HQ IX Corps was disbanded on 31 May 1943 at the end of the Tunisian Campaign, but 87th AT Rgt took part in the Italian Campaign under Eighth Army.Joslen, p. 467. However, by 1944 the British Army in Italy was facing a manpower crisis, especially in infantry, and a policy was begun of disbanding redundant artillery units and retraining their manpower.Molony, Vol VI, Pt I, pp. 448–50. As a 'spare' corps A/T unit in a theatre that saw little armoured combat, 87th (Devon) Anti-Tank Regiment was one of those selected: it was broken up in May and officially placed in suspended animation on 26 June 1944. However, the regiment's band and Corps of drums had such a high reputation that it continued as an independent unit in Middle East Forces after the disbandment.
