The 79th Armoured Division was a specialist armoured division of the British Army created during the Second World War. The division was created as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944, D-Day. Major-General Percy Hobart commanded the division and was in charge of the development of armoured vehicles that were solutions to problems of the amphibious landing on the defended French coastline; these unusual-looking tanks it developed and operated were known as "Hobart's Funnies". They included tanks that floated, could clear mines, destroy defences, carry and lay bridges, and roadways. The practical use of these specialist tanks was confirmed during the landings on the beaches. Its vehicles were distributed as small units across the divisions taking part in the landings and subsequent operations. The division remained in action during the North-west European Campaign, providing specialised support during assaults to the 21st Army Group and, occasionally, to American units outside 21st. Again they were of significant use during the Rhine crossings. History Hobart had formed the 7th Armoured Division (then known as the Mobile Division) in Egypt before being removed by GOC British Troops in Egypt and went into retirement. He was brought back into regular army by Churchill in 1941 to train the new 11th Armoured Division but ill-health meant he was considered unfit to command the division in battle and he had to give up the appointment. In 1942 Hobart was selected to train another new division. The 79th was formed as a standard armoured formation serving in the UK under Northern Command in August 1942. General Sir Alan Brooke, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, who foresaw the need for specialised armoured vehicles, offered command of the division to Major-General Percy Hobart in October 1942. Initially the division based on the 27th Armoured Brigade included infantry, artillery and engineers but the infantry unit, 185th, and its artillery regiments were all removed by April 1943. Its engineer units were generally removed by November 1943. In March 1943 Hobart met Brooke who gave him the role of developing and training a division of specialist armoured vehicles that would lead the invasion of France in 1944 The initial new organization of the 79th was a tank brigade, an armoured brigade, and a Royal Engineers assault brigade; this was expanded with additional brigades of the new armoured vehicles developed by the 79th. Hobart gave firm direction