Australian 6th Divisional Cavalry Regiment
The British, & by default Imperial Infantry Divisions were all supposed to have a Divisional Cavalry Regiment attached to its War Establishment [WE]. It became very quickly apparent that this was impossible to achieve given light tank & carrier production numbers so most divisions had this unit deleted from the WE during late 1940.
The Australians managed to raise & equip the 2nd/6th AIF Infantry Division using equipment issued by the British War Department.
The paper establishment of a motorised Divisional Cavalry Regiment was 28 light tanks & 44 carriers organised in an HQ squadron & three combat squadrons. During Operation Compass the Australians, being renowned scroungers managed to capture & put into service some Italian medium tanks. Their sqdns were called Dingo, Rabbit & Wombat. Dingo & Rabbit used some M13/40 tanks whilst Wombat used a couple of M11/39 tanks. They painted large white Kangaroo's on the tanks to try & avoid any friendly fire incidents. How visible this remained in all that desert dust has not been documented. They used the vehicles until they ran out of diesel supplies & were then disposed of.
I intend to sell this set of vehicles on EBay as I already have this unit & I was using up leftover vehicles.
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