Royal Tank Regiment

Royal Tank Regiment
Cap badge of the Royal Tank Regiment
Active	28 July 1917–present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Army
Type	Armoured
Role	1st Regiment—CBRN 2nd Regiment—Armoured
Size	Two regiments
Part of	Royal Armoured Corps
Garrison/HQ	RHQ—Bovington 1st Regiment—Warminster/RAF Honington 2nd Regiment—Tidworth
Motto	Fear Naught
March	Quick: My Boy Willie Slow: The Royal Tank Regiment Slow March
Anniversaries	World War I *Cambrai, 20 November World War II Korean War Iraqi War
Battle honours	see Battle Honours
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief	HM The Queen
Colonel-Commandant	Lieutenant General A D Leakey CMG CBE
Notable commanders	Hugh Elles Percy Hobart
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash
Tartan	Hunting Rose (1st Regt pipers kilts and plaids)
Arm Badge	Tank
Abbreviation	RTR

The Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment (1RTR) and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment (2RTR). The official regimental motto is Fear Naught while unofficial motto (signified also by the colours of the tactical recognition flash) is "From Mud, Through Blood to the Green Fields Beyond."

Nomenclature

In the 19th-century (and before) British Army, regiments of infantry raised several battalions, which were often deployed separately. This practice remained into the modern era—in the First World War, it was common to see twenty or more battalions with a single regimental title. However, this practice did not hold for the cavalry regiments, which traditionally were only of limited size; in the modern era, this meant that each regiment would only constitute one battalion.

As a result, it became traditional for a battalion-level unit of cavalry to be referred to as a "regiment". This was not as confusing as it may seem, since where other armies would use "regiment" for a unit of two to four battalions, the British Army used "brigade". Hence, an infantry brigade could consist of three battalions of infantry, but a cavalry brigade of equivalent size would have three regiments.

In the inter-war period, the British Army began to mechanise, with cavalry regiments giving up their horses in favour of armoured cars or light tanks. (The first regiment to do so was the 11th Hussars, in 1928; the last the Royal Scots Greys in 1941). As a result, it became common to refer to any armoured unit as a "regiment" rather than a "battalion"—the 11th Hussars were not merely an armoured-car battalion, but the whole of the regiment. In 1945, this usage became formal; all armoured battalions were henceforth referred to as regiments.

The Royal Tank Regiment is itself a regiment of the British Army, part of the Royal Armoured Corps. However, as a result of the above, both its "battalions" are formally titled regiments. This can cause some confusion, with the regiment currently being composed of two regiments.

World War I

The Royal Tank Regiment's formation followed the invention of the tank. Tanks were first used at Flers in September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. At that time the six tank companies were grouped as the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps (MGC).

In November 1916 the eight companies then in existence were each expanded to form battalions still lettered A through H; another seven battalions, I through O, were formed by January 1918, when they all were converted to numbered units. On 28 July 1917 the Heavy Branch was by Royal Warrant separated from the rest of the MGC and given official status as the Tank Corps, meaning that by the beginning of 1918 the fifteen units were changed from letters to numbers as 1st Battalion to 15th Battalion, Tank Corps. More battalions continued to be formed, and by December 1918, 26 had been created. (At this time there were only 25 tank battalions, however; the 17th had converted to using armoured cars in April 1918). The first commander of the Tank Corps was Hugh Elles.

The Corps saw heavy action through 1917 and 1918, with special note being given to the Battle of Cambrai (1917), which the regiment continues to commemorate annually. During the war, four members of the Corps were awarded the Victoria Cross. However, heavy losses and recurrent mechanical difficulties reduced the effectiveness of the Corps, leading the Bovington Tank School to adopt a doctrine that emphasised caution and high standards of maintenance in equal measure.

Interwar period

After the war, the Tank Corps was trimmed down to a central depot and four battalions; the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Battalions, Tank Corps.

On 18 October 1923, it was officially named Royal (making it the Royal Tank Corps) by Colonel-in-Chief King George V. It was at this time that the motto Fear Naught, the black beret and the unit badge were adopted. The word Corps was replaced in 1939 with Regiment to give the unit its current name, the Royal Tank Regiment.

In 1920, twelve Armoured Car Companies were set up as part of the Tank Corps, absorbing units from the Machine Gun Corps; eight were later converted into independent Light Tank Companies. All disbanded before the outbreak of the Second World War.

In 1933 the 6th Battalion, Royal Tank Corps, was formed in Egypt by combining the personnel of two of these companies; in 1934, the 1st (Light) Battalion, Royal Tank Corps was formed in England with personnel from three of the existing battalions.

With the preparations for war in the late 1930s a further two regular battalions were formed; the 7th in 1937 and the 8th in 1938. The 40th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 44th & 45th battalions were raised in 1938, being converted from Territorial Army infantry battalions; the 46th, 47th, 48th, 49th, 50th and 51st were likewise activated and converted in 1939. The twelve Yeomanry Armoured Car Companies of the RTR were all activated and transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps.

Territorial Tank Regiments

40th RTR formed by converting the 7th Battalion of The King's (Liverpool) Regiment

41st RTR formed by converting the 10th battalion of The Manchester Regiment

42nd RTR formed by converting the 7th (23rd London) Battalion of The East Surrey Regiment

43rd RTR formed by converting the 6th battalion of The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

44th RTR formed by converting the 6th battalion of The Gloucestershire Regiment

45th RTR formed by converting the 7th (Leeds Rifles) battalion of The West Yorkshire Regiment

46th RTR formed as a duplicate of the 40th (The King's) Royal Tank Regiment

47th RTR formed as a duplicate of the 41st (Oldham) Royal Tank Regiment

48th RTR formed as a duplicate of the 42nd Royal Tank Regiment

49 RTR formed as a duplicate of the 43rd (6th (City) Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers) Royal Tank Regiment

50th RTR formed as a duplicate of the 44th Royal Tank Regiment,

51st RTR formed by duplicating the 7th (Leeds Rifles) battalion of The West Yorkshire Regiment Royal Tank Regiment

Before the Second World War, Royal Tank Corps recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 4 inches tall. They initially enlisted for six years with the colours and a further six years with the reserve. They trained at the Royal Tank Corps Depot at Bovington Camp, Dorset for about eight months.

World War II

At the outbreak of war, the regiment consisted of eight regular battalions.

• 1st & 6th RTR was part of the Heavy Armoured Brigade (Egypt)
• 2nd, 3rd & 5th RTR were part of the 1st Heavy Armoured Brigade
• 4th 7th & 8th RTR were part of the British 1st Army Tank Brigade

In addition, there were a large number of territorial battalions, as well as hostilities-only battalions such as 9 RTR.

The regiment was again expanded such that there were numerous units of the RTR that took part in countless battles in World War II, including the Battle of Dunkirk, El Alamein and D-Day. Field Marshal Montgomery would frequently wear the regiment's beret, with his Field Marshal's badge sewn on next to the regimental cap badge, as it was more practical whilst travelling on a tank than either a formal peaked hat or the Australian slouch hat he previously wore.

Higher-numbered battalions of the regiment included the 40th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, 49th, 50th, and 51st Royal Tank, and battalions were redesignated as regiments in 1945.

11 RTR formed part of 79th Armoured Division (aka Hobart's Funnies), equipped initially with CDL (tactical searchlight) tanks, but converted not long after D-Day to "Buffalo" (the British service name for the US Landing Vehicle Tracked), and participated in the assault crossing of the Rhine. Prime Minister Winston Churchill was ferried across the Rhine in a Buffalo from 'C' Squadron 11RTR.

Post-war period

After World War II, the RTR was reduced through various amalgamations, first in 1959-60:

• 3RTR and 6RTR amalgamated as 3RTR
• 4RTR and 7RTR amalgamated as 4RTR
• 5RTR and 8RTR amalgamated as 5RTR

In 1969, 5RTR was disbanded, while under Options for Change, 4RTR amalgamated with 1RTR, and 3RTR with 2RTR.

The current Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Tank Regiment is Queen Elizabeth II.

Current status

Today, there are two regiments, the 1st and 2nd Royal Tank Regiments (1RTR and 2RTR). Today, half of 1RTR forms part of the Joint CBRN Regiment (together with No. 27 Squadron RAF Regiment) at RAF Honington with the other half as a training unit at Harman Lines, Warminster while 2RTR retains its role as an armoured regiment as part of 1 Mechanized Brigade at Aliwal Barracks, Tidworth.

The Royal Tank Regiment has continued to see action, including playing a role in missions in Bosnia and Kosovo. Elements of 1RTR were deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 and both regiments were involved in the invasion of Iraq, with the 2RTR battlegroup playing an important role in the capture of the city of Basra. Squadrons of both Regiments have continued to deploy in Afghanistan and Iraq carrying out both Armoured and Infantry taskings.

Vehicles

The Royal Tank Regiment uses a variety of vehicles, including:

• Challenger 2 (introduced in 1998; the regiment's primary vehicle)
• FV107 Scimitar
• FV105 Sultan
• FV103 Spartan
• FV104 Samaritan
• HGV
• Land Rover
• Fuchs

Battle honours

Royal Tank Regiment memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum.

The Great War

• Somme 1916 '18, Arras 1917 '18, Messines 1917, Ypres 1917, Cambrai 1917, St. Quentin 1918, Villers Bretonneux, Amiens, Bapaume 1918, Hindenburg Line, Épéhy, Selle, France and Flanders 1916-18, Gaza

The Second World War

• North-West Europe 1940

Arras Counter Attack, Calais 1940, St. Omer-La Bassée, Somme

• North Africa 1940-43

Sidi Barrani, Beda Fomm, Sidi Suleiman, Tobruk 1941, Sidi Rezegh 1941, Belhamed, Gazala, Cauldron, Knightsbridge, Defence of Alamein Line, Alam el Halfa, El Alamein, Mareth, Akarit, Fondouk, El Kourzia, Medjez Plain, Tunis

• Sicily 1943

Primosole Bridge, Gerbini, Adrano

• Italy 1943-45

Sangro, Salerno, Volturno Crossing, Garigliano Crossing, Anzio, Advance to Florence, Gothic Line, Coriano, Lamone Crossing, Rimini Line, Argenta Gap

• North-West Europe 1944-45

Odon, Caen, Bourguébus Ridge, Mont Pincon, Falaise, Nederrijn, Scheldt, Venlo Pocket, Rhineland, Rhine, Bremen

Abyssinia 1940, Greece 1941, Burma 1942

Post War Years

Centurion tank in Korea, May 1953.

Korea 1951–53

Al Basrah, Iraq 2003

Notable former members

• Jack Hargreaves
• John Le Mesurier
• Keith Floyd
• Chris Bonington
• Percy Hobart
• Frederick Hotblack DSO & Bar, MC - first Intelligence officer

Colonels-Commandant

Name	Colonel Commandant	Representative
Major General Sir John Capper KCB KCVO	1917-1923 (Director General)
Major General Sir John Capper KCB KCVO	1923–1934
Major General Sir Ernest Swinton KBE CB DSO	1934–1938	1934–1938
Field Marshal Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd GCB KCMG LLD ADC	1934–1939
General Sir Hugh Elles KCB KCMG KCVO DSO	1934–1945	1939
Major General G M Lindsay CB CMG DSO	1938–1947	1940–1943
Lieutenant General Sir Charles Broad KCB DSO	1939–1948	1944–1947
Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein KG GCB DSO DL	1939–1948	1944–1947
Major General Sir Percy Hobart KBE CB DSO MC	1947–1951	1948–1951
General Sir John Crocker GCB KBE DSO MC	1949–1961
Major General N W Duncan CB CBE DSO	1952–1959	1952–1957
Major General H R B Foote VC CB DSO	1957–1964	1958–1961
Lieutenant General Sir Harold Pyman KCB CBE DSO	1959–1965
Major General H M Liardet CB CBE DSO DL	1961–1967	1962–1967
Major General A Jolly CB CBE DSO	1965–1968
General Sir Michael Carver GCB CBE DSO MC ADC	1968–1973	1970–1971
Major General P R C Hobart CB DSO OBE MC	1968–1978	1971–1974
General Sir Richard Ward CB DSO MC	1970–1976	1974–1976
Lieutenant General Sir Allan Taylor KBE MC	1973–1980
Major General J G R Allen CB	1976–1981	1977–1980
Major General R L C Dixon CB MC	1978–1983	1982–1983
Lieutenant General Sir Richard Lawson KCB DSO MC	1980–1982	1980–1982
Major General I H Baker CBE	1981–1986
Major General R M Jerram MBE	1982–1988	1983–1985
General Sir Antony Walker KCB	1983–1987	1985–1991
Major General Sir Laurence New CB CBE	1986–1992
General Sir Jeremy Blacker KCB	1988–1994
Name	Deputy Colonel Commandant	Colonel Commandant
Major General R W M McAfee CB	1993–1994	1995–1999
Brigadier A C I Gadsby	1994–2000
Lieutenant General A P Ridgway CB CBE	1995–1999	1999–2006
Lieutenant General A D Leakey CMG CBE	1999–2006	2006–2010
Major General P Gilchrist CB	2000–2008
Major General C M Deverell MBE	2006–2010	2010-
Brigadier S Caraffi MBE ADC	2008-
Brigadier P J Allison	2010-

Order of precedence

Preceded by The Queen's Royal Lancers

Cavalry Order of Precedence

Succeeded by Last in the Cavalry Order of Precedence

Alliances

• Canada: 12^e Régiment blindé du Canada
• Australia: 1st Armoured Regiment
• New Zealand: Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps
• New Zealand: Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles
• India: 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)
• Pakistan: 13th Lancers
• Royal Navy: HMS Kent

• France: 501/503 Régiment de Chars de Combat (Bond of Friendship)

Affiliated Yeomanry

• The Dorset Yeomanry
• The Westminster Dragoons (2RTR)
• The Royal Devon Yeomanry (2RTR)

The Ash Plant

Walking sticks came to be carried by Tank Corps Officers during the 1st World War to probe for soft ground in which tanks might get bogged. The Ash Plant is now a part of every Officer's dress.

See also

• History of the tank

External links

• 1 RTR homepage (Official Army site)
• Royal Tank Regiment
• 2RTR homepage (Official Army site)
• History of 4th and 7th RTR
• History of 4 and 7 Royal Tank Regiments revised 2011
• 3RTR - Armoured Farmers
• Merseyside RTR (Brian Gills website)
• British Army Locations from 1945 British Army Locations from 1945
• Military Genealogy