Read Overlord (Pan Military Classics) Online
Authors: Max Hastings
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
Supreme Allied Commander
General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Chief of Staff
General Walter Bedell Smith
TWENTY-FIRST ARMY GROUP
Commander-in-Chief
General Sir Bernard L. Montgomery
Chief of Staff
Major-General Sir Francis W. de Guingand
GHQ AND ARMY TROOPS
79th Armoured Division
Major-General Sir Percy C. S. Hobard
30th Armoured Brigade
22nd Dragoons
1st Lothians and Border Horse
2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons)
141st Regiment RAC
1st Tank Brigade
11th, 42nd and 49th Battalions RTR
1st Assault Brigade RE
5th, 6th and 42nd Assault Regiments RE
79th Armoured Divisional Signals
1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment
INDEPENDENT BRIGADES
4th Armoured Brigade
The Royal Scots Greys
3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) (to 28.7.44)
3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) (from 29.7.44)
44th Battalion RTR
2nd Battalion The King’s Royal Rifle Corps (Motor)
8th Armoured Brigade
4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
24th Lancers (to 29.7.44)
The Nottinghamshire Yeomanry 13th/18th Royal Hussars (from 29.7.44)
12th Battalion The King’s Royal Rifle Corps (Motor)
31st Tank Brigade
7th Battalion RTR (to 17.8.44)
9th Battalion RTR (to 31.8.44)
144th Regiment RAC (23–31.8.44)
34th Tank Brigade
107th and 147th Regiments RAC
153rd Regiment RAC (to 24.8.44)
6th Guards Tank Brigade
4th Tank Battalion Grenadier Guards
4th Tank Battalion Coldstream Guards
3rd Tank Battalion Scots Guards
27th Armoured Brigade
(to 29.7.44)
13th/18th Royal Hussars
1st East Riding Yeomanry
The Staffordshire Yeomanry
33rd Armoured Brigade
1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry
144th Regiment RAC (to 22.8.44)
148th Regiment RAC (to 16.8.44)
1st East Riding Yeomanry (from 16.8.44)
2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade
6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars)
10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse)
27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment)
HQ Anti-Aircraft Brigades
74th, 76th, 80th, 100th, 101st, 105th, 106th and 107th
Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiments
60th, 86th, 90th, 99th, 103rd, 105th, 107th, 108th, 109th, 112th, 113th, 115th, 116th, 121st, 146th, 165th and 174th; 2nd Canadian
Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments
20th, 27th, 32nd, 54th, 71st, 73rd, 93rd, 109th, 112th, 113th, 114th, 120th, 121st, 123rd, 124th, 125th, 126th, 127th, 133rd, 139th and 149th
Searchlight Regiments
41st
56th Infantry Brigade
(Became integral part of the 49th Division from 20.8.44)
2nd Battalion The South Wales Borderers
2nd Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment
2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment
1st Special Service Brigade
Nos. 3, 4 and 6 Commandos
No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando
47th Special Service Brigade
Nos. 41, 46, 47 and 48 (Royal Marine) Commandos
OTHER FORMATIONS AND UNITS
Armoured
GHQ Liaison Regiment RAC (‘Phantom’)
2nd Armoured Replacement Group
2nd Armoured Delivery Regiment
25th Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment (The Elgin Regiment)
Artillery
HQ Army Groups Royal Artillery
3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th; 2nd Canadian
Heavy Regiments
1st, 51st, 52nd, 53rd and 59th
Medium Regiments
7th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 53rd, 59th, 61st, 63rd, 64th, 65th, 67th, 68th, 72nd, 77th, 79th, 84th, 107th, 121st and 146th; 3rd, 4th and 7th Canadian
Field Regiments
4th RHA, 6th, 25th, 86th, 147th, 150th and 191st; 19th Canadian
Engineer
HQ Army Groups Royal Engineers
10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th; 1st Canadian
GHQ Troops Engineers
4th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 48th and 59th
Airfield Construction Groups
13th, 16th, 23rd, 24th and 25th
Army Troops Engineers
2nd, 6th and 7th; 1st and 2nd Canadian 2nd and 3rd Battalions Royal Canadian Engineers
Signal
Twenty-First Army Group Headquarters Signals
Second Army Headquarters Signals
First Canadian Army Headquarters Signals
Air Formation Signals, Nos. 11, 12, 13, 16, 17 and 18
1st Special Wireless Group
Royal Marine
Armoured Support Group: 1st and 2nd Royal Marine Armoured Support Regiments
Special Air Service
1st and 2nd Special Air Service Regiments
3rd and 4th French Parachute Battalions
Infantry
4th Battalion The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (Machine Gun)
First Canadian Army Headquarters Defence Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment)
Army Air Corps
Glider Pilot Regiment: 1st and 2nd Glider Pilot Wings
European Allies
1st Belgian Infantry Brigade
Royal Netherlands Brigade (Princess Irene’s)
ARMIES, CORPS AND DIVISIONS
Second Army
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief
Lieutenant-General Sir Miles C. Dempsey
Chief of Staff
Brigadier M. S. Chilton
First Canadian Army
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief
Lieutenant-General H. D. G. Crerar
Chief of Staff
Brigadier C. C. Mann
I Corps
Lieutenant-General J. T. Crocker
The Inns of Court Regiment RAC (Armoured Car)
62nd Anti-Tank, 102nd Light Anti-Aircraft, 9th Survey Regiments RA
1 Corps Troops Engineers
I Corps Signals
VIII Corps
Lieutenant-General Sir Richard N. O’Connor
2nd Household Cavalry Regiment (Armoured Car)
91st Anti-Tank, 121st Light Anti-Aircraft,
10th Survey Regiments RA
VIII Corps Troops Engineers
VIII Corps Signals
XII Corps
Lieutenant-General N. M. Ritchie
1st The Royal Dragoons (Armoured Car)
86th Anti-Tank, 112th Light Anti-Aircraft, 7th Survey Regiments RA
XII Corps Troops Engineers
XII Corps Signals
XXX Corps
Lieutenant-General G. C. Bucknall (to 3.8.44)
Lieutenant-General B. G. Horrocks (from 4.8.44)
11th Hussars (Armoured Car)
73rd Anti-Tank, 27th Light Anti-Aircraft, 4th Survey Regiments RA
XXX Corps Troops Engineers
XXX Corps Signals
II Canadian Corps
Lieutenant-General G. G. Simonds
18th Armoured Car Regiment (12th Manitoba Dragoons)
6th Anti-Tank, 6th Light Anti-Aircraft, 2nd Survey Regiments RCA
II Canadian Corps Troops Engineers
II Canadian Corps Signals
Guards Armoured Division
Major-General A. H. S. Adair
5th Guards Armoured Brigade
2nd (Armoured) Battalion Grenadier Guards
1st (Armoured) Battalion Coldstream Guards
2nd (Armoured) Battalion Irish Guards
1st (Motor) Battalion Grenadier Guards
32rd Guards Brigade
5th Battalion Coldstream Guards
3rd Battalion Irish Guards
1st Battalion Welsh Guards
Divisional Troops
2nd Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion Welsh Guards
Guards Armoured Divisional Engineers
55th and 153rd Field, 21st Anti-Tank and 94th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments RA
Guards Armoured Divisional Signals
7th Armoured Division
Major-General G. W. E. J. Erskine (to 3.8.44)
Major-General G. L. Verney (from 4.8.44)
22nd Armoured Brigade
4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) (to 29.7.44)
1st and 5th Battalions RTR
5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards (from 29.7.44)
1st Battalion The Rifle Brigade (Motor)
131st Infantry Brigade
1/5th, 1/6th and 1/7th Battalions The Queen’s Royal Regiment
Divisional Troops
8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars
7th Armoured Divisional Engineers
7th Armoured Divisional Signals
3rd and 5th Regiments RHA; 6th Anti-Tank and 15th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments RA
11th Armoured Division
Major-General G. P. B. Roberts
29th Armoured Brigade
23rd Hussars
2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry
3rd Battalion RTR
8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade (Motor)
159th Infantry Brigade
3rd Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment
4th Battalion The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
1st Battalion The Herefordshire Regiment
Divisional Troops
2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry (to 17.8.44)
15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars (from 17.8.44)
11th Armoured Divisional Engineers
13th Regiment RHA; 151st Field, 75th Anti-Tank and 58th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments RA
11th Armoured Divisional Signals
3rd Division
Major-General T. G. Rennie (to 13.6.44)
Brigadier E. E. E. Cass (acting)
Major-General L. G. Whistler (from 23.6.44)
8th Brigade
1st Battalion The Suffolk Regiment
2nd Battalion The East Yorkshire Regiment
1st Battalion The South Lancashire Regiment
9th Brigade
2nd Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment
1st Battalion The King’s Own Scottish Borderers
2nd Battalion The Royal Ulster Rifles
185th Brigade
2nd Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
1st Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment
2nd Battalion The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
Divisional Troops
3rd Reconnaissance Regiment RAC
3rd Divisional Engineers