32nd Army Tank Brigade - Royal Armored Corps.
Tobruk Garrison.

32nd Armored Brigade was formed in September 1941 to take command of all armored units trapped in Tobruk. In October reinforcements arrived by sea making a sizable force within the Fortress Tobruk. The Brigade took part in 2 Major Battles; Crusader and Gazala,
For Operation Crusader in November/ December 1941 the Regiments under HQ were:

1st RTR with 28 assorted cruiser tanks and 21 Vickers Mk VI light tanks.
4th RTR with 51 Matilda tanks and 6 Vickers Mk VI light tanks.
7th RTR (D squadron) with 17 Matilda tanks and 2 Vickers Mk VI light tanks.
1st Kings Dragoon Guards with 29 Marmon Herrington Armored Cars.

On 21/22 November 1941, the Tobruk Garrison with the 32nd ATB in support attempted to break out along to Bardia Road to the East of Tobruk in hope of linking up with British forces of the Crusader Operation. After taking several German strong points the attack stalled after taking heavy losses due to AT and Artillery fire. On 25/26 November 1941, a renewed effort took Ed Duba and linked up with the 1st Army Tank Brigade advancing from Belhamed. Within the next several days, however, Rommel counterattacked the rear of the link up forces causing them to withdraw and restoring the siege. It was not until 10 December 1941 that the Afrika Korp withdrew westward that Tobruk was finally relieved.

After Crusader, the 32nd Army Tank Brigade reorganized. 1st RTR and its cruiser tanks transferred to the 22nd Armored Brigade. 4th RTR received Valentine tanks and the 7th RTR was rebuilt with Matildas.

By Spring of 1942, the front line was established at what was known as the Gazala Line. Gazala was just West of Tobruk, and the line was a series of fortified boxes and minefields stretching southward with an open flank at the southern end into open desert. Despite Churchill's goading, General Auchinleck stood fast awaiting more reinforcements. Rommel was not one to wait and on 26 May 1942 German and Italian infantry began a frontal assault on the center of the line while his tanks and mobile units staged for a night movement south around the open flank. Eventually, the 2 German Panzer Divisions were in the rear of the British lines awaiting the Infantry to breakthrough the line and link up with supplies. Supplies coming around the flank were easily disrupted, and it seemed the Afrika Korp was in danger of being destroyed in their salient behind the Gazala line dubbed the Cauldron. At this point, a concerted British effort with 2 Armored Divisions and 2 Army Tank Brigades could have carried the day but what followed was far from just that. British Armor attacked the Cauldron in a series of uncoordinated and unconcerted engagements resulting in appalling British losses. When the Gazala line was finally breached and Rommel's tanks resupplied he attacked the weakened and scattered British forces. The 8th Army was in full retreat all the way into Egypt finally halting at El Alamein.

The 32nd Army Tank Brigade was pulled out of Tobruk just prior to the German attack and placed at the North end of the Gazala line in support of Australian Infantry. It was drawn into the Cauldron and took heavy losses. Remnants of the brigade fell back to Tobruk finding themselves under siege once again. 22 June 1942, Tobruk was surrendered and 32nd Army Tank Brigade ceased to be. It was not rebuilt.