During the Second World War, the British Army maintained and created several mechanised, motorised, and horse-based brigades that were not infantry-based.[a] These mobile forces consisted of battalions and regiments, and were under the command of a brigadier. Brigades could be assigned to a division or operate as an independent formation assigned to a corps headquarters or higher. At the start of the war, in September 1939, the British Army had seven armoured brigades, five tank brigades and one support group (a mixed arms formation assigned to armoured divisions). Numerous armoured and tank brigades were raised, renamed, and disbanded during the war. The army also formed eight support groups, three brigades of cavalry, three brigades equipped with armoured cars and two brigades aimed at grouping divisional cavalry regiments.
The nomenclature of the units assigned to brigades varied at the start of the war. The armoured brigade was the primary force within an armoured division. It was to consist of regiments of fast moving cruiser tanks, prepared to exploit gaps in an opponent's front line and also assigned to engage and destroy opposing armoured forces. These brigades also had an integrated battalion of motorised infantry. Tank brigades, with no integrated infantry support, were to consist of battalions of heavily armoured infantry tanks that would support infantry divisions and for breakthrough operations. However, brigades could be outfitted with whatever was available. In May 1940, nomenclature was standardised in the Royal Armoured Corps and battalion titles were dropped, all units becoming regiments. Starting in 1942, armoured brigades were increasingly equipped with American-supplied medium tanks instead of cruisers. In 1945, all tank brigades were renamed armoured brigades, removing the distinction between titles.
- ^ Joslen 2003, p. 205.
- ^ "The British Army in North Africa 1941". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ^ French 2001, p. 38.
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