united_kingdom infantry division british_army raised expansion response nazi german occupation czechoslovakia division created duplicate 48th south midland infantry division assigned home defence duties division deployed overseas headquarters staff deployed norway briefly fought division deployed northern_ireland years result rumours german intention invade northern_ireland division manned static defences conducted internal security trained future operations returning england division participated numerous military exercises scheduled join operation overlord allied invasion german occupied france late role taken away division assigned train replacements combat units division aided overlord deception formats men posted combat formations late division organized light division going deployed far_east fight japanese surrender resulted november division disbanded background 1930s tensions built nazi germany united_kingdom allies late german demands annexation czechoslovakia led international crisis attempt avoid war british prime minister met german chancellor adolf_hitler september munich agreement agreement war allowed germany annex intended agreement reconcile differences future issues resolved peacefully relations countries soon deteriorated march germany breached terms agreement invading occupying remnants czech state response march british secretary state war announced plans increase men double number territorial divisions intended plan action existing units recruit allowed establishments aided increase pay removal restrictions promotion major recruiting preceding years construction better quality barracks increase supper time rations form second line divisions small built result created unit duplicate line 48th south midland infantry division april limited conscription introduced time age regular army intent trained months deployed forming second line units despite intention army grow size programme complicated lack central guidance expansion process issues lack facilities equipment instructors history initial service despite ongoing efforts regiments able recruit required numbers form new battalions process words historian progressed paper stage second world war began september outbreak war division active command major general composed supporting elements following division formation assigned end november adrian took command division spread ranging birmingham portsmouth headquarters based oxford april divisional staff deployed norway given command division headquarters deployed norway opening assault norway german troops seized trondheim response british_army planned launch attack retake city troops undertake attack came 49th west riding line territorial division service norway prior german invasion division temporarily broken brigades acting individual commands bulk form northern began landing april time restraints troops assigned expedition division deployed norway instead given command allowed select staff drew headquarters southern miles south separated mountainous terrain rivers undertaken landed soon arriving leading battalions began south april troops engaged encounter war british german troops british troops largely confined road network advancing deep snow engaged slightly larger german force supported artillery air support germans utilizing ski troops able force british german follow attacks luftwaffe heavily bombed small port stated lack equipment incapable advancing trondheim little point remaining norway sitting like rabbits snow evacuation ordered end month completed early days following loss men lack success norway withdrawal forces attempting retake trondheim resulted collapse considered daring aggressive commander historian hampered climatic geographic conditions addition troops inexperienced poorly prepared badly backed early middle waged began fear germany immediately launch invasion british isles fear compounded historian commented catastrophic allied defeats soon followed produced summer fear imminent invasion second fifth column panic initial fear invasion aroused alleged capture german documents dutch contained plans german invasion included information simultaneous attack ireland assisted document longer exists caused panic information reinforced following months reports warning german intent invade ireland diplomatic missions following return united_kingdom resumed command 61st infantry division evacuated france british acted rumours german intent invade ireland decision reinforce garrison 53rd welsh infantry division deploying 61st following months division followed 5th 48th south midland divisions mcmahon commented history ing unreliable information foreign past failures ignored reports reinforced fears invasion suggested possible plans discovered holland planted deliberate deception british intelligence truly argued dutch document seen british known german deception operations prepared anticipation operation included manufacturing rumours stories plans attack ireland build invasion commented ireland place initial plans december german planners looked possibility concluding operation possible launched result failure memoirs commented believe germans intention invading ireland grateful reason sent ideal training ground troops division improved enormously moment arrival 61st moved northern_ireland came command june division responsible manning static defences northern_ireland defending belfast responsible internal security country based northern_ireland largely positioned divisional headquarters division trained repel invasions german forces addition airborne landings small raids beaches county seen likely areas invasion end autumn concrete pillars barbed wire firing positions constructed division stay northern_ireland lieutenant general took command british forces country appointment resulted losing command division grounds age month shy 61st birthday replaced assumed command april turn followed september return england training operation overlord division returned england february placed command based essex march division participated exercise largest military exercise held united_kingdom commented exercise designed problems arise force landed hostile shore advancing exercise revealed weaknesses elements senior leadership particular officers overall command armies deployed exercise highlighted improvements general infantry division transferred moved kent following took command division role operation overlord wrote exercise indication division line unit september division conjunction 1st placed control months following exercise division relegated lower establishment status meant division strictly home defence static role compared higher establishment divisions intended deployment overseas combat change priorities division training formation intended find suitable replacements fighting formations october division assigned anti invasion duties kent based german cross channel guns periodically shelled area flying bombs minor issue december division reinforced exercise 31st played defending force exercise vulcan day training exercise aimed improving attacking process 43rd infantry division division aided number formats april ceased exist formation formed aid invasion preparation regiment attached aid men 4th created fake steel canvas positioned river 10th constructed fake landing craft dover addition fake river june battalion constructed dummy displays british double agent known reported germans division ostensibly based brighton addition allegedly took build division fictional british vii corps equally fake travelled scotland returning south furthermore division maintained wireless traffic germans impression included division lower establishment divisions allocated home defence duties 38th welsh 45th 47th london 55th 61st combined total men number available replacements fighting france remaining men considered ineligible time service abroad variety reasons including lack training medically unfit following months cent men deployed reinforce following completion training certification fitness example eligible overseas service transferred battalion tasked training considered unfit training soldiers recovered wounds training men anti aircraft units infantry july concentration area reverted infantry role days later brigade staff headquarters likewise headquarters staff august transferred force planning end german occupation attack entire force transferred europe reinforce september remaining division transferred month stint defensive garrison remainder year makeup division changed role division remained example role find drafts battalions fighting overseas light division disbandment august following conclusion war europe division reorganized light division light division concept undertaken burma campaign following initial defeats commented concluded existing indian formations road bound surviving 17th reorganised light division included reduced infantry brigades non cross country capable vehicles replaced wheel drive trucks field artillery completely replaced pack changes greatly increased road mobility increase pack animals allowed operate away road network extended period time 61st retained infantry brigades changes divisional troops lines intended division able transferred air theatre war personnel trained fight terrain encountered ground entire division mobile utilizing help adapt new role training exercises carried initial destination division far_east support fight japanese surrender resulted cancelled division left united_kingdom november division disbanded general officer commanding order battle
61st Infantry Division (United Kingdom)