59th (Staffordshire) Division

The 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division had been formed in 1939 as a second-line of the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division.

The Division entered the line in Normandy just before the 8th July to take part in the final assault on Caen, 8th–9th July, sustaining over 1000 casualties in the battle. The Division later took part in the Falaise battle, 16th–20th August. Later the same month, the Division was disbanded by General Montgomery as a result of the heavy infantry casualties sustained during the Normandy campaign making it necessary to cannibalise some formations to sustain others. Being the junior Division in 21st Army Group it was chosen for disbandment first.

(Major General LO Lyne).


176th Infantry Brigade.

7th Bn. The South Staffordshire Regiment.
6th Bn. The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s).
7th Bn. The Royal Norfolk Regiment.

177th Infantry Brigade.

5th Bn. The South Staffordshire Regiment.
1st/6th Bn. The South Staffordshire Regiment.
2nd/6th Bn. The South Staffordshire Regiment.

197th Infantry Brigade.

2nd/5th Bn. The Lancashire Fusiliers.
5th Bn. The East Lancashire Regiment.
1st/7thBn. The Royal Warwickshire Regiment.


Divisional Troops.

59th Reconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps.
7th Bn. The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.

61st (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
110th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
116th (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
68th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.
68th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.

257th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
509th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
510th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
511th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers.
24th Bridging Platoon, Royal Engineers.

59th (Staffordshire) Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.

203rd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
210th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
211th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
27th Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps.
28th Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps.

28th Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
300th Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
301st Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
557th Divisional Troops Company, Royal Army Service Corps.

176th Infantry Brigade Workshops, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
177th Infantry Brigade Workshops, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
197th Infantry Brigade Workshops, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.

59th Divisional Ordnance Field Park, Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

59th Divisional Postal Unit, Royal Engineers.

59th Divisional Provost Company, Corps of Military Police.