65th Armoured tank division WW2

[joannecarter]

Hello
I am trying to find any info on the 65th Armoured tank, my grandad was in this division and would love to find some info, i have his army number.
Even googling i cant seem to find the correct info..can anyone help please

Thank You
Joanne.

[alanmack]

Hi Joanne,
          I'm sorry your question has not got a reply until now, but I expect the experts are as bewildered as me by the Unit description. Can we please establish which Army we are talking about British, Canadian or American? I cannot find any British Armoured Division or Arm'd/Tank Brigade with that number attached so I'm floundering without a little more info.

Alan

[joannecarter]

Sorry...Thank you for your reply.
My grandfather was born and bred in Leeds,Yorkshire..so i am guessing it was a Yorkshire regiment.
He was a wireless conductor and was inducted...just noticed the info i have states 7th Armoured as the division and 65th Anti Tank.

Joanne

[alanmack]

Hi again Joanne,

. . . just noticed the info i have states 7th Armoured as the division and 65th Anti Tank.

Well that's something a bit different but it's progress. My guess is that it may turn out to be something like 65th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery. I'll keep looking along those lines.

Alan

[Buzancy18]

65th AT attached 7th Armoured Division.
see
http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/atk/page22.html

Buzancy18

[alanmack]

I found an Order of Battle in one of my books that confirms that the 65th were the Divisional Anti-tank Regiment of 7 Arm'd Div. Thanks to Buzancy's link we now know they were real Desert Rats too before "doing" NW Europe. Ta Buz!

Alan

[joannecarter]

Thank You Buz and Alan for looking into this for me..I looked at the link from Buz and saw the listing....where can i go to look at info on where they went etc

Regards
Joanne

[alanmack]

As is often said "Mr G**g*e is your friend here!" Look for 7th Armoured Division or 'Desert Rats' and you will swiftly see the Division's travel itinerary. Briefly this covers North Africa, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, then back UK to prepare for D-Day, followed by France, Belgium, Holland and finally Germany. Plenty to study there!

Alan

[joannecarter]

Hello Alan

Thank you for your reply.
I remember i had saved two episodes of Tankies on the TV for my dad...he likes war stuff anyway we watched it and although it dosent mention my grandads section individually from what you said and the mentioning of desert rats...these episodes were about them!
Following them through and the types of tank...my grandads was a valentine according to my dad.
Very interesting and another thank you
Joanne