5th Guards Armored Brigade, Royal Tank Corps
Armoured component of the Guards Armored Division

The 5th Guards Armored Brigade was established in September 1941. The Brigade was unique in many ways; being the Kings Own Guard, recruits were required to be at least 6' in height (a controversial requirement due to the confined spaces in armored vehicles), and the brigades were organized into battalions and companies rather than regiments and squadrons.
The 5th Guards Armored Brigade trained in England (originally on A14 Covenanters and then A15 Crusader Mk III's) before moving into Sherman V's and deploying to Normandy in June 1944. Their first action would be Operation Goodwood in mid-July 1944 which featured a massed tank assault over open terrain by 3 Armored Divisions (Guards, 7th, and 11th). Heavy losses were taken as the German Tank and Anti-Tank guns enjoyed concealed positions on high ground. By August, the losses were made good, and the Division took part in Operation Blue Coat which attempted to close the Falaise Pocket (along with the US Army closing from the south flank) and end the Normandy Campaign. The 5th Guards Armored Brigade then pursued the fleeing Germans across France and Belgium, taking Brussels on 3 September 1944.
After a brief rest, the Division was then to Vanguard the ground assault across Holland in Operation Market Garden, fighting their way to the Rhine River bridge at Arnhem, albeit too late to link up with the British 1st Airborne units there which had been defeated awaiting the ground forces to relieve them. Operation Market Garden was a bold but risky gamble to shorten the war but was sadly, "a bridge too far,"
The Division was again in action in Late December 1944 holding the Muess River line during the German Ardennes Offensive. In extreme Winter conditions they made sure no Germans crossed the Muess.
February and March saw the Guards Armored taking part in Operation Veritable to clear the West bank of the Rhine in Holland and Germany. In April, the Allies were across the Rhine and sweeping Eastward toward the Elbe River.