56th Independent Infantry Brigade Patches

56th independent Infantry brigade

The 56th Independent Infantry Brigade was reformed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 1944. The brigade consisted of three Infantry battalions that had all seen service overseas:

 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers (SWB),

 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment 

2nd Battalion,Gloucestershire Regiment 

The 56th Brigade took part in the Normandy landings, liberated Bayeux on 7 June leaving the town mainly intact. All its battalions were involved in the taking of Tilly-sur-Seulles with the 2nd Essex finally investing the town. Later actions were north of St Germain d'Ectot and the liberation of Thury-Harcourt in the Suisse Normande. It was prominent in the drive towards Le Havre and the 49th was one of the assault divisions taking the city in Operaation Astonia in September 1944. Continuing to fight in Belgium at Poppel and then the Netherlands it was the assault brigade for the final Assault on Arhnem in April 1945. The 56th served well, and ended the war in Germany.