Guards Armoured Division
The division remained in the United Kingdom, training, until 13 June 1944, when it landed several armoured command vehicles at Arromanche.It lagered its advanced tactical headquarters in communication with GHQ awaiting the bulk of the armour Normandy, France, during Operation Overlord as part of VIII Corps.Its first major engagement was Operation Goodwood, the attack by three armoured divisions towards Bourguebus Ridge in an attempt to break out of the Normandy beachhead.The Tac HQ reached Arnhem but was not able to seize the bridge because German anti tank guns were entrenched on the North side and the British airborne had surrendered or were too far away to help.[9] The aim of this attack has been debated many times, but whether an attempt at a breakout or a more limited effort, it had the effect of drawing most of the German reserves towards Caen, aiding the Cobra offensive.Originally intended as a combined attack, it was changed to an armoured assault as the British Army in France had suffered heavy infantry casualties and were struggling to find replacements.The attack quickly bogged down and losses became heavy, the guards losing 60 tanks to a single battery of four Luftwaffe 88mm AA guns.In addition to this, a group of Tiger I tanks of the 503, which had been completely knocked out in the bombardment, recovered enough over the course of the morning to stiffen the resistance against the Guards.[13] The next day enough progress was made to allow the Guards to reach Bourgebus Ridge and support the 7th and 11th Armoured Divisions, German reinforcements started to arrive and the attack ground to a halt.This organisation was not unique to the Guards, the 11th Armoured also adapted the formation for Bluecoat, apparently on Lieutenant-General Richard O'Connor's orders.Rather than continue to try to push past Caen where the majority of the German armour had redeployed after Goodwood, this attack switched back towards Villers-Bocage to support the Americans and to capture the road junction at Vire and the high ground at Mont Pincon.Due to the difficulty of completely clearing the enemy from a particular area and of supplying sub-units, the attack ground to a halt on 4 August.The advance was now generally along a road, with the lead elements and Typhoon air support brushing aside most opposition before it could delay the column.The population was grateful for their liberation; the 2nd Household Cavalry, who were generally first into the town, had to keep a sharp eye on stowage and aerials on the exterior of the vehicle lest it be taken as a souvenir.They formed the spearhead of the attacks into the Netherlands, with the Grenadier Guards managing to seize the Nijmegen Bridge with the help of the US 82nd Airborne Division.Eventually the division was selected for conversion back to infantry, and held a "farewell to armour" parade on 9 June 1945; Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery took the final salute.
Guards Division (United Kingdom)InsigniaUnited KingdomBritish ArmyArmouredDivisionWorld War IIOperation OverlordOperation Market GardenBattle of the BulgeOperation VeritableWestern Allied invasion of GermanyBattle honoursBourguébus RidgeMont PinçonThe NederrijnSir Oliver LeeseSir Alan AdairBritish Army during the Second World WarSecond World WarGrenadier GuardsColdstream GuardsScots GuardsIrish GuardsWelsh GuardsNormandyFranceVIII CorpsOperation GoodwoodOperation BluecoatXXX CorpsBrusselsairborne troopsAmericanparatroopers82nd Airborne DivisionArdennes offensiveadvance through GermanyVictory in Europe DayinfantryGuards DivisionSherman tanksNijmegenCovenanter tanks5th Guards Armoured BrigadeGeneralSir Alan BrookeCommander-in-Chief, Home ForcesMajor GeneralOliver LeeseGerman invasionCovenanter V tankscompanybattalionssquadronsregimentsAllan AdairCrusader III tanksSherman VsSherman FireflyBovington Tank Museumlanded in NormandyCarpiquet Airfield32nd Guards Brigade12th SS HitlerjugendCobra offensive11th Armoured DivisionsbridgeheadVimontArgencesRoyal Air ForceEmieville88mm AA gunsTiger I tanksSchwere Panzerabteilung503rd Heavy Tank BattalionJohn GormanTiger IIFirefly17-pounder gun75mm PaKGrenadierColdstreamLieutenant-GeneralRichard O'ConnorVillers-BocageMont Pinconbocage21st Panzer10th SS-Panzer DivisionsHousehold CavalryCrusader AA tanksFalaise pocketBrian HorrocksRiver SeineGerman Armymotor infantryRoyal Northumberland FusiliersTyphoon2nd Household CavalryJoe VandeleurChurchill tanksNijmegen BridgeUS 82nd Airborne DivisionReichswald forestVictoria CrossesGuardsmanEdward CharltonCaptainIan LiddellCenturion universal tankField MarshalSir Bernard Montgomery2nd Household Cavalry RegimentRoyal EngineersRoyal Armoured CorpsRoyal Army Ordnance CorpsRoyal Electrical and Mechanical EngineersRoyal Army Medical CorpsCorps of Military PoliceElizabeth6th Guards Armoured Brigade32nd Guards Infantry BrigadeNorthumberland FusiliersGuards Support Group153rd (Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery