British 1st Infantry Division
List of military divisions — List of British divisions in WWI — List of British divisions in WWII
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| 1st Division |
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| Army | Regular Army |
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| Formed | Permanent |
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| Demobilised | Permanent |
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The British 1st Division was a permanently established Regular Army division that was amongst the first to be sent to France at the outbreak of World War I. It served on the Western Front for the duration of the war After the war the division was part of the occupation force stationed at Bonn.. The division's insignia was the signal flag for the 'Number 1'.
During World War II the division was in France until June 1940. In 1943 it fought in North Africa and then was in Italy for 1944 including Anzio from January to May.
Unit History
World War I
World War II
Formation
World War I
The division comprised the following infantry brigades:
; 1st Brigade :
- 1st Battalion, the Black Watch
- 1st Battalion, the Cameron Highlanders
- 1/14th (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment (until February 1916)
- 10th (Service) Battalion, the Gloucester Regiment (until February 1918)
- 8th (Service) Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment (until February 1918)
- 1st Battalion, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (from 2nd Brigade - February 1918)
Originally called the '1st (Guards) Brigade' because it contained the 1st Battalions of the Coldstream Guards and the Scots Guards. When the Guards Division was formed in August 1915 and these two battalions departed, the brigade was redesignated.
; 2nd Brigade :
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Sussex Regiment
- 1st Battalion, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (to 1st Brigade - February 1918)
- 1st Battalion, the Northamptonshire Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps
Also attached to the 2nd Brigade for periods during 1915:
- 1/5th Battalion, the King's Own Regiment
- 1/9th Battalion, the King's (Liverpool) Regiment
- 1/5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, the Royal Sussex Regiment
; 3rd Brigade :
- 1st Battalion, the South Wales Borderers
- 1st Battalion, the Gloucester Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, the Welsh Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Munster Fusiliers (until February 1918)
Also attached to the 3rd Brigade were:
- 1/6th (Glamorgan) Battalion, the Welsh Regiment (October 1915 to May 1916)
- 1/4th (Denbighshire) Battalion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers (November 1914 to September 1915)
- 1/9th Battalion, the King's (Liverpool) Regiment (November 1915 to January 1916)
World War II
During the World War II, the division contained a number of different brigades at various times. Between June and November 1942 it was a mixed division containing tank brigades.
Divisional Troops
- 13th/18th Hussars 03/09/39-31/03/40
- 1st Recconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps 01/01/44-31/08/45
- 17th Field Company, Royal Engineers 03/09/39-02/11/39
- 23rd Field Company, Royal Engineers 03/09/39-31/08/45
- 26th Field Company, Royal Engineers 03/09/39-28/04/40
- 248th Field Company, Royal Engineers 02/11/39-31/08/45
- 238th Field Company, Royal Engineers 29/02/40-31/04/45
- 6th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 03/09/39-31/08/45
- 1st Bridging Platoon, Royal Engineers 18/10/43-31/08/45
- 1st Division Signals, Royal Corps of Signals 03/09/39-31/08/45
- 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 03/09/39-31/08/45
- 19th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 03/09/39-31/08/45
- 24th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 03/09/39-31/01/40
- 67th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 31/01/40-31/08/45
- 21st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 03/09/39-10/10/41
- 81st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 05/11/40-08/04/45
- 93rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery 09/05/45-31/08/45
- 90th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery 27/01/42-07/11/44
- 11th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery 19/11/44-17/01/45
- 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery 22/03/45-31-08/45
- 4th Battalion Cheshire Regiment 11/11/41-01/10/42
- 2nd/7th Mx Battalion 29/05/44-31/08/45
- 1st Reconaissance Battalion 08/01/41-05/06/42
- 1st Reconaissance Regiment 06/06/42-31/12/43
- 2nd/7th Mx Support Battalion 17/08/43-27/05/44
; 1st Infantry Brigade (September 3 1939 to June 1 1941) :
; 2nd Infantry Brigade (September 3 1939 to August 31 1945) :
; 3rd Infantry Brigade (September 3 1939 to August 31 1945) :
; 210th Infantry Brigade (November 25 1941 to January 12 1942) :
; 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade (January 13 1942 to June 7 1942) :
; 34th Tank Brigade (June 8 1942 to September 2 1942) :
- North Irish Horse Regiment
- 147th Battalion, Royal Armoured Corps
- 153rd Battalion, Royal Armoured Corps
; 25th Tank Brigade (September 3 1942 to November 13 1942) :
- 51st Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment
- 142nd Battalion, Royal Armoured Corps
- North Irish Horse Regiment
; 24th (Guards) Infantry Brigade (December 6 1942 to March 7 1944) :
- 1st Battalion, the Scots Guards
- 1st Battalion, the Irish Guards
- 5st Battalion, the Grenadier Guards
; 18th Infantry Brigade (March 8 1944 to August 16 1944) :
; 66th Infantry Brigade (August 19 1944 to August 31 1945) :
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Scots Regiment
- 1st Battalion, the Hertfordshire Regiment
- 11th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers
Higher Formations Assigned To
Battles
World War I
World War II
External Links
Referenced By
2nd Division (British) | British 2nd Division | British 2nd Infantry Division | British Divisions in WWII | British Guards Division | Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) | Duke of Wellington's Regiment | Guards Division (British) | List of British divisions in WWII | List of military divisions by number | Operation Shingle | The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
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