51st RTR Leeds Rifles

51 rtr churchill tank crews in italy, 17 may 1944

at end of may 1940, british expeditionary force being evacuated dunkirk , imminent threat of german invasion of england, 25th army tank brigade redesignated 2nd motor machine gun brigade , regiments reorganised accordingly. each of 51 rtr s 3 mmg squadrons consisted of 3 troops, each 6 humber snipe or hillman utility ( tilly ) two-seat cars, 2 carrying vickers medium machine guns, 2 bren light machine guns , 2 boys anti-tank rifles. in july 1940, volunteers units of 25th army tank brigade formed no 5 troop of no. 5 commando @ bridlington. in august, 51 rtr , rest of brigade moved northumberland guard coastline machine gun posts along cliffs , sand dunes.

the 25th army tank brigade reconstituted @ end of 1940, , regiments began receive trickle of tanks on train. end of 1942, 51 rtr trained , equipped churchill tanks. in january 1943, regiment embarked 25th tank brigade north africa, came under command of british first army in tunisia campaign.

on 7–8 april 51 rtr supported ix corps @ fondouk pass. 128th brigade of 46th infantry division crossed wadi marguellil during night , @ 5.30 on 8 april began main attack, supported c sqn 51 rtr, , noon on objective. regiment ended campaign in army reserve.

25 tank brigade came under command of brigadier noel tetley of leeds rifles @ end of tunisia campaign. brigade, including 51 rtr, remained training in algeria year, before required italian campaign. 51 rtr embarked on 16 april 1944 , landed @ naples, equipped churchill tanks, few shermans , stuarts.

the brigade distinguished in support of 1st canadian infantry division in assault on adolf hitler line in may 1944. @ request of canadians, regiments adopted maple leaf additional badge, later worn 51 rtr s successors, leeds detachment (leeds rifles), imphal (pwo) company, east , west riding regiment. brigadier tetley, formerly of leeds rifles himself, territorial army rtr officer command brigade on active service. 51 rtr went on fight in gothic line battles of august–september 1944.

to deal successive enemy lines of defences anticipated in later stages of campaign, decided late in 1944 convert 25th tank brigade 25th assault engineer brigade, equipped specialised armour ( funnies . organised on 5 january 1945, royal engineers formation, 51 rtr remained in brigade , converted specialised armour. b squadron received 15 crab mark ii flail tanks, while , c sqns had total of 32 churchill crocodile flamethrowing tanks. each squadron in brigade self-administering, detached required.

the 25th armoured assault brigade first went action @ crossing of senio on 9 april 1945. 51 rtr attached 2nd new zealand , 8th indian divisions. flamethrowing tanks crept forward during preliminary bombardment , positioned close floodbank possible. 1 minute before infantry assault started positions flamed. of crocodiles had 60 feet behind bank able direct flame on bank.