10 Armd Div.

[senojdet]

According to WIKIPEDIA 10 Armd was disbanded in the 40's however a friend - now gone - told me that he was serving as a Driver in that Div in 1951 when they were involved in the 'Storming of the Police Barracks at Ismailia. He said that their Formation sign was a white Rhino on a black Oval. Jog anybodies memories?
Ted Jones.

[johnG]

Hi Ted, I see it is your first post, so welcome to the forum. I look forward to an answer to your question as one of my old regiments - before my time- was part of 10th Armoured Div during WW2 and I have not caught up with this badge being part of the scene.
Regards,
johnG

[Postwarden]

I can add something to this interesting question.

In 1952 the British troops stationed in Libya included three armoured regiments commanded by a headquarters designated 25th Armoured Brigade which was intended to be a first step toweards creating a Middle East-based armoured division.

The War Office turned down the suggestion of C-in-C Middle East in August 1951 that this formation should be designated 1st Armoured Division as “there is an international [NATO] agreement on standardisation under which no two formations of the same size can be allotted the same number. As there is a 1st Infantry Division we cannot have a 1st Armoured Division”. Suggestions to revive the titles 8th or 10th Armoured Division, both of which had served in the desert were opposed by the C-in-C who pressed for the revival of the rhino sign of 1st Armoured Division which fought in the desert from 1941 to 1943. In April 1952 the rhino with an added white oval as shown was approved for use by 25th Armoured Brigade.

When the formation of a full armoured division to be designated 10th Armoured was finally sanctioned in April 1955, the War Office suggested reviving the wartime fox’s mask of 10th Armoured Division as it was normal practice when divisions were reformed for them to adopt their former sign. This suggestion was opposed by the Director, Royal Armoured Corps on the grounds that 1st Armoured Division’s sign was a better design and 1st Armoured had a more distinguished record than the 10th Armoured which had seen little service. As 25th Armoured Brigade had been wearing the rhino sign for three years it was agreed that it would be a pity to make existing units change their sign and a War Office letter of 20th October 1955 decreed that “The armoured division to form in the Middle East will be designated 10th Armoured Division and will wear the rhino sign”.

I have been unable to trace a final disbandment date for 10th Armoured Division although it had disappeared by 1957. I’d be grateful to hear from anyone who can provide further details of its disbandment.

This shows that a 10th Armoured Division did exist in the post-war army and that the white rhino was worn by it and its predecessor the 25th Armoured Brigade although the dates don't quite fit with the veteran's recollection.

Jon

[johnG]

Many thanks Jon for that superb explanation of it all.
Regars
johnG

[Old Smelly]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

I can add something to this interesting question.

In 1952 the British troops stationed in Libya included three armoured regiments commanded by a headquarters designated 25th Armoured Brigade which was intended to be a first step toweards creating a Middle East-based armoured division.

The War Office turned down the suggestion of C-in-C Middle East in August 1951 that this formation should be designated 1st Armoured Division as “there is an international [NATO] agreement on standardisation under which no two formations of the same size can be allotted the same number. As there is a 1st Infantry Division we cannot have a 1st Armoured Division”. Suggestions to revive the titles 8th or 10th Armoured Division, both of which had served in the desert were opposed by the C-in-C who pressed for the revival of the rhino sign of 1st Armoured Division which fought in the desert from 1941 to 1943. In April 1952 the rhino with an added white oval as shown was approved for use by 25th Armoured Brigade.

When the formation of a full armoured division to be designated 10th Armoured was finally sanctioned in April 1955, the War Office suggested reviving the wartime fox’s mask of 10th Armoured Division as it was normal practice when divisions were reformed for them to adopt their former sign. This suggestion was opposed by the Director, Royal Armoured Corps on the grounds that 1st Armoured Division’s sign was a better design and 1st Armoured had a more distinguished record than the 10th Armoured which had seen little service. As 25th Armoured Brigade had been wearing the rhino sign for three years it was agreed that it would be a pity to make existing units change their sign and a War Office letter of 20th October 1955 decreed that “The armoured division to form in the Middle East will be designated 10th Armoured Division and will wear the rhino sign”.

I have been unable to trace a final disbandment date for 10th Armoured Division although it had disappeared by 1957. I’d be grateful to hear from anyone who can provide further details of its disbandment.

This shows that a 10th Armoured Division did exist in the post-war army and that the white rhino was worn by it and its predecessor the 25th Armoured Brigade although the dates don't quite fit with the veteran's recollection.

Jon

I have one of the Bellis books which says that 10th Armoured was formed in Oct 1955 in Tripoli from 25th Armoured Brigade and was disbanded in Tunisia in March 1956 so quite short lived
Lee

[Filthy Fifth]

Just come across this forum and this particular thread. I served with 10th Armoured Division In Libya 1955-57. Our divisional sign was indeed the white rhino. The 'division' was, in fact a widely dispersed armoured brigade comprising the Queens Bays in Sabratha, 3rd RHA in Homs (both near Tripoli) 5th RTR (the Filthy Fifth) in Barce, 60th KRRC in Derna (both Cyrenaica) and the Scots Greys in Aqaba (Jordan). During the Suez debacle, the original plan included the Libyan elements making a 'demonstration' on the Egyptian border to divert attention away from the landings at Port Said. There were a few practical drawbacks. The Greys were in the wrong place, the Bays would have had to travel the length of Libya and there were only a handful of Diamond T transporters (which in any case would not go round some of the bends in the Jebel Akhdar). We were equipped with clapped out Centurion MkIII tanks only suitable for training purposes and much of our other equipment was WWII leftovers, from stens and 19 sets to White half-tracks and Dingos. The Egyptians of course had up-to-date Eastern Bloc stuff including the formidable JS3 with its BFOG - plus a few centurion MkV which the War Office had generously sold to them. Any thought of travelling overland would fail because the Trigh Abd and the Trigh Capuzzo were still sewn with mines. Oh, and the Z reservists in the 60th were on the point of mutiny. As a further tribute to the efficiency of Whitehall, who still thought a tank crew consisted of five bodies, our surplus reservists (some of whom hadn't seen a tank since 1943) weren't too happy either. Fortunately there wasn't the same yawning gap between officers and ORs as in the KRRC and most soon started to enjoy the holiday in the sun. Thankfully, King Idris pointed out that (although he feared and distrusted Nasser) our treaty with him forbad us attacking another country from Libya. So the 6th RTR went in instead and took over from us in 1957. They were certainly the last at Barce (which was flattened by an earthquake anyway in '58) but I think a few tanks and base troops lingered on until the early 60's