Author Archives: Jim Bambra

Five Regular Army Infantry Divisions formed the professional core of the BEF, possessing greater collective training and higher equipment levels than the Territorial formations. The divisions were deployed in France between September and December 1939. They were followed between January and … Continue reading →

The 1st Army Tank Brigade was formed on 3 September 1939 and was an integral component of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).  The core fighting power of the brigade resided in two battalions of the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR): the … Continue reading →

Following the outbreak of World War Two, the 30th Infantry Brigade was reformed in the  United Kingdom on 24 April 1940. Initially comprising two Regular Army motor infantry battalions — the 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade, and the 2nd Battalion, King’s … Continue reading →

The 1st Armoured Division deployed to France without its assigned Royal Horse Artillery regiment, which had been allocated to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in October 1939. Additionally, the division’s Support Group, consisting of the 30th Infantry Brigade, was detached … Continue reading →

The 10th Panzer Division was formed on April 1, 1939, in Prague, incorporating units from the 20th Motorized Division, the 29th Motorized Division, and the 3rd Light Division. During the invasion of Poland, the division was still in the process … Continue reading →