153rd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps
| 153rd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941–28 August 1944 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 British Army
|
| Type | Armoured |
| Role | Infantry Support |
| Size | Regiment |
| Part of | Royal Armoured Corps |
| Engagements | |
| Disbanded | 28 August 1944 |
The 153rd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (153 RAC, sometimes known as 153 (Essex) Regt RAC) was an armoured regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps, part of the British Army, and was raised during World War II. The regiment saw brief but intense action in the invasion of Normandy before being broken up to provide replacements to other units.
153rd RAC was formed by conversion to the armoured role of the 8th Battalion, Essex Regiment, a hostilities-only infantry battalion that had been raised during 1940. The battalion had been serving in 226th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home), a Home Defence formation, when the whole brigade was converted into 34th Army Tank Brigade on 1 December 1941. The regiment served in the brigade alongside the North Irish Horse and 147 RAC and later 151 RAC (later redesignated 107 RAC) when the North Irish Horse was transferred elsewhere. In common with other infantry battalions transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps, the personnel of 153 RAC would have continued to wear their Essex Regiment cap badge on the black beret of the Royal Armoured Corps.
During the conversion, surplus personnel were formed into 'R' Company, Essex Regiment, which soon afterwards was designated V Corps HQ Defence Company.
153 RAC began to receive its first Churchill tanks in March 1942; it had its full scale of equipment by the end of August. Having been billeted in Swindon, Wiltshire, the regiment moved with 34th Tank Brigade to Eastern England and then the South Coast for training. At the end of 1942 it moved to Broome Park, Kent, which remained the regiment's base for the next year, utilising firing ranges across Southern England.
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