British Army Divisions: D-Day and Beyond

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The British Army Divisions: D-Day and Beyond

The role of the British Army in the events of World War II is well documented, with their divisions notable for their bravery and skill in some of the most important battles of the conflict. This article will look at the involvement of the British Army Divisions in the D-Day landings and consequent operations, providing an overview of the divisions, their mission objectives and how their participation helped to shape the rest of the war effort.

Background on the British Army Divisions

The British Army is currently made up of three sections: the Army Reserve, the Regular Army, and the Territorial Army. The British Army divisions are a part of this body, and provide its highest level of structure. Prior to World War II, the British Army was divided into two types of divisions: infantry divisions and armoured divisions.

During the buildup to World War II, the British Army had twenty-three divisions in operation. A number of these divisions were equipped with modernized tanks and mechanized infantry, while others made use of infantry, artillery, and mechanized reconnaissance vehicles. Among the divisions that fought during the war are the 11th Armoured Division, the 15th Infantry Division, the 51st Highland Division, the 6th Airborne Division, and the 1st Armoured Division.

The Preparations for the Invasion of France

On June 6th 1944, British troops, in coordination with Allied forces from the United States, Canada and many other countries stormed the beaches of Normandy, France. Before the invasion, the British Army divisions were heavily involved in the preparations for what was ultimately an incredibly successful operation.

The British Army had trained for months prior to the Normandy invasion. During this training, the troops rehearsed for what was expected to be a challenging engagement. Tactics were discussed, equipment tested, and the troops learnt about their mission objective, before most of them were shipped off to the Normandy coast.

In addition to the training, the British Army divisions were heavily involved in the planning leading up to the invasion. For instance, they helped to create deception plans and ensure the secrecy of the eventual attack plan. In order to ensure that surprise was maintained and the German forces were duped into believing the initial objective of the Allies was not where it happened to be, the British Army divisions helped to create false reports, bogus communications, and fake troop locations, in order to mask their true intentions.

D-Day Landings

On June 6th 1944, Operation Overlord, the codename for the invasion of Normandy, began. The British and other Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy and fought their way through the heavily defended area, in what was a display of incredible bravery and determination.

The British were the first to land during the initial attack on the German defences. The British Army Divisions involved in the landings were the 3rd Infantry, the 7th Armoured, the 11th Armoured and the Guards Infantry divisions. These four divisions joined together and successfully swept through the heavily defended German defences.

The 51st Highland Division also provided support from the sea, landing on the beaches at Sword, Juno and Gold. The 15th Scottish Infantry Division, under the command of General Miles Dempsey, landed in the later phases of the attack.

The Aftermath of D-Day

In the aftermath of the invasion, the British Army divisions launched a series of offensives in Normandy, aimed at outflanking the German forces and pushing them back into their homeland. The success of the assault meant that the Allies could finally start to push through to Germany and end the war.

The 11th Armoured Division and the 15th Infantry Division were both heavily involved in operations in France in the wake of D-Day. The 11th helped to push their way into Paris and ultimately liberated the city, while the 15th were incredibly successful in capturing and destroying enemy positions as they pushed through northern France and into Germany.

The combined forces of all of the British Army Divisions, along with their Allied forces, succeeded in pushing the Germans back and ultimately ending the war in Europe.

The role of the British Army divisions in the events of World War II and more specifically in the Normandy landings was significant. The bravery and skill of these troops helped the Allies to finally push on and push the Axis forces out of Europe. Along with the military success achieved by these divisions, their importance in the planning and preparation for the invasion should also not be overlooked.

The D-Day landings were the beginning of the end for the Axis forces and with the help of the brave soldiers of the British Army divisions, the Normandy campaign ultimately ended in victory for the Allies.

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