Jump to content

56th (London) Infantry Division: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Line 37: Line 37:
The '''1st London Division''' was created on the formation of the [[Territorial Force]] of the [[British Army]] in 1908. Its pre-war formation was:
The '''1st London Division''' was created on the formation of the [[Territorial Force]] of the [[British Army]] in 1908. Its pre-war formation was:


===[[1st London Infantry Brigade]]===
'''[[1st London Infantry Brigade]]'''
* 1st [[London Regiment]] ([[Royal Fusiliers]]), T.F.
* 1st [[London Regiment]] ([[Royal Fusiliers]]), T.F.
* 2nd [[London Regiment]] (Royal Fusiliers), T.F.
* 2nd [[London Regiment]] (Royal Fusiliers), T.F.
Line 43: Line 43:
* 4th London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), T.F.
* 4th London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), T.F.


===[[2nd London Infantry Brigade]]===
'''[[2nd London Infantry Brigade]]'''
* 5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), T.F.
* 5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), T.F.
* [[City of London Rifles|6th London Regiment (City of London Rifles)]], T.F.
* [[City of London Rifles|6th London Regiment (City of London Rifles)]], T.F.
Line 49: Line 49:
* [[Post Office Rifles|8th London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)]], T.F.
* [[Post Office Rifles|8th London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)]], T.F.


===[[169th (3rd London) Brigade|3rd London Infantry Brigade]]===
'''[[169th (3rd London) Brigade|3rd London Infantry Brigade]]'''
* 9th London Regiment ([[Queen Victoria's Rifles]]), T.F.
* 9th London Regiment ([[Queen Victoria's Rifles]]), T.F.
* 10th London Regiment ([[Paddington]] Rifles to 1912, then became the Hackney Rifles), T.F.
* 10th London Regiment ([[Paddington]] Rifles to 1912, then became the Hackney Rifles), T.F.
Line 55: Line 55:
* 12th London Regiment (The Rangers). T.F.
* 12th London Regiment (The Rangers). T.F.


===Support Units===
'''Support Units'''
* [[City of London Artillery|1st City of London Brigade]], [[Royal Field Artillery]], T.F.
* [[City of London Artillery|1st City of London Brigade]], [[Royal Field Artillery]], T.F.
* [[3rd Kent Artillery Volunteers (Royal Arsenal)|2nd County of London Brigade]], R.F.A, T.F
* [[3rd Kent Artillery Volunteers (Royal Arsenal)|2nd County of London Brigade]], R.F.A, T.F

Revision as of 22:37, 18 January 2015

56th (London) Infantry Division
ActiveFirst World War
1908 – May 1919;
Second World War
June 1940 – April 1945
1947 – April 1961
Country United Kingdom
Branch Territorial Army
TypeInfantry
(Armoured 1947–55)
SizeDivision
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Gerald Templer
Montagu Stopford
Claude Liardet

The 56th (London) Infantry Division was a 1st Line Territorial Army infantry division of the British Army that served in both World War I and World War II. The division's insignia in the First World War was the sword of Saint George from the coat of arms of the City of London; in the Second World War the insignia was changed to a black cat.

History

1st London Division 1908–1914

The 1st London Division was created on the formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army in 1908. Its pre-war formation was:

1st London Infantry Brigade

2nd London Infantry Brigade

3rd London Infantry Brigade

  • 9th London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles), T.F.
  • 10th London Regiment (Paddington Rifles to 1912, then became the Hackney Rifles), T.F.
  • 11th London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles), T.F.
  • 12th London Regiment (The Rangers). T.F.

Support Units

World War I

On the outbreak of the conflict, the Division's pre-war establishment units were mobilised individually, rather than in their divisional formation and were initially used for garrison duty overseas in Malta or as reinforcements for other divisions on the Western Front. In January 1916, the Division was re-constituted as a fighting formation in the Abbeville district in France, consisting of:

167th Infantry Brigade

  • 1/1st London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), T.F.
  • 1/3rd London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), T.F.
  • 1/7th Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), T.F.
  • 1/8th Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), T.F.

168th Infantry Brigade

  • 1/4th London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), T.F.
  • 1/12th London Regiment (The Rangers), T.F.
  • 1/13th London Regiment (The Kensingtons), T.F.
  • 1/14th London Regiment (London Scottish), T.F.

169th Infantry Brigade

  • 1/2nd London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers), T.F.
  • 1/5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), T.F.
  • 1/9th London Regiment (Queen Victoria Rifles), T.F.
  • 1/16th London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles), T.F.

Support Units

Artillery

Royal Engineers

  • 416th (1/1st Edinburgh) Field Company, T.F. (joined in April 1916 from Egypt)
  • 512nd (2/1st London) Field Coy, T.F.
  • 513rd (2/2nd London) Field Coy, T.F.

Royal Army Medical Corps

  • 2/1st London Field Ambulance, T.F.
  • 2/2nd London Field Ambulance, T.F.
  • 2/3rd London Field Ambulance, T.F.

Pioneers

For the remainder of the war, the Division saw action on the Western Front, taking part in all of the major campaigns and seeing severe fighting. It was demobilised in May 1919.

World War II

At the outbreak of war in September 1939, the division was mobilised as motorized infantry under the title of the 1st London Division. It was reorganised as an infantry division in June 1940 and renamed 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. This involved the division travelling some 2,300 miles (3,700 km) by road, a notable achievement and testament to the organization of the division and the ability of its mechanics and technicians. The division sat out the Allied invasion of Sicily (except for the 168th Brigade, which was attached to the understrength 50th Infantry Division) and moved to Italy in September 1943, where they fought in the landings at Salerno under the command of the US Fifth Army. During this time the 201st Guards Brigade joined the division, to replace the 168th Brigade. In January 1944, the 56th Division saw service in the Battle of Monte Cassino, 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, where it took part in the Battles along the Gothic Line and remained there until after Victory in Europe Day. During the fighting of 1944 and 1945, some of the infantry battalions that suffered heavy casualties were disbanded, to make up for an acute manpower shortage. The division also took part in Operation Grapeshot, the Allied offensive which ended the war in Italy.

After crossing the Volturno in October 1943, the division entered the town of Calvi Vecchia. Their attempts to radio the US 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, which carried a message that reached the allies just as the planes were being warmed up. The attack was called off and the town was saved from the planned air assault.[1][2]

Order of battle in World War II

167th Infantry Brigade

168th Infantry Brigade (disbanded in 1944)

  • 1st Battalion, London Scottish (Gordon Highlanders) (to 167th Brigade in 1944)
  • 1st Battalion, London Irish Rifles (Royal Ulster Rifles) (to 167th Brigade in 1944)
  • 10th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment (disbanded in 1944)
  • 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment (from May 1944, to 1st Guards Brigade when 168th Brigade disbanded)

169th (Queen's) Infantry Brigade

  • 2/5th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment
  • 2/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment
  • 2/7th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment

201st Guards Motor Brigade (replaced 168th Brigade fighting in Sicily and during initial invasion of Italy)

24th Guards Brigade (from 18 February 1945)

Divisional Troops

Battles

World War II

  • 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

Post War

In 1946, the 56th Division was demobilised then re-constituted as the 56th (London) Armoured Division, T.A. The new formation included the 22nd Armoured Brigade and the 168th (Lorried) Infantry Brigade, with the Inns of Court and City Yeomanry acting as the divisional reconnaissance unit. The divisional artillery comprised:[3][4]

On 20 December 1955, the Secretary of State for War informed the House of Commons that the armoured divisions and the 'mixed' division were to be converted to infantry.[5] The 56th Division was one of the eight divisions placed on a lower establishment for home defence only.[6] The territorial units of the Royal Armoured Corps were reduced to nine armoured regiments and eleven reconnaissance regiments by amalgamating pairs of regiments and the conversion of four RAC units to infantry.

On 20 July 1960, a further reduction of the T.A. was announced in the House of Commons. The Territorials were to be reduced from 266 fighting units to 195. The reductions were carried out in 1961, mainly by the amalgamation of units. On 1 May 1961, the T.A. divisional headquarters were merged with regular army districts and matched with Civil Defence Regions, to aid the mobilisation for war.[7] The division ceased to exist as an independent entity and was linked to London District.

The 4th Battalion, Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment was formed in 1961, by the amalgamation of the 6th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment and the 23rd London Regiment, with a Battalion HQ and HQ Company at Kingston upon Thames.[8] It formed part of 47th (London) Infantry Brigade (56th London Division/District). An echo of the 56th Division emerged again from 1987–1993, when the public duties battalions in the London District were grouped as the 56th Infantry Brigade.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Wendell.
  2. ^ Blechman, pp. 35–6.
  3. ^ Litchfield, Appendix 5.
  4. ^ Watson, TA 1947
  5. ^ Yourdemocracy.newstatesman.com
  6. ^ Beckett 2008, p. 180.
  7. ^ Beckett 2008, pp. 183, 185.
  8. ^ National Archives

References

  • Ian F.W. Beckett, Territorials: A Century of Service, first published April 2008 by DRA Printing of 14 Mary Seacole Road, The Millfields, Plymouth PL1 3JY on behalf of TA 100, ISBN 978-0-9557813-1-5.
  • D. Blechman, Andrew (2006). Pigeons: the fascinating saga of the world's most revered and reviled bird. New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-1834-8..
  • Jackson, General Sir William; Gleave, Group Captain T. P. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO:1986]. Butler, Sir James (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part 2 – June to October 1944. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. VI. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-071-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |lastauthoramp= ignored (|name-list-style= suggested) (help)
  • Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
  • Levi, Wendell (1977). The Pigeon. Sumter, S.C.: Levi Publishing. ISBN 0-85390-013-2.

Further reading

  • Dudley Ward, C. H. (1921). The Fifty Sixth Division 1914–1918 (1st London Territorial Division) (N & M Press 2001 ed.). London: Murray. ISBN 1-84342-111-9.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=56th_(London)_Infantry_Division&oldid=643116842"