Guards Armoured Division

The Guards Armoured Division was formed in the United Kingdom on 17th June 1941. It originally consisted of the 5th and 6th Guards Armoured Brigades, but the 6th Armoured Brigade left the division in January 1943 when armoured divisions changed to having just one armoured brigade on their establishment.

The division arrived in Normandy on 28th June 1944. One of its brigades (32nd) took part in the battle on the River Odon, to the West of Caen, 25th-29th June (Operation EPSOM). The Division’s artillery supported the capture of Caen, 7th-9th July. The Division was one of three armoured divisions concentrated for Operation GOODWOOD, an attack East of Caen, 18th-21st July. This offensive started well but was held up by strong German resistance. The Division lost some 60 tanks in the battle. Later in the campaign, the Division took part in an attack from Caen towards Falaise, 25th July–2nd August. In the break-out that followed the Normandy campaign, the Division reached the River Seine on 29th August, and the River Somme on 31st August .

(Major General AHS Adair).


Headquarters, Guards Armoured Division & Employment Platoon.


5th (Guards) Armoured Brigade.

Headquarters, 5th (Guards) Armoured Brigade and Signal Section
2nd (Armoured) Bn. Grenadier Guards.
1st (Armoured) Bn. Coldstream Guards.
2nd (Armoured) Bn. Irish Guards.
1st (Motorised) Bn. Grenadier Guards.

32nd (Guards) Infantry Brigade.

Headquarters, 5th (Guards) Armoured Brigade and Signal Section.
5th Bn. Coldstream Guards.
3rd Bn. Irish Guards.
1st Bn. Welsh Guards.


Divisional Troops.

2nd (Armoured Reconnaissance) Bn. Welsh Guards.
2nd Household Cavalry Regiment.

No. 268 Forward Delivery Squadron, Royal Armoured Corps.
1st Independent Machine Gun Company, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
Headquarters, Guards Armoured Divisional Royal Artillery.
55th (Wessex) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
153rd (The Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
21st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.
94th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Headquarters, Guards Armoured Divisional Royal Engineers.
14th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers.
615th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers.
148th Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers.
11th Bridging Troop, Royal Engineers.

Guards Armoured Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.

Headquarters, Guards Armoured Divisional Royal Army Service Corps.
310th Armoured Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
224th Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
535th Divisional Troops Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
648th General Transport Company, Royal Army Service Corps.

Headquarters, Guards Armoured Divisional Royal Army Medical Corps.
19th Light Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
128 th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
8th Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps.
60th Field Hygiene Section, Royal Army Medical Corps.

Guards Armoured Divisional Ordnance Field Park, Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

Headquarters, Guards Armoured Divisional Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
5th (Guards) Armoured Brigade Workshops, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
32nd (Guards) Infantry Brigade Workshops, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.

Guards Armoured Divisional Postal Unit, Royal Engineers.

Guards Armoured Divisional Provost Company, Corps of Military Police.

77th Field Intelligence Section, Intelligence Corps.