Infantry Brigade During the Normandy Campaign June-September 1944
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University of Plymouth PEARL https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk 04 University of Plymouth Research Theses 01 Research Theses Main Collection 2009 THE ROLE OF 56th (INDEPENDENT) INFANTRY BRIGADE DURING THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN JUNE-SEPTEMBER 1944 HOLBORN, ANDREW http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/1996 University of Plymouth All content in PEARL is protected by copyright law. Author manuscripts are made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the details provided on the item record or document. In the absence of an open licence (e.g. Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher or author. THE ROLE OF 56th (INDEPENDENT) INFANTRY BRIGADE DURING THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN JUNE-SEPTEMBER 1944 by ANDREW HOLBORN A thesis submitted to the University of Plymouth in fulfilment for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY April2009 11 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION At no time during the registration for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy has the author been registered for any other University Award. This work has been undertaken by the author and has been completed by research. It has been self-financed. Relevant lectures provided by the University of Plymouth have been attended throughout this period. The author has completed the following works and lectures relevant to this study: 1. Lecture 'From Farm Help to Front Line. 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade, Autumn 1943-Norrnandy 1944.' 26th May 2005. University of Plymouth Public Lectures Series. 2. Article of 2500 words '200 Battalion Essex Regiment, March - May 1944' published in the Essex Regiment magazine The Eagle March 2008. 3. Introduction to artist Judith Green exhibition of Normandy paintings prompted by her father's service and wounding while serving with 2nd Essex during the Normandy Campaign. Displayed as part of the exhibition on two large panels consisting of 2000 words and photographs. Also as an introduction to the exhibition catalogue. Exhibited in the Etz Chaim Gallery, Highgate Gallery and Musee de Tilly-sur-Seulles. Summer 2008. Word count of main body of thesis: 86000. M4vt-=: . Signed ............~ .............. Date ..........IJ~.~ ·'4"· ~.'l.. ........ Jll ANDREW HOLBORN THE ROLE OF 56th (INDEPENDENT) INFANTRY BRIGADE DURING THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN JUNE-SEPTEMBER 1944 ABSTRACT Comprised of three regular battalions of infantry, 2"d Battalion The South Wales Borderers, 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment, 2nd Battalion The Gloucester Regiment and Brigade HQ, 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade was only formed in early March 1944. Its specific task was to land 'under command' of 501h (Northumbrian) Infantry Division on D-Day. This Division itself was made up of three brigades of very experienced infantry. What is remarkable is that 561h Infantry Brigade's infantry battalions had all been on Home Service since June 1940 and were not experienced in battle. Despite this, within only thirteen weeks of formation, 561h Infantry Brigade task was to land on Gold Beach on D-Day as follow up troops and fight inland taking the town of Bayeux by nightfall. After this the Brigade was expected to provide infantry for 7lh Armoured Division in a quick push south to take Villers-Bocage. This study traces the journey made by the three battalions of 56th Brigade from 1940 through to a very concentrated forming up and training period specific to the Normandy landings in 1944. It follows their actions from the landings through to the taking of Le Havre in September 1944, by which time the Brigade had served in four different divisions and lost its 'Independent' title to become a permanent member of 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division for the remainder of the war in North West Europe. No study has previously been made of 561h Infantry Brigade and extensive use has been made of primary evidence from The National Archives and other sources in this investigation. A considerable amount of new evidence has been gathered by interviews with surviving veterans of 56th Infantry Brigade. The evidence is used to explore issues that shed new light on life in the Army at home during the war, training for war and the Normandy Campaign. iv Contents. Copyright Statement Page i Title Page Page ii Authors Declaration Page iii Abstract Pageiv Contents Pagev Acknowledgements Page vi Frontispiece: Page l. Introduction: Pages 2-18 Chapter One: In the Wings. Continental War to Home Front. 2nd Battalions Essex, Glosters and South Wales Borderers. June 1940- December 1943. Pages 19-49 Chapter Two: Chosen for the Second Front. Training and Organisation into 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade-1st January to 25th May 1944. Pages 50-83 Chapter Three: From the sealed Camps to Sailing for Nonnandy. 25th May- Evening 5th June 1944. Pages 84-115 Chapter Four: Smashing through the Gennan defences and achieving objectives. D-Day to Midnight 7th June 1944. Pages 116-147 Chapter Five: Fighting in the Bocage. Chateau Sulll to Tilly-sur-Seulles. June 8th to June 20 1944. Pages 148-184 Chapter Six: Holding the Right Flank - Desperate Fighting in the Bocage. 21 81 June to 8th August 1944. Pages 185-219 Chapter Seven: Breakthrough. Suisse Nonnande to the Taking of Le Havre. 9th August to 14th September 1944. Pages 220-264 Conclusion: Pages 265-283 Appendix One: Badge 56th Brigade. Page 284 Appendix Two: Map Exercise Smash. Page 285 Appendix Three: Map Exercise Fabius Page 286 Appendix Four: 56tli Brigade, Order of Beaching forD-Day. Page 287 Appendix Five: 50th Division Landing Phase Map. Page 288 Appendix Six: Map Bayeux to Juvigny. June 1944. Page 289 Appendix Seven: 56th Brigade Reinforcement Requirements. Page 290-292 Bibliography Pages 293-300 V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Carrying out this research project has provided me with a great deal of pleasure as well as hard work. Many people have aided my research and it has been enhanced through them. Firstly my family in many ways have greatly helped. Not only have my wife and son put up with my time away carrying out research and time at home in front of the PC writing it, but also they have been willing participants in a number of trips to explore the Normandy battle area. Likewise my father has been a great companion and help on what has become an annual exploration and attendance at ceremonies over the early June period in Normandy each year. I owe a great debt to my tutor Harry Bennet who has been constantly encouraging and helpful with comments and ideas over the past four years. He has been a key person in enabling my progress. All three Regimental Museums were helpful, encouraging and often provided documents or contacts - South Wales Borderers Museum at Brecon, Essex Regiment Museum at Chelmsford and Soldiers of Gloucestershire at Gloucester. In like vein the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division Association has been a source of information, help and contacts. The Imperial War Museum Departments of Documents and Books, Photos and Film Archives were unfailingly helpful and interested. Equally The National Archive at Kew was crucial in providing primary sources. The staff there were very helpful, either face to face or via e-mail, in providing links to sources on occasion when a dead end seemed to have been met. I received much help from the LST and Landing Craft Association, Veteran Affairs Canada and the Naval Museum of Manitoba when trying to gain information about 264th (Canadian) Landing Craft Flotilla. Finally this work has gained enormously from the information, interest, help and encouragement of the members of 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade who contributed in so many ways. Their names and regiments appears in the list of Primary Sources on pages 293 and 294 at the end of the study. vi 'NOS A GULIELMO VICTI VICTORIS PATRIAM LIBERAVIMUS' ('We, once conquered by William, have now set free the Conquerors native land'). Inscription on the Commonwealth War Graves Memorial to the Missing, Bayeux. I Introduction. This thesis will investigate the part played by 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade, which was raised barely three months before the D-Day Landings. The Brigade was given important tasks on D-Day, during the Normandy Campaign and throughout the remainder of the war in North West Europe. The work will focus on the raising of the Brigade and its training and deployment in operations from April until September 1944. The brigade was the smallest tactical formation in the British Army. No proper evaluation of a British infantry brigade involved in Normandy appears to have been attempted before. Certainly the role of 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade in the Normandy Campaign of 1944 has not been investigated. The thesis will therefore offer an examination of the Normandy Campaign from a fresh perspective and provide insight into the British Army at Brigade level in the later stages of the Second World War. Works on the Normandy Campaign have concentrated on army, divisional or battalion level, but the critical role of an infantry brigade in the structure, organisation and operations of a division has not previously been attempted. 1 The rank of Brigadier is the highest field officer rank. An infantry division usually contains three brigades, each of three battalions. Also an infantry division would have attached to it 'under command', artillery, heavy mortar, anti-tank, medium machinegun, signals, provost, engineer, armour and other units depending on the task in hand. Some elements of these units as required would be passed down and come under the command of the divisional brigades. As late as February 1944 Montgomery; (the overall land forces commander in operations) decided that 50th (Northumbrian) Division would replace 49th (West Riding) 2 Division for the assault and exploitation of the landings on Gold Beach. In planning for D-Day, General Graham of 50th Division decided he required an extra brigade to fulfil all of his allotted tasks.