THE HISTORY OF 2nd Bn. KING'S SHROPSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY (85th Foot) IN CAMPAIGN N.W. EUROPE 1944-1945

The 2nd Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, began the Second World War stationed in Jamaica, with a company detached to the Bermuda Garrison. It later joined the 185th Infantry Brigade, alongside the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment. Originally part of the 79th Armoured Division, the brigade transferred to the 3rd British Infantry Division in April 1943, preparing for the Allied invasion of Sicily before being replaced by the 1st Canadian Infantry Division.The 2nd Battalion is best known for its role in Operation Overlord. Landing in the sixth wave on D-Day, 6 June 1944, it advanced toward Caen, facing stiff resistance from the 21st Panzer Division and failing to capture its initial objective. The battalion continued to fight in the Normandy Campaign, then through France, the Low Countries, and the Reichswald, contributing to the final assault on Bremen. They also took part in Operation Market Garden and broader operations with the British Second Army across North West Europe.Throughout the campaign, the battalion demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience. In March 1945, Sergeant James Stokes, a Scotsman serving with the unit, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery. The battalion's wartime history, chronicled by Maj. Radcliffe and Capt.Sale highlights the regiment's progression from initial landings to breakout battles, key engagements across liberated Europe, and its part in the final Allied advance into Germany.From the beaches of Normandy and the heart of Germany, the 2nd Battalion exemplified discipline, courage, and determination, leaving a distinguished record in the British Army's contribution to the liberation of Europe.