Description
Physical description
badges.
A yellow battle axe on a black ground.
History note
The badge represented a Crusader's battle axe and was selected by the Division's first commander, Maj. Gen. V. Evelegh. The badge also exists with a circular background. All appear to have the axe blade facing left.
The Division was formed in Scotland on 25 May 1942 and within four and a half months was en route for the invasion of North Africa as part of First Army. This remarkable achievement was made possible by the fact that many of its formations and units had been training together for some time and were simply brought together under a single command. The constituent parts of the Division had been training in amphibious assaults under Amphibious Force 110, later redesignated Expeditionary Force and finally 1st Army. The Division was thus trained specifically for the North Africa landings, Operation Torch, in November 1942.
The Division landed unopposed at Algiers on 8 and 9 November 1942 in company with Blade Force, a regimental group from 6th Armoured Division.The first significant opposition was at Tebourba at the beginning of December after which the Division saw much hard fighting on the Algerian - Tunisian border in the winter of 1942 - 43. In the spring of 1943 the Division participated in the successful campaign in Tunisia.
The Division landed in Sicily on 25 - 26 July 1943 and fought throughout that campaign to August 1943.
The Division landed in Italy on 22 September 1943 and fought with Eighth Army up to Larino. It was withdrawn briefly to Egypt (23 July to 9 September 1944) where it was re-equipped and brought up to near full strength in personnel.
In 1945 the Division took part, still in Eighth Army in 15 Army Group, in the fighting in the Appenines and the final advance through the Argenta Gap into Northern Italy and Austria.
The Division became part of the occupation forces in Austria before being disbanded in August 1946.
The same badge appears to have been adopted by 11th Infantry Brigade in the post war BAOR. However, it is not clear under what circumstances it was worn as the Brigade was created in April 1946 by the conversion of 61st Brigade and seems at all times to have been part of a divisional establishment and thus should have been wearing the badge of its parent division.