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 4th RTR and the 7th RTR. While an 8th Battalion RTR was associated with the brigade’s broader organizational structure, this unit did not deploy to France.

1st Army Tank Brigade participated in the counter-offensive during the Battle of Arras and provided cover for the Allied withdrawal to Dunkirk.

1st Army Tank Brigade

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 Royal Rifle Corps, the brigade was intended to operate as part of 1st Armoured Division.

The rapidly evolving strategic situation in France, however, prevented this. Instead, the brigade was hastily deployed to Calais, arriving on 22-23 May 1940, to defend the port against an imminent German attack. The brigade was reinforced at Calais by the 1st Battalion, Queen Victoria’s Rifles (a Territorial Army motor battalion) and elements of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment.

30th Infantry Brigade

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 and sent to Calais along with one of its armoured regiments. These deployments significantly weakened the division by depriving it of vital infantry, artillery, and armoured support. As a result, the division operated at a severe disadvantage, reducing its overall combat effectiveness and limiting its ability to function as a cohesive and fully equipped armoured formation.

Commonwealth 1st Armoured Division

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 of formation and primarily served in a reserve capacity.

10th Panzer Division

Formed: January 1940 from 4th Light Division

The 4th Light Division was established in April 1938 in Vienna, shortly after the Anschluss, which marked the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany. The division emerged from the transformation of a mobile division of the Austrian Bundesheer (the Austrian Army), reflecting Germany’s growing emphasis on the use of highly mobile and mechanized forces in preparation for future military campaigns.

In 1939, during the Invasion of Poland, the division operated on the right flank of Army Group South. Launching its offensive from Slovakia, it advanced rapidly, crossing the San River on September 10 and capturing the town of Krakowiec on September 12. It was reorganized into the 9th Panzer Division on January 3, 1940.

9th Panzer Division