Trained as an assault brigade, the 56th landed on D-Day and successfully liberated Bayeux the following day. It was then employed in the crossing of the River Seine and the assault on Le Havre, before fighting across Belgium and Holland culminating in the final assault on Arnhem in April 1945, by which time the brigade had served in four different divisions.
No previous study has sought to explain how an infantry brigade is used in battle, let alone one holding the title 'Independent'. Holborn considers the styles of war as carried out by British forces and casts new light on the effectiveness of British infantry units and their contribution to war effort. Extensive use has been made of new primary evidence from The National Archives, Imperial War Museum Archive and Regimental Museums. The evidence is used to explore issues pertinent to life in the Army at home during the war, training for war and the Campaign in North West Europe, as well as the role of the battalion.
eBook - PDF
56th Infantry Brigade and D-Day
An Independent Infantry Brigade and the Campaign in North West Europe 1944-1945
- 263 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF
56th Infantry Brigade and D-Day
An Independent Infantry Brigade and the Campaign in North West Europe 1944-1945
Table of contents
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 In the Wings. Continental War to Home Front. 2nd Battalions Essex, Glosters and South Wales Borderers. June 1940âDecember 1943
- 2 Chosen for the Second Front. Training and Organization into 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade. 1 Januaryâ25 May 1944
- 3 From the Sealed Camps to Sailing for Normandy. 25 MayâEvening 5 June 1944
- 4 Smashing Through the German Defences and Achieving Objectives. D-DayâMidnight 7 June 1944
- 5 Fighting in the Bocage. Château Sully to Tilly-sur-Seulles. 8â20 June 1944
- 6 Holding the Right Flank â Desperate Fighting in the Bocage. 21 Juneâ8 August 1944
- 7 Breakthrough. Suisse Normande to the Taking of Le Havre. 9 Augustâ14 September 1944
- 8 No Quick Defeat of the Enemy. Le Havre to Holland. SeptemberâNovember 1944
- 9 The Nijmegen Home Guard and the Taking of Arnhem. December 1944âMay 1945
- Conclusion
- Appendix 1 List of veterans contributing to this study
- Appendix 2 Exercise Smash
- Appendix 3 Exercise Fabius
- Appendix 4 56th Brigade, order of beaching for D-Day
- Appendix 5 56th Brigade reinforcement requirements
- Bibliography
- Index
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Yes, you can access 56th Infantry Brigade and D-Day by Andrew Holborn in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Military & Maritime History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.