148th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps 148th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps ( 148 RAC ) was an armoured regiment of the British Army ' s Royal Armoured Corps during World War II . It fought in the Invasion of Normandy in 1944 . Origin . 148th Regiment RAC was formed at Thoresby Hall , Nottinghamshire , on 22 November 1941 by the conversion to the armoured role of 9th Battalion of the Loyal Regiment ( North Lancashire ) . Surplus personnel were transferred to other battalions of the Loyals or to 148th Independent Reconnaissance Squadron . In common with other infantry battalions transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps , the personnel of 148 RAC would have continued to wear their Loyals cap badge on the black beret of the RAC . 148 RAC was assigned to 33rd Tank Brigade for training in the UK , and remained with this formation for most of its service . Equipment and training . 148 RAC was initially equipped with Churchill I and II infantry tank s . These early models were later replaced by Churchill IIIs , IVs and Vs equipped with 6 - pounder guns and 95mm howitzers , but in March 1944 the regiment exchanged these in turn for Sherman I and Sherman Vc Firefly medium tank s . At the same time 33rd Tank Brigade was redesignated 33rd Armoured Brigade , reflecting the re - equipment of its regiments . In fact , although equipped with medium rather than infantry tanks , the brigade ' s role did not change . As an independent brigade under GHQ , 33rd Armoured could be assigned to support any infantry division that required the assistance of tanks , the regiments forming brigade group s with the infantry , with squadrons assigned to support individual battalions . Normandy 1944 . 148 RAC landed in Normandy on 15 June 1944 ( D + 9 ) . 33rd Armd Bde had been delayed in arrival , and its absence was sorely felt by the British Second Army during the tough fighting around Villers - Bocage ( 13 – 16 June ) . Once in Normandy the brigade moved between various Divisional , Corps and Army commands as required , but usually it operated with 51st ( Highland ) Division . On 10 – 11 July 1944 148 RAC supported 153 Brigade of 51st ( Highland ) in Operation Stack , an attack on the Colombelles factory area of Caen , ' but it was much stronger than expected , and the attack failed miserably ' . Two troops of ' A ' Squadron in close support of 5th Bn Black Watch found themselves engaged by Panzer IV and Tiger I tanks , and although one Sherman scored six hits on a Tiger and stopped it firing , 9 out of the 10 Shermans were knocked out . For Operation Goodwood ( 18 July ) and Operation Totalize ( 8 August ) 148 RAC again supported 51st ( Highland ) Division . During Totalize , ' B ' Sqn attacked the village of Tilly la Campagne , which was ' browned ' with the tanks ' Browning machine guns . This induced many members of 1055 Grenadier Regiment to surrender . ' B ' squadron knocked out three assault guns for the loss of one Sherman , and ' C ' Sqn brewed up two Panther tank s for no loss . Apart from battle casualties , there was a steady trickle of casualties from German shellfire and mortars , and misdirected Allied bombs . On 13 August the regiment was shelled while relieving 144 RAC , and the commander of ' B ' Sqn and several other ranks were wounded . Later that day the regiment ' s ' harbour ' was heavily shelled and the Commanding Officer , Lt - Col R . G . Cracroft , MC , was killed . The following day 148 RAC took part in Operation Kummel , once more in support of 51st Highland , and losing another squadron commander but this was to be the regiment ' s last action . Disbandment . On 15 August the regiment was ordered to disband , handing its tanks over to the 1st East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry , which was to take its place in 33rd Armoured Brigade . The officers and men were posted to other regiments in the brigade or to reinforcement holding units . This process was completed on 27 August 1944 , when the regiment ceased to exist .