The British Infantry Division, 1939 to 1940
Divisional Troops
Divisional Headquarters
Employment Platoon
Divisional Signals
Divisional Cavalry Regiment
Three Infantry Brigades, each comprised of;
Brigade Headquarters
Infantry Anti-tank Company - with three Platoons, each of three 25-mm French supplied anti-tank guns.
Three Infantry Battalions - click on The British Infantry Battalion 1939 to 1940 link for more detail.
Divisional Artillery
Headquarters, Divisional Artillery
Three Field Regiments - each with twenty four guns/howitzers divided into two Batteries, with three Troops of four guns per Battery.
Anti-tank Regiment - with forty eight 2-pdr anti-tank guns, divided into four Batteries, with three Troops of four guns per Battery.
Divisional Engineers
Headquarters, Divisional Engineers
Three Field Companies
Field Park Company
Supply and Transport
Headquarters, Divisional Royal Army Service Corps
Divisional Petrol Company
Divisional Ammunition Company
Divisional Supply Column
Medical
Three Field Ambulances
Field Hygiene Section
Miscellaneous
Divisional Provost Company
Divisional Postal Unit
Points of note
There were two types of Field Regiment in use during the Dunkirk campaign. In theory each Field Regiment was to be equipped with twenty four towed 25-pdr guns, split into two twelve gun Batteries, each Battery divided into three Troops of four guns each. A number of Regiments however were equipped with a combination of the older 18-pdr guns and 4.5-in howitzers. When so armed, these Field Regiments had two 18-pdr Troops and one 4.5-inch Troop per Battery, still with two Batteries per Regiment.
Comments
In the pre-war period it had been planned that each Infantry Brigade would be supported by a Machine Gun Battalion. In the event however, Machine Gun Battalions were designated Corps Troops, and were allotted on the much reduced scale of one Battalion per Division. Each Machine Gun Battalion had forty eight Vickers medium machine guns, divided into four Companies, with three Platoons of four guns per Company.
Return to...