North Irish Horse

Tank Names
Those of the North Irish Horse, which used names of towns in Northern Ireland and Éire, were painted red outlined in white - A, B and C Squadron's with the letters A, B and C respectively; HQ Troop's with a D; Recce Squadron's with an E. It was the practice of the NIH in its records to add a suffix to the name of tanks as they were replaced for whatever reason. Commanders, if they so chose, could add the suffix to names on their tanks, Lt. M.L.Bexon, commander of Castlerobin was one of the few that did. If the sequential number of a tank is known, it is noted in blue alongside its name.

WD Numbers
Standard Location
    1. Forward of the louvres.
Non-standard
    2. Tanks delivered to North Africa with appliqué armour plate attached in the UK: On turrets
    3. Tanks which had track links affixed in the field: On upper louvre plates.
Where the exact location is known (even though the WD number is not recorded) a suffix is attached to tank names, 1, 2 or 3 respectively.

Individual Tanks
Information in the following tables relates to tanks with confirmed names and WD numbers, and tanks lacking a WD number but of particular interest as noted in the remarks column. At the foot of each table is a link to a listing of all known unit names. Modellers wishing to use a name on the list lacking a WD number should create a fictitious one by creating a number similar to (but not the same as) that allocated to a particular group of marks by the War Department as shown in the table, is recommended.

Notes:
P/H indicates a photograph and/or brief history of the tank is available. Click on "Yes" to access.
Tanks without WD numbers are included for a specific purpose as stated in the "Remarks" column.

Name	T No.	Type	Sqn	Troop	P/H	Remarks
Asbourne		Mark Ics	A	HQF	Yes	Had Pz.Kfw.III cupola fitted.
Ballyrashane 3 6	173256	Mark V	B	HQF	Yes	Officer Commanding B Sqn's last  Churchill
Banbridge 1 3	68139	Mark III	B	1
Belfast		Mark IV	B	2	Yes	Only photograph of this Mark with  the crew present.
Boyne		Na75	B	5	Yes	Photograph is a close-up frontal  shot.
Bushmills 2		Mark I	B	HQF	Yes	This Mark only in action at,BR.  Dieppe and in  Tunisia.
Bushmills 4		Mark Ics	B	HQF	Yes	Had Pz.Kfw.III cupola fitted.
Castlerobin IV 2	172292 B	Na75	C	4	Yes	Photographed in Italy
Cookstown 1	65782R	Mark III	C	1	Yes	Briefly in enemy hands after  being disabled.
Cork		Na75	C	3	Yes	Supported the Jewish Brigade in  its first  action.
Donegal		Mark III	RHQ		Yes	Only photograph of this Mark with  the crew present.
Edenderry 3		Mark V	Recce	3	Yes	One of the Squadron's three  Mark Vs.

List of Known Tank Names

A Squadron Adare Ahoghill Antrim Ardreagh Ardstraw Armoy Augher

. Aghadowey Aldergrove Ardara Ardress Arklow Artigavan Aughnacloy

. Aghalee Annalong Ardmore Ards Armagh Ashbourne

B Squadron Ballina Ballyclare Ballykinlar Ballyrashane Belfast Blackrock

. Ballybay Ballygawley Ballymena Banbridge Benburb Boyne

. Ballycastle Ballyjamesduff Ballymoney Bangor Bessbrook Bushmills

C Squadron Carnlough Castlederg Cavan Clonmel Cobh Cookstown

. Carrickfergus Castlerobin Claudy Coagh Coleraine Cork

. Carryduff Castlerock Clogher Coalisland Comber Crossgar

Recce Squadron Edenderry Enniscorthy Enniskillen

. Edgeworthstown Enniscrone Ennistymon

. Ennis Enniskerry Eyrecourt

HQ Squadron Donegal Dromore

. Downpatrick Dundalk

. Drogheda Dungannon

Notes:
A Squadron gave new names to the two Mark ICs Churchills, received in Algeria, one being Ashbourne.
This accounts for the total of twenty. B and C Squadrons gave them existing names.
The Recce Squadron's list of names is not complete.

Return to
25th Tank Brigade