| 56th (London) Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | First World War 1908 – May 1919; Second World War June 1940 – April 1945 1947–1968 1987–1993 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Territorial Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Gerald Templer Montagu Stopford Claude Liardet |
The 56th (London) Infantry Division was a British Territorial Army division of the First and Second World War. The division's insignia was the sword from the coat of arms of the City of London.
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During the First World War, the battalions of the division were initially used for garrison duty overseas (including Malta) or as reinforcements for other divisions. In January 1916 the division was deployed as a unit to France where it served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war. It was 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) Infantry Division on 18 November 1940. The divisional insignia during the Second World War was changed to an outline of a black cat in a red background. The cat stood for Dick Whittington's cat, a symbol of London.
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 and saw service in the Battle of Monte Cassino, in January , 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 After being withdrawn to Egypt at the end of March, the division returned to Italy in July 1944 taking part in the Battles along the Gothic Line and remained there until after VE Day.
After crossing the Volturno in October 1943, the division entered the town of Calvi 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 spared.[1][2]
After the war, the division was reformed as the 56th (London) Armoured Division from 1946[3] 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.
August 1914
The division comprised four infantry brigades:
The 24th Guards Brigade was assigned to the Division in Italy on 18 February 1945.[4]