7th Support Group (United Kingdom)
The 7th Support Group was a brigade size formation within the British 7th Armoured Division, active during World War II.
| 7th Support Group | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1938–1942 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Armoured Support Group |
| Role | Armoured Division Support |
| Size | Brigade |
| Part of | 7th Armoured Division (until October 1942) 1st Armoured Division (from October 1942)[1] |
| Nickname(s) | Desert Rats[2] |
| Engagements | Western Desert campaign |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | William Gott[3][lower-alpha 1] John Campbell Edward Williams |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol | Red Desert Jerboa[4] |
| Abbreviation | 7th Sup Gp |
History
The 7th Support Group (or pivot group) provided support for the armoured brigades. It comprised motorised infantry, field artillery, anti-tank guns and light anti-aircraft guns. After the 8th Army was re-organised in preparation for El Alamein, the support group concept was abolished and they were replaced by either a motor brigade or lorried infantry brigade large enough to support the armoured elements.[5]
Commanders
- Brigadier William Gott - Until 3 September 1941
- Brigadier John Campbell - It was when in command of the 7th Support Group that "Jock" Campbell was awarded his Victoria Cross.
Order of battle
Western Desert Force 1939
- 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
- 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps
- 2nd Rifle Brigade
Operation Compass
- 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
- 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps
- 2nd Rifle Brigade
Order of Battle - June 1941 (Operation Battleaxe)
- 1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
- 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
- 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps
- 2nd Rifle Brigade
Order of Battle - November 1941 (Operation Crusader)
- 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
- 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
- 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps
- 2nd Rifle Brigade
- 60th (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
- One Bty, 51st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
Notes
- The 7th Support Group was under the command of William Gott during the Italian invasion of Egypt[3]
Footnotes
-
- Paterson, Ian A. "History of the British 7th Armoured Division: 7th Support Group". Archived from the original on 8 February 2004.
- Leakey & Forty 2002, pp. 23–25.
- Playfair 1959, p. 205.
- Leakey & Forty 2002, pp. 102–103.
- Paterson, Ian A. "Regiments That Served with the 7th Armoured Division". Archived from the original on 28 February 2003. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
References
- Leakey, R.; Forty, G. (2002) [1999]. Leakey's Luck: A Tank Commander with Nine Lives (pbk. ed.). Stroud: Sutton. ISBN 978-0-7509-3195-3.
- Playfair, I. S. O.; et al. (1959) [1954]. Butler, J. R. M. (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. I. 3rd impression. HMSO. OCLC 888934805.
External links
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.