British Armoured formations of World War II In April 1939, the Mobile Division was renamed the 1st Armoured Division and the Mobile Division (Egypt) was named the Armoured Division (Egypt) on the outbreak of war, before being renamed the 7th Armoured Division on 16 February 1940. Following the outbreak of war, the headquarters of the 2nd Armoured Division was activated on 15 December 1939. The first troops, however, were only attached to the division in the following month and then in part from forces released from the 1st Armoured Division following a divisional reorganisation. During 1940, a further three armoured divisions were formed; the 6th Armoured Division
2/7th Armoured Regiment (Australia) Wales, at this time. The delay in equipping the units of the 1st Armoured Division meant that their deployment was set back. Initially it had been planned to deploy the 2/7th Armoured Regiment, along with the rest of the 1st Armoured Brigade, in December 1941, however, this was not possible. Shortly thereafter, the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and invasion Malaya meant that the decision was made not to send the 1st Armoured Division to the Middle East as the situation in the Pacific had the potential to directly threaten the Australian mainland. In June 1942 the regiment was re-equipped