Dates: 1939 -
The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army. It provides the armour capability of the British Army, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Tank and the Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle.
The RAC was created on 4 April 1939, just before World War II started, by combining the cavalry wing (cavalry units that had mechanised), and the Royal Tank Corps (which was thereupon renamed the Royal Tank Regiment within the new corps). As the war went on, many other units became mechanised and joined this corps. In 1944, the RAC absorbed the Reconnaissance Corps.
The regiments (like the Royal Tank Regiments, battalion-sized) of the RAC during the war were numbered in the range from 1 to 200. These included training regiments and battalions of infantry converted. For example the 5th Bn of the Gordon Highlanders became the 116th Regiment RAC
Units
The Royal Armoured Corps is divided into those regiments that operate main battle tanks (armoured regiments) and those that operate reconnaissance tanks (formation reconnaissance regiments). Of these, three regiments are designated as Dragoon Guards, two as Hussars, two as Lancers and one as Light Dragoons. The remaining two are the two regiments of the Royal Tank Regiment. In the regular army there are five armoured regiments and five formation reconnaissance regiments:
Regular Army:
1st The Queens Dragoon Guards - Formation Reconnaissance
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) - Armoured
The Royal Dragoon Guards - Armoured
The Queens Royal Hussars (The Queens Own and Royal Irish) - Armoured
9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Waless) - Formation Reconnaissance
The Kings Royal Hussars - Armoured
The Light Dragoons - Formation Reconnaissance
The Queens Royal Lancers - Formation Reconnaissance
1st Royal Tank Regiment - NBC and training/demonstration
2nd Royal Tank Regiment - Armoured
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving Royal Armoured Corps
" Aldershot, April 1948. Army Football Cup Final. Royal Armoured Corps versus Royal Artillery. Score after extra time 0-0. In the replay at Command Central Ground in Aldershot the R.A were 2 goals to the good inside 20 mins when lightning struck the ground. Two players died having been struck by ..."
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" I am trying to contact the family of Lance Serjeant Lewis Cameron killed at Nederweert the 28th of september 1944.he was with the Royal armoured corps/2nd dragoons/royal scots greys "
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"I am looking for the family of Trooper Thomas Hall who was killed in the south of the netherlands the 29th of september 1944. He was with the Royal armoured corps/2nd dragoons/the royal scots greys ""C" squadron "
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"I am looking for the family of Lt John Anthony Perkins. He was killed the 29th of september 1944 in the south of the netherlands. He was with Royal armoured corps/royal scots greys/2nd dragoons "C"squadron. "
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" Following on from my last two posts here is part of my entry for my book on Lulu...Title: Hong Kong Revisited ID: 262878 Category: Books > Humanities > History & Geography > Biographies & Autobiographies Humanities > History & Geography > Biographies & Autobiographies History & Geography > ..."
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