Summary List of Australian Armoured Units
This table was derived from Dust, Sand & Jungle by Paul Handel and Australian Armour by Major General R.N. Hopkins (Retired) and the unit war diaries available on the Australian War Memorial website. It is currently incomplete as it does not contain the armoured training formations and the anti-tank regiments issued with self-propelled guns and may not include all of Militia divisions' reconnaissance regiments and the armoured brigade reconnaissance squadrons.
Note that the date of formation given for the Militia units is in most cases the date they were converted from a horse-mounted or motorised unit into an armoured unit.
| Unit Name | Formed | Disbanded | Notes |
| Armoured Divisions | |||
| 1st Armoured Division | July 1941 | September 1943 | Formed as an AIF Division |
| 2nd Armoured Division | February 1942 | February 1943 | Previously 2nd Cavalry Division and 2nd Motor Division |
| 3rd Armoured Division | November 1942 | October 1943 | Previously 1st Cavalry Division and 1st Motor Division |
| Armoured Brigades | |||
| 1st Armoured Brigade | July 1941 | September 1944 | Independent brigade group from September 1943 to September 1944 |
| 2nd Armoured Brigade | July 1941 | October 1943 | Transferred from 1st Armoured Division to 3rd Armoured Division in November 1942 |
| 3rd Army Tank Brigade | May 1942 | September 1943 | |
| 4th Armoured Brigade | January 1943 | End of war | Brigade HQ previously 6th Armoured Brigade HQ |
| 6th Armoured Brigade | February 1942 | February 1943 | Previously 6th Australian Cavalry Brigade and 6th Motor Brigade. HQ to 4th Armoured Brigade upon disbandment. |
| Armoured Car Regiments | |||
| 1st Armoured Car Regiment | Late 1933 | Converted to 1st Motor Regiment in 1941, later 1st Army Tank Battalion | |
| 2nd Armoured Car Regiment | March 1939 | Converted to 2nd Army Tank battalion in 1942 | |
| 6th Armoured Car Regiment | February 1942? | February 1943? | May never have been converted from a motor regiment. Previously the 6th Light Horse Regiment. |
| 2/11th Armoured Car Regiment | August 1941 | April 1944 | |
| 12th Armoured Car Regiment | November 1942 | October 1943? | Previously the 12th Light Horse Regiment and 12th Motor Regiment |
| Divisional Cavalry and Reconnaissance Regiments | |||
| 6th Divisional Cavalry Regiment | November 1939 | End of war | Converted to the 2/6th Commando Regiment in early 1943 |
| 7th Divisional Cavalry Regiment | May 1940 | End of war | Converted to infantry in late 1942 and to 2/7th Commando Regiment in April 1943 |
| 9th Divisional Cavalry Regiment | July 1940 | End of war | Formed as 8th Divisional Cavalry Regiment. Converted to the 2/9th Commando Regiment in December 1943 |
| 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion | ? | July 1943 | Militia unit, previously the 2nd Moreton Light Horse. Later renamed 2nd Cavalry Regiment. This unit was the 5th Division's reconnaissance battalion in mid 1942. |
| 8th Reconnaissance Battalion | December 1941 | Early 1943? | Militia unit. This unit was the 3rd Division's reconnaissance battalion. Renamed 8th Cavalry Regiment in late 1942. |
| 10th Light Horse Regiment | ? | ? | Militia unit. Named 10th Reconnaissance Battalion between 1940 and 1942. It is, however, if unclear if this unit was even partially armoured. It formed part of the Australian III Corps corps troops in early 1943. |
| 21st Reconnaissance Battalion | December 1941 | May 1943 | Militia unit, previously the 21st Light Horse Regiment. Renamed 21st Cavalry Regiment in September 1942. As an armoured unit this battalion served under a number of divisions. Upon disbandment the regiment's personnel were used to form a number of carrier companies and platoons. |
| 25th Cavalry Regiment | ? | ? | Militia regiment. This unit was the 4th Division's divisional cavalry regiment in late 1942. |
| Armoured Regiments | |||
| 2/4th Armoured Regiment | October 1942 | End of war | Formed from 2/1st and 2/2nd Light Tank Squadrons and D Squadron, 2/11th Armoured Car Regiment |
| 2/5th Armoured Regiment | July 1941 | End of war | |
| 2/6th Armoured Regiment | August 1941 | End of war | |
| 2/7th Armoured Regiment | August 1941 | October 1944 | |
| 2/8th Armoured Regiment | July 1941 | February 1944 | Converted to the 41st, 42nd and 43rd Landing Craft Companies upon disbandment |
| 2/9th Armoured Regiment | August 1941 | End of war | |
| 2/10th Armoured Regiment | July 1941 | September 1944 | |
| 12th Armoured Regiment | June 1942 | April(?) 1943 | Previously 18th Light Horse Regiment and 18th Motor Regiment |
| 13th Armoured Regiment | May 1942 | October 1943 | Previously 13th Light Horse Regiment. Re-designated 13th Motor Regiment in March 1943 |
| 14th Armoured Regiment | June 1942 | March 1943 | Previously 17th Machine Gun Regiment, 4th Armoured Regiment and 104th Motor Regiment |
| 1st Army Tank Battalion | May 1942 | End of war | Previously 1st Armoured Car and 1st Motor Regiment. Redesignated 1st Armoured Regiment in 1944. |
| 2nd Army Tank Battalion | May 1942 | March 1944 | Previously 2nd Armoured Car Regiment |
| 3rd Army Tank Battalion | May 1942 | March 1944 | Raised as 3rd Armoured Regiment |
| Independent Squadrons | |||
| 2/1st Light Tank Squadron | October 1941 | October 1942 | Re-designated 1st Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron in early 1942 |
| 2/2nd Light Tank Squadron | October 1941 | October 1942 | Re-designated 2nd Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron in early 1942 |
| 3rd Armoured Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron | February 1942? | February 1943? | |
| 2/1st Reconnaissance Squadron | September 1943 | End of war | Previously 1st Armoured Division HQ Squadron. Later re-designated Special Equipment Squadron |
| 2/1st Amphibious Armoured Squadron | August 1944 | End of war | |
| 1st Armoured Car Squadron | January 1946 | Formed for occupation duties in Japan. Expanded to form the 1st Armoured Regiment following its return to Australia in July 1949. | |
| Divisional Carrier Companies | |||
| 3rd Division Carrier Company | Early 1943? | End of war | |
| 5th Division Carrier Company | Early 1943? | End of war | |
| 6th Division Carrier Company | Early 1943? | End of war | |
| 7th Division Carrier Company | Early 1943? | End of war | |
| 9th Division Carrier Company | Late 1943? | End of war | |
| 11th Division Carrier Company | Early 1943? | End of war |
Read more about this topic: Australian Armoured Units Of World War II
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