This Division was formed as a normal armoured division in October 1942. In April 1943 it was changed to its present role. It was given a completely novel task which had no parallel in the British, or any other Army.
The 79th Armoured Division was unique in many respects. No other Division was ‘all armoured’. No other Division achieved a size of over 1,500 tanks. No other Division had the great responsibility of introducing and proving the value of so many new and important weapons. These weapons had never been tried in war, and there was scepticism as to their value. Had they been less skillfully and gallantly handled their importance might never have been recognised, and the Army would have been deprived of weapons which made success swifter and less costly, and which in some cases were decisive.
On ‘D’ Day, 6 June 1944, we were the first to land on the Normandy beaches. The success of those landings was decisive.
The small cost at which they were achieved was in no small part due to specialised armour. From then onwards, troops of the 79th Armoured Division have fought with distinction on every battlefield in FRANCE, BELGIUM, HOLLAND and GERMANY; taken a leading part in the crossings of the SCHELDT, RHINE and ELBE; and supported almost every Division of the British Second and Canadian First Armies in action. They have also fought in support of many formations of the United States Army. Owing to the needs of secrecy, our units have received little publicity but wherever they have fought they have received praise and distinction. Many of these tributes from Senior Commanders of British, Canadian and American formations have been repeated in orders. It is sufficient here to republish the words of our Commander-in-Chief, Field- Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery: ‘The record of the Division is unique and its contribution to the winning of the Campaign in NW Europe incalculable.
This success was achieved by you all. You who fought the Armoured Vehicles with such skill and courage; you of the Services who worked so untiringly behind the front; and you of Headquarters Staffs and Signals whose long hours of equally vital work are not always appreciated as they should be.
It has been achieved by team work; that is mutual trust, devotion
to duty, and an unflagging spirit. It is what has made and sustained
our nation through the centuries.
I have had the honour and happiness of having commanded 79th
Armoured Division since its formation.
We can look back on it with pride and satisfaction. The spirit of the 79th Armoured Division will live on in the similar Specialised Armour Formation which the Commander-in-Chief has recommended be included in all future Expeditionary Forces.
We have fought our fight.
Goodbye, and thank you.
20 August 1945 Germany
PCS HOBART
Major-General
Commanding 79 Armoured Division
79th Division Page