Royal Armoured Corps - History

History

British Army arms and services
Combat Arms
Royal Armoured Corps
Infantry
  • Guards Division
  • Scottish Division
  • King's Division
  • Queen's Division
  • Prince of Wales' Division
  • Royal Irish Regiment
  • Parachute Regiment
  • Royal Gurkha Rifles
  • The Rifles
  • Special Air Service
Army Air Corps
Combat Support Arms
Royal Artillery
Royal Engineers
Royal Corps of Signals
Intelligence Corps
Combat Services
Royal Army Chaplains Department
Royal Logistic Corps
Army Medical Services
  • Royal Army Medical Corps
  • Royal Army Dental Corps
  • Royal Army Veterinary Corps
  • Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Adjutant General's Corps
  • Staff and Personnel Support Branch
  • Educational and Training Services Branch
  • Army Legal Services Branch
  • Provost Branch
    • Royal Military Police
    • Military Provost Staff
    • Military Provost Guard Service
Small Arms School Corps
Royal Army Physical Training Corps
General Service Corps
Corps of Army Music

The RAC was created on 4 April 1939, just before World War II started, by combining the cavalry wing (cavalry units that had mechanised) with the Royal Tank Corps (which was thereupon renamed the Royal Tank Regiment within the new corps). As the war went on and other regular cavalry and Territorial Army Yeomanry units became mechanised, they too joined this corps. A significant number of infantry battalions were also converted to the armoured role as RAC regiments. In addition, the RAC created its own training and support regiments. Finally, in 1944, the RAC absorbed the regiments of the Reconnaissance Corps.

See: List of Royal Armoured Corps Regiments in World War Two

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