Artefacts - Pictures of the men from the units that served with the Division

 

 

The purpose of this page is to provide a source of pictures and other information relating to the men and units that served with the Division. It will change as and when items are available to be added to it. Please be patient as one or two pictures may take a little while to load. The main sections are;
3rd Royal Horse Artillery 4th Royal Horse Artillery 5th Royal Horse Artillery
8th Hussars 11th Hussars Queen's Royal Regiment
1st Bn. Rifle Brigade 1st Royal Tank Regiment 2nd Royal Tank Regiment
3rd Royal Tank Regiment 5th Royal Tank Regiment 6th Royal Tank Regiment
4th South Africa Armoured Car Regiment 15th (Isle of Man) Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
4th County of London Yeomanry 65th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment  3rd Support Company, Northumberland Fusiliers
Divisional HQ 22nd Armoured Brigade HQ

3rd Royal Horse Artillery

2pdr Anti-Tank Gun from J Battery 3 RHA mounter Portee in 1941,

The men of 3rd RHA being inspected by Montgomery in 1945

A 25 pdr Gun and crew from 3 RHA near Stramproy December 1944.

M Battery HQ Vehicle. The H denotes it as being the vehicle of the Command Post Officer.

Quad Tractor from 3 RHA. The Letter A denotes it as being the tractor for the first gun in the senior troop of D Battery.

 

 

4th Royal Horse Artillery

Three Pictures of 4th RHA In the Desert

1941

1942

Gun and Limber in Tow

25pdr Gun, Limber and Crew, from 4th RHA ready for action in 1941.

Men from 4th RHA digging a gun pit, while the 25pdr Gun, Limber and Quad Tractor wait in the background.

Quad Tractor, Limber and 25pdr gun, of 4th RHA, on the move in 1942.

 

5th Royal Horse Artillery

Men from K Battery, 5 RHA, with an improvised oven made out of old Ammunition boxes, cooking in the desert, September 1942. L - R: Bdr Colin Tovey (TOSKA), L/Bdr Lesley Vince, L/Bdr Bob Lerche (JOCK). Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes

Another of the men from K Battery, 5 RHA, with an improvised oven, cooking in the desert, September 1942. L - R: Colin Tovey (TOSKA), Arthur Rose (Mary), Harry Dormer, Jim Cromley, Lesley Vince, Eric Smith, Bob Lerche(Jock). Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes

The Troop Leader's Half Track from 'D' Troop, K Battery, 5 RHA, (as denoted by the TLC markings) near St Joost in early 1945. Courtesy of James and David Allen.

The rear of the Troop Leader's Half Track from 'D' Troop, K Battery, 5 RHA, (as denoted by the TLC markings) near St Joost in early 1945. Courtesy of James and David Allen.

Sextons, Half-tracks and an Armoured Ammunition Truck in the field, from K Battery 5th RHA. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

Sexton from K Battery, 5th RHA. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

A Sexton SPG and Creew from K Battery, 5th RHA.

Sexton 5 RHA Europe 1944, named Bubbles III, from 'B' Troop, 'G' Battery (MercersTroop). NB. It is the '76' below the Divisional TAC sign, above the drivers hatch, which denotes that it as a Sexton from 5th RHA

Sexton 5 RHA Europe 1944, from 'H' Troop, 'CC' Battery. NB. It is the '76' below the Divisional TAC sign, above the drivers hatch that denotes it as 5 RHA. The 'H' above denotes the troop which is different to normal practice. Courtesy of William Parfitt & Mark Smith.

Another Sexton from 'H' Troop, CC Battery, showing the compartment cover and the various items stowed above the engine

Men from the Light Aid Detachment for 5 RHA, Holland December 1944. Courtesy of William Parfitt & Mark Smith.

Haltrack 'F1' with Articifiers sign above the cab from the Light Aid Detachment for 5 RHA, Holland December 1944. Courtesy of William Parfitt & Mark Smith.

Men from CC Battery (most likely from 'H' Troop), 5 RHA, Europe 1944 or 1945, with a well laden lorry behind them. Courtesy of William Parfitt & Mark Smith.

Men from CC Battery (most likely from 'H' Troop), Hamburg 1945. Courtesy of William Parfitt & Mark Smith.

Sexton of Sub-section H, 'H' Troop, CC Battery, 5th RHA, denoted by the HH on the AoS. Photograph from Leonard Smith, courtesy of his family.

Picture of same Sexton S234682, showing the CC Battery badge on the side. Photo Leonard Smith and courtesy of his family.

AOP Cromwell from D Troop, CC Battery. 5 RHA somewhere in Germany 1945. Behind it is the same Sexton as in top right, second row down S233704. Photograph from Leonard Smith, courtesy of his family.

D Troop, CC Battery, 5th RHA somewhere in Germany in 1945. Note AOP Cromwell in the foreground and Sextons behind it, some with their covers in place. Photo Leonard Smith and courtesy of his family.

The A2 Ammunition Lorry from D Troop, CC Battery, 5 RHA, complete with armour. This is in the background of the above right Troop photo. Photo Leonard Smith and courtesy of his family.

Two men from D Troop, CC Battery, 5 RHA probably in 1945. Photo Leonard Smith and courtesy of his family.

A member of D Troop, CC Battery, 5 RHA probably in 1945. Photo Leonard Smith and courtesy of his family.

Men of CC Battery, 5 RHA enjoying a 'picnic' probably in 1945. Photo Leonard Smith and courtesy of his family.

The crew of a Sexton from H Troop, CC Battery, 5 RHA, preparing for the Victory Parade in July 1945. Second from left in the photo is Leonard Smith and the photograph is courtesy of his family.

Two of the same crew in a less formal pose before the Victory Parade in July 1945. Photo Leonard Smith and courtesy of his family.

Men of K Battery, 5th RHA at the Olympic Stadium, Berlin 1945. Top Left: Sgt (Dodger) Green, Top Right: Bdr Colin Tovey (Toska), Bottom Left: L/Bdr Johnny Gallon, Bottom Right: Sgt Guy Lewis. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes

Men of K Battery, 5 RHA, before the Berlin Victory Parade. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

Men of K Battery, 5 RHA, relaxing on some logs before the Berlin Victory Parade. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

More men of K Battery, 5 RHA, before the Berlin Victory Parade. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

Sextons and Half-tracks probably from K Battery, 5 RHA, before the Berlin Victory Parade. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

The Troop Leader's Half Track from 'E/F' Troop, K Battery, 5 RHA, (as denoted by the TLC marking) before the Berlin Victory Parade. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

'Jock' (Rob) Lerche with his Sexton and some of the crew, K Battery, 5 RHA, before the Berlin Victory Parade. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

Men from K Battery, 5th RHA beside a Sexton. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

Men from K Battery, 5th RHA beside a Half-tracks and Sextons during the Berlin Victory Parade 1945. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes.

 

Two photographs of 'K' Battery, 5th Royal Horse Artillery.

Surrey, 1942.

Men of K Battery, 5th RHA, in Surrey before sailing to North Africa in 1942. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes

Berlin, October 1945.

Journey's end. Men of K Battery, 5th RHA in Berlin 1945. Courtesy of 'Jock' (Rob) Lerche (K Bty) and Barry Forbes

'CC' Battery, 5th Royal Horse Artillery, Berlin, October 1945.

CC Battery 5 RHA Berlin October 1945, in front of the Olympic Stadium.

 

If you are in any of the three pictures of 'K 'and 'CC' Batteries above or know someone who is (or would like a higher definition copy of them) please contact me as my own father is in the one of CC Battery.

There are more pictures of 5th RHA during the Victory Parade in July 1945 on the Italian and Northern Europe Page. Click here to go there now.

Pictures of 8th Hussars

Tanks of 8th Hussars waiting to cross the Rhine at Brunen

Tanks for 8th Hussars in early 1945, as designated by the last of the three TAC signs used by the Divsion, having just crossed the Rhine at Brunen. The lead tank is a Close Support Cromwell with 95mm Howitzer. In the background are what look like Challenger Tank Destroyers from the size of the turret.

Chaffee and Honey Tanks of 8th Hussars HQ (Recce) Squadron, outside Hamburg, 1945

 

Chaffee and Honey Tanks from the Recce Squadron of 8th Hussars in 1945

 

8th Hussars, Berlin 1945

Men of the 8th Hussars, in Berlin, in front of the Olympic Stadium.

There are more pictures of 8th Hussars during the Victory Parade in July 1945 on the Italian and Northern Europe Page. Click here to go there now.

Pictures of the 11th Hussars

Rolls Royce Armoured Car in the desert in 1940.

Morris Armoured Car crossing the frontier wire into Libya in 1940

A Fordson Armoured Car of 'D' Squadron (RAF), 11th Hussars, fitted with an extra pair of light machine-guns mounted on a 'Scarff Ring', on the turret as additional protection against air attack. The two crew in 'side caps' are RAF personnel, with a Hussars instructor behind them. 

In Humber Armoured Cars

Moving upto the front in Humber Armoured Cars

Moving through the wire

11th Hussars HQ, making use of an umbrella, liberated from a Cairo bar or restaurant

Marmon-Herrington Armoured Cars. Some have the turret removed and are fitted with a 20mm Breda guns

The crew of this Humber II Armoured Car from 'B' Squadron were the first vehicle into Tripoli

Being inspected by Winston Churchill and Montgomery

A Troop equipped with French 75mm guns mounted on US Halftracks in Italy

C' Squadron Outside Ghent September 1944, in Daimler Armoured Cars

No. 1 Troop, D Squadron, in Germany. The White Scout Car carried troops that could dismount and fight on foot, to carry out patrols, out flank enemy positions, etc.

Daimler 'Dingo' Scout Car armed with twin Vickers K Machine Guns

Humber Scout Cars of D Squadron outside the Town Hall, in Hamburg, 3rd May 1945

Men of No.1 Troop, C Squadron, with a Daimler Armoured Car, September 1944

Vehicles of D Squadron in the main square of Tonning after VE Day

Daimler Armoured Cars of 11th Hussars, entering Berlin with Major General Lyne, the Divisional Commander, taking  the salute.

Daimler Armoured Cars of 11th Hussars, during the Victory Parade in Berlin, 21st July 1945

Sgt (later Sgt Major) Bernard McGuire, 'B' Squadron, 11th Hussars, receiving his Military Medal from Field Marshall Montgomery

 (Note the use of Royal Armoured Corps shoulder title and the 11th Hussars badge below the Divisional Shoulder Flash)

Photograph courtesy of Bernard McGuire and his son Phil McGuire

 

Pictures of the 4th South African Armoured Car Regiment

Troopers on Marmon-Harrington Armoured Car

Near Gazala, 1942

Commanding Officer and other Officers  Commanding Officer, NCO's and Crews 
CO and the other Officers of 4th SA ACR CO, NCOs and Crews of 4th SA ACR
Lt. Col Reeves-Moore Lt. Col Newton-King

Lt. Col. Reeves-Moore, DSO, MC. Note 7th Armoured Brigade shoulder flash.

Lt. Col Newton-King, DSO

Armoured Car in the Desert on Observation

Armoured Car of 4th SA ACR on Observation in the desert

More pictures of 4th South African Armoured Car Regiment, courtesy of Rick Allenburg. More are available at http://www.bchomesellers.com/ww2/index.htm

Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car called Rooikat II

Marmon-Herrington Armoured Car called Jakhals II

Rooikat II. Picture courtesy of Rick Allenberg. Note the markings on the car. Rooikat is Afrikaans for a Desert Lynx or Caracal.

Jakhals II. Picture courtesy of Rick Allenberg. Jakhals is Afrikaans for Jackal.

Another picture of Jakhals II

Men of 4SAACR with their Marmon-Herrington Armoured cars.

Jakhals II and one of its crew. Picture courtesy of Rick Allenberg.

The names of this men are Klerck White Wittenberg and Wright. Picture courtesy of Rick Allenberg

Two pictures showing the radios of Marmon-Herrington Armoured Cars

The radio inside a Marmon Herrington armoured car. Picture courtesy of Rick Allenberg.

A second picture of the radio inside a Marmon Herrington armoured car. Picture courtesy of Rick Allenberg.

 

The Queens Royal Regiment.

A Queens Bren Gun Carrier in Normandy

 

A Bren Gun Carrier from one of the Queen's Battalions in Normandy 1944.

1/5th Bn. The Queens Royal Regiment.

1/5th Queens Liberating Ghent

1/5th Queens Regiment Parading through Ghent

1/6th Bn. The Queens Royal Regiment.

1/6th Queens Regiment entering Tobruk in 1942

1/6th Queens Regiment at Ste Margueritte de Viette, near Lisieux, in 1944

 

Pictures of 1st RTR
A9 in Cairo in 1939 On manoeuvres by the Pyramids in January 1939

On a train to Mersa Matruh

Practising with infantry in preparation for Operation Compass

RHQ Radio Vehicle in 1939

Crews in Matilda Tanks while on loan to the Australians in Tobruk, 1941

Men from B Squadron 's Hertogenbosch, 1944

Being inspected by Montgomery in Holland, late 1944

1st RTR on the way to Berlin, 1945.

The Colonel's Tank, "Iron Duke IV", 60 miles from Berlin. On the turret the flag on the left is the Cambrai RTC flag and the one on the right is the Regimental Flag.

Being inspected by Montgomery in Berlin, 1945.

The Triangle signs of the turrets indicate that 'A' Squadron is closest to the camera. Also note the tanks are all Comets, except for the Cromwell CS version in the lower middle of picture. The tanks carry the 52 AoS sign over the 22nd Armoured Brigade Sign.

 

Pictures of 2nd RTR

A10 (MK II) Cruiser Tank before the Battle of Beda Fomm A13 (MK IV) Cruiser Tank undergoing maintenance after the Battle of Sidi Omar

A9 CS Tank from 2nd RTR guarding the Derma Pass in 1941

A9 CS Tank knocked out at Beda Fomm

A9 CS Tank from 2nd RTR guarding the Derma Pass in 1941

A9 CS Tank knocked out at Beda Fomm

More pictures of 2nd RTR after they left the Division can be found on the main 7th Armoured Brigade Website on the Burma Pictures and Middle East and Italy Pictures Pages.

 

Pictures of 3rd RTR

A10 CS Tank from A Squadron 3rd RTR practising firing Smoke shells in the desert, east of Mersa Matruh, August 1941.

 

Pictures of 5th RTR

'A' squadron with 'Honey' tanks in the desert

 Fitters with a Staff Car

Men of 5th RTR inspecting their new 'Honey' tanks in the desert

Crew of Grant tank in the Desert 1942

5th RTR in Spararise, Italy October 1943

Sherman Fireflies and some crews, Germany 1945

`Comet Tank of C Squadron, 5th RTR in Ghent during the celebration of the liberation in Sept 1945. Photo Gordon Johnson, courtesy of his daughter Gillian.

 

Pictures of 6th RTR

Light Tank MK VI from A Squadron in action

Men of 6th RTR beside their Grant Tank

 

1st Rifle Brigade

Attacking St. Joost with support from Churchill 'Crocodiles', January 1945

Holland, 1945

In a Bren Gun Carrier

Men from 1st Bn. Rifle Brigade, resting between engagements in Holland 1945

Men of 1st Bn. The Rifle Brigade in a carrier

 

Pictures of 15th (Isle of Man) Light Anti-aircraft Regiment.

The six pictures below are all courtesy of the Manx Aviation & Military Museum/Museum of the Manx Regiment

Bofors AA Gun being towed by a Morris Tractor

Bofors Gun and Crew in the Desert

Bofors Gun and crew Gambut

Courtesy of Manx Aviation Preservation Society

Courtesy of Manx Aviation Preservation Society

Courtesy of Manx Aviation Preservation Society

Morris C 9B SPG 40mm Bofors in the winter on 1944/1945. Its probably from D Troop, 41 LAA Battery from the D on the side.

M16 Quad 0.50 Cal AA Halftracks 1945

Celebrating VE Day near the Kiel Canal.

C Troop, 41 Battery, 15th (IOM) LAA Regiment

C Troop, 41 LAA Bty, 15th (IOM) LAA Regt, 10th August 1945. Picture courtesy of Alf and Ray Parish.

Some more pictures probably of 41st Battery, 15th LAA Regiment in the Middle East 1941 or 1942

Probably 41 Bty, 15th LAA Regt. Picture courtesy of Alf and Ray Parish. NB The number 2 on the motorcycle denotes it belonging to the Battery Orderly.

Probably 41 Bty, 15th LAA Regt. Picture courtesy of Alf and Ray Parish.

 

 

4th County of London Yeomanry

4th County of London Yeomanry, being inspected by General Montgomery, England 1944

AA Crusader of 22nd Armoured Brigade (TAC sign = 50) on loan to 4th County of London Yeomanry landing on 7th June 1944

A Sherman Firefly landing on 7th June 1944, from the same LST as the Crusade AA tank above right

 

65th Anti-Tank Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry)

 

German Troops inspecting an Achilles (M10 17 pdr) Tank Destroyer from 260 Battery, 65th Anti-Tank Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry) after the battles at Villers-Bocage and the Brigade Box. Only 260 Battery were equipped with the 17 pdr version at this time with the other SPG Battery (258) having US 76mm M10 Tank Destroyers.

 Half Tracks and men of 65th Anti-Tank Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry) outside a German Pub.

 

 

MMG Carrier of 3rd Support Company, Northumberland Fusiliers, in late 1944 or 1945

Note Vickers MMG on mount in Bren Gun Carrier.

 

Divisional HQ

 

Trooper Ted Fogg (Div TAC HQ) by his truck in North Africa

Men from Divisional HQ on a Crusader Tank

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

The 'Kentucky Minstrels' from Div TAC HQ in the desert

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

Men from Divisional TAC HQ with a Jeep in the desert

Trooper Ted Fogg and colleagues from Divisional TAC HQ pose with a Tommy Gun on a Jeep in the desert

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

Trooper Ted Fogg (Div TAC HQ) in his truck in North Africa, with a colleague

Humber Scout Car from Divisional HQ in late 1944 (NB. The same Humber can be seen in the Victory Parade pictures with a Russian Officer and loudspeaker system.)

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

Men of Divisional TAC HQ in North West Europe

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

Picture courtesy of Roger Fogg.

 

22nd Armoured Brigade HQ

 

Men of Tank Troop, 22nd Armoured Brigade on board SS Orion bound for the Middle East, 1941

Men of Tank Troop, 22nd Armoured Brigade near Mersa Matruh 1941

Crusader MK I from Brigade HQ at Sidi Bish Camp in February 1942

Photographer David Beaven courtesy of Ian Beaven

Photographer David Beaven courtesy of Ian Beaven

Picture courtesy of David Beavan.

There are more pictures of 22nd Armoured Brigade in North West Europe on the Italy and Northern Europe page.

 

If you have anything that you feel may be suitable for this page please click here to contact me

 

 

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