Indeed. That was partially my inspiration for kicking off this project in the first place.
I'd dug out some old sheets from Dom's Decals and noticed they all came with a helpful little key to the AoS numbers and bridge classes - something sorely lacking from the official Flames of War decal sets - so I thought I'd make myself a little reference chart, and before I knew it I'd launched a blog. Whoops.
Nice one. Dom certainly knows his stuff. Such a shame that it all became a bit too much for him.
Here's a list of transfers and marking changes for NW Europe. I'll have to dig for the Italy info:
4 Armd BdeNo organisational changes other than the remnants of 4 CLY from 7 Armd Div being amalgamated with 3 CLY on 29 July 1944 to become 3/4 CLY. 4 Armd Bde changed their serials to the new standard scheme at some point late 1944/early 1945.
5 Guards Armd BdeNo changes.
6 Guards Tank BdeNo changes, except for changing their serials in 1945 (an order that seems to have been only partially applied).
8 Armd Bde24 Lancers disbanded 29th July 1944 and replaced by 13/18 Hussars from the disbanded 27 Armd Bde. They filled the same seniority-slot in the orbat, so 13/18 Hussars just adopted the markings of 24 Lancers. 8 Armd Bde changed their serials to the new standard scheme at some point late 1944/early 1945.
22 Armd Bde (7 Armd Div)4 CLY transferred to 4 Armd Bde on 29 July 1944 (amalgamated with 3 CLY). Replaced by 5 RIDG, who became the senior regiment, forcing 1 RTR and 5 RTR to go down the list and repaint their markings.
27 Armd BdeDisbanded 29 July 1944. 13/18 Hussars went to 8 Armd Bde, 1 ERY went to 33 Armd Bde and Staffs Yeo went to 79 Armd Div to become a Sherman DD Regt.
29 Armd Bde (11 Armd Div)No changes.
30 Armd Bde (79 Armd Div)Equipped with Sherman V Crab flail tanks. Orbat remained unchanged throughout the campaign: 22 Dragoons, 2 CLY (Westminster Dragoons), 1 Lothian & Border Yeomanry.
31 Army Tank BdeThe brigade was broken up in late August 1944, with 9 RTR going to 34 Army Tank Bde and 7 RTR for a time becoming an independent tank regiment. The brigade was then re-formed as an all-Crocodile brigade in September 1944 as part of 79 Armd Div (141 RAC had already been working semi-independently as the Army Group Crocodile Regiment). 141 RAC was eventually reunited with 7 RTR and in November was joined by 1 Fife & Forfar Yeomanry. The order of seniority was 7 RTR - 1 F&FY - 141 RAC.
33 Armd Bde148 RAC was disbanded on 29 July 1944, being replaced by 1 ERY from 27 Armd Bde. 1 ERY filled the middle seniority slot, so bumped 144 RAC into junior place, forcing a repaint of markings. The brigade repainted its markings in any case at some point between August and October 1944, to comply with the standardised serial scheme (50-53). The brigade was transferred to 79 Armd Div during the winter of 1944/45, was re-equipped with Buffalo II & IV and was increased to four regiments with the addition of 11 RTR. The markings scheme became VERY complicated (especially as 30 Armd Bde was already using the 50-53 serials in 79 Armd Div)... Seniority then was 4 RTR (renamed 144 RAC), 11 RTR, 1 Northants Yeo & 1 ERY.
34 Army Tank Bde153 RAC was disbanded on 28th August 1944 and was replaced by 9 RTR from 31 Army Tank Bde. 9 RTR became the senior regiment and bumped 107 RAC and 147 RAC down the orbat, forcing them to repaint their markings.
18 January 2012, 05:16:33 PM