Division Headquarters:

Headquarters Company: (Major General G.P.B."Pip" Roberts)

1-HQ stand in M3A1 White Scout Car
1-Sherman V

1-Armoured Brigade (29th Armoured Brigade), with:

Brigade Headquarters (Brigadier C. B. C. "Roscoe" Harvey):

1-HQ Sherman V
1-Sherman V
2-Valentine Bridgelayers (3 actual vehicles per Regiment, combined
here to allow SH representation)

3-Armoured Regiments (23rd Hussars, 3rd Royal Tanks, Fife
and Forfar Yeomanry), each with:

Regimental Headquarters:

HQ: 1 Sherman V
Recce: 2 Stuart V
AA: 1 Crusader AA Tank

3-Tank Squadrons, each with:

3-Sherman V (75mm)
1-Sherman VC (17pdr)
By the end of 1944, use 2 Sherman V and 2 Sherman VC.

By February 1945, the Brigade is re-equipped with Comets. Use 1
stand of 95mm Cromwell CS tanks per Regiment.

1-Motor Battalion (8th Motor Battalion, The Rifle Brigade), with:

Battalion Headquarters:
1- HQ stand in Jeep/Truck

1-Support Company, with:
1-6pdr. AT Gun/ Universal Carrier
1-3" Mortar stand in Universal or Loyd Carrier
2-HMG stands in Universal carriers

3-Motor Companies, each with:

3-Rifle stands in M-3 Halftracks
1-Carrier Platoon in Universal Carrier

1-Infantry Brigade (159th Infantry Brigade), with:

Brigade Headquarters (Brigadier J.G. Sandie until 04/07/44,
then J. B. Churcher)

HQ: 1-HQ stand in Jeep
1-Rifle stand in 15cwt truck

1- Machine Gun Company (2nd Independant Machine Gun Company), with:

3-HMG stands in Universal Carriers
1-4.2" Mortar in Loyd Carrier with trailer
By late 1944, add 1-Wasp carrier flamethrower

3-Lorried Infantry Battalions, (4th Battalion King's Shropshire Light
Infantry, 3rd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment [relieved in April 1945 by
1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment], 1st Battalion Herefordshire Regiment),
each with:

Battalion Headquarters:
HQ: 1-HQ stand in jeep

1-Support Company, with;
1-6pdr. AT Gun/ Universal Carrier
1-3" Mortar stand in Universal or Loyd Carrier or 15cwt Truck
1-Carrier Platoon in Universal Carrier
1-Engineer stand(Rifles) in M-3 Halftrack
By late 1944, add 1-Wasp carrier flamethrower

4-Infantry Companies, each with:
3-Rifle stands

 

Division Assets:

1-Armoured Reconaissance Regiment (2nd Northhamptonshire Yeomanry
[relieved 08/08/44 by 15/19 King's Royal Hussars]),with:

Regimental Headquarters:

HQ: 1-HQ Cromwell Tank
Recce: 2-Stuart V (turretless field modification)
AA: 1-Crusader AA Tank

3-Tank Squadrons, each with:
4-Cromwell Tanks
1 Stand in the Regiment shoud be the 95mm-armed CS version
By December of 1944, use 2 stands of Challenger 17pdr version
Re-equipped with Comets in April 1945. The 95mm CS tanks
were retained.

 

1-Armoured Car Regiment (Sept 1944 Inns of Court Regiment), with:

Regimental Headquarters:

HQ:1-HQ Staghound I Armoured Car
Recce:2-Humber Scout Cars
1-Staghound AA Armoured Car
2-75mm Armoured Cars (AEC III) Grouped from below for representation.
No 75mm listed by the end of 1944.

4-Armoured Car Squadrons, each with:

1-Staghound I
2-Daimler Armoured cars
2-Daimler Scout Cars
1-Rifle stand in M3 Half-track (treat as Armored Infantry)

 

1-Field Artillery Regiment (13th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery),
with:

Regimental Headquarters:
HQ: 1 HQ stand in Staff car/ M3A1 Scout Car

3-Batteries, each with:
2-Sexton SP Artillery

1-Field Artillery Regiment (151st Ayrshire Yeomanry),
with:

Regimental Headquarters:
HQ: 1 HQ stand in Staff car/ M3A1 Scout Car

3-Batteries, each with:
2-25pdr Field Guns/ tractors

1-Anti-Tank Regiment (75th Anti-Tank Regiment), with:

Regimental Headquarters:
HQ: 1-HQ stand in Jeep/ Truck

2-Anti-Tank Batteries, each with:

3-17pdr AT gun/ M-3 Halftracks
In 1945, these towed units were disbanded and formed two infantry companies

2-Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Batteries, each with

3-M-10 (76mm). Replace with Achilles 17pdr version from July 1944.
All should be 17pdr by December 1944

1-Divisional Engineers, Royal Engineers, with:

Headquarters:
1- HQ stand in 15cwt. Truck

1-Field Park Squadron (147th Field Park Squadron), with:
1-HQ stand in Jeep/ 15 cwt. Truck
3-Engineer (Rifle) stands in 15cwt. Trucks

2-Field Squadrons (13th Field Squadron, 612th Field Squadron), each with:
1-HQ stand in 15cwt Truck

3-Engineer Troops, each with:
2- Engineer (Rifle) stands in M-3 Halftracks
2- Engineer (Rifle) stands in 15cwt. Trucks

1-Anti-Aircraft Regiment (59th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment), with:

Regimental Headquarters:
HQ: 1-HQ Stand in Jeep/ Truck

1- Self-Propelled Battery, with:
3- 40mm Morris Bofors (SP)

2-Anti-Aircraft Batteries, each with:
3- 40mm Bofors/ 15cwt Trucks
In 1945, these towed units were disbanded and formed into two infantry companies

NOTES:
1) Most AA tanks were eliminated during the Normandy campaign and crews used to make up losses in the tank units. Division returns show all were gone by December 1944.
2) 10 Challengers listed in Division returns for December 1944. Used in the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment.
3) Morale ranking is speculative, but I would rate the 11th for Spearhead as follows:
Through "Goodwood" rate the Division as Green for close combat and Rally suppression, Regular for Morale. Treat as Russians for order changes and movement requirements. Afterwards, treat as 1/3 Veteran, 2/3 Regular.

Bibliography:
1) British Tank Strengths, June '44 to June '45, Command Post Quarterly #15, Greg Novak, editor, Emperor's Press/Old Glory, 1997.
2)From D-Day to VE-Day: The British Tommy in North West Europe, 1944-1945 , Vol 2, by Jean Bouchery, Histoire & Collections, Paris, 1999.
3)Taming the Panzers: Monty's Tank Battalions, 3RTR at War by Patrick Delaforce, Sutton Publishing, 2000.
4)The British Armies in World War Two, An Organisational History , Vol 1, by David Hughes,
James Broshot, and Alan Philson,Nafziger Publications,1999.

 

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