred into Egypt, serving under HQ Middle East, XXX Corps, Eighth Army, and X Corps. The division fought at the Battles of Alam Halfa and El Alamein. It was disbanded on 15 June 1944 in Egypt.

10th Armoured Division was also briefly active after the war ended in Libya in the 1950s, incorporating 25th Armoured Brigade, but was disbanded in July 1957. The 25th Armoured Brigade was formed in 1952 to provide an operational headquarters for the troops in Libya. The Royal Scots Greys arrived in Libya in 1952, and stayed until 1955. Other units of the brigade from 1952 were the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, and the 14th/20th King's Hussars. In May and June 1956 the brigade was hastily expanded to division status as 10th Armoured Division, with the intention of invading Egypt from the west during the Suez Canal Crisis. Planning was halted when it was found that such an invasion was banned under the terms of Britain's treaty with Libya. The Armoured Brigade Signals Squadron was expanded to 10th Armd Div Signals in May-June 1956, based in Tripoli. It began to wind up in April 1957, and disbanded completely in September 1957.

General Officer Commanding
Four men served as the General Officer Commanding of the division during the Second World War.

8th Armoured Brigade

 * 3rd Royal Tank Regiment
 * Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons)
 * Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers)
 * The Staffordshire Yeomanry

9th Armoured Brigade

 * Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
 * The Warwickshire Yeomanry
 * Yorkshire Hussars Yeomanry
 * 11th Bn. The King's Royal Rifle Corps


 * later removed for use as an Independent Brigade

Support Units

 * 1st Household Cavalry Regiment
 * 2nd The Derbyshire Regiment
 * 1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
 * 104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
 * 84th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
 * 53rd (The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regt. Royal Artillery
 * 101st Light Anti-Aircraft Regt. Royal Artillery
 * 10th Armoured Division Signal Regiment