British Army & CW ad-hoc 'Force' formations

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British Army & CW ad-hoc 'Force' formations

#1

Post by Andy H » 10 Jan 2004, 16:29

In principle this is akin to the German Kampfgruppen sticky already running in the Wehrmacht at War & Peace, in that it's purpose is to record the British/CW ad-hoc "Force" formations. Which were in principle the same as German KG & US Army "Task-Force" groupings, whereby several disparate units were thrown together to undertake a specific task, and after completion the units returned to there regular command formations.

Again this is a listing thread only. Any queries, discussions or information you wish to add, either contact the poster by PM or start a separate thread within the larger The United Kingdom & its Empire and Commonwealth 1919-45 section. If needs be the poster can then edit his original post to take into account any developments

1)Name: Usually the Force commander, but not always the case.
2)Parent unit of Force if applicable
3)Date of Formation (If Known)
4)Date of Dispersion (If Known)
5)OoB
6) TOE
7)Details of any action fought
8)Source of information

So for example

1) Force Gore (Lt-Col Gore)
2) 10th Rifle Brigade
3) 18/02/3/1943
4) ?
5) C Coy 1oth R.Bde, C Sqn 2nd Lothians, F Bty RHA & Troop from 93rd AT-TK Regt RA
6) 7 Valentine & 4 Crusader tanks
7) Defensive actions during the German attack at Kasserine, Tunisia
8.) The Med & Middle East Vol IV by Playfair

Updated Index of 'Forces' covered so far, with page number in brackets:-

Adams Force (2)
Alabaster Force (2)
Allen Force (8)
Amy Force (5)
Ark Force x2 (France 1940 & Greece 1944) (3+4)
Avon Force (2)
Baker Force (9)
Barbarity Force (8)
Beau Force (4)
Barne Force (8)
Begmeder Force (8)
Birk Force (4)
Black Force (3)
Blade Force (1)
Bob Force x2 (9&9)
Bodo Force (4)
Brace Force (6)
Brad Force (6)
Brett Force x2 (7&7)
Broc Force (8)
Brown Force (5)
C Force (4)
Cole Force (6)
Chavesse Force (9)
Check Force (9)
Clarke Force (6)
Combe Force (4)
Corbauld Force (9)
Cre Force (6)
Cumberland Force (2+5)
Dal Force (5)
Deccan Force (8)
Dicky Force (8)
Dig Force (5)
E Force (3)
Emu Force (7)
Eykyn Force (9)
Fletcher Force (3)
Flew Force (2)
Flit Force (3)
Frank Force (1)
Force K6 (8)
Force 135 (1)
Force 292 (3)
Force Gore (1)
Fork Force (8)
Fortress Force (5)
Gazelle Force (3)
Gate Force x2 (4&8)
Gideon Force (2)
Gold Force (6)
Grey Force (7)
Griffen Force (2)
Hab Force (1)
Halpenny Force (2)
Hammer Force (4)
Hart Force (2)
Henry Force (1)
Herman Force (9)
Heron Force (5)
Hook Force (6)
Hound Force (8)
Jerry Force (6)
Jock Force (6)
Kennedy Force (5)
King Force (6)
L Force (4)
Lay Force (1)
Lock Force (5)
Lonsdale Force (1)
Lumdsens Force (4)
Maas Force (3)
Mac Force (3)
Mace Force (2)
Mackay Force (1)
Mag Force (6)
Marouba Force (7)
Martin Force (7)
Massy Force (5)
Maurice Force (3)
Mela Force (9)
Merrett Force (5)
Mobile Force (1)
Murray Force (2)
Norman Force (3)
Nick Force (6)
Oasis Force (3)
Ol Force (4)
Overt Force (2)
P Force (7)
Parry Force (6)
Pegu Force (6)
Petre Force (4)
Pin Force (6)
Pol Force (4)
Porter Force (1)
Preston Force x2 (3 & 9)
Q Force (5)
R Force (3)
Rec Force (9)
Rees Force (4)
Rob Force (6)
Roma Force (9)
Rose Force (1)
Ross Force (5)
Rud Force (6)
Rupert Force (2)
Rusty Force (7)
Saar Force (7)
Savige Force (1)
Scissors Force (4)
Selby Force (1)
Sickle Force (2)
Smith Force x3 (5+5, 6)
Snuff Force (6)
South Force (8)
Sparrow Force (3)
Spear Force (2)
Stiletto Force (6)
Strike Force (6)
Sturges Force (2)
Tod Force (8)
Tom Force (4)
Usher Force (4)
Valentine Force (8)
Vic Force (4)
Vokes Force (2)
West Force (3)
Whit Force (7)
Williamson Force (5)
Wooten Force (8)
Worthington Force (1)
Wood Force x2 (France 1940 & India 1944 (both on Pg4)
X Force x2 (5 & 7)
Y Force (5)
Z Force (5)
Last edited by Andy H on 19 Oct 2007, 17:34, edited 44 times in total.

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#2

Post by Andy H » 10 Jan 2004, 16:29

1) Force Gore (Lt-Col Gore)
2) 10th Rifle Brigade
3) 18/02/3/1943
4) ?
5) C Coy 1oth R.Bde, C Sqn 2nd Lothians, F Bty RHA & Troop from 93rd AT-TK Regt RA
6) 7 Valentine & 4 Crusader tanks
7) Defensive actions during the German attack at Kasserine, Tunisia
8.) The Med & Middle East Vol IV by Playfair

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Last edited by Andy H on 11 Jan 2004, 15:42, edited 1 time in total.


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#3

Post by Andy H » 11 Jan 2004, 15:40

1) Mobile Force (Brig Gort)
2) Western Desert Force
3) ? April‘41
4) ?
5) 22nd Guards Brigade Gp, 4 Mobile Columns (ea with a Trp of 25pdrs, 1Inf Company 7 a few Light Tk’s or A/Cars), 1 Coy French Mortar Btn More detailed info here http://forum.axishistory.com/download/f ... ?id=324222
6) ?
7) Defence of the Egypt from the first German thrusts into that country
8.) The Med & the Middle East Vol II, Playfair


1) Layforce ( Lt-Col Laycock)
2) Special Service Brigade
3) March’41
4) ?
5) A Btn/Special Service Brigade
6) ?
7) Naval landing and raid against Bardia, N.Africa 19/20th April’41
8.) The Med & the Middle East Vol II, Playfair


1) Amyntaion Detacment (Brig.Lee), which became Mackay Force (Gen.Mackey)
2) Force W or the Greek Central Macedonian Army (Gen. Kotulas)
3) 05/04/41
4) ?
5) 3rd RTR, 64th Med.Regt RA (less 1 Trp), 27th NZ MG Btn (less 2 companies), 1st Australian AT-TK Regt (less 1 Bty)
6) ? Cruiser Tks
7) Left flank protection for the British/Greek forces from German forces advancing from Monastir in Yugoslavia
8.) ?

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#4

Post by Andy H » 11 Jan 2004, 16:21

1) Force 135 ( Brig Snow)
2) ?
3) 1945
4) 1945
5) 302nd Inf Brigade (614th, 618th & 620th Regt’s RA)
411th Indep HAA Bty RA,
No 1 Composite Coastal Unit RA
No 20 Civil Affairs Unit
158 CRE Works RE
25 Stores Pl RE
82nd Mech Eqpt Pl RE
1011th Port Operation Company RE
259th & 616th Field Companies RE
2nd E&M Pl RE
223rd & 224th Works Section’s RE
24th BD Pl RE
Section 964 PC & R Company RE
31st TG OP Section
29th Med Wirless Section
4th Wireless Section Type P
110th Construction Section
Force 135 Cipher Detachment
135 Signal Section
HQ 47th Transport Column RASC
230th Company RASC
1758th Indep Amp Pl
256th BIS
841st Water Tpt Company RASC
162nd DID
A Section 186th DID
M Section Field Bakery
209th Field Ambulance (W)
79th Field Hygiene Section
135th Field Ord Depot
50th Mobile Bath unit
AKS Exhibition Wing
24th Port Wksp
Force 135 (LAD) Type A
40th & 41st Indep Postal units
47th(L) Inf Div Provost Coy RMP
34th Company Pioneer Corps
159th Fld Security Port Section-Intel
135th Movement Control Det
8th Forward Base Pay Office
60th Area Cash Office
169th Field Cash Office
801st & 802nd POW Camp
Force 135 Defence Pl
Detachments from the Royal Navy,Marines & Air Force
6) ?
7) Re-Occupation of the Channel Islands in 1945
8.) Battleground Europe, G.Forty

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#5

Post by Andy H » 13 Jan 2004, 13:44

1) Savige Force (Brig S.Savige) Australian
2) 17th Australian Inf Brig
3) 14-16/04/41
4) ?
5) 2/5th & 2/11th Australian Inf Btn's, 64th Med Regt RA, 1 Bty 4th NZ Fld Regt, 1 Bty 2/1st Australian AT-TK Regt
6) ?
7) Formed to defend the the roads running from Epirus over the Pindus Mtn's to the plain of Thessaly and to provide depth on the approach from Grevena,Greece.
8.) Med & the Middle East Vol II, Playfair

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Last edited by Andy H on 19 Jan 2004, 18:37, edited 1 time in total.

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#6

Post by Andy H » 17 Jan 2004, 13:18

1) Rose Force
2) POW Battleship & 11th Indian Division
3) 28/12/41
4) January 1942
5) A single platoon Royal Marines from the Battleship 'Prince of Wales'
6) ?
7) The unit conducted boat raids, ambushes and demolitions during the retreat to Singapore. It later merged with the Plymouth Argyll's Royal Marine Btn (A&B Companies formed from 2 Companies from A&SH, C Company from Rose Force and D Company from RMarines from the Repulse) of the 11th Indian Division
8.) British & Commonwealth Armies 1939-43 by Mark Bevis

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#7

Post by Andy H » 19 Jan 2004, 18:12

1. Selby Force
2. 13th Corps Western Desert
3. December 1940
4. ?
5.3rd Coldstream Guards Regiment
W Company, Northumberland Fusiliers Regiment
A Company, 1st South Staffordshire Regiment
A Company, 1st Cheshire Regiment
Detachment 1st Durham Light Infantry Regiment
A' Company, 7th Hussars Regiment
Attached artillery
6. ?
7. ?
8. The British Army during WW2

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#8

Post by Andy H » 19 Jan 2004, 19:09

1.Habforce (Maj-Gen J.G.W. Clark)
2. ?
3. 07/05/41
4. 17/06/41
5. 4th Cavalry Brigade (lorried):
Household Cavalry Regiment
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
Warwickshire Yeomanry
1st Battalion, The Essex Regiment
Arab Legion Mechanized Regiment (ca. 350 men) nine troops 'motorized infantry' in armored trucks with machine guns
one troop of three home-made armored cars
237th Battery, Royal Artillery (25 pdr)
unspecified Australian antitank battery (2pdr)
169th Light Antiaircraft battery (40 mm Bofors)
+ HQ 1st Cavalry Division, a Mechanized Regiment of Transjordan Frontier Force, 60th Field Regiment, 1st Sqn RAF Armoured Cars
6. See above
7. Invasion of Vichy held Syria, advanced from Iraq on June13th 1941
8. The Mediterranean and the Middle East, Volume 2. Playfair; Loyalty & Honour : The Indian Army September 1939 - August 1947 by Chris Kempton

Andy H / Steen Ammentorp

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#9

Post by Andy H » 03 Feb 2004, 21:51

1. Henry Force
2.
3. April 1940
4. April 1940
5. 2 Cruiser Detachments each with: 2 Seamen Platoons, 2 RM Platoons, 1 RM MG Section & 1 Naval Demolition Squad
6. Small arms, Lewis MG's & Explosives
7. Served in Norway
8. ?

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#10

Post by Andy H » 08 Feb 2004, 14:16

1. Blade Force (Col R A Hull)
2. 6th British Armoured Division
3. November 1942
4. ?
5. 17th/21st Lancers, B Sqn Derbyshire Yeomanry, B Company 10th Rifle Brigade, 5th RE, A Bty 72ns AT Regt, G Troop 51st Light AA Regt, 457th L.Art Bty RA, 12th Royal Horse Art and 2 sections from the 165th Light Field Ambulance.
For the push on Sidi Nsir the following were added: 1st Para Btn, 175th US Filed Art.Btn & 1st/1st US Armor
6. 36 Valentines, 24 Crusaders, some Armd Cars, 25pdr Field guns & 6pdr AT-TK guns and later M3 US Light tanks
7. Initially set up to help in the advance on Souk Ahras in French held Algeria, then to make a lightning thrust to capture Tuunis in late November'42
8. Ubique (The Royal Artillery in WW2) by Richard Doherty A History of C Battery HAC in War and Peace

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#11

Post by Aufklarung » 10 Feb 2004, 17:24

I've cut this down to better fit into the thread topic. I shall consider it a starting point and begin to gather more info.

Allied Expeditionary Force in Norway 1940
http://hem.fyristorg.com/robertm/norge/ ... rence.html
North Western Expeditinary Force
General Liutenant H.R.S. Massy

- Sickleforce (Åndalsnes, south of Trondheim)
General Major Bernard C. T. Paget (from 25.April)

- Mauriceforce (Namsos, north of Trondheim)
General Major Carton de Wiart
I'll try and also get a list together of the Allied Force that embarked in Scotland on 08 Apr 40 but never left and disbanded the next day.

regards
A :)

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#12

Post by Andy H » 27 May 2004, 19:33

1. Porter Force (Lt Col A M Horsborough-Porter)
2. British 8th Army-3rd Canadian Armoured Division
3. 28th October 1944
4. 12th November 1944
5. 27th Lancers, 1st Canadian Armoured Car Regt (Royal Canadian Dragoons) & 3rd Canadian Armoured Recce Regt (Govener General's Horse Guards) both in a dismounted role, plus armour from 1Sqn of Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadian) and Canadian artillery/engineers
6. 1Sqn Sherman MkIII'S with Strathcona's, 5xStaghound 37mm, 10xDingo Armd Car's, 2x3"gun Staghounds & 2xSP 75mm halftracks with Royal Canadian Dragoons)
7. Defensive posistions along the Ronco River in northern Italy, to conceal the withdrawl of the 1st Canadian Corps, and if required to follow up any enemy withdrawl.
8. Cassino to the Alps by Ernest J Fisher Jr & Dragoon: A History of the Royal Canadian Draggons by Brereton Greenhous, 1983, Guild of the RCD
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#13

Post by Thomhasj » 13 Jul 2004, 11:59

1. Lonsdale Force (Major Richard 'Dickie' Lonsdale)
2. 1st British Airborne Division
3. 20 September 1944
4. 26 September 1944
5. Remnants of the 1st Para Battalion, 3rd Para Battalion, 2nd South Staffords and the 11th Para Battalion
6. ??
7. Fought in the southeastern part of the 'perimeter' formed in Oosterbeek during Operation 'Market Garden'
8. "A Bridge Too Far" (Cornelius Ryan), "Slag om Arnhem" (Major-General Robert E. Urquhart) & various websites

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Re: British Army & CW ad-hoc 'Force' formations

#14

Post by Michael Dorosh » 08 Aug 2004, 04:41

1)Frankforce Major General H Franklyn
2)?
3)May20 1940
4)?
5) 5th Infantry Division, 150th & 151st Inf Bdes from 50th Infantry Division plus 1st Amy Tank Brigade. Eventually it would swallow up the components of Petre Force (Pg 3). Also had a sub force called Lumsdens Force (see Pg 4)
6) 16 Matilda II, 58 Matilda I and 7 Mk VI's
7) Intially formed to support the garrison of Arras and block the roads south of Arras. Fought action at Arras on 21 May 1940 vs. 7th Panzerdivision, part of general counterattack under General Martel.
8.) SL and Blitzkrieg in the West by Jean Paul Pallud and Captains of the Gates by Denis Blomfield-Smith

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Re: British Army & CW ad-hoc 'Force' formations

#15

Post by Michael Dorosh » 08 Aug 2004, 06:36

1)Worthington Force (Lieutenant Colonel Worthington, Commanding Officer, the BCR)
2)Parent 4th Canadian Armoured Division
3)? Aug 44
4) BCR destroyed 9 Aug 1944 when dawn broke and they found themselves on the wrong hill behind enemy lines and surrounded by SS armour - 47 of 52 tanks were destroyed.
5)28th Canadian Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment) and three companies of The Algonquin Regiment
6) Sherman III & Firefly primarily
7)Action fought at Point 195 in Normandy and near point 140
8) Stacey, CP - The Canadian Army 1939-1945 More info here http://ww2talk.com/forums/gallery/album ... ton-force/

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