The story of the Fifth British Division 1939-1945 begins with the division in the BEF in France in 1940, which it joined from reserve division status. It returned to the UK and underwent training before taking part in the Madagascar operation. Then it went to India and Persia before moving to the Middle East Theatre in 1943, where it took part in the conquest of Sicily before moving into Italy. It fought through much of the Italian Campaign before finishing the war in Lubeck, having made the final move to France and then Germany shortly before the end of the war.