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The Development of British civil affairs and its employment in the British sector of allied military operations during the Battle of Normandy, June to August 1944

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Civil Affairs and its more robust sibling, Military Government, were military
organisations designed to ensure that basic civil order and welfare were
maintained in those allied and enemy states encountered on operations during
the Second World War. In so doing, they enabled formation commanders to
focus on defeating enemy forces without being distracted by possible civilian
problems. Using the battle of Normandy as a case study, this research assesses
the utility of Civil Affairs in supporting military needs during operations. This
contrasts with previous studies that concentrate on aspects of social and
diplomatic history.
If the need for Civil Affairs was generally axiomatic, there was much debate as to
the extent and method of delivery required. Civil Affairs quickly recognised that
in dealing with direct problems such as “disorganisation, disease and unrest” it
was necessary for seemingly indirect aspects of civilian life to be maintained.
Various forms of bureaucratic friction resulted and several Civil Affairs
approaches were used, before the model for the North West Europe campaign
was agreed. Nevertheless, the organisation employed in Normandy was
arguably the most extensive and best prepared of the war. However, it also had
to deal with many different civilian problems and in trying military
circumstances. Consequently, the battle is fertile ground for the examination of
the extent and nature of the organisation’s operational utility.
Using primary and secondary sources, this paper argues that Civil Affairs was
militarily both useful and necessary. Furthermore, it was able to provide wider
diplomatic and political benefits as well as serving core military needs. The
research concludes by acknowledging that whilst mistakes were made, the
various improvements made to Civil Affairs in preparation for, together with the
lessons learnt during, Normandy stood the organisation in good stead for the
significantly larger problems encountered later in the war.

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Abstract

Comprised of three regular battalions of infantry, 2nd Battalion The South Wales Borderers, 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment, 2nd Battalion The Gloucester Regiment and Brigade HQ, 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade was only formed in early March 1944. Its specific task was to land 'under command' of 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division on D-Day. This Division itself was made up of three brigades of very experienced infantry. What is remarkable is that 56th Infantry Brigade's infantry battalions had all been on Home Service since June 1940 and were not experienced in battle. Despite this, within only thirteen weeks of formation, 56th Infantry Brigade task was to land on Gold Beach on D-Day as follow up troops and fight inland taking the town of Bayeux by nightfall. After this the Brigade was expected to provide infantry for 7th Armoured Division in a quick push south to take Villers-Bocage. This study traces the journey made by the three battalions of 56th Brigade from 1940 through to a very concentrated forming up and training period specific to the Normandy landings in 1944. It follows their actions from the landings through to the taking of Le Havre in September 1944, by which time the Brigade had served in four different divisions and lost its 'Independent' title to become a permanent member of 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division for the remainder of the war in North West Europe. No study has previously been made of 56th Infantry Brigade and extensive use has been made of primary evidence from The National Archives and other sources in this investigation. A considerable amount of new evidence has been gathered by interviews with surviving veterans of 56th Infantry Brigade. The evidence is used to explore issues that shed new light on life in the Army at home during the war, training for war and the Normandy Campaign.

Recommended Citation

HOLBORN, A. (2009) THE ROLE OF 56th (INDEPENDENT) INFANTRY BRIGADE DURING THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN JUNE-SEPTEMBER 1944. Thesis. University of Plymouth. Retrieved from https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/foahb-theses-other/180

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THE ROLE OF 56th (INDEPENDENT) INFANTRY BRIGADE DURING THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN JUNE-SEPTEMBER 1944

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Comprised of three regular battalions of infantry, 2nd Battalion The South Wales Borderers, 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment, 2nd Battalion The Gloucester Regiment and Brigade HQ, 56th (Independent) Infantry Brigade was only formed in early March 1944. Its specific task was to land 'under command' of 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division on D-Day.

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On 22 January 1944, two Allied divisions, one British, one American, were landed over beaches near Anzio about 30 miles south of Rome — operation ‘Shingle’ — to attack the right flank of the German army who were facing the main British 8th…

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The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944

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The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944

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In this picture we can see a very important moment from the D-Day (6 de junio de 1944) the d-day is the big battle that happened during the world war II, in this image we can see many ships arriving on the beach, bringing tanks,trucks and soldiers. There are also big black balloons in the sky, which helped protect the soldiers from enemy planes. he beach is full of vehicles and people moving supplies, showing how much effort it took to bring everything needed for the war.

Before this moment, the Allied soldiers had to land on the beaches of Normandy, while the German army tried to stop them. The soldiers faced a lot of danger because the Germans were shooting from bunkers on the hills. Many brave soldiers fought and died to make sure the rest of the army could come and continue the battle.

(Maybe a fact) The 56th Infantry Brigade, a group of British soldiers, had a very important job. They had never fought in a real battle before, but in just 13 weeks of training, they had to be ready to land on Gold Beach and take the town of Bayeux by night. After that, they needed to help take another town called Villers-Bocage. This was a very difficult mission for soldiers who were new to war.

After this moment, the Allies continued to bring more supplies and soldiers to push deeper into France. They needed to free French towns from German control. The soldiers who arrived on this beach would later help take cities like Le Havre and move further across Europe to defeat the Nazi army.

I think this photo is important because it shows that winning a war is not just about fighting. It was also about planning, teamwork, and organization. The soldiers needed supplies, vehicles, and food to keep going. Without this, they wouldn’t have been able to move forward.