Author Archives: Jim Bambra

The 1re, 2e, and 3e Divisions Cuirassées de Réserve (DCR) were formed in early 1940 as part of the French Infantry Arm. The 4e DCR was created in mid-May 1940, after the German offensive had begun, and had a different … Continue reading →

The Divisions Légères Mécaniques (DLMs) were a product of France’s interwar effort to modernise its traditional cavalry forces in response to evolving armoured warfare concepts and lessons from the First World War. Their origins lay in the mechanisation of the … Continue reading →

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 →