The British 1st Army Tank Brigade took part in the Battle of France, serving as part of the British Expeditionary Force. It fought against the Germans in Northern France and Belgium, and covered the Allied retreat to Dunkirk. It lost all of its equipment on the beaches following the retreat. The reformed 1st Army Tank Brigade was reequipped and redeployed to North Africa. There it took part in Operation Crusader, being a part of the XIII Corps. Attached to the 2nd South African Division, it took part in the conquest of Bardia December 1941-January 1942.