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
1st Armoured Division (India) 1st Armoured Division played an important role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. The Division, also nicknamed the 'Black Elephant' or 'Airawat' Division, consisted in 1965 of the 17th Cavalry, The Poona Horse, the 4th Hodson's Horse, the 16th 'Black Elephant' Cavalry, the 7th Light Cavalry, the 2nd Royal Lancers, the 18th Cavalry and the 62nd Cavalry, the two first named being equipped with Centurion tanks. During the war Major General Rajinder Singh Sparrow was GOC of the Division, he won the Mahavir Chakra for his role. After the war the division still consisted of the 1st Armoured Brigade and