The unit was formed in the UK on 1 December 1941 when the
225th Independent Infantry Brigade was converted to armour and renamed the
35th Army Tank Brigade as part of
Northern Command. On 1 January 1942, its units were renamed, with the 10th Battalion,
King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) becoming the
151st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps, the 11th Battalion,
King's Regiment (Liverpool) becoming the 152nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps, and the 15th Battalion,
Durham Light Infantry becoming the 155th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps. They were equipped with the
Canal Defence Light, a
Matilda II or
Churchill (and later
M3 Grant) tank, fitted with a turret containing a 13 million
candlepower (12.8 million
candela) searchlight, designed to dazzle, disorient, and temporarily blind the enemy. The 151st Regiment RAC was detached on 4 August 1942, to join the
25th Army Tank Brigade, and was replaced by the
49th Royal Tank Regiment on 16 August, the brigade having been renamed
35th Tank Brigade the previous day, and transferred to the command of
GHQ Home Forces on 8 August. On 10 April 1943, the brigade was transferred to the
79th Armoured Division, returning to the command of GHQ Home Forces on 27 April 1944. On 13 July 1944, the
43rd Royal Tank Regiment was added to the brigade, to replace the 49th RTR, which had been detached on 30 April to join the
1st Tank Brigade of the 79th Armoured. The 8th Battalion,
King's Royal Rifle Corps joined on 17 September 1944, and the
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry and
Warwickshire Yeomanry were added to the brigade on 27 March 1945. On 16 June 1945, the 1st Battalion,
Royal Gloucestershire Hussars and the
Yorkshire Hussars were also added. On 14 July, it was renamed the
35th Armoured Brigade; it was disbanded on 31 August 1945. ==Order of battle==