11TH ARMOURED DIVISION “TAURUS PURSUANT”

The creation of the 11^th division was the British answer to the success of German panzer divisions in the previous years. In Poland in 1939 then in Western Europe in 1940, they had clearly displayed new tactics and methods of fighting, and the United Kingdom had to face them.

Creation of the 11^th armoured division was ordered in March 1941. Organization and training originaly started in Yorkshire. The lead of the young division was first entrusted to gen. Percy Hobart. Veteran of the armoured Corps, he had already strongly influed the shape of the 7^th AD, but his original and innovative ideas had granted him to be fired from the army. Reinstated after the disasters of 1940, he could at least enforce his vision with the 11^th AD, which took profit thus of his long experience of armoured warfare. Under his inspiration division adopted the “Charging Bull” as emblem. From 1942 on, it began an intensive training while gradually receiving new, modern. equipen

11^th AD landed on Juno Beach June 13th. It was to be employed in all major operations of the 21^st Army Group – Epsom, Goodwood, Bluecoat, and Falaise gap.

The 11^th AD was committed June 27^th in the Odon river sector, for taking action in operation Epsom. It engulfed in the “Scottish corridor” beforehand opened by the 15th infantry division, and, despite navigation mistakes which slowed down the 159^th brigade in Mouen, it managed to seize the bridges at Grainville and Colleville. It progressed then southward to coast 112 and succeeded in capturing then holding this high ground against increasing violence of German counter-attacks. However, renewed attack of fresh SS-Panzerdivisions called from reserve transformed what was supposed to be a breakthrough into a position war. On June 30^th, Dempsey, commanding the 2^nd British army, fearing a general counter-offensive, ordered the 11th AD to withdraw from coast 112. Epsom failed…

The 11th AD was then moved east of Caen, to spearhead the Goodwood operation. The objective of this drive was to circumvent the city from the eastern side and to break towards Falaise. 11^th AD sprang early in the morning of July 18^th, and carried out a remarkable progression. Unfortunately, German resistance hardened strongly as the division ran deeper into german-held positions. Losses increased even more during the afternoon, when Taurus Pursuant was found blocked on the Bourguebus ridge. It managed to seize the following day the strongly defended villages of Soliers and Hubert-Folie, but the momentum was definitively lost. Goodwood was cancelled July 20^th, with 11^th AD being withdrawn from the frontline to rest and refit. In this two-days fighting, it had lost 200 tanks, more than half of its dotation…

Because of suffered casualties, 11^th AD had to be reorganized. The 23^rd Hussars absorbed the remainders of the 24^th Lancers (8^th brigade), then the 11^th dB was once again directed to the west, to take part in “Bluecoat”. Starting to attack on July 30^th, it progressed quickly towards the south, seized Martin-Saint-des-Besaces then spotted an intact bridge on Souleuvre river, which enabled it to drive to the Germans backs. It was then th famous “charge of the bull”: the division liberated Le Bény-Bocage on August 1st, then progressed quickly southward. Although severly weakened at that time, enemy remained present and dangerous: along with units of Guards AD and 15^th ID, Taurus had to push back a counter-attack of 9^th SS-PzD from August 5^th. Two days later, around Chênedollé, one single Tiger managed to destroy 14 tanks of the 23^rd Hussars…

After his participation in the last stage of Normandy campaign, 11^th armoured division performed again the “charge of the bull”: after a night ride, it liberated Amiens September 1^st. The same day, it captured gen. Eberbach, commander of the 7. German army. Progressing by Lens, then Tournai, division was then committed in the fight for Antwerp, which it liberated on September 4th. Two days later, it tried to establish a bridgehead on the Albert channel, but the attempt failed in nintense ennemy fire. After this faillure, 11^th AD had to cross much more to the east, at Beeringen. It advanced then by Helchteren, Peer, Bree, and cleaned the area between the Albert channel and the Maas up to September 12. The Taurus Pursuant was then put at rest for one week.

At the beginning of October, the 11^th AD was employed to clean pockets of German resistance remaining west of the Maas. The operation developped promisingly with 159^th brigade battling its way across Deurne canal. Unfortunately, the attack was quickly stopped by obstinate German resistance. In addition to the growing supply shortage and the launching of an enemy counter-attack more in the south, this skillfull defence postponed cleaning of the Mass for several weeks.

Preparations for a new crossing attempt were delayed until second half of following month. November 22nd, 159^th brigade managed to cross and to seize the village of America. It progressed by Horst, before being released by the Scots of the 15^th ID. November 30, it attacked the fortress of Broekhuizen, defended by german parachutists. Enemy inflicted heavy losses, before capitulating on December 5^th. On this date, the Western bank of the Maas was cleared.

At the beginning of December, units which composed the 11^th AD were redirected towards Ypres. Infantry was to benefit from a longer rest, while tank crews would receive new Comet tanks, at least able to engage german panzers at comfortable range.

The start of the Ardennes offensive modified british projects. Being one of the too rare units in reserve, the 11^th AD was urgently recalled to active and received mission to hold a defensive line along the Meuse, between Namur and Givet. On December 24^th, its advanced positions spotted and destroyed several tanks of the 2. PzD east of Dinant. From December 26^th on, Germans started to withdraw and 11th AD was replaced by the 6^th airborne, after having pushed the ennemy back beyond Celles. Only 29^th brigade was maintained in support of the parachutists. It rejected the Germans back to La Bure and Wavreille between January 3^rd and January 7^th. From the 9^th on, it reached Grupont, before being finally directed the following day to Ypres for rest, refit and train activities.

The 11th AD was held in reserve until March 28^th. On this date, it crossed the Rhine at Wesel, in direction of the mouth of Weser. Progressing quickly in spite of sporadic pockets of resistance, it reached Gescher March 30th, in the evening. The following day, 3^rd RTR arrived on Ems river in Emsdetten, before crossing and reaching the Dortmund-Ems canal the following day.

After crossing the Dortmund-Ems canal on April 1st, the 11^th AD approached Ibbenburen and was heavily engaged on the heights of Teutoburger Wald. Villages Brochterbeck or Tecklenberg were captured at high price. More in the east, the wooden hills were defended by companies of NCOs, who savagely counter-attacked the 3^rd Monmouthshire. Later on, intervention of the 131^st infantry brigade (7^th armoured division) will make it possible to overcome their opposition, but 3^rd Monmouthshire, already weakened during previous campaigns, will have to be replaced by 1st Cheshire…

11^th AD continued toward the canal of Osnabruck. After having it crossed on a captured bridge, it moved towards Weser, reached by leading elements near Stolzenau on April 5th. One week later, the 11^th AD liberated the concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen. A local agreement with German commanders made it possible to declare the neighbourhoods of the camp open area, and the fighting moved northeast. Progressing towards Elba, the 11^th AD was the first British unit to reach this river in the neighboorhood of Luneburg the 18th.

It is only on April 30^th that the 11^th AD was launched in a last attack. It crossed Elba in Arlenburg, then, practically without meeting opposition, occupied Lübeck on May 2nd. It finished the war by patrolling the surroundings, and collecting 80.000 prisoners including 27 Generals. It is there that the capitulation of Germany put an end to its triumphal walk.

After the end of the war, Taurus Pursuant was used as occupation force in the Schleswig-Holstein. On May 23, it was employed to capture members of the Dönitz government in Flensburg.

11^th armoured division was dissolved end of January, 1946. During the campaign in northwestern Europe, its losses rose to 1.820 killed and more than 8.000 wounded. Its rotation in tanks was 300%, the record pertaining to the major Close (3^rd RTR), which lost eleven but survived each time.