The 2nd Battalion of the Essex Regiment, originally part of the 25th Infantry Brigade, was then attached to the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division and served with the BEF in France in 1940. The battalion was successfully evacuated from Dunkirk. Back in Britain, the battalion became part of the 56th Independent Infantry Brigade, training intensively for the eventual D-day invasion. The battalion landed on Gold Beach in Normandy and quickly moved inland. Involved in the taking of Le Havre, members of the battalion discovered the payroll of the German city garrison in the town's hospital basement. They fought in the battle for the shattered and fiercely contested city of Caen, serving again with the 50th Division and briefly the 59th Division. The battalion then joined the 49th Division for the remainder of the war, serving chiefly with the First Canadian Army, and taking part in the Second Battle of Arnhem. This excellent history is profusely illustrated with battle photographs and contains a Roll of Honour.
