British North African variations
As with the Infantry and Motor Battalions, the British Armoured Regiments also underwent amendments for service in the Western desert campaign. A new war establishment tables was issued in August 1942, but it seems this that many of the features had already been put into effective as early as April that year.
The Armoured Regiment, Middle East
Regimental Headquarters (5 Officers, 12 men)
Headquarters Squadron (7 Officers, 122 men);
Squadron HQ (2 Officers, 4 men)
Reconnaissance Troop (1 Officer, 19 men)
Inter-communication Troop (16 men)
Administrative Troop (4 Officers, 83 men) * reduced by 1 man late 1942
Three Squadrons (7 Officers, 114 men), each comprised of;
Squadron HQ (3 Officers, 70 men) * increased by 6 men late 1942
Four Troops, each comprised of (1 Officer, 11 men)
Total strength of 509 all ranks (33 Officers, 476 men) * subject to increase for Regiments using 5, 6 or 7 man crews
Points of note
The Regiment was in many respects similar to The British Armoured Regiment used in the UK, but on closer inspection there were a number of important differences. Key among these was the increments for additional personnel depending on the mixture of tanks used, for which there were no less than seven variations.
A - 30 Grant, 16 Crusader (2 pdr), 6 Crusader (CS), add 87 men
B - 30 Grant, 22 Crusader (MkIII), add 70 men
C - 30 Sherman, 16 Crusader (2 pdr), 6 Crusader (CS), add 54 men
D - 30 Sherman, 22 Crusader (MkIII), add 37 men
E - 14 Sherman, 32 Crusader (2 pdr), 6 Crusader (CS), add 26 men
F - 30 Grant, 22 Stuart, add 83 men
G - 14 Grant, 38 Stuart, add 41 men
There is no detail on precisely how the various tanks were to be distributed throughout the subunits of the Regiment, so my estimations are noted below. Also note some of the personnel increases were drivers for additional lorries, so do not relate wholly to tank crews.
The elements of the Regiment
Regimental Headquarters - the usual HQ staff with four tanks.
Reconnaissance Troop - while UK units used the Universal carrier, in North Africa the Troop had ten scout cars, probably Daimlers, each mounting a Bren gun and carrying a two man crew.
Intercommunication Troop - intended to field a further eight scout cars, it was noted that Jeeps could be used in lieu.
The Armoured Squadron - each Squadron fielded four Tank Troops instead of five.
Each Troop had three tanks, commanded by Subaltern, Sergeant and Corporal respectively. The basic allowance was for a four man crew, as found in the Stuart, while the 2 pdr and close support Crusaders and the Sherman had five man crews, six or seven in the Grant. The 6 pdr armed Crusader MkIII actually reduced the crew to three men, as the vehicle was never designed to mount such a weapon, the loader and hull machine gunner both being made redundant. The hull gunner was also evicted from the MkII to help make room for more 2 pdr ammunition, and because he was practically cooked alive in his confined quarters.
Squadron HQ had a further four tanks, two of which could be CS Crusaders, plus the usual admin element.
Suggested distribution of tanks by type (provisional)
A - RHQ with 2 Grants and 2 Crusaders; one Squadron with 2 Crusaders and 2 CS Crusaders at SHQ, then 12 Crusaders in four Troops of three; two Squadrons, each with 2 Grants and 2 CS Crusaders at SHQ, then 12 Grants in four Troops of three.
B - Same as A, but all CS Crusaders replaced by Crusader MkIIIs.
C - Same as A, but all Grants replaced by Shermans.
D - Same as B, but all Grants replaced by Shermans.
E - RHQ with 4 Crusaders; one Squadron with 2 Shermans and 2 CS Crusaders at SHQ, then 12 Shermans in four Troops of three; two Squadrons, each with 2 Crusaders and 2 CS Crusaders at SHQ, then 12 Crusaders in four Troops of three.
F - RHQ with 4 Stuarts; one Squadron with 2 Stuart and 2 Grant at SHQ, then 12 Stuarts in four Troops of three; two Squadrons each with 2 Stuart and 2 Grant at SHQ, then 12 Grants in four Troops of three.
G - RHQ with 4 Stuarts; one Squadron with 2 Stuart and 2 Grant at SHQ, then 12 Grants in four Troops of three; two Squadrons with 4 Stuarts as SHQ and 12 Stuarts in four Troops of three.
Later developments
Towards the end of 1942 a new table was issued that amended support personnel and soft-skin totals, but retained the same armoured vehicle format. However, a new range of increments now existed.
A - 30 Grant, 22 Crusader (MkII), add 87 men
B - 30 Grant, 22 Crusader (MkIII), add 69 men
C - 30 Sherman, 22 Crusader (MkII), add 54 men
D - 30 Sherman, 22 Crusader (MkIII), add 36 men
E - 30 Sherman, 22 Stuart, add 53 men
F - 30 Grant, 22 Stuart, add 85 men
G - 30 Grant, 14 Crusader (MkII), 8 Crusader (MkIII), add 80 men
H - 30 Sherman, 14 Crusader (MkII), 8 Crusader (MkIII), add 47 men
J - 52 Grant, add 144 men
K - 52 Sherman, add 88 men
Points of note are the replacement of the close support Crusaders with normal gun armed models and the allowance for Regiments to be fully equipped with either Sherman or Grant tanks. It would appear that K was the organisation used by Armoured Regiments through the Sicilian and into the Italian campaigns of 1943.
Summary
The reality in North Africa was that Regiments often had to field whatever machines were available. Captured enemy tanks served on both sides in the conflict, as breakdowns and attrition thinned out the ranks, and an Armoured Regiment on the move could present quite an exotic sight for the observer.
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British Divisional Organisations
The United States Armored Battalion