5th Battalion the King’s Regiment (Liverpool)

The T Force story seems fantastic now, when the only rivalry between the United Kingdom and Germany is economic, with the occasional difference of opinion over European and United Nations’ policies.
Back in 1945, the bloodiest war in history was coming to an end, with Germany surrendering to the United Nations, principally the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia and France, in May 1945 and Japan surrendering in August 1945.
Between them, these two fascist states had inflicted the most unimaginable horrors of suffering and degradation, yet in Germany in particular, the war economy had continued to thrive until the last few months of the war and the technological advances made by German scientists were outstandingly successful.

By March 1945, British and American troops were across the River Rhine in the west and our allies, the Russians were entering the east of Germany. The western allies had, rightly or wrongly, given up Berlin as an objective to the Russians. The war would continue until 8th May in the west and 9th May on the Eastern Front.
Despite their war-time alliance however, by this time there was growing rivalry between the western allies and the Russians. In addition there was the desire to prevent Germany from waging aggressive war again, a wish to benefit from German technology and a wish to benefit economically after the war. For these reasons, the British developed forces to capture high value, often non-military ‘targets’.
The Americans did the same, albeit not initially as well organized. The Russians simply dismantled whole factories and shipped them home and set up puppet communist governments in the territories that they had conquered; these governments were only to fall at the end of the Cold War in 1989.

British ‘Target Forces’ - T Forces - were formed around ordinary infantry battalions that for one reason or another were not at the time employed in the line, fighting the battle.
5th King’s was the first to be identified and was at the time carrying out a mundane role as a mobile reserve in defence of Antwerp.
Prior to this it had lost its men to reinforcing other units, having successfully completed its beach group tasks after D-Day in Normandy in 1944.
The next battalion to become a T Force, 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, was carrying out garrison tasks in Brussels.
Newly filled with quality manpower and by this time carrying out the task of investing the perimeter of German-held Dunkirk, 5th King’s was first to be released for the T Force task as the allies entered Germany.
A third battalion, the 30th Battalion the Royal Berkshire Regiment was later deployed into Holland.

Along with each battalion there was a requirement for bomb disposal troops, transport companies and civilian assessors from the United Kingdom. It is a testimony to the flexibility and high quality of the Kingsmen and the men of the other battalions that they quickly adapted to such a strange role and flourished. Their successes entirely justified the concept.
 
Was Germany capable of making an atomic bomb?  
They seized the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who had the answer.

Were the rumours of a new generation of war gases true?
They seized the plants making Sarin and Tabun and confirmed the chemistry involved.
 
Did the Germans have a submarine that could stay underwater for long periods, not relying on battery power alone?
They captured four ‘High Test Peroxide’ boats capable of 25 knots underwater and before nuclear propulsion, the most important development in submarine propulsion.
 
The technology haul together is thought to be worth in the region of £10 billion at today’s prices. T Forces had contributed significantly to western deterrence and in keeping the Cold War from escalating.
 

 In February 1945 the first units to be earmarked for a T Force role were selected.
The 5th Battalion the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment was brought forward from the rear area in France and for a brief period was wholly available for T Force training; then early in March the Battalion was called upon to occupy a sector of the Dunkirk perimeter in which German troops had still to surrender, but the battalion was released from its task shortly before the 21st Army Group crossing of the Rhine
March 1945  the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion of the Oxfordshire and 15 Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, then a garrison Battalion in Brussels; was released from this role and joined 5 Kings on T Force.

These infantry units were of course not mobile and it appeared highly unlikely that the normal Royal Army Service Corps troop carrying resources of the two Armies would ever allow the amount of transport that was obviously desirable. A very happy solution to this problem was however reached and proved quite fortuitously to be the most notable justification of the marriage of ‘CW’ and ‘T’.
 

5 Kings Memorial Unveiling at Sword Beach - Sit-Rep

5 Kings memorial unveiling at Sword Beach >>

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