33rd Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 33rd Armoured Brigade
abbreviation= 33rd Armd Bde
Caption=
dates=17,March,1944 - 22 August 1945 World War II
1 January 1980 - 1 December 1992
country= Great Britain
allegiance=
branch= British Army
type= Armoured
role=
size= Brigade
command_structure= Independent Brigade
79th Armoured Division
British 3rd Armoured Division1980-1992
equipment= M4 Sherman
LVT 4
Past Commanders=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_2=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=D Day
Le Mesnil-Patry
Operation Charnwood
Operation Pomegranate
Operation Totalize
Rhine Crossing
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

History

The 33rd Armoured Brigade was a Second World War British Army independent brigade,Formed in the UK on 17 March 1944 by redesignation of British 33rd Tank Brigade. Brigade HQ was disbanded in NW Europe on 22 August 1945.The brigade's three regiments landed on Gold Beach in Normandy on D Day 6th June. Their role was to support any infantry who were in need of armour support, therefore the Brigade rarely fought as one entity. One of the occasions when the Brigade did undertake an operation on its own was at Le Mesnil-Patry , Rots on 11 June 1944. The battle ended with only partial success and severe losses to the Canadians.further battles they were involved in was around Caen included Operation Charnwood 7th July, the battle to capture Caen. On the 16th July 1944 it was involved in Operation Pomegranate , where it come under the command of the 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division. On 8th August 1944 it was involved in Operation Totalize , a planned breakout from the Caen Salient. Heavy German counter-attacks prevented exploitation of the early successes and tank losses were heavy.

Rhine Crossing

The Brigade was reformed and re-equipped with LVT 4 (Buffalo , amphibious armoured fighting vehicles) , for the Rhine crossing and was placed under the command of the 79th Armoured Division.

Post War

On 1 December 1977, the Brigade was renamed "Task Force Echo". However, only three years later, on 1 January 1980 Task Force Echol was redesiginated the 33rd Armoured Brigade and.Following the fall of the Berlin Wall , the Brigade merged with the 20th Armoured Brigade,(as 20th Armoured Brigade) , in December 1992 as part of 'Options for Change', moving to Barker Barracks, Paderborn, where it came under the command of the 1st (UK) Armoured Division.

Formation

1940 - 1944

*1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry (Sherman I & Firefly VC)
*144th Battalion Royal Armoured Corps (Sherman I & Firefly VC)
*148th Battalion Royal Armoured Corps (Sherman I & Firefly VC)

Rhine Crossing

*1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry
*East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry
*4th Royal Tank Regiment
*11th Royal Tank Regiment

1980 - 1992

The Following served with the Brigade during this time.

*Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
*15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
*1st Btn Black watch
*3rd Btn Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
*1st Btn Queens Regiment

External links

*http://59div.morssweb.com/?bnoyers