British Army & CW ad-hoc 'Force' formations

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 14 Aug 2004 16:32

1)Maceforce Brig G W Richards
2)?
3)March'43
4)?
5)50th RTR, A Sqn 40 RTR, 2Trps/61st AT-TK Regt, 1Trp/9th F.Sqn RE, 7Btn Black Watch plus 1 Coy (mMG) 1/7thBtn The Middlesex Regt
6) Armour plus 12 Medium guns, 24 25pdrs, 4 6pdr AT-TK guns
7) Battle for Gabes Gap, Tunisia 1943
8)Regimental history of 50th RTR

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 02 Sep 2004 16:47

1)Spearforce
2) 51st Highland Division (?)
3)7th April'43
4)12th April'43(?)
5)50th RTR & 40 RTR plus infantry elements from 51st Highland Division
6) 17plus Tanks within 50RTR
7) Pursuit through the Akarit line, Tunisia 1943
8)Regimental history of 50th RTR

Aufklarung · Post by **Aufklarung** » 17 Sep 2004 12:42

1) Vokes Force Lt Col "Freddie" Vokes
2) 5th Armoured Brigade, 5 Canadian Armoured Division, Italy.
3) 24 May 1944
4) 24 May 1944
5) The British Columbia Dragoons, The Irish Regt of Canada (Bn), TD Bty 4th Anti-Tank Regiment RCA, Engineer Det (in Honeys) 5 CAD RCE.
6) 3x Sqn Sherman III, M3 halftracks, Bren Gun Carriers, M10 TDs, De-turreted Honeys, associated clag vehicles in the Ech.
7) Follow up force to the penetration of the Gustav & Hitler Lines and drove to the Melfa River in Liri Valley as part of the drive to Rome. Established Bridgehead across river. To make a firm base near Mancini
8 ) The Royal Candian Armoured Corps- An Illustrated History John Marteinson/Michael McNorgan. 2000. The RCAC Assoc
The Mediterranean and Middle East Vol6 Pt1 Pg197

regards
A

Aufklarung · Post by **Aufklarung** » 17 Sep 2004 17:23

1) Griffin Force Lt Col Paddy Griffin
2) 5th Armoured Brigade, 5 Canadian Armoured Division, Italy.
3) 24 May 1944
4) 24 May 1944
5) Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadian), "A" Coy The Westminister Regt, TD Bty 4th Anti-Tank Regiment RCA, 1 Bty (SP) 8th Field Regt CRA, Engineer Det (in Honeys) 5 CAD RCE.
6) 3x Sqn Sherman III, M3 halftracks, Bren Gun Carriers, M10 TDs, De-turreted Honeys, associated clag vehicles in the Ech.
7) Follow up force to the penetration of the Gustav & Hitler Lines and drove up the centre to the Melfa River in Liri Valley as part of the drive to Rome.
To cross the Melfa river one mile downstream from the point where the railway line crosses the river and to establish a small BH
8 ) The Royal Candian Armoured Corps- An Illustrated History John Marteinson/Michael McNorgan. 2000. The RCAC Assoc.
The Mediterranean and Middle East Vol6 Pt1 Pg197

Aufklarung · Post by **Aufklarung** » 17 Sep 2004 20:43

1) Adams Force Lt Col FD Adams
2) 1 Cdn Corps, Italy.
3) 24 May 1944
4) 25 May 1944
5) IV Princess Louise Dragoon Guards(IV PLDG), C & D Sqn Royal Canadian Dragoons(RCD), 1x Sqn of the Three Rivers Regt (TRR), The Carleton and York Battalion.
6) x5 Recce Sqns of Staghounds, 1x Sqn Sherman IIIs, Inf and Spt vehs.
7) Follow up force to the penetration of the Gustav & Hitler Lines and drove up the left to the Melfa River in Liri Valley as part of the drive to Rome.
8 ) The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps; An Illustrated History John Marteinson/Michael McNorgan. 2000. The RCAC Assoc.

regards
A

Aufklarung · Post by **Aufklarung** » 23 Sep 2004 19:56

1) Cumberland Force LtCol IH Cumberland
2) Br 8th Army, 1 Cdn Corps and ??
3) 09 Oct '44
4) 27 Oct '44
5) 3rd Greek Mountain Bde, New Zealand "Wilder Force", Royal Canadian Dragoons + a NZ Armd Car unit becoming "Landell Force", and "a collection of Canadian Supporting Arms".
6) The RCD were in Staghounds, the rest......??
7) Tasked with "Holding the Adriadic Sector", they instead advanced 8km in 10 days over fierce terrain.
8 ) The Royal Canadian Dragoons 1883-1983, Brereton Greenhous, 1983, The Guild of the RCD.

regards
A

Aufklarung · Post by **Aufklarung** » 23 Sep 2004 20:17

1) Halpenny Force Lt Col WW Halpenny (CO OF CGG)
2) 4 Cdn Armd Div, 4 Armd Bde
3) 08 Aug '44
4) 08 Aug '44
5) Canadian Grenadier Guards (Tank Regt), Lake Superior Regt (Div Motor Bn), Support Artillery, Flails and Engineers of unkn size.
6) x3 Sqns of Sherman III and Firefly (1 per Tp), "Defrocked Priests", M3 halftracks and Universal Carriers.
7) As Ph II of Op Totalize started to bog, Maj Gen Kitching (4CAD) tasks 4AB (Brig Booth) to quicken the pace using "Halpenny Force". They were to spearhead the Division's advance by "dashing" through the narrow gap (3-500 yards) between the Caen-Falaise highway and the railway, bypassing 3 villages and exploit to the South. Half of a 4CAD Task Force that included the ill-destined "Worthington Force".
8 ) The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps; An Illustrated History, John Marteinson/Michael McNorgan, 2000, The RCAC Assoc.

regards
A

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 28 Sep 2004 17:23

1) Murray Force Col Murray
2) 3rd RTR, 11th Armoured Division
3) 22/12/44
4) ?
5) Elements of 3rd RTR plus infantry from G Company the Rifle Brigade and Royal Engineers
6) Around 6 Shermans (both 75mm & 17pdr's)
7) Defence of Dinant during the German 1944 offensive
8 ) Taming the Panzers by P.Delaforce

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 09 Nov 2004 16:47

1) Hart Force Maj Hart 5th Northamptons
2) 11th Bde
3) Nov'42
4) ?
5) ?
6) ?
7) Advance on Tunis
8 ) Ubique (The Royal Artillery in the Second World War) by Richard Doherty, Pg171

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 12 Dec 2004 01:51

1) FlewForce Designation for HQ 64th Indian Brigade
2)
3) 20th July 1945
4) 11th August 1945
5) 64th Indian Bde, 2nd Worcesters + 3 Infantry Bns, 1 MG Bn, 2 Armored Sqns
6) ?
7) For covering Pyu Chaung Kun Chaung bridges area, Sittang valley, Burma
8 ) Burma-The Longest War 1941-45 by Louis Allen; Loyalty & Honour : The Indian Army September 1939 - August 1947 by Chris Kempton

Andy H / Steen Ammentorp

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 21 Dec 2004 16:58

1) Sturges Force
2) Iceland Garrison
3) May 10th 1940
4) May 21st 1940?
5) 2nd Btn Royal Marine, Y Bty MNBD01, 1st Anti-MTB Bty-MNBD01 and 1 Naval Bty
6) 2x4" Naval guns on semi-mobile mounts, 4x2pdr pom-pom and 2x3.7"Pack Howitzers
7) Garrison force for Iceland
8.) British & Commonwealth Armies 1939-43 Vol 1 by Mark Bevis

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 21 Dec 2004 17:26

1) Overt Force
2) Maldives Garrison
3) Jan 1942
4) ?
5) 1st RM Coast Regiment (part off)
6) Some 500men with bulldozers,diggers and Matador lorries. For the battery emplacements they had 2x4"Naval guns and 1x6"Naval gun. 100 men left in Feb'42 to help form Viper Force
7) Garrison force for the island. Also to establish roads, a watch tower and batteries
8.) British & Commonwealth Armies 1939-43 Vol 1 by Mark Bevis

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 22 Dec 2004 14:24

1)Gideon Force

2)Sudan Defense Force

3)Dec. 1940

4)June 1941
5)Gideon Force
Lt. Col. Wingate
Emperor Selassie and personal retiinue of exile Ethiopian nobles.
Gideon Force HQ.
Mortar Platoon
Pack Horses

-Sudan Defense Force Battalion (pack horses)
-Boustead Bey

-2nd Ethiopian Battalion (pack camels)
- Major Boyle

1st Operational Center Detachment*
2nd Operational Center Detachment
3rd Operational Center Detachment
4th Operational Center Detachment
5th Operational Center Detachment
6th Operational Center Detachment

* Operational Center Detachments were British officered platoon sized detachments of Ethiopians that were to raise forces of locals against the Italians, and work in conjunction with the regular units of Gideon force. Each had radio and were to be supported by air.

6) TOE: ?

7) Lead by Lt. Col. Orde Wingate to raise a rebelion against the Italians in Ethiopia. Crossing into Ethiopia from Sudan in Feb. 1941 they gathered Ethiopian rebel bands and with the aid of local resistance fighters, harassed Italian forts and their supply lines. At the end of the fighting, Wingate and the men of the Gideon Force accompanied the emperor when he returned to Addis Ababa May 4 1941 and mopped up some isolated Italian forces before their dissolution in June.

8. Haile Selassie's War Anthony Mockler, Olive Branch Press, 2003.

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 23 Dec 2004 00:51

1) Sickle Force
2)
3) April'40
4) ?
5) 15th Infantry Brigade (22/04/40-06/05/40)+148th Infantry Brigade (26/04/40-30/04/40)
6)
7) Took part in the Allied intervention in Norway
8.) ?

1) Rupert Force
2)
3) April'40
4) ?
5) 24th (Guards) Infantry Brigade +
6)
7) Took part in the Allied intervention in Norway
8.) ?

1) Avon Force
2)
3) April'40
4) ?
5) 24th (Guards) Infantry Brigade +
6)
7) Took part in the Allied intervention in Norway
8.) ?

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 23 Dec 2004 00:59

1) Alabaster Force
2)
3) Jun'40?
4) Jan'41?
5) 70th Infantry Brigade (25/10/40-09/01/41)+146th Infantry Brigade (24/06/40-09/01/41)+147th Infantry Brigade (27/06/40-08/01/41)
6)
7) Iceland garrison
8.) ?