▁ 1 st ▁and ▁ 2 nd ▁Batt al ions ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Arm ored ▁Regiment , ▁nearly ▁all ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Arm ored ▁Infantry ▁Regiment , ▁the ▁ 2 7 th ▁Arm ored ▁Field ▁Art illery ▁Battalion , ▁" B " ▁and ▁" C " ▁Comp an ies ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 0 1 st ▁T ank ▁Dest roy er ▁Battalion , ▁and ▁det ach ments ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁Arm ored ▁Engine er ▁Battalion , ▁the ▁Supp ly ▁Battalion , ▁the ▁Main ten ance ▁Battalion , ▁ 4 7 th ▁Arm ored ▁Medical ▁Battalion , ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 4 1 st ▁Sign al ▁Company . ▁ ▁Com bat ▁operations ▁▁ ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Arm ored ▁Division ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁Fort ▁D ix ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁await ▁their ▁deployment ▁over se as . ▁The ▁division ' s ▁port ▁call ▁required ▁them ▁to ▁board ▁the ▁R MS ▁Queen ▁Mary ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Port ▁of ▁Emb ark ation ▁at ▁the ▁Brook lyn ▁Army ▁Terminal ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁They ▁arrived ▁at ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁trained ▁on ▁the ▁mo ors ▁until ▁they ▁moved ▁on ▁to ▁England ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁The ▁division ▁was ▁now ▁commanded ▁by ▁Major ▁General ▁Or lando ▁Ward . ▁ ▁The ▁unit ' s ▁first ▁contact ▁with ▁an ▁enemy ▁was ▁as