By Simon Macdonald UPDATED ON 2 DECEMBER 2013 53RD WELSH DIVISION 1 53rd (Welsh) Division WWI AND INTER WAR Wilson designed the divisional symbol represent the Welsh On 2 July 1915 the Division was ordered to refit for service or Bardic Crown. Various other stories arose around the in the Mediterranean. Leaving the artillery and train behind, symbol, including it representing not only ‘W’ standing the rest of the Division left between 14 and 19 July and for Wales, but the process of attack. The horizontal embarked at Sevonport and sailed via Alexandria, landing at representing the firm base of the attack, the central, solid Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. point representing the spearhead and the side members the outflanking movements. However, these were never the The effects of month of savage fighting that typified this intention of the designer. campaign, few reinforcements and the dreadful blizzard of November reduced the Division to just 162 officers and Early in the war the Division was posted on several defensive 2428 men (about 15% of full strength). Between 11 and assignments. In April 1940 the Division transferred to 12 December the Division was evacuated and went on to Northern Ireland, where it remained until November 1941. Alexandria, where it began to arrive 20 December. From It returned to the mainland again to defend Kent and the 1916 onwards the division was involved in the Palestine South Coast between 1941–1943, when it was earmarked to Campaign. form part of the British Second Army. th On 26 March 1917, the 53rd Division bore the brunt of In October 1943 the division was reorganised, its 159 Infantry Brigade detaching to form part of 11th Armoured the First Battle of Gaza where the three brigades, along st with the 161st Brigade of the 54th Division, had to advance Division, with the 71 Infantry Brigade taking its place. across exposed ground, withstanding shrapnel, machine The 71st Brigade often jokingly referred to as the division’s gun and rifle fire, to capture the Turkish fortifications. ‘International Brigade’ being formed from The East Despite gaining the advantage towards the end of the day, Lancashire, Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry the British commander called off the attack so that the and the Highland Light Infantry Regiments. division’s casualties, close to 3,500, were suffered in vain. During the Division’s crossing of the channel Brigadier 1917 concluded with the capture and subsequent defence Whistler of 160th Brigade was flown off to Normandy to of Jerusalem. take command of the 3rd Division (Monty’s Ironsides) on Remaining active throughout the interwar years, the division 23 June. served as part of the Home Defence Forces of the United Kingdom between 1939–1940, fittingly based to defend NORMANDY Wales and the borders. 53rd Welsh Division landed in Normandy on 28 June as a follow-up division and was placed under command of XII PREPARATION AND TRAINING Corps now defending the Odon Valley position and was The Divisional badge, a red W on horizontal a bar held in reserve for Operation Epsom, the drive to Hill 112. was conceived by Major General Bevin T. Wilson who The division then went onto the line in the Hill 112/Odon commanded the division upon re-mobilisation in 1939. area and saw heavy fighting as part of ‘Operation Greenline’, 2 53RD WELSH DIVISION a diversionary attack West of Caen leading up to Operation city of Tilburg. The 51st (Highland) Division meanwhile, Goodwood. would take the towns of Schijndel and Boxtel and would cut the German lateral lines of communication between Vught In August the Division began to push out of the Odon and Tilburg. The 53rd (Welsh) Division would attack from region driving along the river Orne adjacent to the Canadian what they hoped would be an unexpected direction – from sector as part of the attempt to close the Falaise Pocket. It the northeast. was during the fighting near Balfour that Lieutenant Tasker Watkins won his Victoria Cross. The division was battle-hardened from Normandy, but had not suffered anywhere near the level of casualties suffered by Due to the casualties suffered by the division in Normandy other British divisions in the killing fields of the Bocage. As and the acute lack of infantry reinforcements, some battalions a consequence, it was experienced, seasoned and confident. were replaced and reorganised. The ‘international’ regiments It was also to be well-supported by artillery and air power, were mixed throughout the division as a result. as well as armour from 7th Armoured Division and specialist th HOLLAND ‘Funny’ armour from General Hobart’s 79 Armoured Division. During Operation Market-Garden the Division was located on the West flank continuing its advance with XII Corp Arguably the ‘Funniest’ of all were the newly converted starting on the Lommel Bridgehead and advancing on the Canadian Ram ‘Kangaroos’ – armoured troop carriers based Tilburg/’S Hertogenbosch axis. on obsolete Ram tanks. These Ram Kangaroos were to be used in action for the first time in this operation, which was After the week long grind the XII Corp had still hadn’t made designated Operation ‘Alan’. their objective of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Over the following weeks the 53rd garrisoned ‘the island’ South of Arnhem. Armoured Support was also provided by the Cromwells of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards (‘The Skins’) The taking of the Scheldt peninsula (Operation Pheasant) sent to reinforce the 7th Armoured following their losses commenced on 22 October. The British XII Corps was in Normandy. The Skins were the only Regiment of the tasked not only with expanding the Nijmegen Salient 7th Armoured Division in attendance for the assault on the westward, but also with destroying the German fortress at city. Additional support armour support was also provided ‘s-Hertogenbosch, thereby cutting the German 15. Armee’s by the Shermans of the East Riding Yeomanry (ERY) from line of communication with LXXXVIII. Korps, stationed 33rd Armoured Brigade and the Crocodiles of 141st RAC south of the Maas on the Scheldt. (The Buffs). For this task, XII Corps was reinforced by the addition of 15th (Scottish) Division, who would be given the objective 53RD WELSH DIVISION 3 S’HERTOGENBOSCH AND APPROACHES 1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 Rosmalen Yards Oss Heesch General Nuland Direction of Kruisstraat Advance Berghem Rosmalensedijk 6 RWF 160 Brigade (less 6 RWF) 158 Brigade 158 Brigade Hintham Railway Station Positions at the end of 24 October Zuid Willemsvaart Positions at the end of 25 October ‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH On the codeword ‘Saucepan’ he released the reserved th rd The city, designated a ‘Festung’ or Fortress by the German 158 Brigade, spearheaded by the 53 Recce Regiment and 1st East Lancashires mounted in Ram Kangaroos, to push high command, was a vital supply connection to the German th forces left on the Scheldt as well as the only real withdrawal through their gained positions. Unfortunately 158 Brigade ran into mine fields shortly after and the advance bogged route from the peninsula. Even Hitler himself telephoned in th the order to ‘Hold at all costs’. down. 160 Brigade were once again ordered to advance. st In line with its importance it was garrisoned by some four During the day’s fighting the 71 Brigade saw some sharp action, with the 1st Highland Light infantry (1st HLI) in battalions from 712. Infanterie-Division. Approximately th th nine companies were located in the town with the remainder the village of Nuland and the 4 Royal Welch Fusiliers (6 guarding likely approach routes. RWF) were unfortunate to lose all their officers who were hit while assembled to receive orders. rd The 53 Division’s start line was some 15km to the North th East near Oss. The structure of the attack was; The advance continued early on 23 October with 160 Brigade pushing on towards Rosmalen. 71st Brigade continued 160 Brigade to push to the North of the railway supported by slowly onwards through the forested terrain which straddled the Skins, some Crocodile Churchills from the Buffs as well the road South of the Railway. By afternoon the Division as ‘Flail’ Sherman Crabs from the Westminster Dragoons was well placed to attack the city itself. (79th Armoured Division). To prepare for the assault on the city proper the artillery 71st Brigade to advance South of the railways astride the programme ‘Chicago’, consisting of some 200 guns (approx main Oss-‘S Hertogenbosch road. three quarters 25 pdrs, the remainder Medium and Heavy 158th Brigade was held in reserve along with the 53rd guns), fired over 50,000 shells into the city throughout the Reconnaissance Regiment and a squadron of the Skins to night of 23/24 October. exploit any gaps in the line and to seize the canal bridges into During the night of 23/24 October the hamlet of Hintham the town, should an opportunity arise. was assaulted jointly by elements of 160th Brigade from the North and 158th Brigade from the East in order to make up At 0630 on 22 October the advance began well with the st 160th Brigade gaining some 5 miles (8km) and reaching for the comparatively slow going of the 71 Brigade. The st remainder of each brigade made good progress into the city Kruisstraat at 1.30pm. The 71 Brigade, unsupported by th armour, made much slower progress. overnight with a platoon from 160 Brigade even crossing the canal before the bridge was blown behind them. By 1500, the Divisional commander, Lieutentant General ‘Bobby’ Ross decided to capitalize the gains of 160 Brigade. The remainder of 24 October saw one squadron of the ‘Skins’ 4 53RD WELSH DIVISION joining 158th Brigade in the city following a head long dash Exploiting the East Lancs’ success, 7th RWF passed through down the steeply banked railway, under the sights of German the East Lancs’ bridgehead and fought their way towards the guns.