British Army Patch Formation Sign RA 74 Field Regiment 49 Div a

British 74 Field Regiment Formation Sign Patch Royal Artillery 49 Division 1944 Facing Right Uniform removed Embroidered on wool 48mm by 55mm one and seven eighth by two and one eighth inches Free Shipping

British 74 Field Regiment Formation Sign Patch RA 49 Division

History – British 74 Field Regiment

74 Northumbrian Field Regiment Royal Artillery Territorial Army TA comprised HQ 296 4 Durham Battery from South Shields and 293 1 Durham Battery from Hebburn on Tyne as part of 151 Infantry Brigade 50 Northumbrian Division.. Ordered to France February 1940 Belgium 16 May 1940 fighting retreat and evacuated from Dunkirk 31 May 1940. The Regiment embarked for Egypt on 22 April 1941 arriving 24 July 1941 moving to Cyprus next day. Relocated to Iraq on 4 November 1941 then Syria 13 January 1942 moving to Egypt 10 February before entering Libya on 21 February 1942. The Regiment formed 452 Battery in the Western Desert on 28 April 1942.

The Regiment withdrew from Libya on 16 June 1942 returning to Egypt with 293 Battery disbanded on 20 August 1942 due to casualties. Following the Battle of Alamein the Regiment moved into Libya on 5 December 1942 and onto French North Africa on 4 March 1943 before returning to Libya on 28 April and Egypt on 9 May 1942. 440 Battery joined the regiment on 10 May 1943 before it embarked for Sicily on 29 June 1942 landing on 10 July 1943. The Regiment returned to England from Sicily on 6 November 1943.

Embarking England on 1 June 1944 the Regiment landed in Normandy on 6 June 1944 fighting in the breakout of Normandy and liberation of France and the advance toward Arnhem Netherlands. The Regiment was transferred from the 50 Division to the 49 Division West Riding on 29 November 1944 and adopted the polar bear of the 49 Division with a small TT from the 50 Division as its formation sign. The Regiment continued combat operations in Northwest Europe for the liberation of the Netherlands serving mainly under the First Canadian Army

This patch dates from 1944.