British 50th (Northumbrian) Division D-Day order of battle
50th (Northumbrian) Division shoulder patch. The two T’s stand for the county’s Tyne and Tees Rivers.
Source: Major L.F. Ellis, et. al., Victory in the West, Volume I, The Battle of Normandy (History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1962).
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BRITISH 50TH (NORTHUMBRIAN) DIVISION |
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69th Brigade |
151st Brigade |
231st Brigade |
| 5th Battalion The East Yorkshire Regiment | 6th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry | 2nd Battalion The Devonshire Regiment |
| 6th Battalion The Green Howards | 8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry | 1st Battalion The Hampshire Regiment |
| 7th Battalion The Green Howards | 9th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry | 1st Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment |
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DIVISIONAL TROOPS |
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| 61st Reconnaissance Regiment R.A.C | 50th Divisional Engineers | 50th Divisional Signals |
| 74th, 90th and 124th Field, 102nd Anti-Tank, and 25th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiments R.A. | ||
| 2nd Battalion The Cheshire Regiment (Machine Gun) | ||
NOTES ON BRITISH ARMY ORGANIZATION
INFANTRY: RIFLE BATTALIONS
Four rifle companies: each three platoons of three sections. The section contained 10 men with one light machine gun; the platoon one officer and 36 men with one 2-in. mortar, and the company five officers and 122 men with three PIATs at company headquarters.
Support company: four platoons; mortar (six 3-in mortars), carrier (13 Bren carriers) anti-tank (six 6-pdr guns) and assault pioneer.
Battalion transport included 38 carriers of all kinds and 55 cars, trucks and lorries.
Strength: 35 Officers and 786 Other Ranks.
ARMOURED UNITS
Armoured and Armoured Reconnaissance Regiments and Tank Battalions (except in some minor details) all were organised alike and capable of performing the same role.
Headquarters: four cruiser or infantry tanks.
Headquarter squadron: four troops; anti-aircraft (four tanks fitted with 20-mm guns), reconnaissance (n light tanks), intercommunication eight scout cars) and administrative.
Three tank squadrons: each a headquarters of four, and five troops of three tanks, total 19. This was the organisation with standard tanks but as units began to receive the scarce 17-pdr Sherman shortly before or after D-day, their squadrons were re-organised into four troops of four tanks, one of which had the new 17-pdr.
Total tanks: cruiser (Shermans and Cromwells) or infantry (Churchills) 61; light (Stuarts) 11.
Strength: 36 Officers and 630 Other Ranks.
ARTILLERY (headquarters omitted)
Field Regiments
Three batteries: each two troops of four 25-pdr guns, total 24 guns per regiment; tractor-towed or self-propelled. Ammunition carried in first line: HE 144, smoke 16, armour-piercing 12 rounds per gun.
Medium Regiments
Two batteries: each two troops of four 5.5-in guns, total 16 guns per regiment; tractor-towed. Ammunition carried in first line: HE 100 rounds per gun.
Heavy Regiments
Two batteries of four 7-2-in howitzers and two batteries of four U.S. 155-mm guns, total 16 howitzers and guns per regiment.