 By late 1941 , the regiment had three battalions ( 1st , 2nd , and 13th ) stationed abroad with the remainder poised to defend the United Kingdom against a possible German invasion . The 1st and 13th battalions serve in Burma as Chindits , the 2nd in Italy and Greece during the Greek Civil War , and the 5th and 8th in Western Front of World War II . The 9th Battalion , formed as a duplicate of the 5th in 1939 , served with the 164th Brigade , 55th Division , transferring to 165th Brigade in April 1943 . Of the battalions that had switched to other roles , only the 40th RTR ( 7th King 's ) experienced active service . With the 23rd Armoured Brigade , the 40th RTR fought in the North African Campaign , where they acquired the nickname " Monty 's Foxhounds " , Italy , and Greece . 
