I would be grateful if anyone could shed light on the whereabouts of 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, when they were in the UK, during 1943-44 and 1944-45. I understand that they were at Inverary and somewhere on the South Coast of England in 1943-44. Not sure about 1944-45 after return to the UK. Any insights welcome!
This is the easy bit: 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division - Wikipedia Might need records to dig deeper!
I can help a little on the 43-44 part? On their return from Sicily the ships carrying the Division split up as they approached N.Ireland. They landed at Glasgow Liverpool and Bristol. Div Hq and 69 Brigade sailed into Liverpool. They moved to East Anglia Divisiona; HQ was established at Chadacre Park near Bury St Edmunds, 69th Brigade at Thetford, The DLI`s 151 Brigade at Sudburybwith 231 Brigade slightly to the South of Sudbury . The rest of the Division were stationed in these general areas. Later each Brigade undertook 14 days training with 79th Armoured in the area of Saxmundham in Suffolk The identified assault Brigades 69th and 231st went to Inverary for combined training . Afterwards moving down to Weymouth and the New Forest area for inter service training with the Navy and RAF. Training with their Naval Force (Force G) was undertaken at Studland Bay in Dorset. Div Hq/Commanders also went to Westminster where the planning centre was housed in flats alongside the cathedral, In June 44 Divisional Headquarters was brought back together from London and Chadacre to the New Forest ready to board their HQ ship at Southampton. Most Brigades were loaded on their craft at Southampton on June 3rd. 151 Brigade DLI were at Southwold in April 44 moving to Toothill Camp ,They were at Yattendon ,Halesworth where they entrained for Chandlersford. They also spent time at Leigh Park. I don`t know exact locations or dates for the various units which composed the Division but thats the information I have taken in the main from `Path of the 50th` Hope it helps a little Kyle
Hi Pember, Here are locations of Artillery HQ's on 22 March 1944; HQRA - Chadacre Park, Hartest, Suffolk. 74 Fld Regt - Ripley House, Great Shelford, Cambs. 86 Fld Regt - Southcliffe Hotel, Bournemouth. 90 Fld Regt - 29 The Avenue, Bournemouth. 124 Fld Regt - Liston Hall, Long Melford, Surrey. 147 Fld Regt - Clifton Hotel, Bournemouth. 102 (NH) A/tank Regt - The Links, Newmarket Suffolk. 25 LAA Regt - Brettenham Hill, Nr Hitcham, Suffolk. All Battery HQ's were situated in the same towns as their Regt HQ's apart from 102 Regt's 99 Bty which was at Chickerell Camp, Weymouth and its 107 Bty which was at Dullingham, Cambs. Also 25 LAA, 82 and 274 Btys were at Whitton, Ipswich.
During 3-4 April 1944, Divisional Signals moved to Brockenhurst in the New Forest, with the Signal Office set up at the Balmer Lawn Hotel and the Regiment billeted at Minstead Manor near Lyndhurst.
Project '44 (project44.ca) The 24th Lancers War Diary has... Conde-S-Seulles 13/7/44 In the early morning at about 0645 hours, several enemy shells fell in the Regimental area killing two men and wounding three others, one of which was the Officer commanding AI echelon. In the afternoon ‘A’ Sqn went forward to area North of Hottot in support 231 Bde. There's a thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree called... 50 DIV IN NORMANDY: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BRITISH 50th (NORTHUMBRIAN) DIVISION ON D-DAY AND IN THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY A thesis presented to the Faculty of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE Military History by ETHAN RAWLS WILLIAMS, LCDR, USN B.S., United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, 1997 Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 2007. Which includes -
