Does anyone have a list of Divisions that were relegated to Home Defence in 1939, or any book (that is readily accessible!) that covers this at all, and reasons why? Ideally the official reasons as to why they were lowered to Home Defence duties.
Hello Swiper, You may find PeterG's website helpful: My British Formations Badges page: http://www.petergh.f2s.com/flashes.html I have always found it useful. Just scroll down to 'Division' and read the brief narrative Peter provides about the division concerned. From these you shoud be able to determine which Division's remained in the UK, for home Defence, Training, etc. Best, Steve.
If you download the WO 166 Home Forces file you can see which units from GHQ Command down to Divisions stayed in the UK by looking at the dates. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/29605-national-archives-catalogue-excel.html
Swiper "relegated " to Home defence...? as I recall of those days the most important task was Home Defence - nothing else mattered after Dunkirk - for a long time after the Battle of Britain - THEN we started to send divisions to the Mid East in order to hit back-which we did as you may recall with our first major victory at Beda Fomm..with very little against a very strong Italian Army.... Cheers
Cheers Drew, reason I state 'relegated' as this is pre-Dunkirk 1939 order. Trying to find out which First Line Divisions were downgraded, and then (hopefully) establish the reasons why. I 'know' why, just really trying to find the official line on such things. A side project which I'd like to try and dig up an answer on.
