History
In September 1939 this unit was known as the Canal Brigade, on duty on the Suez Canal. It was redesignated the 23rd Infantry Brigade on 20 September 1939 but was dispersed in the canal area becoming part of HQ Canal sub-Area troops. In May 1941 the brigade was re-formed under Alexander Galloway to take part in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign during June and July 1941 as part of 6th Infantry Division. In October 1941 6th Infantry Division was re-designated 70th Infantry Division and was shipped to Tobruk to relieve the 9th Australian Infantry Division. The Tobruk garrison held off Rommel's Axis forces until the siege was relieved at the end of the year.
In March 1942 70th Division arrived in India. Its brigades, including 23rd Infantry Brigade, were sent to train as Chindit units. 23rd Brigade did not take part in the Second Chindit Expedition, however, but instead it was deployed during the Battle of Kohima in the long range penetration role behind Japanese lines for which it had been trained to interdict Japanese communication and supplies.
Read more about this topic: 23rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“The history of philosophy is to a great extent that of a certain clash of human temperaments.”
—William James (1842–1910)
“In all history no class has been enfranchised without some selfish motive underlying. If to-day we could prove to Republicans or Democrats that every woman would vote for their party, we should be enfranchised.”
—Carrie Chapman Catt (1859–1947)
“... in America ... children are instructed in the virtues of the system they live under, as though history had achieved a happy ending in American civics.”
—Mary McCarthy (1912–1989)