7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom) Matruh, Egypt. Over 359 troops were killed and 560 others were wounded. The Western Desert Force later became HQ XIII Corps, one of the major parts of the British Eighth Army which, from August 1942 was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Montgomery. The 7th Armoured Division took part in most of the major battles of the North African Campaign, including both battles of El Alamein (the First Battle of El Alamein in July 1942, which stopped the Axis advance, and the Second Battle of El Alamein in October/November 1942, which turned the tide of the war in North Africa). The
6th Armoured Division (United Kingdom) had taken command of the army group signed the instrument of surrender on behalf of the German armies in Italy on 29 April, formally bringing hostilities in Italy to an end on 2 May 1945. The Division was reformed in May 1951 in the UK and later assigned to the British Army of the Rhine in Germany. It consisted of the 20th Armoured Brigade and 61st Lorried Infantry Brigade. It was disbanded in June 1958. Commanders included: <br> 6th Armoured Division was constituted as follows during the war: 20th Armoured Brigade ("from 16 October 1940, left 23 April 1942") 26th