47th (London) Infantry Division

2nd London Division
47th (London) Infantry Division
47th Infantry (Reserve) Division
Active 1939–1946
Country  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Type Infantry
Size Division
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 William Ramsden
Sir Gerald Templer

The 2nd London Division was a 2nd Line Territorial Army (TA) infantry division of the British Army, duplicate of the 1st London Division, during the Second World War. On 21 November 1940, the division was renamed as the 47th (London) Infantry Division.[1]

The formation patch depicted two bells tied with a bow (Bow Bells of London).[2]

History

Infantry training at the 47th Division School of Battle Drill at Lymington near Southampton, Hampshire, 11 March 1942. The troops are seen advancing between the backs of houses and a railway line.

The division was formed in the Territorial Army as a 2nd Line duplicate of the 1st London Division. In September 1939 it was organized as a Motor Division; however it was reorganized as an Infantry Division in June 1940, with the addition of the 25th Infantry Brigade. On 21 November 1940 it was redesignated as the 47th (London) Infantry Division. On 1 September 1944 it was redesignated as 47th Infantry (Reserve) Division became a reserve division, in which capacity it remained through the rest of the war. The division remained in the United Kingdom throughout the Second World War.[1]

Order of battle

The following units and formations constituted the division during World War II:[1][3][4]

4th London Infantry Brigade (140th (London) Infantry Brigade from 21 November 1940; disbanded 31 August 1944)[5]

5th London Infantry Brigade (141st (London) Infantry Brigade from 21 November 1940; disbanded 27 October 1944)[6]

6th London Infantry Brigade (disbanded 4 May 1940)[7] (These were all machine gun battalions)

25th Infantry Brigade (joined 25 June 1940, disbanded 31 August 1944)[8]

220th Infantry Brigade (joined 1 September 1944; 141st Infantry Brigade from 17 November 1944)[9]

7th Infantry Brigade (joined 10 September 1944)[10]

47th (London) Divisional Artillery[1][11][12]

47th (London) Divisional Engineers[1][13]

Signals[1][14][15]

Motorcycle Battalion

Reconnaissance

Commanders

The following officers commanded 47th Division during the war:[1]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Joslen, pp. 41–2.
  2. ↑ Cole p. 43
  3. ↑ 2 London Division 1939 at British Military History.
  4. ↑ 47 (London) Division 1944–45 at British Military History.
  5. ↑ Joslen, p. 235.
  6. ↑ Joslen, p. 238.
  7. ↑ Joslen, p. 242.
  8. ↑ Joslen, p. 272.
  9. ↑ Joslen, p. 383.
  10. ↑ Joslen, p. 286.
  11. ↑ Farndale, Annex D.
  12. ↑ 47 (2 London) Division at RA 1939–45.
  13. ↑ Richard A. Rinaldi, Royal Engineers, World War II at Orbat.com Archived 4 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ Lord & Watson, pp. 244, 250.
  15. ↑ Nalder, pp. 606–7.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.