61290

20 May 1955

ASC/R/563

BAOR 11 July 1967

Picture dated summer 1956 Sennelager in West Germany. This Austin Champ is serving with C Squadron Leader of 16/5^th The Queens Royal Lancers, 4^th Guards Brigade Group, 2^nd Infantry Division. The man pictured is the Sqn Leader, who could be Major PJ Holland.
Markings:
[a] 54 on red/yellow indicating the armoured regiment supporting the senior infantry brigade group in an infantry division. This was new number introduced in 1956 due to the forming of brigade groups.
[b] 2^nd Infantry Division [White Crossed keys on black]
[c] Red circle indicating C Sqn of senior armoured regiment in division.
[d] Notice the BAOR sidescreens; these were standard sets with most of door frame, door and front section removed. This just left rear section with rear section of frame in situ. This was done to help entry/exit. Only very senior commanders were allowed full sets outside UK.

The 16/5^th Queens Royal Lancers arrived in Sennelager during July 1953 and were part of 33^rd Armoured Brigade of 11^th Armoured Division until this brigade and division were disbanded in April 1956.  The regiment became an armoured car regiment in 1948, converting to armoured regiment in armoured division and then an armoured regiment within an infantry division. In Jan 1957, the regiment moved back to UK to become the Training Regiment for other Cavalry and Royal Tank Regiments.  The 11^th Armoured Division HQ became 4^th Infantry Division HQ on 1 April 1956 and the 16/5^th Queens Royal Lancers moved from Detmold to Sennelager. During 1956, a new concept was implemented after the 1955 trials in that armoured formations were to be replaced by infantry brigade groups. What this entailed was the support of each infantry brigade group with an armoured regiment.

In this case [Summer 1956], the 4^th Guards Brigade Group order of battle [Orbat] included:
1^st Bn The Coldstream Guards [55 on blue/red/blue] supported by A Sqn of 16/5^th QRL
1^st Bn The Grenadier Guards [56 on blue/red/blue] supported by B Sqn
2^nd Bn The Scots Guards [57 on blue/red/blue] supported by C Sqn
Brigade HQ [81 on red] was supported by HQ Sqn.