From a peak of 400,000 men in 1919, the garrison was reduced to 20,000 by 1921 and included the Cairo Cavalry Brigade. However, military commitments had to be balanced with economic and geopolitical conditions. Following the conclusion of hostilities and the British victory in the Middle Eastern theatre, Britain intended to maintain a garrison to protect the canal. During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire came into conflict with the Entente, and the British presence in Egypt was reinforced. To maintain this, Egypt was occupied in 1882 and a protectorate was subsequently established. In addition, it held economic and prestigious importance. The Suez Canal, located in Egypt, was seen as a vital throughway of the British Empire linking Britain with its colonial possessions in the east, especially British India. The division's history and insignia was carried on by the 7th Armoured Brigade, until the brigade was disbanded in 2014, and is now maintained by the 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team. In June 1944, it landed in France and subsequently fought across western Europe and ended the war in Kiel and Hamburg, Germany.Īfter the war it formed part of the British Army of the Rhine until it was disbanded in the 1950s. It was then withdrawn from Italy and dispatched to the United Kingdom, to prepared for Operation Overlord. The division fought in most of the major battles of the Western Desert campaign, was then engaged in the Tunisian campaign, and this was followed by the participation in the Italian campaign. During its early years, the Jerboa was adopted as the mascot and divisional insignia giving rise to the nickname Desert Rats. In February 1940, the formation was renamed as the 7th Armoured Division. This was part of an effort to reinforce and maintain the British strategic presence in Egypt to defend the Suez Canal, which was seen as vital to the British Empire's interests. It was formed as the Mobile Division (Egypt) on 27 September 1938, after increased tensions between Britain and the Axis powers. The 7th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the British Army.
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