A brief history of the 1st Battalion, 50th Northumbrian Division

The group represents 'D' Company of the lst battalion the 'The Hampshire Regiment, in the period from the D Day landings to the disbandment of the 50th Division and the reorganisation of the units to other Divisions in November 1944.

The 1st Hampshire Regiment were part of 231 Brigade and was in the vanguard of the assault force landing on Gold Beach. They had the honour of being the first British infantry to land and to be the right of the line. The Battalion landed to the left of its intended place and had to fight a vicious battle without armoured support, except for a few A.V.R.E's (Armoured Vechicle Royal Engineers) to get off the beach and onto their objectives. They achieved it by 9.00 pm that day, taking the main objectives Le Hamel and Arromanches. The second objective being vital for the British Mulberry harbour. The Battalion lost in that day 182 men all ranks, including its CO and Second-in-Command.