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8th Support Group (United Kingdom)

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8th Support Group
Active1940–1943
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeSupport Group
RoleInfantry, Artillery Formation
SizeBrigade
Part of8th Armoured Division

The 8th Support Group was a brigade-sized military formation of the British Army during the Second World War, attached to the 8th Armoured Division, composed of Regular Army units. The Support Group as part of 8th Armoured Division was sent to North Africa but never saw active service as a complete formation. As the division could not be provided with a lorried infantry brigade, it was broken up and [1] was finally disbanded in Egypt on 1 January 1943.

Following the Second Battle of El Alamein a plan was put forth to use the remains of the division as a self-contained pursuit force to dart forward into the German–Italian rear as far as possibly Tobruk; however the plan to use the division was shelved and units in the forward area were used instead.[2]

Order of battle

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The 8th Support Group was constituted as follows during the war:[3]

Commanders

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  • Brigadier H.M. Stanford (from 11 November 1940)

References

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  • Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Playfair, Pg7
  2. ^ Playfair, Pg81-82
  3. ^ Joslen, p. 219

See also

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