The Story of 79th Armoured Division

The 79th Armoured Division from October 1942 to June 1945. This book was written just after the end of the Second World War and is the complete history of the 79th Armoured Division, "Hobart's Funnies," which were so instrumental in ensuring that the British beaches on D-Day were taken, and which went on to offer such important support to infantry operations (in particular) right up to the end of the war with Germany. The books covers the preparatory period when the idea of the specialised armour of the division was first conceived, and the follows the division as it fought its way ashore on 6 June 1944, and throughout its advance from France into Holland. It shows how the division took part in the Ardennes battles of the winter, 1944/45, advanced into the Rhineland, crossed the Rhine and then moved on Hamburg. The story is told in great detail and is backed by many colour maps (including detailed invasion beach maps) and an abundance of black and white photographs taken by the participants during operations in Europe. This is a must for anyone interested in armour or in infantry support weapons.

facsimile reprint, published 2005.
Author: Officers of 79th Armoured Division
Published by: 79th Armoured Division (private)
The title has 350 pages, 100 photographic plates, 50 maps

The Story of 79th Armoured Division

Background Information:
The 79th Armoured Division was a specialist British Army armoured unit formed as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944. The unit comprised armoured vehicles modified for specialist roles, intended to assist with the landing phase of the operation.

The unit was commanded by Major General (later Sir) Percy Hobart, and the strange-looking tanks it operated were known as Hobart's Funnies. They included tanks that floated, could clear mines, carry and lay bridges, and roadways - anything that would enable the invasion force to get ashore and break through the German defences. The unit did not operate as a single division, its vehicles were distributed as small units across the Divisions taking part in the landings and subsequent operations.

The Division was further used during the battle for the Roer Triangle (Operation Blackcock) and the Rhine crossings, (Operation Plunder), to transport the assault troops and to re-supply.

The 79th was raised as a conventional armoured division.

27th Armoured Brigade

4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own).
The East Riding Yeomanry

30th Armoured Brigade

141st Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
22nd Dragoons
2nd County of London Yeomanry
1st Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry
Three of the regiments were issued with the Sherman Crab flail mine-clearing tanks from December 1943.


1st Army Tank Brigade

11th Royal Tank Regiment
42nd Royal Tank Regiment
49th Royal Tank Regiment

185 Infantry Brigade

King’s Own Shropshire Light Infantry
The Royal Norfolk Regiment
Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Support Units

35th Tank Brigade
Operating Canal Defence Light searchlight tanks

1st Armoured Engineer Brigade, Royal Engineers
Working with Churchill AVRE

The Division also had the usual contingents of Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers and other Army units attached. After formation in October 1942, the 79th, based at the time mostly in Yorkshire, trained as a regular armoured division for about six months before the change of role.

162nd Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
79th Armoured Division Signal Regiment

The Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, two Canadian units, the 1st Hussars and Fort Garry Horse and three American units joined for training on the DD tanks. In mid 1943 the Assault Brigade RE was formed, its units were the Assault Squadrons RE

The 79th Armoured Division was disbanded on 20 August 1945.