united_kingdom infantry division british_army formed beginning second world war months division existed training formation army recruits assigned division fully trained allocated formations fighting overseas notably division source reinforcements fighting normandy available troops left united_kingdom france division disbanded phantom formed division place aid operation deception effort supported invasion france division portrayed threatened allied landing overall deception plan successful affected german response allied invasion phantom division disbanded end war divisional history training formation second world war divisions british_army divided higher establishment lower establishment formations intended deployment overseas combat strictly home defence static role winter lower establishment divisions renamed reserve divisions january supplemented raising new reserve division infantry placed command reserve divisions training units soldiers completed corps training assigned divisions soldiers given weeks additional training section platoon company level undertaking final day exercise troops ready sent overseas join formations training handled manner relieve divisions replacements units allow train having handle new recruits existence division assigned division spread area responsibility battalion based lancaster lancashire based comments division insignia derived prime functions division find drafts overseas design included long prominent bow waves ship resulted troops giving nickname torpedoed insignia worn permanent members division june training divisions combined total men number immediately available replacements remaining men considered ineligible time service abroad medical reasons fully fit fully trained reasons following months cent men deployed reinforce following completion training certification fitness comments september dry losses suffered leaving army britain exception 52nd young old men unfit september division disbanded cox took command 38th took role division deception formation creation fictitious division arose actual reorganization british forces british_army facing manpower crisis men replace losses line infantry efforts address transferring men royal_air_force infantry began disbanding divisions army transfer men units help close strength possible decided lower establishment divisions included deception staff seized opportunity retain division phantom unit cover story established explain change division status claimed war nearing end divisions revert peacetime recruiting role release equipment resources units 38th division transfer equipment raised war joined phantom phantom retaining insignia real division supposedly based canterbury composed 50th brigades deception plan designed protect operation overlord initially plan aimed germans believe strong based scotland assault norway deception plan aimed german garrison nearly half million men stationed norway resist attack following invasion normandy transferred south reinforce fictitious formation south aimed convince germans men divisions launch main allied invasion days normandy landings goal operation persuade germans divisions 15th army normandy vii corps transferred south join following newly created fictitious assigned imaginary corps aid deception 61st maintained wireless traffic germans impression actual division addition british double agent known played vital role reported germans division undertaking assault training credited ensuring deployed allied invasion force soon ensuring success operation overlord stated germans readily accepted existence location believed threat real end july realized second assault coming time late reinforcements wrote time consider importance deception argues largely combat ready despite deception numerous german divisions including 1st held reserve 15th army europe transferred normandy repel invasion germans realized early real threat normandy existed commented germans believed deception ideas importance allied staff effectiveness deception 15th army held notion accomplish following battle normandy phantom division transferred east coast england moving forth vii corps equally division eventually disbanded april general officer commanding order battle
80th Infantry (Reserve) Division (United Kingdom)