40th/41st Royal Tank Regiment

The 40th/41st Royal Tank Regiment (40th/41st RTR) was a unit of the British Army’s Royal Armoured Corps, formed as part of the Territorial Army (TA).

Formation

• The regiment was created in 1956 by the amalgamation of two existing TA units: the 40th (The King's) Royal Tank Regiment and the 41st Royal Tank Regiment.
• The merger combined the personnel, traditions, and lineage of both predecessor regiments into a single armoured formation.

Role and Organization

• As a TA armoured regiment, the 40th/41st RTR was tasked with providing armoured support and training for the British Army’s reserve forces.
• The regiment was structured according to the standard organization of post‑war TA tank regiments, typically comprising a Regimental Headquarters and several tank squadrons.

Equipment

• Detailed records of the specific tanks and armoured vehicles operated by the 40th/41st RTR are limited. TA tank regiments of the period commonly employed vehicles such as the Centurion or later the Chieftain, but confirmation of the exact equipment used by this regiment is unavailable in publicly accessible encyclopedic sources.

Disbandment

• The regiment was disbanded in 1967 during a comprehensive reorganisation of the Territorial Army, which reduced the number of reserve armoured units.
• Following its dissolution, the lineage and traditions of the 40th/41st RTR were absorbed into other Royal Tank Regiment units.

Legacy

• The 40th/41st Royal Tank Regiment retained the honours and battle histories of its predecessor regiments, preserving the historical connection to both the 40th and 41st Royal Tank Regiments within the broader heritage of the Royal Tank Regiment.