List of military divisions — List of British divisions in WWII

The British 1st Infantry Division was first formed in 1809 when the Duke of Wellington formed it, in Portugal, from two British brigades and one Hanoverian brigade of the King's German Legion.

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. Between June and November 1942 it was a mixed division containing tank brigades. At the end of the war it was transferred to Palestine for internal security duties.

After the war the division only remained in Palestine for a short time. It was transferred to Egypt for a few months before going back to Palestine in April 1946. Two years later as the British mandate over Palestine ended the division returned to Egypt, also spending periods in Libya up until 1951. In October of that year, as British forces pulled out of Egypt outside of the Suez Canal Zone the division garrisoned that small area. After British forces withdrew from Egypt the division returned to the UK for a short while in 1955 and 1956. Whilst in the UK it was reduced to one brigade in 1956.

In 1960 it was augmented back into a full division and deployed to Germany as part of British I Corps in the British Army of the Rhine. It remained there until 1978 when it was redesignated as the 1st Armoured Division.

See also: British 1st Division (World War I)

Unit History

Battles

• Operation Shingle

See Also

• List of senior officers of British 1st Infantry Division
• List of component units of British 1st Infantry Division
• List of equipment of British 1st Infantry Division
• List of headquarters of British 1st Infantry Division
• List of higher formations British 1st Infantry Division served under