The Sherwood Foresters in the Second World War
Summary of where the Sherwood Foresters served in World wAR TWO
The Sherwood Foresters fought in:
- Norway
- France/ Belgium,
- Retreat to Dunkirk,
- Singapore,
- North Africa
- Italy.
In total 1520 men killed in action, 26,940 served in the Regiment and there was 1 Victoria Cross awarded. 401 awards for Gallantry and outstanding service.
nORWAY 1940
Germany launched Blitzkrieg in April 1940 and Norway was invaded. 10,000 German troops who were trained for operations in the snow invaded. British forces went in to prevent the invasion. But the Germans seized capital city Oslo and the main ports. 8th Foresters arrived in Norway on 18th April equipped and unprepared for what lay ahead of them. By April 22nd the Foresters surrounded, they began their retreat. All units ordered to withdraw to Tretten.
On 23rd April, at 1pm the Battle of Tretten began. Fierce fighting took place. The Foresters ran out of ammunition, suffered heavy causalities and taken as Prisoners. Those that were able, were evacuated back to Britain.
dUNKIRK
The 2nd Foresters landed in France in the later stages of 1939 and built defences, known as the Maginot line. The Foresters ordered to retreat. The Battalion evacuated through Dunkirk and reorganised back in Britain. Other Battalions of the Foresters formed a vital part in communications. The 1/5th Foresters defended positions at Fecamp before retreating back to Le Havre. The 9th & 2/5th Foresters met. Then together moved to defend the Dunkirk perimeter whilst evacuation took place.
sINGAPORE 1941
In 1941 the Japanese began to attack British locations in the Far East and the Pacific, this included Singapore. The American port of Pearl Habour was attacked by the Japenese in a sign of aggression. America and their ally Britain declared War on Japan & Nazi Germany. The 1/5th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters landed 31 January 1942. British forces surrendered on 15th February. All the Sherwood Foresters taken as Prisoners.
North Africa
11th June 1940, Italy declared war on Britain and looked to expand Italy’s Empire by taking Egypt. In February 1941 German forces forced the British back to the Egyptian Border. The 1st Foresters arrived at Tobruk in December 1941. On 20th June, the Germans attacked Tobruk in huge numbers by air & land. The 1st Foresters were overrun, by 6pm surrounded the Foresters taken as Prisoners. The garrison of Tobruk surrendered on 21st June to General Rommel’s Afrika Korps.
The German Army surrendered on 13th May 1943 following heavy fighting. The 14th Foresters fought with General Montgomery’s Eighth Army in the Battle of El Alamein. The battle took place 23rd October-4th November 1943 and saw supplies ran out. The Battle ended in the defeat of the Afrika Korps. The battle for North Africa was over.
Italy
Churchill considered Italy the backdoor into Germany. The 2nd, 2nd/5th and 14th Foresters all then took part in the long and hard-fought campaign in Italy. The 2nd/5th landed at Salerno, which was a hard-fought battle. The 2nd and 14th Foresters fought in the worst fighting of the war at the Anzio Beachhead (22nd January-23rd May 1944). By 3rd February they had their lines of communication cut by the enemy from shelling. Anzio was the most severe battle in Italy for the Foresters. They had one of the highest casualties.
Greece
In December 1944 the 5th Battalion was dispatched to Greece to try and maintain order in the Civil War, which had started there after the German withdrawal.
At the end of the War the 2nd Battalion was in Palestine and the 5th back in Italy from where they moved into Austria with the liberation armies. The 1st Battalion was meanwhile re-forming in England.
The Battalions
On the outbreak of the war this battalion was stationed at Haifa in Palestine, with the 16th Infantry Brigade of the 8th Infantry Division moving to P&TJ in January 1940: On the 10.6.1940 it moved to Cyprus.In February 1941 one company under Major L.C. Cooper, took part in an action on the island of Castelorizo. They were moved to Cairo in Egypt on the 5.2.1942 where they became a motorised Battalion with 1st Armoured Div. On the 3.6.1942 they were moved into the Tobruk Perimeter and on the 20.6.1942, the survivors were captured when Tobruk fell. In January 1943 the 16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters was re-designated 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters, being then with the 222nd Infantry Brigade of the 76th Infantry Division. In November 1943 the battalion joined the 213th Brigade 76th Division They were to remain in England for the remainder of the war and on the 7.5.1945 they were based near Maresfield, serving with the 183rd Brigade of the 61st Lt Div., moving to the 184 Infantry Brigade in June 1945.
On the outbreak of war the 2nd Battalion were stationed at Bordon in Wiltshire. They were sent to France with the BEF and landed at Cherbourg on the 27.9.1939, as a part of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Inf Div. They operated in the area of Louvil, before moving to the French Belgium Frontier near Lille. They were evacuated through Dunkirk in May/June 1940. They remained in England, Training, taking on new recruits and re-kitting until November 1942 when with 1st army they went to Tunisia still with the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division.. In 1943 they moved to Italy and took part in the Anzio Landing, and after the break-out fought up the length of Italy. They were sent to Palestine towards the end of the war and were still there on the 7.5.1945. In June 1945 the battalion was in Syria with the 3rd Infantry Brigade 9th Army but in July they returned to Palestine and the 1st Infantry Division
At the outbreak of the war the battalion were in the Derby area, but after mobilization were moved to Aldershot, being in the 148th Brigade of the 49th Infantry Division. They were sent to France landing at Cherbourg on the 18.10.1939, when they acted in the roll of Lines of Communication Troops with the 25th Infantry Brigade of the BEF. In July 1940 the battalion moved into the 55th Infantry Brigade of the 18th Infantry Division being based in the UK. With this formation they moved to India in December 1941, landing in Singapore in January 1942. They were part of the British Garrison of Singapore, which was taken POW by the Japanese on 14th February 1942 and spent the remainder of the war in Japanese POW camps and working on the Burma Railway.
Were in the Derby on the outbreak of war, and on the 27.4.1940 they landed as a part of the B.E.F. at Cherbourg, with 139 Brigade of the 46th Division. They were evacuated through Dunkirk in May 1940. From June 1940 they were in England reinforcing and training, but in November 1942 they went with 1st Army to Tunisia. In January 1943, due to the loss of the 1/5th in Singapore, they were re-numbered the 5th Battalion. After the defeat of Rommel in North Africa they went to Italy in 1943 and to Greece in 1944, shortly after moving back to Italy. On the 11.5.1945 the Battalion was at Udine (Italy) near the Austrian border. They moved to Judenburg in Austria on the 13.5.1945 and on the 25th of the same month moved to Eberstein on the Austrian/Yougoslav frontier. In March 1946 they were reduced to Cadre strength and returned to the UK.
On the outbreak of the war they were in the Chesterfield area of Derbyshire. They moved to Humberside in 1940 where they took up a Search Light Role. In May 1943 they moved to Hollywood, County Down, Ireland where they were re-designated as 149th (Sherwood Foresters) Light Air Craft Regt R.A. In July 1943 they moved to East Anglia and were still there on the 7.5.1945. They reverted to an Infantry role in the summer of 1945 and were sent to Germany. In February 1946 they were reduced to cadre strength.
The Robin Hoods spent most of the Second World War in England as an Anti Aircraft unit. In September 1944 they were moved to Belgium, which had just been liberated. The Robin Hoods were in close suppport to the Allied Advance to the Rhine. The unit was awarded the Belgium Crox de Guerre for its services in the defence of Brussells. A rare award for a unit.
On the outbreak of war the Battalion was in the Newark area of Nottinghamshire as a part of the 148th Brigade of the 49th Infantry Division. On the 18.4.1940 they moved with 148th Brigade to Aandalsnes, in Norway. They evacuated Norway via the West Coast or walked into Sweden where they were interned for a period. In May 1940 the Battalion was reforming at Roxburghshire and Renfrewshire being then 148th Brigade of the Scottish Command, and in July 1940 they moved to Enneskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland with the same Brigade but joining BTNNI. Another move was made in April 1942, this time to Lichfield, in Staffordshire and in June they went to Ramsgate, Sevenoaks. They became 148th pre OCTU Training Establishment at Wrotham in Kent, a part of the 43rd Infantry Division where they remained for the remainder of the war. In September 1946 they were reduced to Cadre strength.
On the outbreak of war they were stationed in the Newark area of Nottinghamshire as a part of 148 Brigade of the 49th Infantry Division, in November 1939 they became War Office 25th Infantry Brigade. On the 27.4.1940, they landed at Cherbourg in France as a part of the BEF 25th Infantry Brigade. They were withdrawn through Dunkirk in May 1940. In June of 1940 the battalion was stationed in Manchester and in January 1941, they had moved to Dorking where they became part of 1AD 1st Support Group. It was at Dorking that they were converted to Lorried Infantry, being re-designated in November 1941 as 112th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps of the 42nd Armoured Division. In March 1943 they were with XII Corps and after the Normandy invasion the Battalion was split up, officers and men being posted to many other armoured regiments and units. In October 1944 the 9th Battalion was officially disbanded
This Battalion was formed in the Nottingham area in 1939 from No 45 Group National Defence Companies. In November 1941 it was re-designated the 30th Battalion and in December 1942 it was disbanded. Throughout its life the Battalion served in the Nottingham area sending drafts of reinforcements to other Forester Battalions.
Formed from the 50th battalion in October 1940 at Markeaton Park Derby as a part of Yorks Div218 Infantry Brigade. On the 20.10.1940 the battalion moved to Burton Pidsea in Yorkshire and were engaged on Coastal Defences along the line of – Withensea (2 companies) – Aldeburgh (1 Company) – (1 Company was at Tunstall Beach) – Great Cowden – Hornsea – and Spurn Point On 29.11.1940 they moved to Keighley in Yorkshire as 8th AD 8th Support Group . In March 1941 the battalion moved to Lambourne in Berkshire and in May 1941 they moved to Dorking in Surrey. In October 1941 the battalion moved to Chiddingfold in Surrey and on the 5.5.1942 they left Godalming for Gourock in Scotland where it embarked on the “USS ORIZABA” sailing for North Africa. They were with BTE 9th Armoured Brigade in Egypt and in August that year moved into the 2nd New Zealand Infantry Division and in October into the 10th Armoured Division. The Battalion was at El Alamein in November 1942 and in January 1943 they moved to Iraq joining 5th Infantry Division 7th Armoured Brigade and in May 1943 they moved to Syria with the 7th Armoured Brigade into the 9th Army. They next moved to Tunisia in August/September 1943 joining 1st Armoured Division and on the 11.10.1943 they were in Algeirs with the 18th Infantry Brigade of the 1st Armoured Division, The 18th Brigade became a part of 8th Army in February 1944. On the 20th February1944 the battalion were in Naples in Italy and on the 24th February 1944, they were in the beach-head of Anzio with 6th Corps 1st Inf Div. They joined 1st Armoured Div in August 1944. Their last battle was at San Savino on the Coriano Ridge in Northern Italy in September 1944. In October 1944 they moved into 168 Brigade of the 56th Infantry Division and on the 22.9.1944 the battalion was reduced to cadre strength and disbanded on the 18.1.1945.
This battalion was raised in September 1940 originally as the 2/10th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters at Ambergate in Derbyshire. Shortly afterwards the title was changed to 15th (Home Defence) Battalion and it was based on the Lady Bower Dam (Bamford) in North Derbyshire where it was responsible for the defence of the Dams and surrounding areas. They would set off smoke to hide the Dams and reservoirs in the event of a German attack. In August 1941 the battalion amalgamated with the 10th Battalion (Home Defence) (Later becoming the 30th Battalion)
Formed in September 1940 at Nottingham, but moved to Haxey near Doncaster in June 1941. In August 1942 the battalion was stationed at Brigg in Lincolnshire and was at this time designated the 16th Battalion, in September 1942 becoming part of the 162nd Brigade of the 54th Infantry Division. The battalion moved in December 1942 into the 222nd Brigade of the 76th Infantry Division. However in January 1943 it was re-designated the 1st Battalion.
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