The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division was an infantry division of Britain's Territorial Army (TA). The division was first formed in 1908, as the Wessex Division. During the First World War, it was broken-up and never served as a complete formation. It was reformed in the TA in 1920, and then served in the campaign in North West Europe from June 1944 until May 1945, during the Second World War. The division suffered heavy casualties and gained an excellent reputation. After the Second World War, the division formed part of the postwar TA, and became the 43rd (Wessex) Division/District in 1961. It was finally disbanded in 1967.
The 130th Brigade, originally the Plymouth Brigade was an infantry formation of Britain's Volunteer Force, Territorial Force, and later Territorial Army (TA). In the First World War the brigade was in British India for most of the war and did not see service as a complete formation, but many of its battalions fought in the Middle East campaigns. The brigade did see action during the campaign in North West Europe of the Second World War, distinguishing itself at actions such as Operation Jupiter, the capture of Mont Pinçon, Operation Market Garden, at 'Dorset Wood' and at Hengelo. As 130 Brigade it continued in the postwar TA until 1961.
The Reconnaissance Corps, or simply Recce Corps, was a service branch of the British Army, formed during the Second World War, whose units provided reconnaissance for infantry divisions. It was formed from infantry brigade reconnaissance groups on 14 January 1941.
The 214th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army raised during the Second World War that saw active service on the North West Europe.
This is the order of battle for Operation Epsom, a Second World War battle between British and German forces in Normandy, France between 26 June and 30 June 1944.
The Bayeux War Cemetery is the largest Second World War cemetery of Commonwealth soldiers in France, located in Bayeux, Normandy. The cemetery contains 4,648 burials, mostly from the Invasion of Normandy. Opposite this cemetery stands the Bayeux Memorial which commemorates more than 1,800 casualties of the Commonwealth forces who died in Normandy and have no known grave.
The 43rd (Wessex) Reconnaissance Regiment was a regiment of the British Army's Reconnaissance Corps, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps, during World War II. It fought in North West Europe with the 21st Army Group in 1944–1945. Throughout most of its existence the regiment was part of the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division.
Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Gordon Ward Lane Fox, was a British Army officer and prominent Yorkshire landowner.
The 107th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (King's Own) (107 RAC) was a tank regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The regiment served with distinction in North-west Europe from July 1944 to May 1945.
The 34th Armoured Brigade was an armoured brigade of the British Army that fought in the Second World War. It was formed in 1941 as the 34th Army Tank Brigade and renamed as the 34th Tank Brigade in February 1945, becoming part of the 79th Armoured Division. It was equipped with Churchill tanks and provided close support for assaults by the infantry. During the fighting in North-west Europe from July 1944 to May 1945 the brigade served with the First Canadian Army and the British Second Army. The brigade was disbanded in early 1946.
The 142nd (Suffolk) Regiment Royal Armoured Corps was an armoured regiment of the British Army's Royal Armoured Corps that was raised in World War II and saw active service. The regiment served in the final stages of the North African Campaign at Tunisia and later served during the Italian Campaign from 1943 until early 1945 when it was disbanded.
Major General Hubert Essame, was a British Army officer who fought in the First and Second World Wars. He was also a military lecturer, historian and broadcaster.
The 1st Somersetshire Engineers was a volunteer unit of Britain's Royal Engineers (RE) whose history dated back to 1868. As the engineer component of the 43rd (Wessex) Division, the unit served in both World Wars, distinguishing itself at the assault crossing of the River Seine at Vernon in August 1944 and in the doomed attempt to relieve the 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem. A detachment also served as airborne engineers in Sicily, Italy and at Arnhem. Their successors served on in the Territorial Army until 1967.
The 120th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, was an air defence unit of the British Army's Royal Artillery during World War II. It landed on D-Day and saw action throughout the campaign in North West Europe, defending the vital Scheldt Estuary until the end of the war.
The 93rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment was an air defence unit of the British Army's Royal Artillery (RA) during World War II. Elements of the regiment landed with special equipment on D-Day, and served in the Normandy campaign. The regiment went on to defend Belgian cities against V-1 flying bombs and participated in the assault crossing of the Rhine.
43 (Wessex) Signal Regiment was a Territorial Army (TA) unit of the British Army's Royal Corps of Signals from 1920. It had its origins in a Volunteer unit of the Royal Engineers formed in the West Country in 1860 and provided the communications for the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division during World War II. Its successor still serves as a squadron in today's Army Reserve.
The 110th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, was an air defence unit of the British Army during World War II. Initially raised as an infantry battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment in 1940, it transferred to the Royal Artillery in 1942. It served with 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division in Normandy and through the campaign in North West Europe until VE Day.
The 1st Wiltshire Battery, Royal Field Artillery, and its successors were part-time Territorial Force units of the British Army from 1908 to 1950. It carried out garrison duties in India during World War I and saw active service in the Third Afghan War. It served in various units in the interwar years, finally becoming a full regiment in time for World War II. It saw action with 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division in the campaign in North West Europe, including Operations Epsom, Jupiter and Bluecoat in Normandy, the crossing of the Seine, the battle for Arnhem in the Low Countries, and then Operations Clipper, Blackcock, Veritable and Plunder across Germany. Its short-lived postwar successor unit had little or no Wiltshire connection.
The 179th Field Regiment was a unit of the Royal Artillery, formed by the British Army during World War II. First raised in 1940 as infantry of the Worcestershire Regiment, after serving in the garrison of Iceland it was converted to the field artillery role in 1942. It fought with 43rd (Wessex) Division in the campaign in North West Europe. It was disbanded after the war.
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