The 56th Brigade took part in the Normandy landings, liberated Bayeux on 7 June leaving the town mainly intact. All its battalions were involved in the taking of Tilly-sur-Seulles with the 2nd Essex finally investing the town. Later actions were north of St Germain d'Ectot and the liberation of Thury-Harcourt in the Suisse Normande. It was prominent in the drive towards Le Havre and the 49th was one of the assault divisions taking the city in Operation Astonia in September 1944. Continuing to fight in Belgium at Poppel and then the Netherlands it was the assault brigade for the final assault on Arnhem in April 1945. The 56th served well, and ended the war in Germany. The division came mainly under command of First Canadian Army throughout the campaign.
Order of battleedit
Plaque to the 56th Brigade, with the insignia of the 3 regiments in 1944. Cathedral of Bayeux, Calvados, France.
Lieutenant-Colonel R.H.C. Bray (Acting, from 27 January until 6 February 1945)
Brigadier R.H. Senior (from 6 February until 14 August 1945)
Brigadier K.G. Exham (from 14 August 1945)
Post Waredit
In 1986, in accordance with the latest policy of having all units in the UK under a Brigade headquarters, 56 (London) Brigade was formed with its headquarters in Horse Guards. (The Brigade was named in memory and recognition of 56 Division of Second World War fame.) The Foot Guards Lieutenant Colonels therefore ceased to command their Regiments. The Brigade Headquarters, commanded first by Brigadier DH B-H Blundell, was made responsible for administration and training of all London District units.[3]
The Gulabin sources gave the Deputy Commander London District and Brigade Commander, March 1985-May 1988 as Dermot H. Blundell-Hollinshead-Blundell.
Antony Beevor's book Inside the British Army gave the formation date of the brigade as January 1987.[4] Brigadier A G Ross, Scots Guards, was in command of the brigade when the 1992/93 training directive was issued. The brigade was disbanded in 1993.[5]
^Antony Beevor (1991). Inside The British Army. Corgi Books. pp. 232–3.
^Regiments.org, ; Lindsey also writes the brigade was disbanded in 1993 (p. 359).
Referencesedit
Lindsay, Oliver (1996). Once a Grenadier.... The Grenadier Guards 1945–1995. Pen & Sword Books. ISBN978-1783837557. OCLC 880531320.
External linksedit
Andrew Holborn (2010). 56th Infantry Brigade and D-Day: An Independent Infantry Brigade and the Campaign in North West Europe 1944–1945. Continuum. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- administrative orders issued in May 1944 in preparation for the Normandy landings
December 01, 2023
56th, infantry, brigade, united, kingdom, 56th, infantry, brigade, infantry, brigade, british, army, that, active, service, both, first, second, world, wars, 56th, brigade56th, independent, infantry, brigade56th, infantry, brigadeinsignia, 56th, independent, i. The 56th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in both the First and the Second World Wars 56th Brigade56th Independent Infantry Brigade56th Infantry BrigadeInsignia of the 56th Independent Infantry Brigade Second World War 1 Active1914 19191944 19461987 1993Country United KingdomBranchKitchener s ArmyTypeInfantrySizeBrigadePart of19th Western Division49th West Riding Infantry Division Contents 1 History 1 1 First World War 1 1 1 Order of battle 1 1 2 Commanders 1 2 Second World War 1 2 1 Order of battle 1 2 2 Commanders 1 3 Post War 2 Victoria Cross recipients 3 Footnotes 4 References 5 External linksHistory editFirst World War edit The 56th Brigade was raised soon after the outbreak of the First World War in September 1914 from men mainly from Lancashire and Northern England volunteering for Kitchener s New Armies The 56th Brigade was assigned to the 19th Western Division and served on the Western Front from 1915 and was disbanded after the war The brigade saw service at the Battle of Loos in late 1915 and at during the Somme offensive at Albert and Pozieres and later at Messines in June 1917 Third Ypres and in 1918 at Sambre part of the Hundred Days Offensive Order of battle edit 7th Service Battalion King s Own Royal Regiment Lancaster disbanded February 1918 7th Service Battalion East Lancashire Regiment disbanded February 1918 7th Service Battalion South Lancashire Regiment disbanded February 1918 7th Service Battalion Loyal Regiment North Lancashire disbanded February 1918 4th Extra Reserve Battalion King s Liverpool Regiment from 3 December 1915 to 19 December 1915 56th Machine Gun Company Machine Gun Corps formed 14 February 1916 moved to 19th Battalion Machine Gun Corps 14 February 1918 56th Trench Mortar Battery formed 17 June 1916 broken up 5 February 1918 reformed 6 March 1918 9th Service Battalion Cheshire Regiment from February 1918 1 4th Battalion King s Shropshire Light Infantry from February 1918 8th Service Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment from February 1918 2 Commanders edit Brigadier General B G Lewis from 18 September 1914 sick 17 December 1915 Lieutenant Colonel C S Shepherd Acting from 17 December 1915 until 19 December 1915 Lieutenant Colonel C R P Winser Acting from 19 December 1915 until 22 December 1915 Brigadier General C A C van Straubenzee from 22 December 1915 until 6 June 1916 Lieutenant Colonel T Fitzjohn Acting from 6 June 1916 until 11 June 1916 Lieutenant Colonel C R P Winser Acting from 11 June 1916 until 13 June 1916 Brigadier General F G M Rowley from 13 June 1916 until 20 November 1916 Brigadier General W Long from 20 November 1916 KIA 28 January 1917 Colonel C V Trower Acting from 28 January 1917 until 1 February 1917 Brigadier General E Craig Brown from 1 February 1917 until 5 September 1917 Lieutenant Colonel T Fitzjohn Acting from 5 September 1917 until 6 September 1917 Lieutenant Colonel C R P Winser Acting on 6 September 1917 Brigadier General F G Willan from 6 September 1917 sick 7 April 1918 Brigadier General R M Heath from 7 April 1918 Second World War edit During the Second World War the 56th Independent Infantry Brigade was reformed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 1944 The brigade consisted of three Regular Army infantry battalions that had all seen service overseas the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers SWB which had fought in the Norwegian Campaign in 1940 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment and 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment which both fought at the Battle of Dunkirk in 1940 nbsp Infantrymen of the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment file past a knocked out German Panther tank on a road near Tilly sur Seulles France 19 June 1944 The 56th Brigade took part in the D Day landings on 6 June 1944 as part of the Allied invasion of Normandy where it formed the right flank of the 50th Northumbrian Infantry Division on Gold Beach It remained attached to the 50th Division until 10 June after which it was attached to the 7th Armoured Division until 12 June then reverting to the 50th Division and came under command of the 59th Staffordshire Infantry Division in early August 1944 On 20 August the brigade was permanently attached to the 49th West Riding Infantry Division then commanded by Major General Evelyn Barker a decorated veteran of the Great War Serving alongside the 56th Brigade in the division were the 146th and 147th Infantry Brigades along with supporting divisional units The brigade replaced the 70th Brigade which was disbanded due to heavy losses The 56th Brigade took part in the Normandy landings liberated Bayeux on 7 June leaving the town mainly intact All its battalions were involved in the taking of Tilly sur Seulles with the 2nd Essex finally investing the town Later actions were north of St Germain d Ectot and the liberation of Thury Harcourt in the Suisse Normande It was prominent in the drive towards Le Havre and the 49th was one of the assault divisions taking the city in Operation Astonia in September 1944 Continuing to fight in Belgium at Poppel and then the Netherlands it was the assault brigade for the final assault on Arnhem in April 1945 The 56th served well and ended the war in Germany The division came mainly under command of First Canadian Army throughout the campaign Order of battle edit nbsp Plaque to the 56th Brigade with the insignia of the 3 regiments in 1944 Cathedral of Bayeux Calvados France 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers until 27 April 1945 2nd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment 7th Merionethshire amp Montgomeryshire Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers from 27 April 1945 Commanders edit Brigadier E C Pepper from 27 February 1944 until 4 July 1944 Brigadier M S Ekin from 4 July 1944 KIA 4 November 1944 Lieutenant Colonel M Lewis Acting from 4 to 9 November 1944 Brigadier W F H Kempster from 9 November until 3 December 1944 Lieutenant Colonel T H Wilsey Acting from 3 to 9 December 1944 Brigadier W F H Kempster from 9 December 1944 until 20 January 1945 Lieutenant Colonel R H C Bray Acting from 20 to 23 January 1945 Brigadier R H Senior from 23 to 27 January 1945 Lieutenant Colonel R H C Bray Acting from 27 January until 6 February 1945 Brigadier R H Senior from 6 February until 14 August 1945 Brigadier K G Exham from 14 August 1945 Post War edit In 1986 in accordance with the latest policy of having all units in the UK under a Brigade headquarters 56 London Brigade was formed with its headquarters in Horse Guards The Brigade was named in memory and recognition of 56 Division of Second World War fame The Foot Guards Lieutenant Colonels therefore ceased to command their Regiments The Brigade Headquarters commanded first by Brigadier DH B H Blundell was made responsible for administration and training of all London District units 3 The Gulabin sources gave the Deputy Commander London District and Brigade Commander March 1985 May 1988 as Dermot H Blundell Hollinshead Blundell Antony Beevor s book Inside the British Army gave the formation date of the brigade as January 1987 4 Brigadier A G Ross Scots Guards was in command of the brigade when the 1992 93 training directive was issued The brigade was disbanded in 1993 5 Victoria Cross recipients editLieutenant Thomas Orde Lawder Wilkinson 7th Service Battalion Loyal Regiment North Lancashire First World War Private James Miller 7th Service Battalion King s Own Royal Regiment Lancaster First World WarFootnotes edit Cole Howard 1973 Formation Badges of World War 2 Britain Commonwealth and Empire London Arms and armour Press p 130 19th Division The Long Long Trail Retrieved 15 August 2015 Lindsay p 357 Antony Beevor 1991 Inside The British Army Corgi Books pp 232 3 Regiments org Disbandment date Lindsey also writes the brigade was disbanded in 1993 p 359 References editLindsay Oliver 1996 Once a Grenadier The Grenadier Guards 1945 1995 Pen amp Sword Books ISBN 978 1783837557 OCLC 880531320 External links editAndrew Holborn 2010 56th Infantry Brigade and D Day An Independent Infantry Brigade and the Campaign in North West Europe 1944 1945 Continuum Retrieved 24 March 2014 Administrative Order No 1 56th Brigade administrative orders issued in May 1944 in preparation for the Normandy landings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 56th Infantry Brigade United Kingdom amp oldid 1127991324, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
