53rd ( Welsh ) Infantry Division The British 53rd ( Welsh ) Infantry Division was a Territorial Army division that fought in both World Wars . During the First World War the division fought at Gallipoli and in the Middle East . Remaining active during the interwar years as a peace - time formation , the division again saw action in the Second World War , fighting in North - West Europe . It was temporarily disbanded at the end of the war , but reactivated in 1947 . In 1968 the division was finally deactivated , but its 160th Infantry Brigade remains in service today . History . First World War . The division landed at Suvla Bay on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 9 August . On 26 March 1917 , the 53rd Division bore the brunt of the First Battle of Gaza where the three brigades , along with the 161st Brigade of the 54th Division , had to advance across exposed ground , withstanding shrapnel , machine gun and rifle fire , to capture the Turkish fortifications . Despite gaining the advantage towards the end of the day , the British commander called off the attack so that the division ' s casualties , close to 3 , 500 , were suffered in vain . Other division actions included the Battle of Romani in August 1916 , the Battle of El Buggar Ridge in October 1917 and the Action of Tell ' Asur in March 1918 , where it fought off several counter - attacks by the Ottoman forces . 53rd ( Welsh ) Division , 1914 – 1918 . The division comprised three infantry brigade s . Some original battalions were detached early in the First World War to reinforce other divisions . 158th ( North Wales ) Brigade Joined 1918 : 159th ( Cheshire ) Brigade 160th ( Welsh Border ) Brigade Second World War . Remaining active throughout the interwar years , the division served as part of the Home Defence Forces of the United Kingdom between 1939 – 1940 , fittingly based to defend Wales and the borders . In April 1940 the Division transferred to Northern Ireland , where it remained until November 1941 . It returned to the mainland again to defend Kent and the South Coast between 1941 – 1943 , when it was earmarked to form part of the British Second Army . In October 1943 the division was reorganised , its 159th Infantry Brigade detaching to form part of 11th Armoured Division , with the 71st Infantry Brigade taking its place . The division spent the remaining period in the build - up to the Invasion of Normandy in intensive training . 53rd Welsh Division landed in Normandy on 28 June 1944 and was placed under command of XII Corps , now defending the Odon Valley position . The division was involved in heavy fighting in this area days leading up to Operation Goodwood . In August it began to push out of the Odon region and crossed the river Orne , helping to close the Falaise Pocket . It was during this fighting that Captain Tasker Watkins of 158th Brigade won his Victoria Cross . Due to the casualties suffered by the division in Normandy and the acute lack of infantry reinforcements , some of its battalions were replaced . Advancing into the Netherlands , 53rd Division liberated the city of ' s - Hertogenbosch in four days of heavy fighting from 24 October . In December 1944 , attached now to XXX Corps , it was one of the British divisions that took part in the Battle of the Bulge , helping to cut off the northern tip of the German salient . It was later sent north to take part in Operation Veritable . Order of battle 1944 – 45 . 71st Infantry Brigade 158th Infantry Brigade 160th Infantry Brigade Divisional Troops Post - war . The division ended the war in Hamburg , it sustained 9 , 849 battle casualties killed , missing and wounded since landing in Normandy . It served later as a peacekeeping force in the Rhineland , then disbanded to reform the 2nd Infantry Division in Germany in early 1947 . It was reactivated later that year , serving as part of the peacetime Territorial Army . The 53rd ( Welsh ) Division was finally disbanded in 1968 . There remain a few remnants of the division in the Territorial Army . 160 Brigade is the regional brigade responsible for the administration of TA units in Wales , while 53 ( Welsh ) Signal Squadron are the descendant formation of 53rd ( Welsh ) Divisional Signal Regiment , and continues to serve in a very similar capacity , providing communications support to 160 Brigade .