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Ethos
Forged in the heat of battle in WW1, the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) is the oldest Tank unit in the world.
The Battle of Cambrai (1917) is commemorated by the Royal Tank Regiment annually. It was in this fight that the true potential of combined-arms manoeuvre was realised. Tanks, Infantry, Artillery, Engineers, and Aircraft all worked together to shatter the German defences. Mobility had been returned to the Battlefield.
Accusing as I do without exception all the great Allied offensives of 1915, 1916, and 1917 as needless and wrongly conceived operations of infinite cost, I am bound to reply to the question, ‘What else could have been done?’ And I answer it, pointing to the Battle of Cambrai: ‘This could have been done.’
Winston Churchill
Since then, the RTR has been a fearless pioneer of modern warfare. We train hard and fight harder and will always be ready to answer a call to action. ..
Role
The purpose of the RTR is to destroy the enemy. We are masters of mounted close combat, fusing mobility and firepower to shatter the will and cohesion of the foe. This is shock action – the sudden and concentrated application of violence.
We stay true to our roots and ensure we work closely with all the different Regiments and Corps of the Army. It is only by harnessing the strengths of all parts of the force that we realise the full potential of the tank.
Culture
The RTR is built on meritocracy. We recruit from across the British population and the Commonwealth. Officers and Soldiers from every background – geographic, social, economic, ethnic, racial – come together in mutual respect with one goal: to be a Tankie.
To be a Tankie is to be part of something special. At the heart of this is the Tank Crew, a unique bond formed under armour in the face of adversity. The Tank is nothing without the crew. This bond spreads out from the Crew to the Troop, Squadron, and Regiment. Our goal is to be the best, to fight and win. It is in this environment that friendships are formed which last a lifetime.
Future
The Integrated Review, published in 2021, re-affirmed the central role of armoured forces in conducting Land Operations. The future is bright for the RTR and we look forward to another century of being at the core of the British Army.
Over the next decade our platforms will be replaced and upgraded. We will have the most capable fighting vehicles in NATO crewed by the finest soldiers. We truly Fear Naught.
Fearless pioneers of modern warfare
Forged in the adversity of WWI, the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) is the oldest Tank unit in the world.
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