Royal Armoured Corps Memorial

The Tank Museum is the museum of both the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) and The Royal Tank Regiment.

We proudly tell the stories of British soldiers who have served in armoured fighting vehicles.

The museum is a place of memorial and commemoration, where visitors are invited to remember the sacrifice which is an inevitable consequence of conflict.

Royal Armoured Corps badge

Memorial to the Fallen

The memorial opposite the museum’s entrance bears the names of over 300 RAC personnel who have died on active service since 1945.

Inside the Museum, visitors will find the RAC Roll of Honour on display in our Memorial Room.

This holds the details of almost 13,000 soldiers of the RAC who have died since the formation of the Corps in 1939.

This has been digitised and is available to search below.

This digitisation was funded by the Royal Armoured Corps Memorial Trust. Find out more about the Trust and its work below HERE

Roll of Honour

NAME ARMY No. REGT DIED DATE BOOK No.
Aird Ian B 97115 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) UNITED KINGDOM 17 December 1944 1
Ainsworth Kf 23836045 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards MIDDLE EAST 8 July 1967 3
Ainsworth Jack 3058976 Reconnaissance Corps AT SEA 24 June 1944 1
Ainsworth Alan F 7960241 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards W EUROPE CAMPAIGN 44/45 1 August 1944 1
Ainslie Wililam RM 329321 Royal Armoured Corps MIDDLE EAST 9 June 1941 1
Ainslie Francis G 184238 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars W EUROPE CAMPAIGN 44/45 10 September 1944 1
Ainsley Robert 189074 Royal Tank Regiment MIDDLE EAST 22 November 1941 1
Ainsley Joseph W 405018 Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Prince of Wales's Own) SOUTH AFRICA 13 March 1941 1
Ainscow John 7929371 Royal Tank Regiment NORTH AFRICA 6 May 1943 1
Ainscough James 3857074 18th Reconnaissance Regiment FAR EAST 21 September 1944 1
Ainley Jack 3132809 Reconnaissance Corps NORTH AFRICA 30 April 1943 1
Ainge Arthur WJ 7892001 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers NORTH AFRICA 10 May 1943 1
Aimers John S 7893902 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) ITALY 21 September 1943 1
Aikinson Albert 7877161 Royal Armoured Corps FRANCE & BELGIUM CAMPAIGN 39/40 27 May 1940 1
Aichingson William L 409391 1st The Royal Dragoons W EUROPE CAMPAIGN 44/45 23 September 1944 1
Ahier Bj 23534522 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) MIDDLE EAST 7 March 1960 3
Agombar Benjamin 7956251 Royal Armoured Corps ITALY 10 August 1944 1
Agar Stanley M 14553999 Royal Tank Regiment W EUROPE CAMPAIGN 44/45 16 July 1944 1
Afford Joseph 139285 Reconnaissance Corps UNITED KINGDOM 16 February 1942 1
Adkins Rowland J 327044 The Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment) MIDDLE EAST 3 November 1942 1

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

You can find out more about soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, including where they are buried or commemorated.

RAC Memorial Trust

The RAC Memorial Trust was formed originally as the Royal Armoured Corps War Memorial Benevolent Fund, in 1946 following the end of the Second World War, by veterans of that conflict.

It was established for three purposes:

  1. To maintain the military efficiency and esprit de corps of the Royal Armoured Corps
  2. To help care for those that had survived and their families, when in time of need.
  3. To honour the memory of all members of the Royal Armoured Corps who have died in the service of their country

So important was the contribution of the Royal Armoured Corps in securing final victory in World War II that both Sir Winston Churchill and Field Marshall Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, two of its first patrons, were willing to put their names to a letter endorsing the creation of this Benevolent Fund.

Currently, the Trust is honoured to enjoy the support of HRH The Duke of Kent as its patron. The Duke himself served with the Royal Scots Greys for over 20 years.

Two men salute a memorial wall

One essential way in which the Memorial Trust meets these original objectives has been to compile a comprehensive Roll of Honour, recording the details of all 12,619 officers and soldiers who have died whilst serving in the Royal Armoured Corps, since its formation in 1939 right through to the present day.

This Roll of Honour is contained in four Books of Remembrance, which are displayed in the RAC Memorial Room, located in the WW2: War Stories exhibition.

These Books of Remembrance form the very soul of the Royal Armoured Corps. By safeguarding them and exhibiting them in this way, the Trust continues to honour the original intent of the Fund, which, as the first patrons’ letter clearly stated, was to “provide a visible memorial where the names of all the Fallen of the Corps shall be recorded.”

A memorial wall

Although many of the Corps’ original units no longer exist, the benevolence goals enshrined within the Trust’s original objectives are still as relevant today as they were when the Fund was first created.

The RAC Memorial Trust continues to support retired and serving soldiers, their spouses and families, and the spouses and families of those who have died in service, when in need.

The Trust is able to pledge a sum up to the amount offered by the individual regiment or, if that regiment no longer exists, the Trust may take on full responsibility for supporting the individual.  Further support is regularly made available from the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF), the Royal British Legion (RBL), or other military and civilian charities, co-ordinated by the individual’s case worker.

Requests are many and varied. Sadly not all demands can always be met and we are unable to assist in resolving debt issues. However, for instance, the Trust has proudly supported the purchase of mobility aids, the replacement of household items,  the provision of special educational needs as well as individual health care treatments not fully covered by the NHS.

In order to ensure we can, where appropriate, provide support quickly, please do NOT contact the Trust directly in the first instance, as this will only slow the immediate response.

If you are a:

  • Serving soldier or the dependant of a serving soldier please contact your Unit Welfare Officer, Personnel Recovery Officer, Resettlement Officer, or the Army Welfare Service.
  • Veteran, or the dependant of a veteran, or a widow or widower please contact your local SSAFA office or your Royal British Legion office or, if you are in Scotland, Poppy Scotland.  You can find your nearest branch by clicking on the links above.
  • Caseworker please use the guidance and contact numbers provided on your Casework Management System.

Please note that in order for the Trust to provide support, each request needs to be accompanied by a written confidential report. Either SSAFA or RBL provides the Trust with this essential background information to the case. Therefore, it is important to contact SSAFA or RBL in the first instance, in order to speed up the Trust’s ability to provide appropriate assistance.

In this vital work the Trust continues to honour the clearly defined aims of the original Fund, as stated by its first patrons:

“The ultimate intention is that no officer or man who at any time serves in the Royal Armoured Corps, or his dependants, shall go without help if in need.”

The RAC Memorial Trust is also able to honour the intentions of its original founders by encouraging and supporting individuals, or groups of soldiers, serving in the Corps to undertake activities which will make a positive contribution to their military efficiency.

Our Purpose and What We Will Fund

The Trust wants to make a difference, so that current RAC serving members are better trained and properly prepared for operations, by promoting activities or experiences that enhance the military efficiency of the RAC.

Examples are:

  1. Improving technical, academic, and professional knowledge.
  2. Improving mental and physical fitness through the provision of sporting facilities, equipment and competitions that improve the health, wellbeing, and cohesion of the RAC. Please note, legally we are barred from funding anyone who earns their living by playing sport professionally.
  3. The provision of supplementary experiences that widen the mind such as adventure expeditions that develop knowledge, confidence and leadership skills.
  4. Promoting and strengthening the bonds between the RAC and allied units.
  5. Research and the publication of military history specific to the RAC.

Who Can Apply

Only current serving members of the RAC may apply.  The Trust cannot fund persons who are not serving members of the RAC unless the project or activity could not take place without their involvement.  (e.g. Consultants, specialist leaders, trainers, mentors, referees, umpires etc).

Note that applicants are expected to provide match funding of 25% of the total gross cost from other sources, but 100% grants may be awarded.

Our funds are limited and the total sum available for military efficiency grants will vary from year to year due to the demand for benevolent grants, which will always take priority.

The Trustees’ decision is final.

How to  Apply

In the first instance, contact the RAC Memorial Trust at secretary@racmt.org

You will then be asked to complete an application form, in which you will be required to outline the nature of your project, state clearly how this will impact positively on members of the Corps and provide a clear breakdown of funding required.

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