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The 23rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army raised in World War II in existence from 1940 to 1946.〔(23rd Hussars at the archive of regiments.org )〕 It had no lineal connection with the earlier 23rd Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (1794–1802). ==History== The regiment was raised in December 1940 from a cadre of personnel taken from the 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars. It was assigned to 29th Armoured Brigade of 11th Armoured Division. The 11th Armoured Division landed in France in June 1944, taking heavy casualties in the Battle of Normandy. It spearheaded Operation ''Epsom'', reaching the Odon river between Mouen and Mondrainville.〔(The Black Bull – History of the 11th Armoured Division )〕 It was embroiled in Operation ''Goodwood'', where its assault on Bourguébus Ridge on the first day was brought to a halt. After ''Goodwood'', the losses of armour within the division were so high that the 24th Lancers were disbanded and its remnants absorbed by the 23rd Hussars. The Regiment then took part in Operation ''Bluecoat'', intended to secure the key road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pinçon, which would allow the American exploitation of their breakout on the western flank of the Normandy beachhead. The 11th Armoured Division was subsequently attached to XXX Corps, which captured Flers, Putanges and Argentan in the battle of the Falaise pocket. Once the Falaise pocket was sealed, the Regiment remained with the 11th Armoured Division as it liberated L'Aigle on 23 August. It crossed the Seine on 28 August and, after an advance of 60 miles in one day, liberated Amiens on 1 September and Antwerp on 4 September. It was not directly involved in the ground actions of Operation ''Market Garden'', but covered the right flank of the advancing XXX Corps. It was in reserve, being re-equipped with Comet tanks, at the time of the Ardennes Offensive, but was rapidly deployed into a defensive line along the Meuse with its old tanks. In 1945, it took part in Operations ''Veritable'' and ''Blockbuster'' and liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp before crossing the Elbe and capturing Lübeck.〔(Memorial Montormel - 11th Armoured Division “Taurus Pursuant” )〕 It was disbanded at the end of January, 1946. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「23rd Hussars」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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