166-616: Allied victory [REDACTED] United Kingdom [REDACTED] 15th Army Group [REDACTED] Army Group C Total: 585,000 Invasion of Italy Winter Line Gothic Line 1945 Spring Offensive The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy , codenamed Operation Grapeshot , was the final Allied attack during the Italian Campaign in the final stages of the Second World War . The attack in
332-828: A fair trial . The English monarchs, through inheritance of substantial territories in France and claims to the French crown, were also heavily involved in conflicts in France, most notably the Hundred Years' War , while the Kings of Scots were in an alliance with the French during this period. Early modern Britain saw religious conflict resulting from the Reformation and the introduction of Protestant state churches in each country. The English Reformation ushered in political, constitutional, social and cultural change in
498-521: A subpolar oceanic climate . Higher elevations in Scotland experience a continental subarctic climate and the mountains experience a tundra climate . The prevailing wind is from the southwest and bears frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Atlantic Ocean, although the eastern parts are mostly sheltered from this wind. Since the majority of the rain falls over the western regions,
664-604: A welfare state was established, and a comprehensive, publicly funded healthcare system, the National Health Service , was created. The rise of nationalism in the colonies coincided with Britain's much-diminished economic position, so that a policy of decolonisation was unavoidable. Independence was granted to India and Pakistan in 1947. Over the next three decades, most colonies of the British Empire gained their independence, and many became members of
830-576: A broadcast message: "I confirm without reserve the words of my Commander, Marshal Graziani. You must obey his orders." United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK ) or Britain , is a country in Northwestern Europe , off the coast of the continental mainland . It comprises England , Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland . The UK includes
996-762: A decision would be made on whether the Eighth Army's prime objective would become Ferrara on the Via Adriatica or remain Budrio. The U.S. Fifth Army was to launch the Army Group's main effort at 24 hours notice from two days after the Eighth Army attack, and break into the Po valley. The capture of Bologna was looked upon as a secondary task. In Phase II , the Eighth Army was to drive northwest to capture Ferrara and Bondeno, blocking routes of potential retreat across
1162-584: A further withdrawal took place as the division moved back to defend the western bank of the Lys . Three days later, with the majority of the BEF now bound within a closing perimeter on the French coast and lacking the ability to hold the position, the decision was made to evacuate from Dunkirk , the only remaining port in British hands. By the end of the month, three of the division's battalions were dispatched to reinforce
1328-463: A leading role in the movement to abolish slavery worldwide through the blockade of Africa and pressing other nations to end their trade with a series of treaties. In 1800 the parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland each passed an Act of Union, uniting the two kingdoms and creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801. After the defeat of France at the end of
1494-590: A memorial dedicated to the division's fallen. The site was chosen to commemorate actions fought by the division in August 1914 and November 1918. In December 1934, divisional engineers and signal personnel went to the Territory of the Saar Basin . They assisted international supervisors who oversaw the 1935 Saar status referendum . In July 1935, the division was again observed by the king when they took part in
1660-601: A military review. The following year, in September, it deployed to Mandatory Palestine to bolster the British presence during the opening stages of the Arab Revolt . The 1st and the 3rd Brigades moved to Jerusalem , while the 2nd Brigade went to Sarafand al-Amar to guard the southern coast. In December, with the exception of the 2nd Brigade, all returned to the UK. The 2nd Brigade left Palestine in late 1937 and returned to
1826-853: A policy of splendid isolation in Europe, and attempted to contain Russian influence in Afghanistan and Persia , in what came to be known as the Great Game . During this time, Canada , Australia and New Zealand were granted self-governing dominion status. At the turn of the century, Britain's industrial dominance became challenged by the German Empire and the United States . The Edwardian era saw social reform and home rule for Ireland become important domestic issues, while
SECTION 10
#17327754568701992-767: A quarter of the world's landmass and population, and was the largest empire in history . However, its involvement in the First World War and the Second World War damaged Britain's economic power and a global wave of decolonisation led to the independence of most British colonies. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy . The UK has three distinct jurisdictions: England and Wales , Scotland , and Northern Ireland . Since 1999, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own governments and parliaments which control various devolved matters. A developed country ,
2158-548: A reserve as the Lincolnshire County Division took over coastal defence. From its return from France, the division was seen as one of the better equipped and trained formations based in the UK, and was held in a reserve role to be rushed to southern England in the event of a German invasion . During this period, the Guards Brigade was replaced by the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade . In 1942,
2324-459: A result of a shortage of workers in the 1950s, the government encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries . In the following decades, the UK became a more multi-ethnic society. Despite rising living standards in the late 1950s and 1960s, the UK's economic performance was less successful than many of its main competitors such as France, West Germany and Japan. The UK was the first democratic nation to lower its voting age to 18 in 1969. In
2490-811: A series of connected wars (including the English Civil War ) which led to the temporary overthrow of the monarchy, with the execution of King Charles I , and the establishment of the short-lived unitary republic of the Commonwealth of England , Scotland and Ireland. Although the monarchy was restored , the Interregnum along with the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the subsequent Bill of Rights 1689 in England and Claim of Right Act 1689 in Scotland ensured that, unlike much of
2656-460: A swift German counterattack. Back and forth fighting continued throughout the day, resulting in the ridge remaining in German hands. The 2nd Brigade suffered over 500 casualties and 29 of the supporting tanks were rendered disabled or destroyed. Notably, Lieutenant Willward Alexander Sandys-Clarke was posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions during this fighting. The next day, 24 April,
2822-481: Is only the one specific nominal term 'Great Britain' which invariably excludes Northern Ireland". The BBC historically preferred to use "Britain" as shorthand only for Great Britain, though the present style guide does not take a position except that "Great Britain" excludes Northern Ireland. The adjective "British" is commonly used to refer to matters relating to the United Kingdom and is used in law to refer to United Kingdom citizenship and nationality . People of
2988-538: Is ranked 2nd out of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index . A law has been passed that UK greenhouse gas emissions will be net zero by 2050. England accounts for 53 per cent of the UK, covering 50,350 square miles (130,395 km ). Most of the country consists of lowland terrain, with upland and mountainous terrain northwest of the Tees–Exe line which roughly divides
3154-599: Is sometimes used as a loose synonym for the United Kingdom as a whole. The word England is occasionally used incorrectly to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole, a mistake principally made by people from outside the UK. The term "Britain" is used as a synonym for Great Britain , but also sometimes for the United Kingdom. Usage is mixed: the UK Government prefers to use the term "UK" rather than "Britain" or "British" on its website (except when referring to embassies), while acknowledging that both terms refer to
3320-579: Is the Isle of Wight . Scotland accounts for 32 per cent of the UK, covering 30,410 square miles (78,772 km ). This includes nearly 800 islands , notably the Hebrides , Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. Scotland is the most mountainous constituent country of the UK, the Highlands to the north and west are the more rugged region containing the majority of Scotland's mountainous land, including
3486-724: Is the highest peak in Wales. Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,704 kilometres) of coastline including the Pembrokeshire Coast . Several islands lie off the Welsh mainland, the largest of which is Anglesey ( Ynys Môn ). History of the British 1st Division during the World Wars The 1st Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was formed and disestablished numerous times between 1809 and
SECTION 20
#17327754568703652-588: The 1884 Reform Act championed by William Gladstone granting suffrage to a majority of males for the first time. The British population increased at a dramatic rate, accompanied by rapid urbanisation , causing significant social and economic stresses. By the late 19th century, the Conservatives under Benjamin Disraeli and Lord Salisbury initiated a period of imperial expansion in Africa , maintained
3818-708: The 1st Brazilian Division , and in January 1945, with the specialist U.S. 10th Mountain Division . Allied strength amounted to 17 divisions and eight independent brigades (including 4 Italian groups of volunteers from the Italian Co-Belligerent Army which were equipped and trained by the British), equivalent to just under 20 divisions. The 15th Army Group ration strength was 1,334,000 men, the Eighth Army having an effective strength of 632,980 men, and
3984-593: The 5th Infantry Division while the main body of the 1st Infantry Division withdrew into the newly established Dunkirk perimeter . The divisional engineers constructed a makeshift pier from lorries at Bray-Dunes , which became vital once small ships arrived to help with the evacuation . Meanwhile, the division's infantry (alongside the 46th Infantry Division ) defended the Canal de Bergues between Bergues and Hoymille . On 31 May/1 June, they were heavily attacked; some positions were retained while others were breached and
4150-534: The Atlantic slave trade , mainly between 1662 and 1807 when British or British-colonial slave ships transported nearly 3.3 million slaves from Africa. The slaves were taken to work on plantations , principally in the Caribbean but also North America . However, with pressure from the abolitionism movement , Parliament banned the trade in 1807, banned slavery in the British Empire in 1833, and Britain took
4316-650: The Battle of Culloden in 1746, after which the Scottish Highlanders were forcibly assimilated into Scotland by revoking the feudal independence of clan chiefs . The British colonies in North America that broke away in the American War of Independence became the United States . British imperial ambition turned towards Asia, particularly to India . British merchants played a leading part in
4482-681: The British Army of the Rhine occupation force in Germany. The 1st Division was reformed a few months later in the UK. In the inter-war period, it dispatched troops to take part in the Irish War of Independence , to take part in the Occupation of Constantinople , to oversee the 1935 Saar status referendum , and for service during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine . In the Second World War,
4648-663: The Cairngorms , Loch Lomond and The Trossachs and Ben Nevis which at 1,345 metres (4,413 ft) is the highest point in the British Isles. Wales accounts for less than 9 per cent of the UK, covering 8,020 square miles (20,779 km ). Wales is mostly mountainous, though South Wales is less mountainous than North and mid Wales . The highest mountains in Wales are in Snowdonia and include Snowdon ( Welsh : Yr Wyddfa ) which, at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft),
4814-523: The Commonwealth of Nations . The UK was the third country to develop a nuclear weapons arsenal (with its first atomic bomb test, Operation Hurricane , in 1952), but the post-war limits of Britain's international role were illustrated by the Suez Crisis of 1956. The international spread of the English language ensured the continuing international influence of its literature and culture . As
4980-737: The Crimean War , the Anglo-Zulu War , and the Second Boer War . In 1902, it was re-raised in the UK. This latter event saw the division raised as a permanent formation, rather than being formed on an ad hoc basis for any particular crisis. In 1914, the First World War broke out and the division fought on the Western Front throughout the entire period. In 1919, it was used to form the Western Division as part of
5146-767: The European Convention on Human Rights . The UK remained a great power with global diplomatic and military influence and a leading role in the United Nations and NATO . The UK broadly supported the United States' approach to the " war on terror " in the early 21st century. British troops fought in the War in Afghanistan , but controversy surrounded Britain's military deployment in Iraq , which saw
Spring 1945 offensive in Italy - Misplaced Pages Continue
5312-583: The European Union (EU) in 1992, the UK was one of the 12 founding member states. From the late 1960s, Northern Ireland suffered communal and paramilitary violence (sometimes affecting other parts of the UK) conventionally known as the Troubles . It is usually considered to have ended with the 1998 Belfast "Good Friday" Agreement . Following a period of widespread economic slowdown and industrial strife in
5478-494: The Falkland Islands , leading to the 10-week Falklands War in which Argentine forces were defeated. The inhabitants of the islands are predominantly descendants of British settlers, and strongly favour British sovereignty, expressed in a 2013 referendum . From 1984, the UK economy was helped by the inflow of substantial North Sea oil revenues. Another British overseas territory, Gibraltar , ceded to Great Britain in
5644-545: The French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars (1792–1815), the United Kingdom emerged as the principal naval and imperial power (with London the largest city in the world from about 1830). Unchallenged at sea , British dominance was later described as Pax Britannica ("British Peace"), a period of relative peace among the great powers (1815–1914) during which the British Empire became
5810-747: The Gulf War , served in Bosnia, took part in the Iraq War , and in 2014 was renamed the 1st (United Kingdom) Division . The 1st Division was formed on 18 June 1809, by Lieutenant-General Arthur Wellesley , commander of British forces in Spain and Portugal , for service during the Peninsular War . After the conclusion of the War of the Sixth Coalition , it was broken-up only to be reformed
5976-445: The Irish Sea . The United Kingdom had an estimated population of over 68.2 million people in 2023. The capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom is London , whose wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe , with a population of 14.9 million. The cities of Edinburgh , Cardiff , and Belfast are the national capitals of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, respectively. The lands of
6142-408: The Italian Co-belligerent Army advancing up the line of Route 9, followed two hours later by II US Corps from the south. On 24 April, Parma and Reggio Emilia were liberated by the partisans. IV Corps had continued its northwards advance and reached the Po river at San Benedetto on 22 April. The river was crossed the next day and they advanced north to Verona which they entered on 26 April. To
6308-463: The Labour Party emerged from an alliance of trade unions and small socialist groups in 1900, and suffragettes campaigned for women's right to vote. Britain was one of the principal Allies that defeated the Central Powers in the First World War (1914–1918). Alongside their French, Russian and (after 1917) American counterparts, British armed forces were engaged across much of the British Empire and in several regions of Europe, particularly on
6474-434: The Lombard Plain by the 15th Allied Army Group started on 6 April 1945 and ended on 2 May with the surrender of all Axis forces in Italy . The Allies had launched their last major offensive on the Gothic Line in August 1944, with the British Eighth Army ( Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese ) attacking up the coastal plain of the Adriatic and the U.S. Fifth Army ( Lieutenant General Mark Clark ) attacking through
6640-434: The Munich Agreement , but relations between both parties soon rapidly deteriorated. In March 1939, Germany occupied the remnants of Czechoslovak breaching the agreement reached at Munich. In May, Alexander joined high ranking British officers who were dispatched to France to undertake staff talks with their French counterparts . This was followed by a tour of the Maginot Line . The division itself continued training through
6806-405: The Representation of the People Act 1918 . After the war, Britain became a permanent member of the Executive Council of the League of Nations and received a mandate over a number of former German and Ottoman colonies. Under the leadership of David Lloyd George , the British Empire reached its greatest extent, covering a fifth of the world's land surface and a quarter of its population. By
Spring 1945 offensive in Italy - Misplaced Pages Continue
6972-463: The Soviet Union formed in 1941, leading the Allies against the Axis powers . There were eventual hard-fought victories in the Battle of the Atlantic , the North Africa campaign and the Italian campaign . British forces played important roles in the Normandy landings of 1944 and the liberation of Europe . The British Army led the Burma campaign against Japan, and the British Pacific Fleet fought Japan at sea. British scientists contributed to
7138-451: The US 1st Infantry Division that was also active in the campaign. Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim , commander of the Axis Panzer Army Africa , was aware that Allied forces were intending to launch a major offensive. To attempt to cause delays, he approved for the Division Hermann Göring and the 334th Infantry Division to attack, supported by the 10th Panzer Division and Tiger I tanks. On 21 April, six German battalions attacked
7304-475: The Western Front for the duration of the war. On 31 October 1914 divisional commander General Samuel Lomax was seriously wounded by a shell and died on 10 April 1915, never having recovered from his wounds. The division's insignia was the signal flag for the 'Number 1'. During the war, the division fought in the Battle of Mons , First Battle of the Marne , First Battle of the Aisne , First Battle of Ypres , Battle of Aubers Ridge , Battle of Loos , Battle of
7470-449: The Western Front . The high fatalities of trench warfare caused the loss of much of a generation of men, with lasting social effects in the nation and a great disruption in the social order. Britain had suffered 2.5 million casualties and finished the war with a huge national debt. The consequences of the war persuaded the government to expand the right to vote in national and local elections to all adult men and most adult women with
7636-408: The coastline paradox . It is connected to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel , which at 31 miles (50 km) (24 miles (38 km) underwater) is the longest underwater tunnel in the world. The UK contains four terrestrial ecoregions: Celtic broadleaf forests , English Lowlands beech forests , North Atlantic moist mixed forests , and Caledonian conifer forests . The area of woodland in
7802-436: The largest protest in British history in opposition to the government led by Tony Blair . The Great Recession severely affected the UK economy. The Cameron–Clegg coalition government of 2010 introduced austerity measures intended to tackle the substantial public deficits. Studies have suggested that policy led to significant social disruption and suffering. A referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 resulted in
7968-402: The surrender of Italy , and pushed German forces north to where they entrenched along the Winter Line barring the Allies from capturing Rome. From late September onwards, consideration for an amphibious landing behind the front line were made, but logistical and strategical constraints delayed such a venture from gaining traction until the end of the year. Anzio , south of Rome, was chosen as
8134-414: The 15th Army Group headquarters until the morning of 2 May. It emerged that Kesselring had his authority as Commander of the West extended to include Italy and had replaced Vietinghoff with General Friedrich Schulz from Army Group G on hearing of the plans. After a period of confusion, during which the news of Hitler's death arrived, Schulz obtained Kesselring's agreement to the surrender and Vietinghoff
8300-512: The 16th century and established the Church of England . Moreover, it defined a national identity for England and slowly, but profoundly, changed people's religious beliefs. Wales was fully incorporated into the Kingdom of England , and Ireland was constituted as a kingdom in personal union with the English crown. In what was to become Northern Ireland, the lands of the independent Catholic Gaelic nobility were confiscated and given to Protestant settlers from England and Scotland. In 1603,
8466-401: The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, is a key military base . A referendum in 2002 on shared sovereignty with Spain was rejected by 98.97% of voters in the territory. Around the end of the 20th century, there were major changes to the governance of the UK with the establishment of devolved administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The statutory incorporation followed acceptance of
SECTION 50
#17327754568708632-406: The 1970s, the Conservative government of the 1980s led by Margaret Thatcher initiated a radical policy of monetarism , deregulation, particularly of the financial sector (for example, the Big Bang in 1986) and labour markets, the sale of state-owned companies (privatisation), and the withdrawal of subsidies to others. In 1982, Argentina invaded the British territories of South Georgia and
8798-415: The 1st Division started towards Germany, crossed the frontier on 16 December, and reached the Bonn area on 24 December. In January 1919, the occupation force became the British Army of the Rhine and demobilisation of veterans began. Starting at a rate of 1,200 men per day, this increased to 2,400 by the end of the month with drafts of teenagers replacing them. In March, the division was redesignated as
8964-402: The 2nd Brigade and were repulsed. On 24 January, the division was relieved of its reserve duties and its forward patrols reached Aprilia (nicknamed 'the factory' by the advancing troops) as well as positions along the Moletta River to secure the left flank of the landing zone. By this point, German troops from Germany, France, Yugoslavia, and elsewhere in Italy had started to redeploy to oppose
9130-416: The 3rd Brigade launched a new attack and seized the ridge. They were then subjected to German bombardments and suffered over 300 casualties. On 27 April, the division's next major attack started when the 24th Infantry Brigade (Guards) attacked Djebel bou Aoukaz , another defended ridge. The initial attack was almost successful, but ultimately failed. A renewed effort the following day seized the ridge, but it
9296-476: The 5th century) united with the Picts to create the Kingdom of Scotland in the 9th century. In 1066, the Normans invaded England from northern France. After conquering England , they seized large parts of Wales , conquered much of Ireland and were invited to settle in Scotland, bringing to each country feudalism on the Northern French model and Norman-French culture. The Anglo-Norman ruling class greatly influenced, but eventually assimilated with,
9462-425: The 88th Infantry Division advancing towards Bologna between Highway 64 and 65 and the 91st and 34th Infantry Divisions along Highway 65. Progress against a determined German defense was slow, but ultimately the superior Allied firepower and lack of German reserves allowed the Allies to break through the mountain defenses and reach the plains of the Po valley. The 10th Mountain Division was directed to bypass Bologna on
9628-423: The 8th Indian Infantry Division was established on the far side of the Santerno and the 78th Infantry Division started their pass through to make the assault on Argenta. In the meantime, the 24th Guards Brigade , part of the 56th (London) Infantry Division, had launched an amphibious flanking attack from the water to the right of the Argenta Gap. Although they gained a foothold, they were still held up at positions on
9794-400: The Allied forces in the bridgehead. On the division's front, between 3–4 February, German efforts concentrated on destroying the salient. Due to terrain, some the division's units were not able to set up mutually supporting positions and this was exploited by the German who infiltrated between them. While some of the initial German attacks were fought back, some British positions were overrun, or
9960-467: The BEF to withdraw the next day towards the Escaut . The 3rd Infantry Brigade provided a rearguard and was attacked on 18 May, was almost cut off but was able to extradite itself with the support of the divisional artillery. A few days later, the division fought back an assault on their position at the Escaut. The British official campaign history alleged that the Germans preceded their attack with troops dressed as civilians or British officers . On 23 May,
10126-425: The Bologna road, Route 9 (the Via Emilia) and the other northwest along Route 16, the Via Adriatica , towards Bastia and the Argenta Gap which was a narrow strip of dry terrain through the flooded land west of Lake Comacchio. An amphibious operation across the lake and parachute drop would bring pressure to bear on the flank and help to break the Argenta position. Depending on the relative success of these actions,
SECTION 60
#173277545687010292-648: The British 46th Infantry Division . The rest of the division followed in December along with the 3rd Greek Mountain Brigade . In early January 1945, the British 1st Infantry Division was sent to Palestine and at the end of the month the I Canadian Corps and the British 5th Infantry Division were ordered to the North West Europe Campaign . This reduced the Eighth Army, now commanded by Lieutenant-General Richard McCreery , to seven divisions. Two other British divisions were to follow them to North-Western Europe, but Alexander kept them in Italy. The U.S. Fifth Army had been reinforced between September and November 1944 with
10458-508: The British 1st and the 4th Divisions near Medjez el Bab . The 3rd Brigade, holding a ridgeline nicknamed 'Banana Ridge', bore the brunt of the attack in the division's sector. While the German assault caused a potentially dangerous situation to arise for artillery that had been moved forward in preparation for the Allied offensive, it was repulsed with just 106 casualties among the 1st Division. Thirty-three German tanks and 450 prisoners were claimed. The next morning, Operation Vulcan began, which
10624-464: The Brittonic area mainly to what was to become Wales , Cornwall and, until the latter stages of the Anglo-Saxon settlement, the Hen Ogledd (northern England and parts of southern Scotland). Most of the region settled by the Anglo-Saxons became unified as the Kingdom of England in the 10th century. Meanwhile, Gaelic speakers in north-west Britain (with connections to the north-east of Ireland and traditionally supposed to have migrated from there in
10790-421: The Canadians and Polish launched their attack on 23 May, Major General Lucian Truscott , who had replaced Lucas as commander of U.S. VI Corps, launched a two pronged attack using five (three American and two British) of the seven divisions in the bridgehead at Anzio. The German 14th Army facing this thrust was without any armoured divisions because Kesselring had sent his armour south to help the German 10th Army in
10956-418: The Cassino action. The 18th Infantry Brigade, which was temporarily attached to the division from February to August, returned to command of the 1st Armoured Division and were replaced by the 66th Infantry Brigade became a part of the division for the rest of the war. In the fighting for the Anzio beachhead, 8,868 officers and men of the 1st Infantry Division were killed, wounded or missing in action. After
11122-437: The Fifth Army 266,883. As of 9 April, the Axis in Italy had 21 much weaker German divisions and four Italian National Republican Army (ENR) divisions, with about 349,000 German and 45,000 Italian troops. There were another 91,000 German troops on the lines of communication, and Germans commanded about 100,000 Italian police. Three of the Italian divisions were allocated to the Ligurian Army under Rodolfo Graziani which guarded
11288-449: The Fossa Marina on the night of 14 April. The 78th Infantry Division was also held up that same day on the Reno River at Bastia. The Fifth Army began its assault on 14 April after a bombardment by 2,000 heavy bombers and 2,000 guns along with attacks by IV Corps (1st Brazilian, 10th Mountain and 1st Armored Divisions ) on the left. This was followed on the night of 15 April by II Corps attacking with 6th South African Armoured Division and
11454-416: The Franco–Belgian border on 3 October. Along with the three other divisions of the BEF , it was based east of Lille . During the rest of the year and into 1940, training took place as well as the construction of field fortifications . David Fraser , a historian and former British general, wrote that the regular formations of the BEF were well-trained in small arms, but lacked tactical skill. Though mobile,
11620-409: The German defense continued to be strong and effective, but Bondeno was captured on 23 April. The 6th Armoured Division linked with the 10th Mountain Division the next day at Finale some 5 mi (8.0 km) upstream along the river Panaro from Bondeno. Bologna was entered in the morning of 21 April by the 3rd Carpathian Infantry Division of the II Polish Corps and the Friuli Combat Group of
11786-475: The Germans and Western Allies had taken place in Switzerland ( Operation Crossword ) in March, but had resulted only in protests from the Soviets that the Western Allies were attempting to negotiate a separate peace. On 28 April, Vietinghoff sent emissaries to the Allied Army headquarters. On 29 April, they signed an instrument of surrender at the Royal Palace of Caserta stating that hostilities would formally end on 2 May. Confirmation from Vietinghoff, did not reach
11952-648: The Indians and New Zealanders and drive for Bastia and the Argenta gap, 23 km (14 mi) behind the Senio, where the dry land narrowed to a front of only 5 km (3 mi), bounded on the right by Lake Comacchio, a huge lagoon running to the Adriatic coast and on the left by a marshland. At the same time, the British 56th (London) Infantry Division would launch the amphibious flank attack along Lake Comacchio. On
12118-479: The Italian garrison held a conference where they acknowledged their situation was untenable and made the decision to surrender. The latter coincided with the start of the division's landing operations. Under the cover of fighters, a final bombing raid, and naval gunfire, the 1st Division came ashore around noon and were greeted by white flags. The remaining Pelagie Islands were taken the next day, without incident. With
12284-636: The Liri valley whilst on the right 2nd Polish Corps would isolate the monastery and push round behind it into the Liri valley to link with XIII Corps. I Canadian Corps would be held in reserve ready to exploit the expected breakthrough. Once the German Tenth Army had been defeated, the U.S. VI Corps would break out of the Anzio beachhead to cut off the retreating Germans in the Alban Hills. As
12450-830: The Manhattan Project whose task was to build an atomic weapon. Once built, it was decided, with British consent, to use the weapon against Japan. The UK was one of the Big Three powers (along with the US and the Soviet Union) who met to plan the post-war world ; it drafted the Declaration by United Nations with the United States and became one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council . It worked closely with
12616-542: The Name of Great Britain". The term "United Kingdom" has occasionally been used as a description for the former Kingdom of Great Britain , although its official name from 1707 to 1800 was simply "Great Britain". The Acts of Union 1800 formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Following the partition of Ireland and the independence of the Irish Free State in 1922, which left Northern Ireland as
12782-514: The Po. The U.S. Fifth Army was to push past Bologna, north to link with Eighth Army in the Bondeno region, to complete an encirclement of German forces south of the Po. The Fifth Army was to make a secondary thrust further west towards Ostiglia, the crossing point on the Po of the main route to Verona. Phase III involved the establishment of bridgeheads across the Po and exploitation north. The Eighth Army plan ( Operation Buckland ) had to deal with
12948-595: The Polish Corps front at Route 9) attacked at dusk. In the fight there were two Victoria Crosses won by the 8th Indian Infantry Division. They had reached the Santerno, 5.6 km (3.5 mi) beyond, by dawn on 11 April. The New Zealanders had reached the Santerno at nightfall on 10 April and succeeded in making a crossing at dawn on 11 April. The Poles had also closed on the Santerno by the night of 11 April. By late morning of 12 April, after an all-night assault,
13114-716: The Scottish electorate voting by 55.3 to 44.7% to remain part of the United Kingdom. In 2016, 51.9 per cent of voters in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union . The UK left the EU in 2020. On 1 May 2021, the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement came into force. The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on the UK's economy , caused major disruptions to education and had far-reaching impacts on society and politics in 2020 and 2021. The United Kingdom
13280-630: The Somme , Battle of Pozières , Third Battle of Ypres , Battle of Épehy . The division suffered 16,000 men killed in action. With the Armistice of 11 November 1918 ending the First World War, the Allied Powers agreed to occupy the Rhineland as a way to guarantee future reparation payments . On 18 November, after a six-day grace period during which only German forces were allowed to move,
13446-501: The UK has the world's sixth-largest economy by nominal gross domestic product (GDP). It is a nuclear state , and is ranked fifth globally in military expenditure . The UK has been a permanent member of the UN Security Council since its first session in 1946. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , Council of Europe , G7 , OECD , NATO , Five Eyes , AUKUS and CPTPP . British influence can be observed in
13612-676: The UK have been inhabited continuously since the Neolithic . In AD 43 the Roman conquest of Britain began; the Roman departure was followed by Anglo-Saxon settlement . In 1066, the Normans conquered England . With the end of the Wars of the Roses the English state stabilised and began to grow in power, resulting by the 16th century in the annexation of Wales , the domination of Scotland , and
13778-455: The UK in 1922 as the Irish Free State , and the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 created the present United Kingdom. The UK became the first industrialised country and was the world's foremost power for the majority of the 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly during the " Pax Britannica " between 1815 and 1914. At its height in the 1920s, the British Empire encompassed almost
13944-484: The UK in 2023 is estimated to be 3.25 million hectares, which represents 13% of the total land area in the UK. Most of the United Kingdom has a temperate climate, with generally cool temperatures and plentiful rainfall all year round. The temperature varies with the seasons seldom dropping below 0 °C (32 °F ) or rising above 30 °C (86 °F). Some parts, away from the coast, of upland England, Wales, Northern Ireland and most of Scotland, experience
14110-961: The UK into lowland and upland areas. Lowland areas include Cornwall , the New Forest , the South Downs and the Norfolk Broads . Upland areas include the Lake District , the Pennines , the Yorkshire Dales , Exmoor , and Dartmoor . The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames , Severn , and the Humber . England's highest mountain is Scafell Pike , at 978 metres (3,209 ft) in the Lake District; its largest island
14276-464: The US 1st Armored Division to exploit potentially towards Rome. While the division reached Campoleone, it was unable to push beyond, and the US tanks failed to make their own impact due to mud and terrain limitations. The division regrouped to consolidate the ground captured, a salient 7,000 yards (6,400 m) deep. By early February, the Germans had assembled a force that was almost on parity with
14442-402: The United Kingdom and that elsewhere "British government" is used at least as frequently as "United Kingdom government". The UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names recognises "United Kingdom", "UK" and "U.K." as shortened and abbreviated geopolitical terms for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in its toponymic guidelines; it does not list "Britain" but notes that "it
14608-411: The United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible. The hours of sunshine vary from 1200 to about 1580 hours per year, and since 1996 the UK has been and still is receiving above the 1981 to 2010 average hours of sunshine. Climate change has a serious impact on the country. A third of food price rise in 2023 is attributed to climate change. As of 2022, the United Kingdom
14774-436: The United Kingdom use several different terms to describe their national identity and may identify themselves as being British , English , Scottish , Welsh , Northern Irish , or Irish ; or as having a combination of different national identities. Settlement by Cro-Magnons of what was to become the United Kingdom occurred in waves beginning by about 30,000 years ago. The island has been continuously inhabited only since
14940-620: The United Kingdom. The 1928 Equal Franchise Act gave women electoral equality with men in national elections. Strikes in the mid-1920s culminated in the General Strike of 1926 . Britain had still not recovered from the effects of the First World War when the Great Depression (1929–1932) led to considerable unemployment and hardship in the old industrial areas, as well as political and social unrest with rising membership in communist and socialist parties. A coalition government
15106-640: The United States to establish the IMF , World Bank and NATO . The war left the UK severely weakened and financially dependent on the Marshall Plan , but it was spared the total war that devastated eastern Europe. In the immediate post-war years, the Labour government under Clement Attlee initiated a radical programme of reforms, which significantly impacted British society in the following decades . Major industries and public utilities were nationalised ,
15272-537: The Western Division and ceased to exist. The 1st Division reformed at Aldershot on 4 June 1919, and became the only UK-based formation maintained in a state of readiness that could be deployed in an emergency. It dispatched troops to reinforce the British Army in Ireland during the Irish War of Independence and later to assist in the occupation of Constantinople . Annual training also resumed and 1924 marked
15438-628: The acquisition and settlement of overseas colonies , particularly in North America and the Caribbean. Though previous attempts at uniting the two kingdoms within Great Britain in 1606, 1667, and 1689 had proved unsuccessful, the attempt initiated in 1705 led to the Treaty of Union of 1706 being agreed and ratified by both parliaments. On 1 May 1707, the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed,
15604-471: The attack would then switch westward again to break into the Po valley skirting Bologna. In the first week of April, diversionary attacks were launched on the extreme right and left of the Allied front to draw German reserves away from the main assaults. Operation Roast was an assault by 2nd Commando Brigade and tanks to capture the seaward isthmus of land bordering Lake Comacchio and seize Port Garibaldi on
15770-479: The autumn of 1944, but had received 11,000 reinforcements during the early months of 1945, mainly from Polish conscripts in the German Army taken prisoner in the Battle of Normandy . Once across the Senio, the assault divisions were to advance to cross the Santerno. Once the Santerno was crossed, the British 78th Infantry Division would reprise their Cassino role and pass through the bridgehead established by
15936-522: The central Apennine Mountains . Although they managed to breach the formidable Gothic Line defenses, the Allies failed to break into the Po Valley before the winter weather made further attempts impossible. The Allied forward formations spent the rest of the winter of 1944 in inhospitable conditions while preparations were being made for a spring offensive in 1945. When Field Marshal Sir John Dill ,
16102-614: The commander of the U.S. VI Corps from the Battle of Anzio and the capture of Rome to Alsace , landed in the South of France during Operation Dragoon and returned to Italy to assume command of the Fifth Army. On 23 March, Albert Kesselring was appointed Commander-in-Chief West , replacing General-Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt . Heinrich von Vietinghoff returned from the Baltic to take over from Kesselring and Traugott Herr ,
16268-736: The decades-long process of European integration , the UK was a founding member of the Western European Union , established with the London and Paris Conferences in 1954. In 1960 the UK was one of the seven founding members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but in 1973 it left to join the European Communities (EC). In a 1975 referendum 67% voted to stay in it. When the EC became
16434-402: The difficult task of getting across the Senio, with its raised artificial banks varying between 6 m (20 ft) and 12 m (40 ft) in height and honeycombed with tunnels and bunkers front and rear. V Corps was ordered to make an attack on the salient formed by the river into the Allied line at Cotignola. On the right of the river's salient was 8th Indian Infantry Division , reprising
16600-482: The division by December. During the course of 1937, the division was mechanised and reorganised in line with new thinking. This saw each brigade decreased from four to three battalions, anti-tank companies added, and saw the arrival of Universal Carriers and more transport to make the infantry more mobile. In September, army manoeuvres were conducted in East Anglia to test the changes. The 1st Division played
16766-406: The division fended off several further German counterattacks that saw at least one British company overrun. While the initial corps-wide attack had failed, a renewed effort began on 30 January after sufficient forces had landed and the corps had secured its logistical base. For the divisions part, it had to advance towards Albano Laziale and Genzano di Roma , with the aim to create conditions for
16932-592: The division fought in the Battle of France , was evacuated at Dunkirk in 1940 and fought in the Tunisian and Italian campaigns . It ended the war in the Middle East. During the Cold War, it was garrisoned in various locations across Africa and the Middle East before it returned to the UK. It was then disbanded and reformed in Germany, where it became the 1st Armoured Division in the 1970s. It latter fought in
17098-540: The division joined the forming First Army and departed the UK on 28 February bound for North Africa. The division arrived in North Africa on 9 March 1943 and moved to the Medjez-Bou Arada area of Tunisia . It joined the ongoing Tunisian campaign , by conducting patrols over the following weeks. On 4 April, it was temporarily redesignated as the 1st British Infantry Division, to avoid confusion with
17264-495: The division moved to East Anglia and in June reorganised as a mixed division. This concept called for an infantry division to have one infantry brigade removed and for it to be replaced by a brigade of tanks. To this point in the war, British tank brigades –containing infantry tanks –were independent formations allocated to higher commands and assigned to subordinate formations as needed. This move, to incorporate them into divisions,
17430-410: The division returned to the UK for a short while in 1955 and 1956. It remained in the until 30 June 1960, when it was disbanded due to there being no need for an additional divisional headquarters in the UK. It was reformed the following day, when the 5th Division was renamed. The new division was based in Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine. During April 1978, a reorganised took place and
17596-498: The division. The capture of Djebel bou Aoukaz secured the flank for the new offensive, which started on 6 May and used forces other than the 1st Division. Tunis was captured the following day, and Axis forces in North Africa capitulated on 12 May 1943. Pantelleria , part of the Pelagie Islands , is located between Sicily and Tunisia. The Italians had fortified the island as a strategic counterweight to Malta . By 1943, it
17762-483: The eastern parts are the driest. Atlantic currents, warmed by the Gulf Stream , bring mild winters, especially in the west where winters are wet and even more so over high ground. Summers are warmest in the southeast of England and coolest in the north. Heavy snowfall can occur in winter and early spring on high ground, and occasionally settles to great depth away from the hills. The average total annual sunshine in
17928-666: The encirclement of the German armies defending Bologna. On the same day, the Italian National Liberation Committee for Northern Italy , in command of the Italian resistance movement , ordered a general insurrection; in the following days, fighting between Italian partisan and the German and RSI forces broke out in Turin and Genoa (as well as in many other towns across Northern Italy), while German forces prepared to withdraw from Milan . On all fronts,
18094-537: The establishment of the British Empire . Over the course of the 17th century, the role of the British monarchy was reduced, particularly as a result of the English Civil War . In 1707, the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland united under the Treaty of Union to create the Kingdom of Great Britain . The Acts of Union 1800 incorporated the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. Most of Ireland seceded from
18260-582: The experienced commander of the LXXVI Panzer Corps , took over the 10th Army . Joachim Lemelsen , who had temporarily commanded the 10th Army, returned to command the 14th Army . Allied manpower shortages continued in October 1944. The 4th Indian Infantry Division had been sent to Greece and the British 4th Infantry Division had followed them in November along with the 139th Brigade of
18426-461: The fighting seen by the division throughout February and March, the 24th Infantry Brigade (Guards) was withdrawn from the division, due to a lack of Guards replacements (even at this stage of the war the Guards were the only infantry regiments in the British Army to receive drafts of replacements from their own regiment), and replaced by the 18th Infantry Brigade from the 1st Armoured Division , which
18592-464: The first large scale exercise conducted since the Army Manoeuvres of 1913. During the 1924 exercise, held between August and September, the division undertook brigade training around Aldershot before conducting division-level training in the New Forest . On 10 June 1925, George V reviewed the formation. At La Groise , France, on 16 April 1927, Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch unveiled
18758-494: The first step in a series of attacks that would conclude with an invasion of Greece. Back in North Africa, the division trained and guarded prisoners of war . This lasted until early December 1943, when it was transferred to Italy and concentrated near Cerignola in preparation to join the Eighth Army fighting on the east coast of the country. In the preceding months, Allied forces had landed in southern Italy , accepted
18924-594: The first year, Britain and its Empire continued the war against Germany. Churchill engaged industry, scientists and engineers to support the government and the military in the prosecution of the war effort. In 1940, the Royal Air Force defeated the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain . Urban areas suffered heavy bombing during the Blitz . The Grand Alliance of Britain, the United States and
19090-582: The following year when the War of the Seventh Coalition began. The division subsequently fought at the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo . With the end of the Napoleonic Wars , the division became part of the Army of Occupation based in France where it remained until December 1818, when it was disbanded upon the British withdrawal. Over the course of the 19th century, the division
19256-587: The formal control it exerted over its own colonies, British dominance of much of world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of regions such as East Asia and Latin America . Throughout the Victorian era , political attitudes favoured free trade and laissez-faire policies. Beginning with the Great Reform Act in 1832, Parliament gradually widened the voting franchise , with
19422-401: The formation was renamed the 1st Armoured Division. Under this banner, in 1990–1991, it fought in the Gulf War . When the Cold War ended, the British government restructured the army as part of Options for Change and this saw the division again disbanded on 31 December 1992. In 1993, the 4th Armoured Division, based in Germany, was renamed as the 1st (United Kingdom) Armoured Division. During
19588-632: The formations lacked specialist weapons, ammunition, spare parts, and communication equipment because of the budget cuts of the inter-war period. On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded Belgium . In response, the Anglo–French armies moved into Belgium in accordance with the Allied Dyle Plan . The division reached the River Dyle without difficulties. Although tactical success was achieved in its first action on 15 May, strategic developments forced
19754-703: The global hegemon and adopted the role of global policeman. From 1853 to 1856, Britain took part in the Crimean War , allied with the Ottoman Empire against Tsarist Russia , participating in the naval battles of the Baltic Sea known as the Åland War in the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland , among others. Following the Indian Rebellion in 1857 , the British government led by Lord Palmerston assumed direct rule over India . Alongside
19920-451: The head of the British Mission in Washington, D.C. , died on 5 November, Field Marshal Sir Henry Maitland Wilson was appointed his replacement. General Harold Alexander , having been promoted to Field Marshal, replaced Wilson as Allied Supreme Commander Mediterranean on 12 December. Clark succeeded Alexander as commander of the Allied forces in Italy (renamed 15th Army Group ), but without promotion. Lieutenant General Lucian Truscott ,
20086-406: The heavily damaged town, was upwards of 30,000 French soldiers who covered the final stage of British withdrawal. Once back in the UK, the division moved to Lincolnshire to defend the coast, and to partially replace the 2nd Armoured Division that was relocated and the 66th Infantry Division that had been broken-up. It remained through 1941, during which time it moved further inland to act as
20252-415: The infantry and the tank brigade did not start until August. The following month, the 34th were replaced by the 25th Tank Brigade . The mixed concept was found not to be successful as it left the division with too few infantry. This resulted in a revision to an infantry division organisation in November, when the 25th Tank Brigade departed and were replaced by the 24th Infantry Brigade (Guards) . In 1943,
20418-415: The island of Great Britain , the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland , and most of the smaller islands within the British Isles , making up a total area of 94,354 square miles (244,376 km ). Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland ; otherwise, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , the North Sea , the English Channel , the Celtic Sea , and
20584-405: The islands secured, the division was withdrawn back to North Africa on 14 June. Four days later, the first Allied aircraft started operating from the island and would go on to provide air cover during the assault on Sicily. The capture of Pantelleria resulted in a German decision to send additional troops to Sardinia and Sicily. Allied deception, however, had convinced the Germans that it was just
20750-403: The kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland were united in a personal union when James VI, King of Scots , inherited the crowns of England and Ireland and moved his court from Edinburgh to London; each country nevertheless remained a separate political entity and retained its separate political, legal, and religious institutions. In the mid-17th century, all three kingdoms were involved in
20916-419: The lake's north side. Damage to other transport infrastructure forced Axis forces to use sea, canal, and river routes for supply. During this time, Axis shipping was being attacked in bombing raids such as Operation Bowler . The build-up to the main assault started on 6 April with heavy artillery bombardment of the Senio defenses. In the early afternoon of 9 April 825 heavy bombers dropped fragmentation bombs on
21082-410: The landing site. The Fifth Army , fighting on the west coast of Italy, was assigned the dual task of advancing north through the Winter Line and conducting the landing. The division was allocated to the Fifth Army to take part in the operation. Accordingly, it moved to the Salerno - Naples area in early January and started specialized training on 14 January 1944. Between 17 and 19 January, Exercise Oboe
21248-424: The landing. Route 7 , a highway and a vital supply line from central Italy to German forces based at the Winter Line, passes through Cisterna di Latina . The town was thus a target of the Allied landing. Carroceto and Aprilia were captured on 25 January, as the division worked to assist VI Corps achieve this goal. Over the course of the following days, patrols were conducted, minor tactical gains were made, and
21414-408: The last retreat of the ice around 11,500 years ago. By the end of the region's prehistoric period , the population is thought to have belonged largely to a culture termed Insular Celtic , comprising Brittonic Britain and Gaelic Ireland . The Roman conquest , beginning in 43 AD, and the 400-year rule of southern Britain , was followed by an invasion by Germanic Anglo-Saxon settlers, reducing
21580-444: The left flank of V Corps , the New Zealand Division would advance to the left of the marshland on the west side of Argenta while the 8th Indian Infantry Division would pass in army reserve. The Fifth Army plan (Operation Craftsman) envisaged an initial thrust by IV Corps along Route 64 to straighten the army front and to draw German reserves away from Route 65. II Corps would then attack along Route 65 towards Bologna. The weight of
21746-409: The legal and political systems of many of its former colonies , and British culture remains globally influential, particularly in language , literature , music and sport . English is the world's most widely spoken language and the third-most spoken native language . The Acts of Union 1707 declared that the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland were "United into One Kingdom by
21912-482: The line of Highway 9 towards Piacenza and across the Po to seal possible escape routes into Austria and Switzerland via Lake Garda . On 27 April, the 1st Armored Division entered Milan which had been liberated by the partisans on 25 April and the IV Corps commander Willis D. Crittenberger entered the city on 30 April. Turin was also liberated by partisan forces on 25 April, after five days of fighting. On 27 April, General Günther Meinhold surrendered his 14,000 troops to
22078-471: The local cultures. Subsequent medieval English kings completed the conquest of Wales and tried unsuccessfully to annex Scotland . Asserting its independence in the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath , Scotland maintained its independence thereafter, albeit in near-constant conflict with England . In 1215 the Magna Carta was the first document to state that no government was above the law, that citizens have rights protecting them and that they were entitled to
22244-436: The major part of the British Isles archipelago and includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland and some smaller surrounding islands. It lies between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea with the southeast coast coming within 22 miles (35 km) of the coast of northern France, from which it is separated by the English Channel . The Royal Greenwich Observatory in London
22410-619: The mid-1920s, most of the British population could listen to BBC radio programmes. Experimental television broadcasts began in 1929 and the first scheduled BBC Television Service commenced in 1936. The rise of Irish nationalism , and disputes within Ireland over the terms of Irish Home Rule , led eventually to the partition of the island in 1921. A period of conflict in what is now Northern Ireland occurred from June 1920 until June 1922. The Irish Free State became independent, initially with Dominion status in 1922, and unambiguously independent in 1931 . Northern Ireland remained part of
22576-412: The need for a bloody assault, which would be conducted by the 1st Infantry Division, the island was subjected to a heavy aerial bombardment. From 18 May until 11 June, around 6,400 long tons (6,500 t) of bombs were dropped. Unbeknown to the Italian garrison, the ships carrying the 1st Division arrived 8 miles (13 km) offshore on the morning of 11 June. Around the same time, the ranking members of
22742-463: The only part of the island of Ireland within the United Kingdom, the name was changed in 1927 to the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Although the United Kingdom is a sovereign country, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also widely referred to as countries . The UK Prime Minister's website has used the phrase "countries within a country" to describe the United Kingdom. Some statistical summaries, such as those for
22908-451: The partisans in Genoa. To the south of Milan, at Collecchio-Fornovo , the Brazilian Division bottled up the remaining German and RSI units, taking 13,500 prisoners on 28 April. On the Allied far right flank, V Corps, met by lessened resistance, traversed the Venetian Line and entered Padua in the early hours of 29 April to find that partisans had locked up the German garrison of 5,000. Secret surrender negotiations between representatives of
23074-419: The present. It was raised by Lieutenant-General Arthur Wellesley for service in the Peninsular War (part of the Coalition Wars of the Napoleonic Wars ). It was disestablished in 1814 but re-formed the following year for service in the War of the Seventh Coalition and fought at the Battle of Waterloo . It remained active in France until 1818, when it was disbanded. It was subsequently raised for service in
23240-442: The rest of Europe, royal absolutism would not prevail, and a professed Catholic could never accede to the throne. The British constitution would develop on the basis of constitutional monarchy and the parliamentary system . With the founding of the Royal Society in 1660, science was greatly encouraged. During this period, particularly in England, the development of naval power and the interest in voyages of discovery led to
23406-456: The rest of the division was held as a floating reserve to be committed as needed across the entire landing zone. Just after 02:00, on 22 January, the 2nd Brigade went ashore and advanced inland against little resistance. The rest of the division started to land a few hours later and were all ashore by the end of the next day although still in a reserve role. During the day, the first German counterattacks began when several infantry companies attacked
23572-406: The result of the Acts of Union 1707 between the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland . In the 18th century, cabinet government developed under Robert Walpole , in practice the first prime minister (1721–1742). A series of Jacobite uprisings sought to remove the Protestant House of Hanover from the throne and restore the Catholic House of Stuart . The Jacobites were finally defeated at
23738-424: The right and push north leaving II Corps to deal with Bologna, along with Eighth Army units advancing from their right. By 19 April, on the Eighth Army front, the Argenta Gap had been forced and the 6th Armoured Division was released through the left wing of the advancing 78th Infantry Division to swing left to race northwest along the line of the river Reno to Bondeno and link up with the Fifth Army to complete
23904-434: The right of Fifth Army on Eighth Army's left wing, XIII Corps crossed the Po at Ficarolo on 22 April, while V Corps were crossing the Po by 25 April, heading towards the Venetian Line , a defensive line built behind the line of the river Adige . As Allied forces pushed across the Po, on the left flank, the Brazilian Division, 34th Infantry Division, and 1st Armored Division of IV Corps were pushed west and northwest along
24070-450: The role of insurgents who had seized London (portrayed by Norwich ) who were then attacked by pro-government forces who were portrayed by the 2nd Division. On 14 February 1938, Major-General Harold Alexander took command of the division and would lead them into the opening stages of the Second World War . The second half of the 1930s saw tensions increased between Germany and the UK and its allies . War had been avoided in 1938 via
24236-411: The role they played crossing the Rapido in the final Battle of Monte Cassino . To the left of the 8th Indian Division, on the left of the salient, the 2nd New Zealand Division would attack across the river to form a pincer. To the left of V Corps, on Route 9, the II Polish Corps would widen the front further by attacking across the Senio towards Bologna. The Poles had been desperately under strength in
24402-432: The support zone behind the Senio followed by medium and fighter bombers. From 15:20 to 19:10, five heavy artillery barrages were fired each lasting 30 minutes, interspersed with fighter bomber attacks. In support of the New Zealand operations, 28 Churchill Crocodiles and 127 Wasp flamethrower vehicles were deployed along the front. The 8th Indian Infantry Division, 2nd New Zealand Division, and 3rd Carpathian Division (on
24568-465: The troops forced back to the Canal des Chats . During this fighting, Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews earned the Victoria Cross . By the end of the next day, the division had been evacuated back to the UK. The 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry , provided the division's rearguard and left via the Dunkirk mole on the ferry St Helier , alongside the final remnants of the BEF that had made it to Dunkirk, just prior to midnight. Left within
24734-418: The troops forced to fall back. By the end of 4 February, the German assault had forced the division back to the positions held on 30 January and had inflicted 1,400 casualties. Further German attacks steadily gained ground and by the end of 10 February, Aprilia and Carroceto had also been lost by the division. It then moved into reserve. During this period, the divisional commander Major-General Ronald Penney
24900-436: The twelve NUTS 1 regions , refer to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as "regions". Northern Ireland is also referred to as a "province". With regard to Northern Ireland, the descriptive name used "can be controversial, with the choice often revealing one's political preferences". The term "Great Britain" conventionally refers to the island of Great Britain, or politically to England, Scotland and Wales in combination. It
25066-471: The war, the division only remained in Palestine for a short time. It was transferred to Egypt for a few months before going back to Palestine in April 1946. Two years later, as the British mandate over Palestine ended, the division returned to Egypt, also spending periods in Libya up until 1951. In October of that year, as British forces pulled out of Egypt outside of the Suez Canal Zone , the division garrisoned that area. After British forces withdrew from Egypt,
25232-443: The western flank facing France. Finally, the fourth division was with the 14th Army in a sector thought less likely to be attacked. On 18 March, Clark set out his battle plan. Its objective was "to destroy the maximum number of enemy forces south of the Po, force crossings of the Po and capture Verona". In Phase I , the Eighth Army would cross the Senio and Santerno rivers and then make a dual thrust, one towards Budrio parallel to
25398-420: The year, with the final excerise occurring between 28 and 30 August. By the outbreak of the war, now known as the 1st Infantry Division, the division consisted of the 1st Infantry Brigade (Guards) as well as the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Brigades. The UK declared war on Germany , on 3 September 1939, following their invasion of Poland . The 1st Infantry Division landed in France on 20 September 1939 and arrived on
25564-408: Was also increased from two to three brigades to comprise the 1st Brigade based at Aldershot , the 2nd Brigade at Blackdown , and the 3rd Brigade at Bordon . It subsequently took part in the Army Manoeuvres of 1912 and 1913 . The division was a permanently established Regular Army division that was amongst the first to be sent to France at the outbreak of the First World War. It served on
25730-416: Was chosen as the defining point of the Prime Meridian at the International Meridian Conference in 1884. The United Kingdom lies between latitudes 49° and 61° N , and longitudes 9° W and 2° E . Northern Ireland shares a 224-mile (360 km) land boundary with the Republic of Ireland. The coastline of Great Britain is 11,073 miles (17,820 km) long, though measurements can vary greatly due to
25896-491: Was conducted in the Bay of Salerno . This was a full-scale rehearsal for the 2nd Infantry Brigade, which would land first, while elements from the rest of the division took part on a scaled down level. The day after the exercise ended, the division joined the US VI Corps that was to oversee the landing for Fifth Army. The initial assault was carried out by the 2nd Infantry Brigade (reinforced with tanks, reconnaissance troops, artillery, engineers, and additional infantry), while
26062-421: Was described by Lieutenant-General Giffard Le Quesne Martel , commander of the Royal Armoured Corps , as "the absorption of the armoured forces into the rest of the army". In June, the 34th Tank Brigade joined the division and the Irish brigade left in early July to bring the division into conformation with the new organisation. Despite battle drill existing for infantry-tank co-operation, training between
26228-404: Was formed in 1931. Nonetheless, "Britain was a very wealthy country, formidable in arms, ruthless in pursuit of its interests and sitting at the heart of a global production system." After Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Britain entered the Second World War . Winston Churchill became prime minister and head of a coalition government in 1940. Despite the defeat of its European allies in
26394-427: Was garrisoned by 12,000 troops (five untried battalions supported by militia), contained radar sites that could track movement from North Africa towards Italy, and included an airbase with underground hangars. With Axis forces defeated in North Africa, the Allied powers set their sights on Sicily and made the decision to capture Pantelleria ( Operation Corkscrew ) as a prelude to the Allied invasion of Sicily . To avoid
26560-416: Was in North Africa at the time. Operation Diadem was the final battle for Monte Cassino the plan was the U.S. II Corps on the left would attack up the coast along the line of Route 7 towards Rome. The French Expeditionary Corps (CEF) to their right would attack from the bridgehead across the Garigliano into the Aurunci Mountains. British XIII Corps in the centre right of the front would attack along
26726-436: Was intended to be the final Allied effort in the Tunisian campaign and to capture Tunis . Two days later, the 1st Division began their part of the operation. Backed by massed artillery and 45 tanks of the 142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps , the 2nd Brigade assaulted a ridge between Grich el Oued and Gueriat el Atach . Initial success was thwarted by the inability to dig in and construct defensive fighting positions and
26892-421: Was lost following a German counterattack by elements of the 10th Panzer Division. With the overall Allied advance having slowed, Operation Vulcan came to end 25 miles (40 km) short of Tunis. However, the division continued back and forth fighting until the ridge was eventually secured on 5 May. The fighting resulted in over 300 casualties in one battalion, and two more Victoria Crosses being earned by members of
27058-559: Was raised on three more occasions for service in the Crimean War , the Anglo-Zulu War , and the Second Boer War . In response to the lessons learnt following the latter, reforms were initiated throughout the British military. This included the founding of a permanent 1st Division in 1902, rather than one having to be formed on an ad hoc basis for a particular crisis or war. The Haldane Reforms of 1907 saw additional changes. The division became part of Aldershot Command and had artillery, signals, and Royal Engineers permanently attached. It
27224-448: Was reinstated to see it through. On 1 May 1945, the Chief of Staff of the National Republican Army, Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, announced the unconditional surrender of the Italian Social Republic and ordered the forces under his command to lay down their arms. Lieutenant general Max-Josef Pemsel , Chief of General Staff of the Army Liguria , consisting of three German and three Italian divisions, followed Graziani's orders and declared in
27390-432: Was the first country in the world to use an approved COVID-19 vaccine , developing its own vaccine through a collaboration between Oxford University and AstraZeneca , which allowed the UK's vaccine rollout to be among the fastest in the world. The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 94,354 square miles (244,376 km ), with a land area of 93,723 square miles (242,741 km ). The country occupies
27556-494: Was wounded necessitating several days away. There was severe fighting throughout the next few weeks as the Germans launched several fierce counterattacks in an attempt to drive the Allied force back into the sea. Testimony to this was when, on 17 February, Penney was wounded by shellfire and command of the 1st Division was taken by Major General Gerald Templer of the recently arrived 56th (London) Infantry Division , from 18 to 22 February, when Penney resumed command. Because of
#869130