大象传媒

Information provided by: Peter Donnelly
Part of: King's Own Royal Regiment Museum
First published: 13 January 2004

Overview

On the 10th January 1940 the 7th Holding Battalion was formed at Denbigh in North Wales containing a King's Own company. The 7th Holding Battalion divided on 2nd June and it's King's Own company moved to Heysham Towers in Lancaster, to form the 50th Holding Battalion. The first operation of the 50th was to receive men just back from the British Expeditionary Force in France. In the autumn of 1940 the 50th Holding Battalion was converted to the 10th Battalion of the King's Own and joined the Northumberland Division, Brigaded in 225th Infantry Brigade - along with battalions from the King's and Border Regiments. The 10th Battalion was responsible for coastal defence in Northumberland. In September 1940 the battalion did its first formation training as part of the 59th Division. After this training they returned to the beaches. In November 1941 the 10th Battalion learned that the Northumberland Division was to break up. 10th King's Own were to be converted to a heavy tank regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps - becoming the 151st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps in January 1942, receiving Churchill tanks shortly afterwards.

Facts and figures

Unit name: 1st Battalion
Force: Army
Designation: Battalion
Type: Infantry
Entered service: 1680

Chronology

10 Jan 1940: 7th Holding Battalion raised

02 Jun 1940: 50th Holding Battalion formed and moves to Heysham

September 1940: 10th Battalion created

31 Dec 1941: 10th Battalion converted to Heavy Tank Regiment

01 Jan 1942: 151st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps established

Museums and Organisations

Name: King's Own Royal Regiment Museum
Address: City Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, Lancashire
Postcode: LA1 1HT
Telephone number: 01524 64637
Email address: kingsownmuseum@iname.com
Comments: If contacting the museum by email please supply a full postal address to which a reply can be sent. If visiting the museum in person with a particular enquiry please telephone first to ensure the curator is available.

Further resources

Title: The King's Own The Story of a Royal Regiment Volume Three 1914-1950
Author: Cowper, Julia M
Pub year: 1957
Description: The best single source history of the King's Own and all sub-units for World War Two. Now out of print but should be available on inter-library loan. Now available from the King's Own Museum on cd-rom. Excellent indexing and rolls of gallantry awards.

Title: Lions of England A pictorial history of the King's Own Royal Regiment, Lancaster
Author: Eastwood, Stuart A
Pub year: 1991
ISBN: 0 947971 68 8
Description: Pictorial history of the regiment with chapter covering all operations in World War Two.

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