The 79th (Experimental) Armoured Division, Royal Engineers was a British Army armoured unit formed as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944. The unit comprised armoured vehicles modified for specialist roles, intended to assist with the landing phase of the operation. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British military. ... Battle of Normandy Conflict World War II, Western Front Date June 6, 1944 – August 25, 1944 Place Normandy, France Result Allied victory The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between the German forces occupying Western Europe and the invading American, British, and Canadian forces. ...
The unit was commanded by Major General (later Sir) Percy Hobart, and the strange-looking tanks it operated were known as Hobart's Funnies. They included tanks that cleared mines, carried bridges, laid down roadways and floated. The unit did not operate as a single division but the tanks were distributed between the different landing areas. Sir Percy Hobart (1885-1957) was British military engineer and commander of the 79th Experimental Armored Division during the World War II. Many of his contemporary superior officers mainly tried to disregard him. ... Badge of the 79th Armoured Division Hobarts Funnies were a number of unusual modified tanks designs that were operated by the 79th Armoured Division, Royal Engineers under the leadership of Percy Hobart whom the collection were named after. ...
The 79th Armoured Division was disbanded on 20 August 1945.
The full story with maps and photos can be seen at http://79armoured.moonfruit.com/
The Division was further used during the battle for the Roer Triangle (Operation Blackcock) and the Rhine crossings, (Operation Plunder), to transport the assault troops and to re-supply.
The 79th was raised as a conventional armoureddivision.
The 79thArmouredDivision was disbanded on 20 August 1945.
It was a regular division in the Middle East, designated the Mobile Division at first, renamed the ArmouredDivision (Egypt) in September 1939, and finally 7th ArmouredDivision on 16 February 1940.
British armoureddivisions Thomas Daniel Knox, 6th Earl of Ranfurly (1914 - 1988), known as Dan Ranfurly, was a Second Lieutenant in the British 7th ArmouredDivision, called the Desert Rats.
It was a regular division in the Middle East, designated the Mobile Division at first, renamed the ArmouredDivision (Egypt) in September 1939, and finally 7th ArmouredDivision on 16th February 1940.
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