24th Lancers
| 24th Lancers | |
|---|---|
| 280px
Sherman VC Firefly of 24th Lancers near Saint-Léger, 11 June 1944
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| Active | 30 December 1940 – 24 July 1944 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Cavalry |
| Role | Armoured |
| Size | Regiment |
| Part of | 29th Armoured Brigade 8th Armoured Brigade. |
| Engagements | Second World War |
The 24th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army which existed from late 1940 to mid-1944. Assigned to the 8th Armoured Brigade, the regiment fought during the Invasion of Normandy before being disbanded in July 1944. After disbandment, the regiment's personnel were sent to other cavalry regiments as reinforcements.
History
The regiment was raised in December 1940 from a cadre of personnel taken from the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and the 17th/21st Lancers; despite its numerical designation the regiment shared no lineage with the 24th Light Dragoons.[1] It was initially was assigned to the 29th Armoured Brigade, which formed part of the 11th Armoured Division,[2] but it was reassigned to the 8th Armoured Brigade on 8 February 1944.[3][4]
With the 8th Armoured Brigade, the regiment landed on Gold Beach, in the second wave of the Operation Overlord landings, supporting the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division. The regiment landed on 7 June 1944 (D+1).[5] Equipped with Sherman tanks, shortly after landing the regiment was involved in the fighting around Putot-en-Bessin and Villers Bocage. After intensive action in the Tilly-sur-Seulles, Fontenay-le-Pesnel, Tessel Wood and Rauray areas, the regiment was disbanded towards the end of July 1944 due to heavy casualties and limited reinforcements, and its personnel were transferred to other regiments. Most of these men went to the 23rd Hussars or other units of the 8th Armoured Brigade, or the 29th Armoured Brigade in the 11th Armoured Division.[1]
Battle honours
The 24th Lancers were awarded the following battle honours for service in the Second World War:[1]
- Putot en Bessin, Villers Bocage, Tilly sur Seulles, The Odon, Fontenay le Pesnil, Defence of Rauray, North-West Europe 1944
References
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External links
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 24th Light Dragoons & 24th Lancers at regiments.org by T.F.Mills at the Wayback Machine (archived 18 January 2008)
- ↑ Joslen 1990, p. 180
- ↑ Joslen 1990, p. 160
- ↑ Bellis 1994, p. 15
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- Pages with reference errors
- Use British English from November 2015
- Use dmy dates from November 2015
- Pages with broken file links
- Cavalry regiments of the British Army
- Regiments of the British Army in World War II
- 1940 establishments in the United Kingdom
- Military units and formations established in 1940
- Military units and formations disestablished in 1944
