World War II Armed Forces – Orders of Battle and Organizations

Last Updated 16.12.2006

British and Dominion Armies Authorized Organization Infantry Division May 1940

   

Infantry Divisions in France, May 1940
Division     Commander	Brigades     Regiments			RA Regiments	RE Companies	Other Regiments
1 Infantry MG  R.R.L.G. Alexander	1 Gds Infantry [#] BG  Beckwith-Smith     3 Gren Gds     2 Coldm Gds     2 Hamps	2 Infantry [#] BG  C.E. Hudson     1 Loyals     2 N Staffs     6 Gordons	3 Infantry [#] BG  T.N.F. Wilson     1 DWR     2 Forester     1 KSLI	2 Field 19 Field 67 Field 21 Antitank	23 Field 248 Field 238 Field 6 Field Park	13/18H (RAC)
2 Infantry MG  H.C. Loyd	4 Infantry [#] BG  E.G. Warren     1 RS     2 Norfolk     1/8 LF	5 Infantry [#] BG  G.I. Gartlan     2 Dorset     1 Camerons     7 Worc R	6 Infantry [#] BG  N.M.S. Irwin     1 RWF     1 R Berks     2 DLI	10 Field 16 Field 99 Field 13 Antitank	5 Field 506 Field 208 Field 21 Field Park	4/7 DG (RAC)
3 Infantry MG  B.L. Montgomery	7 Infantry [#] BG  J.A.C. Whitaker     1 Gren Gds     2 Gren Gds     1 Coldm Gds	8 Infantry [#] BG  C.G. Woolner     1 Suffolk     2 E Yorks     4 R Berks	9 Infantry [#] BG  W. Robb     2 Lincolns     1 KOSB     2 RUR	7 Field 33 Field 76 Field 20 Antitank	17 Field 246 Field 253 Field 15 Field Park	15/19 H (RAC)[3]
4 Infantry MG  D.G. Johnson	10 Infantry [#] BG  E.H. Barker     2 Bedfs Herts     2 DCLI     1/6 Surreys	11 Infantry [#] BG  K.A.N. Anderson     2 LF     1 Surreys     5 Northamptons	12 Infantry [#] BG  J.L.I. Hawkesworth     2 RF     1 S Lan R     6 BW	22 Field 30 Field 77 Field 14 Antitank	7 Field 59 Field 225 Field 18 Field Park	5 DG (RAC)[3]
5 Infantry MG  H.E. Franklyn	13 Infantry [#] BG  M.C. Dempsey     2 Cam     2 Innisks     2 Wilts	15 Infantry [1]	17 Infantry [#] BG  M.G.N. Stopford     2 RSF     2 Northamptons     6 Seaforth	9 Field 91 Field – 52 Antitank	38 Field [4] 245 Field 252 Field 254 Field Park	–
12 Infantry MG  R.L. Petre	35 Infantry LTC  A.F.F. Young [*]     2/5 Queens     2/6 Queens     2/7 Queens	36 Infantry BG  G.R.P. Roupell     6 RWK     7 RWK     5 Buffs	37 Infantry BG  R.J.P. Wyatt     6 R Sussex     7 R Sussex     2/6 Surreys	[2]	262 Field 263 Field 264 Field 265 Field Park	–
23 Infantry MG  W.N. Herbert	69 Infantry BG  Viscount Downe     5 E Yorks     6 Green Howards     7 Green Howards	70 Infantry BG  P. Kirkup     10 DLI     11 DLI     1 Tyne Scot	–	[2]	233 Field 507 Field – 508 Field Park	8 NF (motorcycle) 9 NF (MG)
42 Infantry MG  W.G. Holmes	125 Infantry [#] BG  G.W. Sutton     1/5 LF     1/6 LF     1 Border	126 Infantry [#] BG  E.G. Miles     5 King's Own     5 Border     1 E Lan R	127 Infantry [#] BG  J.G. Smyth     4 E Lan R     5 Manch     1 HLI	[2] 52 Field 53 Field 56 Antitank	200 Field 201 Field – 203 Field Park	–
44 Infantry MG  E.A.Osborne	131 Infantry [#] BG J.E. Utterson-Kelso     1/5 Queens     1/6 Queens     2 Buffs	132 Infantry [#] BG  J.S. Steele     1 RWK     4 RWK     5 RWK	133 Infantry [#] BG  N.I. Whitty     4 Buffs     4 R Sussex     5 R Sussex	57 Field 58 Field 65 Field 57 Antitank	11 Field 209 Field 210 Field 211 Field Park	–
46 Infantry MG  H.O. Curtis	137 Infantry BG  J.B. Gawthorpe     2/5 Yorks     2/6 DWR     2/7 DWR	138 Infantry BG  E.J. Grinling     6 Lincolns     2/4 KOYLI     6 Y&L	139 Infantry BG  H.A.F. Crewsdon     2/5 Leicesters     2/5 Foresters     9 Foresters	[2]	270 Field 271 Field 272 Field 273 Field Park	–
48 Infantry MG  A.F.A.N. Thorne	143 Infantry [#] BG  J. Muirhead     1/7 Warwick     8 Warwick     1 Oxf Bucks	144 Infantry [#] BG  J.M. Hamilton     5 Glosters     8 Worc R     2 Warwick	145 Infantry [#] BG  A.C. Hughes     4 Oxf Bucks     1 Bucks     2 Glosters	18 Field 24 Field 68 Field 53 Antitank	9 Field 224 Field 226 Field 227 Field Park	–
50 Motor MG  G. Le Q. Martel	25 Infantry [#] [**] BG  W.H.O. Ramsden     1/7 Queen's     2 Essex     1 RIF	150 Infantry [#] BG  C.W. Haydon     4 E Yorks     4 Green Howards     5 Green Howards	151 Infantry [#] BG  J.A. Churchill     6 DLI     8 DLI     9 DLI	72 Field 74 Field 92 Field 65 Antitank	232 Field 505 Field – 235 Field Park	4 NF (motorcycle)
51 Infantry MG  V.M. Fortune	152 Infantry [#] BG  H.W.V. Steward     2 Seaforth     4 Seaforth     4 Camerons	153 Infantry [#] BG  G.T. Burney     4 BW     1 Gordons     5 Gordons	154 Infantry [#] BG A.C.L. Stanley Clarke     7 A&SH     8 A&SH     1 BW	17 Field 23 Field 75 Field 51 Antitank	26 Field 236 Field 237 Field 239 Field Park	1 LBH (RAC)
[*] Acting [**] In Joslen's Orders of Battle the 50th Division organization does not show a 25th Infantry Brigade.          However, his 25th Infantry Brigade organization does indicate its subordination to the 50th Division between 09.05.40 and 18.05.40. [#] Including an Infantry Brigade Antitank Company. [1] The 15th Infantry Btrigade had been detached for service in Norway and had just returned to the United Kingdom. Not sent to France. [2] Not in France. [3] Had officially ceased to be part of the division by the end of March 1940, but continued on as Divisional Cavalry. [4] The 38th Field Company was detached to Norway.

 

The 12th, 23rd & 46th Infantry Divisions In March 1940 it was decided that these three second line divisions should be sent to France for pioneer duties building marshalling yards, airfields and depots. Only the infantry and engineers were sent with a skeletal HQ organization and minimal service units, ('A' Echelon divisional supply column, one field ambulance, one field hygiene section, a detachment of divisional provost company, and the divisional postal unit), There was no question of using these formed but untrained bodies for fighting. The divisions left in the United Kingdom all Royal Artillery units, bulk of Signals, and part of the Administrative Units. Every man had a rifle but only half had even fired one. The infantry had about a third of their established amount of LMGs and it was a fortunate battalion which had more than 4 Brens to a company instead of the normal 9. There was a slender ration of Boyes antitank rifles but no 3 inch mortars, no Carriers and no battalion signallers. Few of the officers could be supplied with pistols or binoculars, and no compasses were issued. When they sailed in mid-April, it was stipulated that in each brigade one battalion should undertake training while the other two labored. When the German attack opened on 10th May, every third battalion had done one week's training. [5] [5] Excerpts taken from      "The Destruction of 12th Division -- 20th May 1940"      by Pete Gill in Issue 25 of the Society of 20th Century Wargamers and from      H.F. JOSLEN      "Orders of Battle"      The London Stamp Exchange, London, 1990      (Reprint of the 1960 edition published by HSMO)