History

Wars & Campaigns

►Boer War
►First World War

►►Western Front

►►►Trench Warfare: 1914-1916

►►►Allied Offensive: 1916

►►►Allied Offensives: 1917

►►►German Offensive: 1918

►►►Advance to Victory: 1918

►►Siberia
►Second World War
►►War Against Japan

►►North Africa
►►Italian Campaign

►►►Sicily

►►►Southern Italy

►►►The Sangro and Moro

►►►Battles of the FSSF

►►►Cassino

►►►Liri Valley

►►►Advance to Florence

►►►Gothic Line

►►►Winter Lines
►►North-West Europe

►►►Normandy
►►►Southern France
►►►Channel Ports

►►►Scheldt
►►►Nijmegen Salient

►►►Rhineland

►►►Final Phase
►Korean War
►Cold War
►Gulf War

Operations 

►GAUNTLET Aug 1941

(Spitsbergen)

►HUSKY Jul 1943

 (Sicily)

►COTTAGE Aug 1943

 (Kiska)

►TIMBERWOLF Oct 1943

(Italy)

►OVERLORD Jun 1944

(Normandy)

►MARKET-GARDEN Sep 44

(Arnhem)

►BERLIN Nov 1944

(Nijmegen)

►VERITABLE Feb 1945

(Rhineland)

Battle Honours

Boer War

►Paardeberg

18 Feb 00

First World War
Western Front
Trench Warfare: 1914-1916

►Ypres, 1915

22 Apr-25 May 15

►Gravenstafel

22-23 Apr 15

►St. Julien

24 Apr-4 May 15

►Frezenberg

8-13 May 15

►Bellewaarde

24-25 May 15

►Festubert, 1915

15-25 May 15

►Mount Sorrel

2-13 Jun 16

Allied Offensive: 1916

►Somme, 1916

1 Jul-18 Nov 16

►Albert

.1-13 Jul 16

►Bazentin

.14-17 Jul 16

►Pozieres

.23 Jul-3 Sep 16

►Guillemont

.3-6 Sep 16

►Ginchy

.9 Sep 16

►Flers-Courcelette

15-22 Sep 16

►Thiepval

26-29 Sep 16

►Le Transloy

. 1-18 Oct 16

►Ancre Heights

1 Oct-11 Nov 16

►Ancre, 1916

13-18 Nov 16

Allied Offensives: 1917

►Arras 1917

8 Apr-4 May 17

►Vimy, 1917

.9-14 Apr 17

►Arleux

28-29 Apr 17

►Scarpe, 1917

.3-4 May17

►Hill 70

.15-25 Aug 17

►Messines, 1917

.7-14 Jun 17

►Ypres, 1917

..31 Jul-10 Nov 17

►Pilckem

31 Jul-2 Aug 17

►Langemarck, 1917

.16-18 Aug 17

►Menin Road

.20-25 Sep 17

►Polygon Wood

26 Sep-3 Oct 17

►Broodseinde

.4 Oct 17

►Poelcapelle

.9 Oct 17

►Passchendaele

.12 Oct 17

►Cambrai, 1917

20 Nov-3 Dec 17

German Offensive: 1918

►Somme, 1918

.21 Mar-5 Apr 18

►St. Quentin

.21-23 Mar 18

►Bapaume, 1918

.24-25 Mar 18

►Rosieres

.26-27 Mar 18

►Avre

.4 Apr 18

►Lys

.9-29 Apr 18

►Estaires

.9-11 Apr 18

►Messines, 1918

.10-11 Apr 18

►Bailleul

.13-15 Apr 18

►Kemmel

.17-19 Apr 18

Advance to Victory: 1918

►Amiens

8-11 Aug 18

►Arras, 1918

.26 Aug-3 Sep 18

►Scarpe, 1918

26-30 Aug 18.

►Drocourt-Queant

.2-3 Sep 18

►Hindenburg Line

.12 Sep-9 Oct 18

►Canal du Nord

.27 Sep-2 Oct 18

►St. Quentin Canal .29 Sep-2 Oct 18
►Epehy

3-5 Oct 18

►Cambrai, 1918

.8-9 Oct 18

►Valenciennes

.1-2 Nov 18

►Sambre

.4 Nov 18

►Pursuit to Mons .28 Sep-11Nov

Second World War

War Against Japan

South-East Asia

►Hong Kong

 8-25 Dec 41

Italian Campaign

Battle of Sicily

►Landing in Sicily 

   9-12 Jul 43

►Grammichele 

15 Jul 43

►Piazza Armerina

16-17 Jul 43

►Valguarnera

17-19 Jul 43

►Assoro 

  20-22 Jul 43

►Leonforte

 21-22 Jul 43

►Agira

24-28 Jul 43

►Adrano 

29 Jul-7 Aug 43

►Catenanuova

29-30 Jul 43

►Regalbuto

29 Jul-3 Aug 43

►Centuripe

  31 Jul-3 Aug 43

►Troina Valley

 2-6 Aug 43

►Pursuit to Messina

 2-17 Aug 43

 Southern Italy

►Landing at Reggio

 3 Sep 43

►Potenza 19-20 Sep 43
►Motta Montecorvino 1-3 Oct 43
►Termoli 3-6 Oct 43
►Monte San Marco 6-7 Oct 43
►Gambatesa 7-8 Oct 43
►Campobasso 11-14 Oct 43
►Baranello 17-18 Oct 43
►Colle d'Anchise 22-24 Oct 43
►Torella 24-27 Oct 43

The Sangro and Moro

►The Sangro

19 Nov-3 Dec 43

►Castel di Sangro

.23-24 Nov 43

►The Moro

5-7 Dec 43

►San Leonardo

8-9 Dec 43

►The Gully

..10-19 Dec 43

►Casa Berardi

 ..14-15 Dec 43

►Ortona

20-28 Dec 43

►San Nicola-San

.31 Dec 43

Tommaso

.
►Point 59/ 29 Dec 43-

Torre Mucchia

4 Jan 44

Battles of the FSSF
►Monte Camino

.5 Nov-9 Dec 43

►Monte la Difensa-

2-8 Dec 43

 Monte la Remetanea

.
►Hill 720

25 Dec 43

►Monte Majo

3-8 Jan 44.

►Radicosa

4 Jan 44

►Monte Vischiataro

8 Jan 44

►Anzio

22 Jan-22 May 44

►Rome

.22 May-4 Jun 44

►Advance

.22 May-22 Jun 44

to the Tiber

.
►Monte Arrestino

25 May 44

►Rocca Massima

27 May 44

►Colle Ferro

2 Jun 44

Cassino
►Cassino II

11-18 May 44

►Gustav Line

11-18 May 44

►Sant' Angelo in

13 May 44

Teodice

.
►Pignataro

14-15 May 44

Liri Valley
►Liri Valley

18-30 May 44

►Hitler Line

18-24 May 44

►Aquino

18-24 May 44

►Melfa Crossing

24-25 May 44

►Ceprano

26-27 May 44

►Torrice Crossroads

30 May 44

Advance to Florence
►Advance

17 Jul-10 Aug 44

to Florence

.
►Trasimene Line

20-30 Jun 44

►Sanfatucchio

20-21 Jun 44

►Arezzo

4-17 Jul 44

►Cerrone

25 - 31 Aug 44

Gothic Line
►Gothic Line

25 Aug-22 Sep 44

►Monteciccardo

27-28 Aug 44

►Montecchio

30-31 Aug 44

►Point 204 (Pozzo Alto)

31 Aug 44

►Monte Luro

1 Sep 44

►Borgo Santa Maria

1 Sep 44

►Tomba di Pesaro

1-2 Sep 44

►Coriano

3-15 Sep 44

Winter Lines
►Rimini Line

14-21 Sep 44

►San Martino-

14-18 Sep 44

San Lorenzo

.
►San Fortunato

18-20 Sep 44

►Casale

23-25 Sep 44

►Sant' Angelo

11-15 Sep 44

 in Salute

.
►Bulgaria Village

13-14 Sep 44

►Cesena

15-20 Sep 44

►Pisciatello

16-19 Sep 44

►Savio Bridgehead

20-23 Sep 44

►Monte La Pieve

13-19 Oct 44

►Monte Spaduro

19-24 Oct 44

►Monte San Bartolo

11-14 Nov 44

►Lamone Crossing

2-13 Dec 44

►Capture of Ravenna

3-4 Dec 44

►Naviglio Canal

12-15 Dec 44

►Fosso Vecchio

16-18 Dec 44

►Fosso Munio

19-21 Dec 44

►Conventello-

2-6 Jan 45

Comacchio

.
►Granarolo

3-5 Jan 44

Northwest Europe
►Dieppe

19 Aug 42

Battle of Normandy
►Normandy Landing

6 Jun 44

►Authie

7 Jun 44

►Putot-en-Bessin

8 Jun 44

►Bretteville

8-9 Jun 44

       -l'Orgueilleuse .
►Le Mesnil-Patry

11 Jun 44

►Carpiquet

4-5 Jul 44

►Caen

4-18 Jul 44

►The Orne (Buron)

8-9 Jul 44

►Bourguébus Ridge

18-23 Jul 44

►Faubourg-de-

18-19 Jul 44

       Vaucelles .
►St. André-sur-Orne

19-23 Jul 44

►Maltôt

22-23 Jul 44

►Verrières Ridge-Tilly--

25 Jul 44

         la-Campagne .
►Falaise

7-22 Aug 44

►Falaise Road

 7-9 Aug 44

►Quesnay Road

10-11 Aug 44

►Clair Tizon

11-13 Aug 44

►The Laison

14-17 Aug 44

►Chambois

18-22 Aug 44

►St. Lambert-sur-

19-22 Aug 44

       Dives

.

►Dives Crossing

17-20 Aug 44

►Forêt de la Londe

27-29 Aug 44

►The Seine, 1944

25-28 Aug 44

Southern France
►Southern France

15-28 Aug 44

Channel Ports
►Dunkirk, 1944

8-15 Sep 44

►Le Havre

1-12 Sep 44

►Moerbrugge

8-10 Sep 44

►Moerkerke

13-14 Sep 44

►Boulogne, 1944

17-22 Sep 44

►Calais, 1944

25 Sep-1 Oct 44

►Wyneghem

21-22 Sep 44

►Antwerp-Turnhout

   24-29 Sep 44

Canal

.

The Scheldt

►The Scheldt

1 Oct-8 Nov 44

►Leopold Canal

6-16 Oct-44

►Woensdrecht

1-27 Oct 44

►Savojaards Platt

9-10 Oct 44

►Breskens Pocket

11 Oct -3 Nov 44

►The Lower Maas

20 Oct -7 Nov 44

►South Beveland

 24-31 Oct 44

►Walcheren

31 Oct -4 Nov 44

Causeway

.

Nijmegen Salient
►Ardennes

Dec 44-Jan 45

►Kapelsche Veer

31 Dec 44-

.

21Jan 45

►The Roer

16-31 Jan 45

Rhineland
►The Rhineland

8 Feb-10 Mar 45

►The Reichswald

8-13 Feb 45

►Waal Flats

8-15 Feb 45

►Moyland Wood

14-21 Feb 45

►Goch-Calcar Road

19-21 Feb 45

►The Hochwald

26 Feb-

.

4 Mar 45

►Veen

6-10 Mar 45

►Xanten

8-9 Mar 45

Final Phase
►The Rhine

23 Mar-1 Apr 45

►Emmerich-Hoch

28 Mar-1 Apr 45

Elten

.
►Twente Canal

2-4 Apr 45

►Zutphen

6-8 Apr 45

►Deventer

8-11 Apr 45

►Arnhem, 1945

12-14 Apr 45

►Apeldoorn

11-17 Apr 45

►Groningen

13-16 Apr 45

►Friesoythe

14 Apr 45

►Ijselmeer

15-18 Apr 45

►Küsten Canal

17-24 Apr 45

►Wagenborgen

21-23 Apr 45

►Delfzijl Pocket

23 Apr-2 May 45

►Leer

28-29 Apr 45

►Bad Zwischenahn

23 Apr-4 May 45

►Oldenburg

27 Apr-5 May 45

Korean War
►Kapyong

21-25 Apr 51

Domestic Missions

►FLQ Crisis

International Missions

►ICCS            Vietnam 1973

►MFO                 Sinai 1986-

Peacekeeping

►UNMOGIP

India 1948-1979

►UNTSO

 Israel 1948-    ....

►UNEF

Egypt 1956-1967

►UNOGIL

Lebanon 1958    ....

►ONUC

 Congo 1960-1964

►UNYOM

Yemen 1963-1964

►UNTEA

W. N. Guinea 1963-1964

►UNIFCYP

 Cyprus 1964-    ....

►DOMREP

D. Republic 1965-1966

►UNIPOM

Kashmir 1965-1966

►UNEFME

Egypt 1973-1979

►UNDOF

Golan 1974-    ....

►UNIFIL

 Lebanon 1978    ....

►UNGOMAP

Afghanistan 1988-90

►UNIIMOG

Iran-Iraq 1988-1991

►UNTAG

Namibia 1989-1990

►ONUCA

C. America 1989-1992

►UNIKOM

Kuwait 1991    ....

►MINURSO

W. Sahara 1991    ....

►ONUSAL

El Salvador 1991    ....

►UNAMIC

Cambodia 1991-1992

►UNAVEM II

Angola 1991-1997

►UNPROFOR

Yugosla. 1992-1995

►UNTAC

Cambodia 1992-1993

►UNOSOM

Somalia 1992-1993

►ONUMOZ

Mozambiq. 1993-1994

►UNOMUR

 Rwanda 1993    ....

►UNAMIR

Rwanda 1993-1996

►UNMIH

Haiti 1993-1996

►UNMIBH

Bosnia/Herz.1993-1996

►UNMOP

Prevlaka 1996-2001

►UNSMIH

Haiti 1996-1997

►MINUGUA

Guatemala 1994-1997

►UNTMIH

Haiti 1997    ....

►MIPONUH

 Haiti 1997    ....

►MINURCA

C.Afr.Rep. 1998-1999

►INTERFET

E. Timor 1999-2000

►UNAMSIL

Sie. Leone 1999-2005

►UNTAET

E. Timor 1999-2000

Exercises

 

The Roer

The Roer was a Battle Honour awarded for units participating in Operation BLACKCOCK, the code name for the clearing of the "Roer Triangle" formed by the towns of Roermond, Sittard and Heinsberg. This operation was conducted by the 2nd British Army from 14-26 January 1945. Only one Canadian unit participated, the 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment.

Objective

The objective was to drive the German 15th Army back across the Rivers Roer and Wurm. The operation was executed by the British XII Corps with three divisions under command, the 7th Armoured Division, 52nd (Lowland) Division and 43rd (Wessex) Division. The operation was named after the Scottish black male grouse and proved to be a difficult operation in light of the fierce German opposition. The operation was planned along three divisional axes of advance: 7th Armoured to capture a bridge across the Roer at Sint Odilienberg after bridging creeks south of Susteren; 52nd (Lowland) Division to capture Heinsberg after breaking into the German defences near Hongen; and the 43rd (Wessex) Division on the right to clear the terrain south-east of Dremmen.

Enemy Forces

German forces were principally two Wehrmacht infantry divisions belonging to the 12th SS Corps, with a parachute infantry regiment.

 

 


British troops fighting in St. Joost supported by a Churchill Crocodile flamethrowing tank.

The Battle

The operation was successfully concluded with all objectives being met, with the exception of Roermond itself and the area to the immediate south remaining in enemy hands. The 52nd Division suffered 752 casualties in the course of the battle (101 fatal) with an unusually high amount of sickness due to poor weather and extreme cold (258 evacuated soldiers). The 7th Armoured Division suffered 400 casualties with 20 AFVs lost to enemy action and 23 mechanical breakdowns. German casualties were estimated at over 2,000.

Operation BLACKCOCK was a success for the allies since all the objectives of the operation were met. The German divisions were thrown out of the Roer Triangle with exception of the area immediately south of Roermond. Here Hübner's paratroopers stayed in control for the time being. The British Division that fought the toughest battles during the operation was without doubt the 52nd Lowland Division which counted 752 casualties. Of these casualties 101 were KIA. Above that 258 soldiers were transported from the front because of sickness, mostly as a direct result of the adverse weather conditions and the extreme cold. The 7th Armoured Division counted just over 400 casualties. The total loss in armour of the Desert Rats was rather light, with only 20 tanks knocked out by the enemy and 23 tanks broke down due to mechanical problems. Of the knocked-out tanks 10 were damaged beyond repair, the others could be repaired. The number of German casualties is unknown, but can be estimated to approximately 2000. During the operation 490 prisoners were taken by the Desert Rats, amongst them were 6 officers. The Lowland Division took more than 1200 prisoners, and the Wessex Division took some 400 prisoners.

Battle Honours

79th British Armoured Division


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