56th (London) Division (United Kingdom)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 56th (London) Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | World War I 1908 - May 1919; World War II June 1940 - April 1945 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Territorial Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Gerald Templer |
The British 56th (London) Division was a Territorial Army division of the Second World War.
Contents |
[edit] History
During the First World War, the division was named the 56th (1/1st London) Division and had been demobilised in May 1919. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, the division was mobilised as motorised infantry under the title of the 1st London Division. It was reorganised as an infantry division in June 1940 and redesignated as the 56th (London) Division on 18 November 1940.
The division remained in the United Kingdom during the Battle of France, moving to the Middle East in November 1942 where it served in Iraq and Palestine until moving to Egypt in March 1943 and thence forward to Libya, and the front, in April. The division sat out the Allied invasion of Sicily (except for the 168th Brigade, which was attached to the understrength 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division and moved to Italy in September 1943, serving there until March 1944 and participated in the Anzio Campaign. After being withdrawn to Egypt at the end of March, the division returned to Italy in July 1944 and remained there until after VE Day.
After the war, it was reformed as 56th (London) Armoured Division from 1947 until the Territorial Army was reorganised as the TAVR in 1967-8. The Division included 22nd Armoured Brigade and 168th Lorried Infantry Brigade, and the Inns of Court Yeomanry as the divisional reconnaissance regiment.
An echo of the Division rose again for a time when the Public duties battalions within London District were grouped as 56th (London) Brigade from 1987 to 1993.
[edit] Formation
The division comprised four infantry brigades:
- 167th (London) Brigade
- 8th Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
- 9th Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
- 7th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 168th (London) Brigade
- 1st London Scottish Regiment
- 1st London Irish Rifles
- 10th Royal Berkshire Regiment
- 1st Welch Regiment
- 169th (London) Brigade
- 2nd/5th Queen's Royal Regiment
- 2nd/6th Queen's Royal Regiment
- 2nd/7th Queen's Royal Regiment
- 201st Guards Brigade
- 3rd Coldstream Guards
- 6th Grenadier Guards
[edit] Battles
- Enfidaville — 19 April 1943 - 29 April 1943
- Tunis — 5 May 1943 - 12 May 1943
- Salerno — 9 September 1943 - 18 September 1943
- Capture of Naples — 22 September 1943 - 1 October 1943
- Volturno Crossing — 12 October 1943 - 15 October 1943
- Monte Camino — 5 November 1943 - 9 December 1943
- Garigliano Crossing — 17 January 1944 - 31 January 1944
- Anzio — 22 January 1944 - 22 May 1944
- Gothic Line — 25 August 1944 - 22 September 1944
- Coriano — 3 September 1944 - 15 September 1944
- Rimini Line — 14 September 1944 - 21 September 1944
- Lamone Crossing — 2 December 1944 - 13 December 1944
- Argenta Gap — 12 April 1945 - 21 April 1945
[edit] Trivia
After crossing the Volturno in October 1943, the 56th entered the town of Colvi Vecchia. Their attempts to radio the United States Fifth Army to cancel a planned bombing on the town failed. As a last resort, the 56th released an American homing pigeon named G.I. Joe who carried a message that reached the allies just as the planes were being warmed up. The attack was called off and the division was saved.
[edit] External links
- [1] WWI Cemeteries.com, a comprehensive guide to the military cemeteries and memorials of France and Belgium
