[RC4]

In 1951 the NATO Division was formed from to fight in south France, it was operational only from 1953, each of the 3 Infantry Regiments had a tank Sqn of 22 M47 (HQ 2 tanks + 4 Troops of 5 tanks each), the Divisional Tank Group had 3 Sqns of 22 M47 each. There was a Recon Sqn w/16 M24.
In the Artillery the leFH18 105mm received new barrels from France to fire NATO M1 105mm ammo, the fourth Group had the same 18 Ordnance 140mm
Each of the 3 Infantry Regiments had 3 Battalions, an Heavy Mortar Coy w/8 107mm mortars, the Tank Sqn w/22 M47, and a Defence Platoon (AA MGs and Bazookas). Each Battalion had 3 Rifle Coy, a Support Coy and an Engineer Platoon. The Support Coy had 1 HMG Platoon (6 Breda HMG each) and a mortar Platoon (6 FBP m/937 81mm), a Recon Troop w/Willys and a RR Platoon w/6 RR 75mm(from 1955 4x106mm + 2x75mm). Each Rifle Coy had 3 Rifle Platoons (each 3 Rifle Sections of 9 men, lead by a Sargent w/MP34 9mm, a Dreyse 7,9mm LMG and Mauser 7,9mm rifles and hand grenades), there was a light mortar Section with 3 US 60mm M2 mortars and an AT Section with 3 57mm RR. Each Rifle Platoon had an M20 Bazooka. There was a Engineer Battalion at Divisional Level. There was a Signals Battalion instead of the old Signals coy.
From then on, the independent units reverted to Territorial status mostly, the NATO Division was formed from units mobilised from the 4 Infantry Divisions, so its organization was adapted to all 4 Divisions with exceptions in the 3 non NATO formations. Instead of the M47 they had Centurion/Valentine. Their Sqns had 17 tanks each instead of 22, there were tanks at Divisional level only, the IRs had an AT Gun Coy w/20 6 Pounder in place. The artillery had the 25 Pounder instead of the 105mm. There was a shortage of RRs, so they used older Boys/PIAT etc.
In 1955 the Portuguese Government released 2 more Divisions to help NATO defend the Pyrenees in Spain, to do that job, NATO send older equipment from Canada to those 2 Divisions, so the M4 Shermans, M5 Stuart, M74, Fox, Otter, Sexton, M9 Bazooka arrived. We didn’t have 17 Pounder.
In 1959 we started receiving the new Panhard EBR with the Panther 75mm gun. The Job of these fast moving Cavalry Groups was to make recon in front of those NATO Divisions, they could hunt T54 tanks.