The 7th Armoured Division (The Desert Rats) of the British Army was the most famous unit of its type in British service during World War II. It was a regular division in the Middle East, designated the Mobile Division at first, renamed the Armoured Division (Egypt) in September 1939, and finally 7th Armoured Division on 16th February 1940. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British military. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

At first, it was one of only two British Empire formations in Egypt. The other was an Indian Army formation, which was then replaced with an Australian division. The two divisions formed the core of the Western Desert Force (WDF). The division had arrived in the Middle East in 1938 (See: the Munich crisis). The unit was intended to possess 220 tanks; however, at the outbreak of war the 7th Armoured Division had only 65. Most of the unit's troops had already been deployed for 2 years by 1940 and it could take as long as three months for mail to arrive. The Western Desert Force, during World War II, was a British Commonwealth Army unit stationed in Egypt. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Chamberlain holds the paper containing the resolution to commit to peaceful methods signed by both Hitler and himself on his return from Germany in September 1938. ... 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... A British pillar box The postal system is a system by which written documents typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages containing other matter, are delivered to destinations around the world. ...

When conflict broke out between British and Italian troops in June 1940, after the Italian declaration of war, the Western Desert Force was massively outnumbered. However, the Italian forces proved to be no match for the British forces. The Western Desert Force captured 250,000 Italian prisoners in the early engagements in 1940. The Western Desert Force, during World War II, was a British Commonwealth Army unit stationed in Egypt. ...

During the 1941 Italian retreat, WDF commander Major-General Richard O'Connor ordered the Desert Rats to travel south of the Jebel Akhdar and cut off the Italian forces at Beda Fomm, while Australian forces continued to push the Italians west. As the tanks were unable to travel fast enough, the maneuver was led by a brigade of armoured cars, towed artillery, and infantry, which completed the trip in 30 hours, cutting off the Italian retreat and effectively destroying the Italian Tenth Army. The rest of the force arrived sometime later. 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... For the Jebel Akhdar region of Oman, see Jebel Akhdar (Oman). ... Brigade is a term from military science which refers to a group of several battalions (typically two to four), and directly attached supporting units (normally including at least an artillery battery and additional logistic support). ... Military armored cars A French VBL reconnaissance vehicle. ... Historically, artillery refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ... Infantry in the First World War Infantry (or Infantrymen) are soldiers who fight primarily on foot, using personal weapons. ...

The Italians proved so weak that Hitler was forced to send reinforcements (Afrika Korps) to stiffen them under the command of General Erwin Rommel. Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ... The Deutsches Afrikakorps (often just Afrika Korps or DAK) was the corps_level headquarters controlling the German Panzer divisions in Libya and Egypts Western Desert during the North African Campaign of World War II. Since there was little turnover in the units attached to the corps the term is commonly... Erwin Rommel Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel (November 15, 1891 – October 14, 1944) was one of the most distinguished German Field Marshals and commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps in World War II. He is also known by his nickname The Desert Fox (Wüstenfuchs). ...

The Western Desert Force later became HQ XIII Corps, one of the major parts of Eighth Army. 7th Armoured Division took part in most of the major battles of the North African Campaign, including both at El Alamein. It also participated in the final destruction of Axis forces in North Africa in Tunisia in 1943. El Alamein is a town in northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea coast. ... North Africa is a region generally considered to include: Algeria Egypt Libya Mauritania Morocco Sudan Tunisia Western Sahara The Canary Islands, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Azores and Madeira are sometimes considered to be a part of North Africa, though they do not share a common culture with North Africa. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ...

7th Armoured Division then took part in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, and also the early part of the campaign in Italy. Along with other veteran formations, it was withdrawn from Italy in late 1943 to go to the United Kingdom to prepare for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. This was the only time in the division's existence when it was in the United Kingdom. Husky was also the codename of Australian military support to Sierra Leone ending in February 2003. ... 1943 is a common year starting on Friday. ... The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between the German forces occupying Western Europe and the invading Allies. ... Normandy is a geographical region in northern France. ...

The division formed one of the follow up formations in Normandy. Although regarded as a veteran and elite formation it had, by this time, started to become seriously burnt out. Its performances in Normandy and the rest of France did not match those of its earlier campaigns, even taking into account the unsuitability of Normandy as tank country. Within 21st Army Group it took part in the liberation of Belgium, the Netherlands and northern Germany. It remained in Germany as part of the occupation forces and into the 1950s as part of the British Army of the Rhine standing watch against the Soviet Union. As the British Army became smaller in the later years, its higher numbered divisions were removed from the order of battle to make way for lower numbered formations. 7th Armoured Division's long and illustrious career finally came to an end in this fashion. However, the traditions of 7th Armoured Division are continued today by 7th Armoured Brigade, which forms part of 1 (UK) Division. (Redirected from 21st Army Group) The British 21st Army Group was an important Allied force in the European Theatre of World War II. Commanded by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery it initially controlled all ground forces in Operation Overlord. ... There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British military. ... History The 1 (United Kingdom) Armoured Division has existed in the British Army since 1809 when the Duke of Wellington formed it, in Portugal, from two British brigades and one Hanoverian brigade of the Kings German Legion. ...

Notable Members of the 7th Armoured Division

• Dan Ranfurly
• Field Marshal Lord Carver