Originally known as the 1st (London) Division and later re-designated The British 56th (London) Division during WWII, was a Territorial Army division.
Unit History
World War I
The Division was a formation created by the establishment of the Territorial Force in 1908. The Divisional infantry was entirely composed of battalions of the London Regiment. Many of the Division's original units were detached for garrison duties overseas or as reinforcements for other Divisions in the field from late 1914 onward. The entire Divisional artillery was transferred to the 36th (Ulster) Division. The complete Division was reformed in France from 5th January 1916, and served with distinction on the Western Front throughout the rest of the war.
In all, the Division existed as such for 1010 days during the Great War; it spent 330 days at rest, 195 in quiet sectors, 385 in active sectors and 100 days in battle. Initially selected to join the Army of Occupation on the Rhine, the orders were eventually cancelled and the Division was demobilised. The final cadre returned to England in May 1919.
World War II
Originally known as the 1st (London) Division, this formation was firt oirganized as a Motor division first line Territorial Army at the outbreak of war. With the reorganization as an infantry division in June 1940, the Division was later redesignated 56th (London) Division on 18 November 1940. The Division did not serve in France, remaining in the UK, and moving to the Middle East in November 1942, serving 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 Sicily campaign 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 After being withdrawn to Egypt at the end of March, the Division returned to Italy in July 1944 and remained there until after VE Day.
Formation
The division comprised four infantry brigades:
- 167th (London) Brigade
-
- 8th Royal Fusiliers
- 9th Royal Fusiliers
- 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
Battles
- WWII
- 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
External links
