The King's				Royal Hussars

The 14th/20th King's Hussars (World War 2)   The Regiment received mobilisation orders in May 1941. they were to go to Iraq and Persia to counter the growing German influence in those areas. The 14th/20th formed part of the 2nd Indian Light Armoured Brigade which was commanded by Brigadier J A Aizlewood. the Regiment provided the only light tanks that were available to the area commander at the time. the area commander, Major General William Slim also had the 10th Indian Division to support the campaign. The Regiment got involved in some heavy fighting against a much stronger than expected opposition but the Shah of the time eventually ordered his troops to cease fire. The end result of the campaign was the securing of oil supplies for the rest of world war 2 and also provided a direct route through the Persian gulf to the Caspian sea. this route eventually saw the movement of a total of 5 million tons of military equipment to Russia. The Regiment were given replacement tanks in Mesopotamia in October 1941, American M3 tanks which were eventually superceded by M3 General Grants' in January 1943. Later in the same year these tanks were superceded yet again by M4 Shermans. On receipt of the Shermans the regiment were part of 252nd Armoured Indian Brigade under command of general Wordsworth's 31st Indian Armoured Division. They proceeded from there to Burg-el-Arab in North Africa where intensive training followed due to having new intakes replacing the men they had previously lost, many of them back home to the UK. Mountain warfare training followed in April 1944 and this was their role for the rest of the year less a short detachment that involved a rapid move to Alexandria to quell the mutiny of a Brigade of Greek soldiers. The Regiment had been sidelined for some time during the war the maintenance of a strong military presence in the oil producing Middle Eastern countries was vital to keep the Germans at bay as well as securing the vital fuel for the allies. The Regiments' role changed in 1945 when they were sent to Italy as an independent Armoured Regiment in XX Corps where they were tasked with covering the join between the British Eight and American Fifth Armies. Kangaroo armoured Personnel carriers were traded in for A Squadrons Shermans as part of the allied offensive of 1945. Under Command of Lt Colonel Tilney as part of a temporary Battle Group the Regiment had to fight their way across 2 water obstacles, the Sillaro and the Scola Sillaro before they could attack Medicina. Battle hardened elements of the 26th Panzer Division and some heavy Tiger tanks defended the town and heavy street fighting followed as the Regiment and it's support elements fought it's way across the enemy position. The Medicina battle honour was awarded as were a DSO, DCM 2 MM and 2 MCs. This battle honour is still celebrated to this day by the Cpls Mess of The King's Royal Hussars as their annual battle honour ball. The Regiment gained the battle honour Medicina for storming and taking a well defended and fortified town during the advance on Bologna. The Regiment became involved in fighting at the Gaiana Canal which was a strongly defended water crossing and it was during this time that another Squadron were issued the Kangaroo APC. Although destined to take no real part in the remainder of the war the Regiment finished their war in fine style with a 130 mile advance to Padua.   Recce Troop 14th/20th Hussars in Paiforce