24th Lancers

The 24th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1940 to 1944.

Origins

The regiment was raised in December 1940 from a cadre of personnel taken from the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and the 17th/21st Lancers, and was assigned to 29th Armoured Brigade of 11th Armoured Division. It was later reassigned to 8th Armoured Brigade.

With the 8th Armoured Brigade, the regiment landed on Gold Beach, in the second wave of the Operation Overlord landings, supporting the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division.

After intensive action in the Tilly-sur-Seulles, Fontenay-le-Pesnel, Tessel Wood and Rauray areas, the Regiment was disbanded towards the end of July 1944 and personnel transferred to other Regiments. Most went to other units in the 8th Armoured Brigade or the 29th Armoured Brigade in the 11th Armoured Division.

In January 1957 it was awarded seven battle honours for service in 1944: Putot en Bessin, Villers Bocage, Tilly sur Seulles, The Odon, Fontenay le Pesnil, Defence of Rauray, and North-West Europe 1944.

References

* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D24.htm 24th Lancers at regiments.org]
* [http://www.warlinks.com/armour/8th_armoured/chapter_4.html 8th Armoured Brigade history, chapter 4]