British 5th Infantry Division
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The British 5th Infantry Division was a World War II infantry division. It saw action in France and Belgium in 1940, was withdrawn, along with the rest of the British Expeditionary Force , from Dunkirk. After this it served and travelled in so many regions of the world that they became known as the Globe Trotters. The 5th Division saw action in the Sicily Landings and the Italian Campaigns.
See British 5th Division (World War I) for the division's World War I history.
Contents |
Structure
13th Infantry Brigade
- (26 April 1942-2 August 1942 Detached to Force 121 in Madagascar
- 2nd Battalion, The Cameronians
- 2nd Battalion, Inniskilling Fusiliers (30 Nov.1939-14 Aug.1944)
- 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
- 5th Battalion, The Essex Regiment (From 14 Aug.1944)
15th Infantry Brigade
- 1st Battalion, Green Howards
- 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
- 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
17th Infantry Brigade
- (15 March 1942-30 June 1942 Detached to Force 121 in Madagascar
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers
- 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
- 6th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
Globe Trotting
The 5th Infantry Division travelled from the U.K. to India to Iraq, Persia, Syria and Egypt before landing in Sicily in 1943. They then saw action in Italy, from there they were sent to Palestine back to Italy and finally to North West Europe for the final months of the war.
Battles and Engagements
- Ypres-Comines Canal -26th to 28th May 1940
- Sicily Landings-9th to 12th July 1943
- The Sangro -19th Nov. to 3rd Dec. 1943
- Garigliano Crossing -17th to 31st Jan.1944
- Anzio -22nd Jan. to 22nd May 1944
- Rome -22nd May to 4th June 1944