1 (British) Armoured Division

British Ground Force in the Gulf War, 1990-91
v.1.0 March 3, 2002

Johann Price

British Forces Middle East (BFME) – Lieutenant General Sir Peter de la Billiere

1 (British) Armoured Division – Major General Rupert Smith
Force Maintenance Area (FMA) – Brigadier Martin S White
BFME direct reporting units

1 (British) Armoured Division
· 4 Armoured Brigade – Brigadier Christopher Hammerbeck
14/20 King’s Royal Hussars	57 Challenger MBTs.
A Squadron, Life Guards	Challenger MBTs
(1) Squadron 16/5 Queen’s Royal Lancers	Brigade Medium Armoured Reconnaissance unit equipped with Scimitar
23 Engineer Regiment
1 Royal Scots	Armoured Infantry Battalion with 45 Warrior IFVs
3 Royal Regiment of Fusiliers	Armoured Infantry Battalion with 45 Warrior IFVs
No.2 & Queens Companies, 1 Grenadier Guards	Armoured Infantry Company with 45 Warrior IFVs
204 Signal Squadron
5 Armoured Field Ambulance
31 Ordnance Company
3 Field Repair Group, 6 Armoured Workshop
Rapid Response Courier Team, 1 Postal & Courier Regiment, Royal Engineers Postal & Courier Services	(2) AFV 432s & Armstrong motorcycles for secure dispatches
(1) Platoon, 203 Provost Company, Royal Military Police

· 7 Armoured Brigade – Brigadier Patrick Cordingley
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (RSDG)	57 Challenger MBTs.
Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars (QRIH)	57 Challenger MBTs.
(5) Troops 17^th/21^st Lancers	Equipped with Challenger MBTs. 1 Troop attached to RSDG Battle Group
A Squadron, Queen’s Dragoon Guards	Brigade Medium Armoured Reconnaissance unit equipped with Scimitars
21 Engineer Regiment
1 Staffordshire Regiment	Armoured Infantry Battalion mounted on 45 Warrior IFVs
207 Signals Squadron
1 Armoured Field Ambulance
11 Ordnance Company
3 Field Repair Group, 7 Armoured Workshop
Rapid Response Courier Team, 1 Postal & Courier Regiment, Royal Engineers Postal & Courier Services	2 x AFV 432 & Armstrong motorcycles for secure dispatches
(1) Platoon, 203 Provost Company, Royal Military Police

· Divisional Troops
Queen's Dragoon Guards	Divisional Medium Armoured Reconnaissance unit equipped with Scimitar, Spartan and Striker AFVs
Royal Armoured Corps Armoured Delivery Squadron	Formed mostly from 2 Royal Tank Regiment. Part of the Armoured Delivery Group (ADG)
(1) Squadron 9/12 Royal Lancers	Equipped with Ferret scout cars. Attached to RAC Armoured Delivery Squadron
1 Armoured Division Signal Regiment
22 Armoured Brigade HQ & Signal Squadron (201)
2 Squadron, 14 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare)
HQ, A & B Companies, 1 Queens Own Highlanders	Warrior AFV mounted Armoured Infantry Battalion A Coy Provided security to divisional main HQ, B Coy maintained security for Divisional rear HQ. HQ, QOHldrs commanded the ADG
4 Regiment, Army Air Corps	Equipped with 2 squadrons of TOW armed Lynx and Gazelle scout helicopters.
661 Squadron,1 Regiment, Army Air Corps	Equipped with TOW armed Lynx and Gazelle scout helicopters. Attached to 4 Regiment
1 Armoured Division Transport Regiment
7 Tank Transporter Regiment Royal Corps of Transport
54 Ambulance Squadron Royal Corps of Transport
Dressing Station 5 Bravo, 3 Armoured Field Ambulance
60 Field Psychiatric Team
3 Ordnance Battalion Royal Army Ordnance Corps
7 Armoured Workshop Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
11 Armoured Workshop Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
71 Aircraft Workshop Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
HQ 203 Provost Company Royal Military Police
Postal and Courier Service Squadron, 1 Postal & Courier Regiment
518 Company, Royal Pioneer Corps
9 Field Cash Office, , Royal Army Pay Corps
Divisional Artillery Group (DAG)*
16/5 Queen’s Royal Lancers	Armoured Reconnaissance unit equipped with Scimitar and Striker AFVs. Under Operational Control of DAG. Tasked with identifying long range targets for 32 & 39 RA
2 Field Regiment Royal Artillery	Equipped with M109 155mm Self Propelled Howitzers. Tasked with supporting 4 Brigade.
12 Air Defence Regiment	Equipped with Tracked Rapier
10 Air Defence Battery	Tasked with protecting 7 Brigade. Javelin SAMs mounted on Spartan AFVs
46 Air Defence Battery	Tasked with protecting 4 Brigade. Javelin SAMs mounted on Spartan AFVs
26 Field Regiment Royal Artillery	Equipped with M109 155mm Self Propelled Howitzers
32 Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery	Equipped with M110 203mm Self Propelled Howitzers
39 Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery	Equipped with MLRS
40 Field Regiment Royal Artillery	Equipped with M109 155mm Self Propelled Howitzers. Tasked with supporting 7 Brigade.
4 Armoured Division Transport Regiment
Dressing Station 1 Bravo, 4 Armoured Field Ambulance
HQ Royal Engineers/Route Development Battle Group	Originally tasked with conducting breach operations. Revised responsibility was to survey, develop & maintain divisional Main Supply Route for combat service support units as the manoeuvre Brigades advanced
32 Armoured Engineer Regiment
37 Field Support Squadron, 35 Engineer Regiment	NBC Reconnaissance unit equipped with Fuchs vehicle.
15 Field Support Squadron, Royal Engineers
45 Field Support Squadron, Royal Engineers
49 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron, 33 Engineer Regiment
Elements, 14 Topographic Squadron, Royal Engineers
(4) Platoons, 203 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
Prisoner of War Guard Force	*Brigade strength force, lacking in organic transportation and support assets*
1 Coldstream Guards	Under Tactical Control (TACON) of 4 Brigade. Tasked with collecting prisoners
1 Royal Highland Fusiliers	1 Div. Rear HQ maintained TACON . Guarded PoW transportation to rear
1 Kings Own Scottish Borderers	Guarded PoW holding areas in rear
Support Helicopter Force(Middle East)
RAF Puma (Middle East) Squadron	Composite unit formed with 19 Pumas from No.33 & 230 Squadrons
RAF Chinook (Middle East) Squadron	Composite unit formed from Nos.7 and 18 Squadrons.
RNAS Sea King (Middle East) Squadron	Composite unit formed with 6 Sea King HC4s each from 845 & 848 Naval Air Squadrons
4 Squadron, 21 Signal Regiment
Joint Helicopter Support Unit	Army/RAF unit. Rigging for underslung loads. Marked & managed LZs

* US National Guard 142nd Field Artillery Brigade from Arkansas with two batteries each of MLRS and M110 provided reinforcing fires to 1st (UK) Armoured Division.

Force Maintenance Area / Forward Force Maintenance Area

3 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers

60 Field Support Squadron, 39 Engineer Regiment, RE

14 Topographic Squadron Royal Engineers

21 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron, 33 Engineer Regiment

Platoon, Specialist Team Royal Engineers

10 Regiment Royal Corps of Transport

27 Regiment Royal Corps of Transport

52 Port Squadron Royal Corps of Transport

59 Movement Control Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport

28 Ambulance Squadron, Gurkha Transport Regiment

33 General Hospital

32 Field Hospital

22 Field Hospital

24 Airmobile Field Ambulance

61 Field Psychiatric Team

1 Air Evacuation Squadron RAF

84 Field Medical Equipment Depot

6 Ordnance Battalion, Royal Army Ordnance Corps

6 Armoured Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

(1) Squadron, 1 Postal & Courier Regiment

174 Provost Company, Royal Military Police

187 Company Royal Pioneer Corps

9 Field Cash Office, Royal Army Pay Corps

6 Field Records Office

British Forces Middle East Army Units
A, B, D & R Squadrons, 22 SAS	~ 150 personnel
1 Field Laboratory Unit	Equipped with experimental biological warfare agent detection system
205 General Hospital
45 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron Royal Engineers
27 Group Royal Pioneer Corps
Elements of 1st Battalion Scots Guards
30 Signal Regiment	Provides the command and control support for all British Army and Royal Air Force forces which deploy outside the NATO area of operations
53 Field Squadron (Construction), 39 Engineer Regiment	Involved in Airfield Repair

OTHER TASK-ORIENTED DIVISIONAL FORMATIONS
Armoured Delivery Group (ADG):
under OPCON of 1 Div. which was tasked with preparing and escorting battle casualty replacement vehicles and units/personnel from the Divisional rear area to the front line. Employed twice.

· HQ, 1^st Battalion Queens Own Highlanders

· RAC Armoured Delivery Squadron

· 9/12^th Lancers

Divisional Reconstitution Group (DRG): Commanded by 7 Armoured Workshop HQ – never employed

4 BRIGADE:

Royal Scots Battle Group

· 1 Royal Scots

· Queen's Company, Grenadier Guards

· 23 Battery , 2 Regiment Royal Artillery

14/20 Kings Royal Hussars Battle Group

· 14/20 KRH

· A squadron, The Life Guards

· O Battery, 2 Regiment Royal Artillery

3 Royal Regiment Fusiliers Battle Group

· 3 RRF

· 127 Battery, 2 Regiment Royal Artillery

· Signals Detachment, No.2 Company, 1 Grenadier Guards

7 BRIGADE:

Staffords Battle Group

· 1 Staffords Battalion

· B Squadron RSDG

· C Squadron QRIH

· (1) Battery, 40 Regiment Royal Artillery

· Support Company, 1 Royal Green Jackets

· 1 Royal Hampshire.

Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars Battle Group

· A,B & D Squadrons QRIH

· (1) Battery, 40 Regiment Royal Artillery

· C Coy, 1 Staffords - after 07:30, Feb 26^th to deal with PoWs

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Battle Group

· A,C & D Squadrons, RSDG

· (1) Battery, 40 Regiment Royal Artillery

· (1) Troop, 17^th/21^st Lancers

NOTES

The British ground forces contribution to Desert Shield in 1990 initially consisted solely of 7 Brigade from Germany and supporting forces(some 13,000 men and 5,000 vehicles) under operational control (OPCON) of US Marine Corp’s 1 Marine Expeditionary Force (1 MEF). Men and equipment from Germany began to pour into Saudi Arabia in mid-October and the British forces were declared operational 16 November 1990. Very shortly afterwards it was decided to expand the British combat force to a division by bringing in HQ 1 (UK) Division, 4 Brigade and a host of other units from the British Army Of the Rhine (BAOR) in Germany. The Force Maintenance Area (FMA) whose duty it was to provide combat support and combat service support to British ground forces was also enlarged to provide Corps level support. British Forces Middle East provided national theatre level command. This brought the Division and FMA to some 28,000 personnel, and 15,000 vehicles - 2600 of them armoured, including 221 Challenger 1 Main Battle Tanks and 316 Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles. All of this required tremendous logistical effort to support. Each day, for example, the division required 400,000 litres of water, 500,000 litres of fuel and 5 tons of rations. As a result of the division's deployment to the west of Saudi Arabia, the army's logistic transport vehicles travelled on average about 650 km every day.

It was decided to ensure that all armoured and armoured infantry units would standardise on the Challenger MBT and Warrior IFVs, which were still being phased in to the British Army at the time. It was also decided to beef up the armoured battalions by converting Type 43 regiments to Type 57 regiments. by Bringing the division to full strength and establishing sufficient war reserves and combat forces to face all eventualities 2000 away from their home base involved stripping four BAOR divisions of their men, their newest equipment and stores. This might not have been feasible but for the thawing relationg between the West and the Soviet Union. It would be entirely fair to characterise 1 (UK) Armoured Division in the Gulf as an ad-hoc formation. The simple truth is that no British government in twenty years (even after near disaster in the Falklands) had dreamt of the need to deploy a heavy force of this echelon outside NATO.

As 1 (UK) Div was an armour heavy division best adapted to manoeuvre warfare it was decided that 7 Brigade would be detached from the Marines, and the British Division would be placed under the command of US VII Corps whose composition and purpose they most resembled.

The final Coalition plan involved XVIII Airborne Corps and the French 6^th Light Armoured Division performing a massive envelopment with a ground assault and heliborne forces blocking the Euphrates River valley to (a) prevent Iraqi reinforcements entering the Kuwaiti Theatre of Operations, (b) prevent the escape of Iraqi forces in Kuwait, thus securing the Coalition’s left flank. On the far right US Marine and Arab-Islamic forces (primarily composed of Saudi and Egyptian units with a Syrian division in reserve) under Saudi command would advance straight into Kuwait. VII Corp in the middle was the armoured fist which was to fix and destroy the bulk of the Iraqi forces retreating from Kuwait, especially it was hoped the Republican Guard. They would cross the Saudi border into Iraq, and then make a sharp right turn into Kuwait. 1 (UK) Division as the easternmost unit in VII Corp’s sector would be hinge on which the Corps swung. 1 Div’s mission was officially described task was to

attack through the 1^st (US) Infantry Division (Mechanized) to defeat the enemy tactical reserves in order to protect the right flank of the US VII Corps.’

The contact battle was fought in leap frog fashion by 4 and 7 Brigades which were each organised into task specific battle groups. The deep battle was to have been fought by attack helicopters and the reconnaissance elements, but weather and visibility proved to be so poor that attack helicopters were unable to do much more than provide close air support.

During an advance of nearly 350 km in 97 hours of virtually non-stop fighting and driving, the division had destroyed the Iraqi 46 Mechanised Brigade, 52 Armoured Brigade and the maneuver elements of at least three Iraqi infantry divisions mostly belonging to the Iraqi 7^th Corps in a series of short, sharp engagements. In the process they took about 7,000 prisoners destroying or capturing about 200 tanks, and a very large number of APCs, reconnaissance vehicles, trucks, etc. By the time allied operations were suspended at 0500 GMT, 28 February 7 Armoured Brigade had taken up a position astride the main road leading north from Kuwait city, with 4 Brigade further to the west. Units reported 95% availability for their Challengers – whose unknown reliability in desert conditions had concerned even the Prime Minister. Brigadier Patrick Cordingley-Smith and other commanders reported that they were more than capable and willing to fight their way to Basra if called to do so. Unfortunately, the Coalition failed to destroy the Republican Guard – Saddam Hussein choosing survival as the better part of valour had authorised their withdrawal before the start of the ground campaign, with the result that the Allied trap couldn’t swing shut in time.

Nineteen British soldiers lost their lives in action during the campaign. Nine of them were killed on the 26^th of February 1991 in the worst friendly fire incident of the war when a pair of USAF A-10 Warthogs attacked a column of Warriors belonging to C Company, 3 RRF, destroying two. The company had halted to reorganise, and was displaying correct inverted V recognition symbols and fluorescent panels, but it is likely that these were not clearly visible from the A-10’s operating altitude on account of dust, smoke and cloud cover.

Useful sources:

Storm Command: A Personal Account of the Gulf War. Sir Peter de la Billiere. Harper Collins, 1992
Gulf Logistics: Blackadder's War. Martin S. White. Brassey's, 1995
Conduct of the Persian Gulf War: Final Report to Congress.US Department of Defense, 1992