THE MIDDLESEX REGIMENT 1919-1952 (Duke Of Cambridge’s Own)

A comprehensive county regimental history, this volume concentrates on the Middlesex regiment. At the outbreak of war in 1939, the 2nd Battalion was stationed in Britain and deployed immediately to France with the British Expeditionary Force as Corps Troops, reinforcing embattled formations. Evacuated in June 1940, it remained in Britain for four years, re-equipping and retraining. On mobilisation, the regiment’s Territorial battalions raised duplicate units; the 2/8th Battalion was redesignated the 1st Battalion in May 1942, replacing the original battalion captured at Hong Kong. Both the 1st and 2nd Battalions landed in Normandy in June 1944 and advanced through North-West Europe. After the war, the 2nd Battalion deployed to Palestine while the 1st remained in Germany. The two regular battalions were amalgamated in 1948, after which the regiment reverted to the infantry role, returning to Hong Kong in 1949 and deploying from there to Korea in 1950.