59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division

The 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division was a British Army infantry division that served in the Second World War. Raised in 1939 as a second-line Territorial Army division, it was initially composed of 176th, 177th, and 178th Infantry Brigades.

The division underwent extensive training in the United Kingdom before being deployed to Normandy in late June 1944 as part of Operation Overlord. It participated in the Battle for Caen, suffering heavy casualties in actions such as Operation Goodwood. Due to these losses and a manpower shortage across the British Army at the time, the 59th Division was disbanded in August 1944. Its remaining personnel were largely used to reinforce other British units fighting in Northwest Europe, including the 21st Army Group. The disbandment was a controversial decision, given the division's perceived potential and the relatively short time it saw active service.