54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division

The British 54th (East Anglian) Division was a Territorial Army division. During the First World War the division fought at Gallipoli and in the Middle East. During the Second World War it was a home service division and did not see any combat.

First World War
The division landed at Suvla on 10 August in the Gallipoli Campaign, as a part of IX Corps under Lieutenant-General Stopford. It was moved to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force under General Murray in late 1916 and garrisoned the southern part of the Suez Canal.

Then in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, during the First Battle of Gaza, on 26 March 1917, the 161st Brigade and divisional artillery were in reserve while the 53rd (Welsh) Division carried out the main attack. These reserves were committed as the battle progressed resulting in the British gaining a foothold in the Turkish defences but the British commander called off the attack as night fell. In the Second Battle of Gaza, the 4th and 5th Battalions of the Norfolk Regiment sustained 75 per cent casualties (about 1,200 men). It took part in the successful Third Battle of Gaza as part of XXI Corps led by General Bulfin, and by the end of 1917 General Allenby's forces had taken Jerusalem.

In September 1918 the division took part in the Battle of Megiddo.

Second World War
During the Second World War the 54th (East Anglian) Division remained in the United Kingdom as a local defence formation until it was disbanded and broken up on 14 December 1943. Its component units would take part in the Normandy campaign as support units.

Formation
The First World War division comprised three infantry brigades:


 * 161st (Essex) Brigade :
 * 1/4th Battalion, The Essex Regiment
 * 1/5th Battalion, The Essex Regiment
 * 1/6th Battalion, The Essex Regiment
 * 1/7th Battalion, The Essex Regiment


 * 162nd (East Midland) Brigade :
 * 1/5th Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment
 * 1/4th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment
 * 1/10th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment
 * 1/11th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment


 * 163rd (Norfolk and Suffolk) Brigade :
 * 1/4th Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment
 * 1/5th Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment
 * 1/5th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment
 * 1/8th (Princess Beatrice's Isle of Wight Rifles) Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment

Battles

 * Battle of Gallipoli
 * Battle of Sari Bair
 * First Battle of Gaza - 161st Brigade and artillery