I'm posting this query for a friend who is trying to track down some detail on the possible involvement of personnel from 7th Armoured Brigade (Bde HQ or units thereof) in the visit of King George VI to Italy in July 1944. Given the recent info on the King's visit to sunny Crewe I said I'd ask here for him! I will put his background description below; KGVI visited Italy, landing Naples Sunday July 23 1944, leaving Naples at some point after Saturday 29 July. The outline advance itinerary dated 20 July 1944 from Lascelles at Buckingham Palace covers the programme 23 to 29 July (FO 954 / 14). However, there is a reference to 44 members (of Brigade HQ?) on 31 July forming part of a guard of some kind lining the route of KGVI’s motorcade. There is a another reference to badges being made for a Brigade parade to be inspected by KGVI. It is not clear whether these are the same or different events. He's also trying to identify the location of HQ 7 Armd Bde for the period 20th July to 2nd August 1944. Constituent units of the Brigade at the time were 2, 6 and 8 RTR. He's very familiar with war diaries and his first thought was to obtain copies of WO 170/536 for Bde HQ and WO 170/540 for its Provost Section. I said I would also ask on the forum if anyone might be in a position to copy any relevant entries from these two documents in the coming weeks, or better still already have copies and be able to see if they do cover such an event. Thanks, Gary
