7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom) Allied push failed, and the 7th Armoured Division was forced to withdraw on the third day of fighting. On 18 November, as part of Operation Crusader the whole of the 7th Armoured Division was concentrated on breaking through. They faced only the weakened 21st Panzer Division. However, the XXX Corps commander, Lieutenant-General Willoughby Norrie, aware that the 7th Armoured Division was down to 200 tanks, decided on caution. During the wait, in the early afternoon of 22 November, Rommel attacked Sidi Rezegh with the 21st Panzer and captured the airfield. Fighting was desperate and gallant: for his actions during these
6th Armoured Division (United Kingdom) Armoured Brigade ("from 9 November 1940") 6th Support Group ("from 1 November 1940, disbanded 1 June 1942") 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade ("from 9 June 1942, left 16 February 1943") 1st Guards Brigade ("from 24 March 1943, left 29 May 1944") 61st Infantry Brigade ("from 29 May 1944") Divisional Troops The following brigades were, at various points in time, attached to the 6th Armoured Division. 6th Armoured Division (United Kingdom) The 6th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army, created in September 1940 during the Second World War. The unit was initially supplied with Matilda and Valentine tanks,