1st Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)


The 1st Armoured Brigade, raised as the 1st Light Armoured, later the 1st Armoured Brigade Group, was an armoured formation of the British Army. The brigade was one of the experimental armoured formations formed by the army after mobilised was announced on 3 September 1939.

History

At the start of the war, the brigade was based in the United Kingdom, initially as part of the 1st Armoured Division and then as part of the newly formed 2nd Armoured Division. In November 1940, it was shipped to Egypt, arriving on 1 January 1941. In March 1941, the brigade was dispatched to Greece as part of General Maitland Wilson's unsuccessful attempt at stopping the German invasion. On 29 April 1941, the brigade was evacuated to Egypt.
The 1st Armoured Brigade served in the Western Desert Campaign with the 7th Armoured Division at the Battle of El Alamein. The brigade was disbanded on 21 November 1942.

Order of Battle

The Order of battle of the brigade during the war was:, units in order of precedence.
Armoured Brigade Establishment
Greece Deployment Group
Armoured Brigade Group
Commanding officers of the brigade included:
*