British 2nd Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Division is a regular division
of the British army, with a long history. It dates its existence as a permanently embodied formation from 1809, when it was established by Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley
(later to become the Duke of Wellington), as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army
, for service in the Peninsular War
. (Prior to this, it was common for formations with the same number to be temporarily established for a single campaign and disbanded immediately afterwards; divisions remained a permanent part of the British Army's structure only after the Napoleonic Wars
).
The division has long been associated with the north of England. The divisional insignia, the Crossed Keys of Saint Peter, were originally part of the coat of arms of the Diocese of York
, and were adopted before or during the First World War.
. Under his command, the division took part in the Second Battle of Porto and the battles of Talavera and Bussaco.
In 1811, Major General the Hon. William Stewart became commander of the division. Stewart was apparently a magnificent Lieutenant Colonel, but a disastrous General. The division suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of Albuera
. For the rest of 1812, the division was part of a detachment (essentially a corps) under Rowland Hill which covered the southern flank of Wellington's main army. It thus acquired the nickname of the "Observing Division", but was also known as the "Surprisers", after taking the French by surprise in engagements at Arroyo Molinos and Almaraz.
In 1813 and 1814, the division remained part of Hill's detachment. It contained three British brigades and one Portuguese brigade. It took part in the Battle of Vitoria
on the right flank of Wellington's army. It subsequently was briefly driven from a position at the Battle of Maya
after Stewart retired the division prematurely to camp, but fought in the later engagements of the Battle of the Pyrenees
and the battles in southern France.
Commanding General: Major General William Stewart
(from January 1813)
, part of Wellington's II Corps commanded again by Rowland Hill. It consisted at Waterloo of a brigade of British light infantry and riflemen, a brigade of the King's German Legion
and a brigade of Hanoverian Landwehr
. The division began the day in reserve behind Wellington's right flank, but took part in the defeat of Napoleon's attacks later in the day.
3rd British Brigade Major-General Frederick Adam
1st King's German Legion
Brigade Lieutenant-Colonel George Charles Du Plat
3rd Hanoverian Brigade Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Halkett
Artillery Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Gold
which landed in the Crimea and attempted to capture the port of Sebastopol
. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Sir George de Lacy Evans
, and fought at the battles of the Alma and Inkerman
, where it suffered heavy casualties.
which was sent to Egypt
after a rebellion (the Urabi Revolt
) threatened British control of the Suez Canal
. During the subsequent 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War, the division was commanded by Major General Edward Bruce Hamley
. One of its brigades was used as a garrison of Alexandria
, and did not take part in the main actions of the war, but the other brigade and the divisional headquarters took part in the decisive Battle of Tel-el-Kebir.
3rd (Highland) Infantry Brigade (Major General Sir Edward Alison)
4th Infantry Brigade (Major General Sir Evelyn Wood VC)
Divisional Troops
which was sent to South Africa
when the Boer War
broke out in 1899. The division's commander was Lieutenant General Sir Francis Clery
. The division, or parts of it, suffered defeats at the Battle of Colenso
and the Battle of Spion Kop
before gaining victory at the Battle of the Tugela Heights
during the Relief of Ladysmith
. It subsequently took part in operations which drove the Boers from Natal
and the eastern Transvaal
.
, and designated to be part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) which would be despatched in the case of general European war. When war did break out, the BEF was sent to support the French and Belgian armies. The division's commander at this point was Major General Charles Monro
. The division took part in the long retreat from Mons, and suffered heavy casualties in the First Battle of Ypres
.
The division served on the Western Front
for the duration of the war. Although most of the division's regulars became casualties or were transferred to other formations, the division never lost its standing and reputation as a Regular formation. It fought in all the major battles on the Western Front.
After the war the division was part of the occupation force stationed at Cologne.
The brigade left the division on 20 August 1915 to join the
Guards Division and was renamed the 1st Guards Brigade.
5th Brigade
The following battalions were part of the brigade during 1915.
6th Brigade
The following battalions were part of the brigade during 1915.
The 17th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers joined the brigade from
the 5th Brigade in February 1918.
19th Brigade (19 August 1915 to 25 November 1915) :
The brigade joined the division in August 1915 from the 27th Division and left in November for the 33rd Division, where it swapped with the 99th Brigade.
99th Brigade
The brigade joined the division from the 33rd Division in November 1915.
The following battalions left the brigade shortly afterwards:
sent to fight alongside French armies. Its commander was Major General Henry Loyd
. In 1940, the British Expeditionary Force, including the 2nd Division, was driven from France in the Dunkirk evacuation, with few casualties but losing almost all its equipment.
In 1944, the Japanese launched an invasion of India. The 2nd Division was sent to recapture the vital position at Kohima
. After driving the Japanese back at the Battle of Kohima
, the division relieved a besieged Indian corps at Imphal
. The epitaph carved on the memorial of the 2nd Division in the large cemetery for the Allied war dead at Kohima reads,
This has become world-famous as the Kohima Epitaph. The verse is attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds
and is thought to have been inspired by the epitaph written by Simonides
to honour the Greek who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae
in 480 BC.
The division continued to serve as part of British Fourteenth Army
during its offensive into Burma. It was withdrawn to India at the end of March 1945, as it could not be maintained nor kept up to strength. It was rebuilt in India and was intended for further amphibious operations, but the war ended before it saw further action.
In September 1945 the divisional headquarters was in Malaya under Headquarters XXXIV Corps, with the three brigades en route to Japan, in Malaya, and in Burma earmarked for Malaya.
4th Infantry Brigade
5th Infantry Brigade
6th Infantry Brigade
Support
in Germany
in February 1947. It also amalgamated with the disbanding 6th Armoured Division in 1958 and moved to Tunis Barracks at Lübbecke
in September 1959.
Until the late 1970s, it consisted of the 4th Armoured Brigade and 12th Mechanised Brigade, but from 1976 to 1983 it was reorganised as a small armoured division, incorporating two brigade-sized headquarters, Task Force Charlie (TFC) and Task Force Delta (TFD), which controlled five tank/mechanised infantry battle groups (one armoured and two infantry in TF Charlie, and one armoured and one infantry in TF Delta). The 2nd Armoured Division was the first British division in Germany to undergo this reorganisation, and the division's commander while this establishment was tested was Major General Frank Kitson
.
In a major reorganisation of British forces in 1982 and 1983, the division returned to the United Kingdom. Its new headquarters was at Imphal Barracks in York
, and it consisted of three infantry brigades: the regular 24th Airmobile Brigade
, and the 15th Brigade
and 49th Brigade
from the Territorial Army. Its role would have been to cross the Channel and protect I (BR) Corps rear area in the event of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe.
.png)
Following the end of the Cold War, the division disbanded in 1992, but the title was resurrected for the amalgamation of several military district
s - North East District and part of Eastern District, when the formation reformed on 1 April 1995. The 1998 Strategic Defence Review
led to a reorganisation of Land Command. The 2nd Division absorbed Scotland District and its headquarters moved to Craigiehall
, near Edinburgh in April 2000.
Following further reshuffing, 52nd Infantry Brigade
was reformed as an operational, rather than regional, brigade consisting of several light infantry battalions, and left the formation to join 3 Division in 2007.
The Division reports to Commander Regional Forces
at HQ Land Forces at Wilton. It is tasked with maintaining the infrastructure and resources and the command and control responsibilities, for the training and administration of all Regular Army and Territorial Army units in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England and as such the deputy commander is always a Territorial Army officer at the Rank Of Brigadier.
and four Regional Brigades:
GOC 2nd Division
GOC 2nd Infantry Division
GOC 2nd Division
Deputy Commanders
. HQ 2nd division in Edinburgh
, HQ 4th division
in Aldershot and HQ 5th division in Shrewsbury
will all be disbanded in 2012. 2 Division will disband in April 2012.
Despite the closure of HQ 2nd Division in Edinburgh the Army will retain a General Officer Commanding (GOC) Scotland, in addition to a small number of staff, in order to maintain the level of senior representation in Scotland required to oversee the rebasing changes. In the longer term HQ 1 (UK) Armoured Division, currently based in Germany, is expected to re-locate to Scotland by 2020 and will take over the GOC Scotland role.
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the British army, with a long history. It dates its existence as a permanently embodied formation from 1809, when it was established by Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
(later to become the Duke of Wellington), as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army
Anglo-Portuguese Army
The Anglo-Portuguese Army was the combined British and Portuguese army that won the Peninsular War, under the command of Arthur Wellesley. The Army is also referred to as the British-Portuguese Army and, in Portuguese, as the Exército Anglo-Luso or the Exército Anglo-Português.The Anglo-Portuguese...
, for service in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. (Prior to this, it was common for formations with the same number to be temporarily established for a single campaign and disbanded immediately afterwards; divisions remained a permanent part of the British Army's structure only after the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
).
The division has long been associated with the north of England. The divisional insignia, the Crossed Keys of Saint Peter, were originally part of the coat of arms of the Diocese of York
Diocese of York
The Diocese of York is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers the city of York, the eastern part of North Yorkshire, and most of the East Riding of Yorkshire....
, and were adopted before or during the First World War.
Peninsular War
The first commander of the 2nd Division was Major General Rowland HillRowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill
General Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill of Almaraz GCB, GCH served in the Napoleonic Wars as a trusted brigade, division and corps commander under the command of the Duke of Wellington. He became Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in 1829.-Early career:Educated at a school in Chester, Hill was...
. Under his command, the division took part in the Second Battle of Porto and the battles of Talavera and Bussaco.
In 1811, Major General the Hon. William Stewart became commander of the division. Stewart was apparently a magnificent Lieutenant Colonel, but a disastrous General. The division suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of Albuera
Battle of Albuera
The Battle of Albuera was an indecisive battle during the Peninsular War. A mixed British, Spanish and Portuguese corps engaged elements of the French Armée du Midi at the small Spanish village of Albuera, about 20 kilometres south of the frontier fortress-town of Badajoz, Spain.From...
. For the rest of 1812, the division was part of a detachment (essentially a corps) under Rowland Hill which covered the southern flank of Wellington's main army. It thus acquired the nickname of the "Observing Division", but was also known as the "Surprisers", after taking the French by surprise in engagements at Arroyo Molinos and Almaraz.
In 1813 and 1814, the division remained part of Hill's detachment. It contained three British brigades and one Portuguese brigade. It took part in the Battle of Vitoria
Battle of Vitoria
At the Battle of Vitoria an allied British, Portuguese, and Spanish army under General the Marquess of Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan near Vitoria in Spain, leading to eventual victory in the Peninsular War.-Background:In July 1812, after...
on the right flank of Wellington's army. It subsequently was briefly driven from a position at the Battle of Maya
Battle of Maya
The Battle of Maya was a battle between French and British forces during the Peninsular War .-Background:After Wellington's decisive defeat of King Joseph at Vitoria, he advanced to capture San Sebastián and Pamplona, the last French outposts on Spanish soil.While Wellington concentrated his...
after Stewart retired the division prematurely to camp, but fought in the later engagements of the Battle of the Pyrenees
Battle of the Pyrenees
The Battle of the Pyrenees was a large-scale offensive launched on 25 July 1813 by Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult from the Pyrénées region on Emperor Napoleon’s order, in the hope of relieving French garrisons under siege at Pamplona and San Sebastián...
and the battles in southern France.
Peninsular War Formation
(Battle of Albuera, 16 May 1811)Commanding General: Major General William Stewart
- 1st Brigade: commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John ColborneJohn Colborne, 1st Baron SeatonField Marshal John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, GCB, GCMG, GCH, PC was a British field marshal and colonial governor.-Early service:...
- 1/3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs)
- 2/31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of FootThe 31st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1702 and amalgamated into The East Surrey Regiment in 1881.-Predecessor regiment:...
- 2/48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot-History:The regiment was first raised in 1741 as James Cholmondeley's Regiment of Foot in Norwich, England during the War of Austrian Succession. The regiment first saw action at the Battles of Falkirk and Culloden in 1745-1746, campaigning against the Young Pretender. In 1748, it was renumbered...
- 2/66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot66th (Berkshire) Regiment of FootThe 66th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1758 and amalgamated into The Princess Charlotte of Wales's in 1881....
- 2nd Brigade: commanded by Major General Daniel HoghtonDaniel HoghtonMajor-General Daniel Hoghton was a talented and experienced British Army officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars with distinction until his death during combat with the French at the Battle of Albuera in the Peninsula War...
- 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot
- 1/48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot-History:The regiment was first raised in 1741 as James Cholmondeley's Regiment of Foot in Norwich, England during the War of Austrian Succession. The regiment first saw action at the Battles of Falkirk and Culloden in 1745-1746, campaigning against the Young Pretender. In 1748, it was renumbered...
- 1/57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of FootThe 57th Regiment of Foot was a regiment of line infantry in the British Army.-History:The regiment started out as the 59th Regiment of Foot raised in Gloucester in 1755....
- 3rd Brigade: commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Abercromby
- 2/28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of FootThe 28th Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment from 1782 to 1881.For their conduct at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 the 28th were given the unique honour of wearing a badge on both the front and rear of their head dress.. They served throughout the Peninsula War including the battles...
- 2/34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot34th (Cumberland) Regiment of FootThe 34th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1702 and amalgamated with the 55th Regiment of Foot, into The Border Regiment in 1881.-Early 18th century :...
- 2/39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of FootThe 39th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1719 and amalgamated into The Dorsetshire Regiment in 1881.The regiment was raised by Colonel Richard Coote in Ireland in August 1702...
- 2/28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot
- 3 Coys, 5/60th Regiment of Foot
(from January 1813)
- 1st Brigade: Major General Cadogan
- 1/50th (West Kent) Regiment of Foot50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Footthumb|right|250px|soldier of 50th Regiment about 1740The 50th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1755 to 1881....
- 1/71st (Glasgow Highland) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)71st (Highland) Regiment of FootThe 71st Regiment of Foot was a Highland regiment in the British Army, which in 1881 became the 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry .- First formation :...
- 1/92nd Regiment of Foot (Gordon Highlanders)92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of FootThe 92nd Regiment of Foot was a British Army infantry regiment. It was granted Royal Warrant on 10 February 1794, and first paraded on 24 June 1794, originally being numbered the 100th Regiment of Foot...
- 1 Coy., 3/95th Regiment of Foot (Rifles)
- 1/50th (West Kent) Regiment of Foot
- 2nd Brigade: Major General Byng
- 1/3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs)
- 1/57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of FootThe 57th Regiment of Foot was a regiment of line infantry in the British Army.-History:The regiment started out as the 59th Regiment of Foot raised in Gloucester in 1755....
- 1st Provisional Battalion (2/31st31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of FootThe 31st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1702 and amalgamated into The East Surrey Regiment in 1881.-Predecessor regiment:...
and 2/66th66th (Berkshire) Regiment of FootThe 66th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1758 and amalgamated into The Princess Charlotte of Wales's in 1881....
Regiments of Foot) - 2 Coys., 5/60th Regiment of Foot
- 3rd Brigade: Major General Wilson
- 2/28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of FootThe 28th Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment from 1782 to 1881.For their conduct at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 the 28th were given the unique honour of wearing a badge on both the front and rear of their head dress.. They served throughout the Peninsula War including the battles...
- 2/34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot34th (Cumberland) Regiment of FootThe 34th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1702 and amalgamated with the 55th Regiment of Foot, into The Border Regiment in 1881.-Early 18th century :...
- 1/39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of FootThe 39th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1719 and amalgamated into The Dorsetshire Regiment in 1881.The regiment was raised by Colonel Richard Coote in Ireland in August 1702...
- 2 Coys., 5/60th Regiment of Foot
- 2/28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot
- Portuguese Brigade: Brigadier General Charles AshworthCharles AshworthSir Charles Ashworth was an English major-general, prominent in the Peninsular War.-Life:He was appointed ensign in the 68th foot in 1798 and lieutenant in 1799/ He captain 55th foot in 1801, major 6th West India Regiment in 1808, and major 62nd foot in 1808...
- 1/6th Portuguese Line Regiment
- 2/6th Portuguese Line Regiment
- 1/18th Portuguese Line Regiment
- 2/18th Portuguese Line Regiment
- 6th CaçadoresCaçadoresThe Caçadores were the elite light infantry of the Portuguese Army during the Peninsular War...
Waterloo
The division fought at the Battle of WaterlooBattle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, part of Wellington's II Corps commanded again by Rowland Hill. It consisted at Waterloo of a brigade of British light infantry and riflemen, a brigade of the King's German Legion
King's German Legion
The King's German Legion was a British Army unit of expatriate German personnel, 1803–16. The Legion achieved the distinction of being the only German force to fight without interruption against the French during the Napoleonic Wars....
and a brigade of Hanoverian Landwehr
Landwehr
Landwehr, or Landeswehr, is a German language term used in referring to certain national armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large scale, low strength fortifications...
. The division began the day in reserve behind Wellington's right flank, but took part in the defeat of Napoleon's attacks later in the day.
Waterloo formation
Commander: Lieutenant General Sir Henry ClintonHenry Clinton (Napoleonic Wars)
Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Clinton, GCB, GCH was a British Army officer and a general officer during the Napoleonic Wars.He came from a family of soldiers...
3rd British Brigade Major-General Frederick Adam
Frederick Adam
General Sir Frederick Adam GCB GCMG was a Scottish major-general at the Battle of Waterloo, in command of the 3rd Brigade. He was the fourth son of William Adam of Blair Adam and his wife Eleanora, the daughter of Charles Elphinstone, 10th Lord Elphinstone.-Military career:At the age of fourteen...
- 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of FootThe 52nd Regiment of Foot was a light infantry regiment of the British Army throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries. The regiment first saw active service during the American War of Independence, and were posted to India during the Anglo-Mysore Wars...
(Light Infantry) Lt-Colonel. Sir John ColborneJohn Colborne, 1st Baron SeatonField Marshal John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, GCB, GCMG, GCH, PC was a British field marshal and colonial governor.-Early service:... - 71st (Glasgow Highland) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)71st (Highland) Regiment of FootThe 71st Regiment of Foot was a Highland regiment in the British Army, which in 1881 became the 1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry .- First formation :...
- 2nd Battalion, 95th Regiment of Foot (Rifles)The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)The Rifle Brigade was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army, formed in 1800 to provide sharpshooters, scouts and skirmishers...
- 3rd Battalion, 95th Regiment of Foot (Rifles)
1st King's German Legion
King's German Legion
The King's German Legion was a British Army unit of expatriate German personnel, 1803–16. The Legion achieved the distinction of being the only German force to fight without interruption against the French during the Napoleonic Wars....
Brigade Lieutenant-Colonel George Charles Du Plat
- 1st Line Battalion, KGL
- 2nd Line Battalion, KGL
- 3rd Line Battalion, KGL
- 4th Line Battalion, KGL
3rd Hanoverian Brigade Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Halkett
Hugh Halkett
General Baron Hugh Halkett, GCH, CB, was a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars and later a general of infantry in the Hanoverian service.-Early career:...
- Landwehr Battalion Bremervörde
- Landwehr Battalion 2nd Duke of York's (Osnabrück)
- Landwehr Battalion 3rd Duke of York's (Quakenbrück)
- Landwehr Battalion Salzgitter
Artillery Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Gold
- Bolton's Battery R. A.
- Sympher's Horse Battery King's German LegionKing's German LegionThe King's German Legion was a British Army unit of expatriate German personnel, 1803–16. The Legion achieved the distinction of being the only German force to fight without interruption against the French during the Napoleonic Wars....
Crimean War
The division formed part of the British army under Lord RaglanFitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan
Field Marshal FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, GCB, PC , known before 1852 as Lord FitzRoy Somerset, was a British soldier.-Early life:...
which landed in the Crimea and attempted to capture the port of Sebastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Sir George de Lacy Evans
George de Lacy Evans
Sir De Lacy Evans GCB was a British Army general who served in four wars in which the United Kingdom's troops took part in the 19th century. He was later a long-serving Member of Parliament....
, and fought at the battles of the Alma and Inkerman
Battle of Inkerman
The Battle of Inkerman was fought during the Crimean War on November 5, 1854 between the allied armies of Britain and France against the Imperial Russian Army. The battle broke the will of the Russian Army to defeat the allies in the field, and was followed by the Siege of Sevastopol...
, where it suffered heavy casualties.
Crimean War Formation
Commanding General: Lieutenant General Sir George de Lacy EvansGeorge de Lacy Evans
Sir De Lacy Evans GCB was a British Army general who served in four wars in which the United Kingdom's troops took part in the 19th century. He was later a long-serving Member of Parliament....
- 3rd Brigade: Brigadier General Adams
- 41st (Welsh) Regiment of Foot41st (Welsh) Regiment of FootThe 41st Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1719 and amalgamated into The Welch Regiment in 1881....
- 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot
- 49th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot49th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) (Hertfordshire) Regiment of FootThe 49th Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment. During the Childers Reforms it was united with the 66th Regiment of Foot to form Princess Charlotte of Wales's Berkshire Regiment.-Service history:The 49th Regiment was formed in 1744, during the War of the Austrian Succession...
- 41st (Welsh) Regiment of Foot
- 4th Brigade: Brigadier General John Lysaght PennefatherJohn Lysaght PennefatherGeneral Sir John Lysaght Pennefather GCB was a British soldier who won two very remarkable victories. Firstly, at Meanee, India, where it was said that 500 Irishmen defeated 35,000 Indians...
- 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of FootThe 30th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1702 and amalgamated into The East Lancashire Regiment in 1881.-Predecessor regiment:...
- 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot
- 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of FootThe 95th Regiment of Foot was formed when the 95th Rifles were redesignated as The Rifle Brigade . In 1881, during the Childers Reforms, it was united with the 45th Regiment of Foot to form the Sherwood Foresters .-History:...
- 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot
- Two field batteries Royal Artillery
Anglo-Egyptian War
In 1882, the division formed part of the Expeditionary Force under Lieutenant General Sir Garnet WolseleyGarnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley
Field Marshal Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley, KP, GCB, OM, GCMG, VD, PC was an Anglo-Irish officer in the British Army. He served in Burma, the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, China, Canada, and widely throughout Africa—including his Ashanti campaign and the Nile Expedition...
which was sent to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
after a rebellion (the Urabi Revolt
Urabi Revolt
The Urabi Revolt or Orabi Revolt , also known as the Orabi Revolution, was an uprising in Egypt in 1879-82 against the Khedive and European influence in the country...
) threatened British control of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. During the subsequent 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War, the division was commanded by Major General Edward Bruce Hamley
Edward Bruce Hamley
Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Bruce Hamley KCB KCMG was a British general and military writer and a Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892.-Early life:...
. One of its brigades was used as a garrison of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, and did not take part in the main actions of the war, but the other brigade and the divisional headquarters took part in the decisive Battle of Tel-el-Kebir.
Anglo-Egyptian War formation
Commander: Lieutenant General Sir Edward HamleyEdward Hamley
-Life:He was the elder son of the Rev. Thomas Hamley of St. Columb, Cornwall, who was buried at Bodmin 11 June 1766, and was baptised at St. Columb Major 25 Oct. 1764. He matriculated from New College, Oxford, 6 November 1783, and took his Bachelor of Civil Law degree in 1791...
3rd (Highland) Infantry Brigade (Major General Sir Edward Alison)
- 2nd Battalion, Highland Light InfantryHighland Light InfantryThe Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
- 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)Black WatchThe Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
- 1st Battalion, Cameron HighlandersQueen's Own Cameron HighlandersThe Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
- 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
4th Infantry Brigade (Major General Sir Evelyn Wood VC)
- 1st Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment
- 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte’s)Royal Berkshire RegimentThe Royal Berkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 49th Regiment of Foot and the 66th Regiment of Foot.The regiment was originally formed as The Princess Charlotte of Wales's , taking the...
- 1st Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion, The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
Divisional Troops
- 19th Hussars (2 Sqns)
- 3rd Battalion, The King’s Royal Rifle CorpsKing's Royal Rifle CorpsThe King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
- I Battery, 2nd Field Brigade, Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- N Battery, 2nd Field Brigade, Royal Artillery
- 26 Field Company, Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
- 11 Company, Army Commissariat and Transport Corps
- 2 Bearer Company, Army Hospital Corps (Half)
- 4 Field Hospital, Army Hospital Corps
- 5 Field Hospital, Army Hospital Corps
Boer War
The division was part of an Army Corps under General Sir Redvers BullerRedvers Buller
General Sir Redvers Henry Buller VC GCB GCMG was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
which was sent to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
when the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
broke out in 1899. The division's commander was Lieutenant General Sir Francis Clery
Francis Clery
General Sir Francis Clery KCB KCMG was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division during the Second Boer War.-Military career:...
. The division, or parts of it, suffered defeats at the Battle of Colenso
Battle of Colenso
The Battle of Colenso was the third and final battle fought during the Black Week of the Second Boer War. It was fought between British and Boer forces from the independent South African Republic and Orange Free State in and around Colenso, Natal, South Africa on 15 December 1899.Inadequate...
and the Battle of Spion Kop
Battle of Spion Kop
The Battle of Spion Kop was fought about west-south-west of Ladysmith on the hilltop of Spioenkop along the Tugela River, Natal in South Africa from 23–24 January 1900...
before gaining victory at the Battle of the Tugela Heights
Battle of the Tugela Heights
The Battle of Tugela Heights, consisted of a series of military actions lasting from 14 February through 27 February 1900 in which General Sir Redvers Buller's British army forced Louis Botha's Boer army to lift the Siege of Ladysmith during the Second Boer War.-Background:Buller's army had made...
during the Relief of Ladysmith
Relief of Ladysmith
When the Second Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899, the Boers had a numeric superiority within Southern Africa. They quickly invaded the British territory and laid siege to Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking...
. It subsequently took part in operations which drove the Boers from Natal
Natal, South Africa
Natal is a region in South Africa. It stretches between the Indian Ocean in the south and east, the Drakensberg in the west, and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban...
and the eastern Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
.
First World War
The division was subsequently stationed on Salisbury PlainSalisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
, and designated to be part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) which would be despatched in the case of general European war. When war did break out, the BEF was sent to support the French and Belgian armies. The division's commander at this point was Major General Charles Monro
Sir Charles Monro, 1st Baronet
General Sir Charles Carmichael Monro, 1st Baronet of Bearcrofts, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, was a British Army General during World War I and Governor of Gibraltar from 1923 to 1929.-Military career:...
. The division took part in the long retreat from Mons, and suffered heavy casualties in the First Battle of Ypres
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
.
The division served on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
for the duration of the war. Although most of the division's regulars became casualties or were transferred to other formations, the division never lost its standing and reputation as a Regular formation. It fought in all the major battles on the Western Front.
After the war the division was part of the occupation force stationed at Cologne.
First World War formation
4th (Guards) Brigade :- 2nd Battalion, the Grenadier GuardsGrenadier GuardsThe Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
- 2nd Battalion, the Coldstream GuardsColdstream GuardsHer Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
- 3rd Battalion, the Coldstream Guards
- 1st Battalion, the Irish Guards
- 1/1st Battalion, The Hertfordshire Regiment (to 6th Bde. August 1915)
The brigade left the division on 20 August 1915 to join the
Guards Division and was renamed the 1st Guards Brigade.
5th Brigade
British 5th Infantry Brigade
The 5th Infantry Brigade was a regular British Army formation from the First World War to disbandment in 1999.- History :During both World War I and the Second World War the 5th Brigade was part of the 2nd Infantry Division. It served in France in 1940, was evacuated to Britain from Dunkirk and...
- 2nd Battalion, the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 2nd Battalion, the Highland Light InfantryHighland Light InfantryThe Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
- 17th (Service) Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers (from 99th Bde. December 1915, to 6th Bde. in February 1918)
- 24th (Service) Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers (from 99th Bde. December 1915)
The following battalions were part of the brigade during 1915.
- 1/7th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (September 1915 to November 1915)
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Inniskilling FusiliersRoyal Inniskilling FusiliersThe Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was a Irish infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th Regiment of Foot and the 108th Regiment of Foot...
(January 1915 to July 1915) - 2nd Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment (August 1914 to December 1915)
- 1/9th Battalion (Glasgow HighlandersGlasgow HighlandersThe Glasgow Highlanders was a former Territorial Army regiment in the British Army, it eventually became part of The Highland Light Infantry regiment in 1881, which later became The Royal Highland Fusiliers in 1959...
), the Highland Light Infantry (November 1914 to January 1916) - 1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) (July 1915 to December 1915)
6th Brigade
- 1st Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
- 2nd Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment
- 13th (Service) Battalion (West Ham), The Essex Regiment
- 1st Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle CorpsKing's Royal Rifle CorpsThe King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
(to 99th Bde. December 1915)
The following battalions were part of the brigade during 1915.
- 1st Battalion, the Royal Berkshire RegimentRoyal Berkshire RegimentThe Royal Berkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 49th Regiment of Foot and the 66th Regiment of Foot.The regiment was originally formed as The Princess Charlotte of Wales's , taking the...
(August 1914 to December 1915) - 1/5th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (February 1915 to December 1915)
- 1/7th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (March 1915 to September 1915)
- 1/1st Battalion, The Hertfordshire Regiment (August 1915 to June 1916)
The 17th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers joined the brigade from
the 5th Brigade in February 1918.
19th Brigade (19 August 1915 to 25 November 1915) :
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Welch FusiliersRoyal Welch FusiliersThe Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
- 1st Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
- 1/5th Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
- 1st Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment
- 2nd Battalion2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersThe 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were formed in 1881 when the 91st Regiment of Foot was amalgamated with the 93rd Regiment of Foot to form the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.-Early history:...
, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
The brigade joined the division in August 1915 from the 27th Division and left in November for the 33rd Division, where it swapped with the 99th Brigade.
99th Brigade
- 22nd (Service) Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers
- 23rd (Service) Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers
- 1st Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment (from 6th Bde. December 1915)
- 1st Battalion, the King's Royal Rifle Corps (from 6th Bde. December 1915)
The brigade joined the division from the 33rd Division in November 1915.
The following battalions left the brigade shortly afterwards:
- 17th (Service) Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers (to 5th Bde. December 1915)
- 24th (Service) Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers (to 5th Bde. December 1915)
- 1/5th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (from 6th Bde. December 1915)
Battle of France
Following its return from Germany, the division continued to be a regular army formation stationed in Britain. In 1939, it once again became part of a British Expeditionary ForceBritish Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
sent to fight alongside French armies. Its commander was Major General Henry Loyd
Henry Loyd
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Charles Loyd GCVO KCB DSO MC was a British Army General during World War II.-Military career:...
. In 1940, the British Expeditionary Force, including the 2nd Division, was driven from France in the Dunkirk evacuation, with few casualties but losing almost all its equipment.
India and Burma
The 2nd Division was re-equipped in Britain. In December 1941, Japan entered the war. After British and Commonwealth forces in the Far East suffered disastrous defeats in early 1942, the division was sent to India, which was threatened by Japanese advances and internal disorder. For some time, the division was involved in internal security operations and training for amphibious operations.In 1944, the Japanese launched an invasion of India. The 2nd Division was sent to recapture the vital position at Kohima
Kohima
Kohima is the hilly capital of India's north eastern border state of Nagaland which shares its borders with Burma. It lies in Kohima District and is also one of the three Nagaland towns with Municipal council status along with Dimapur and Mokokchung....
. After driving the Japanese back at the Battle of Kohima
Battle of Kohima
The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 in the Second World War. The battle was fought from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima in northeast India. It is often referred to as the "Stalingrad of the East".The battle took place in...
, the division relieved a besieged Indian corps at Imphal
Battle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...
. The epitaph carved on the memorial of the 2nd Division in the large cemetery for the Allied war dead at Kohima reads,
This has become world-famous as the Kohima Epitaph. The verse is attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds
John Maxwell Edmonds
John Maxwell Edmonds was an English classicist. He is credited for having written a famous epitaph in the Kohima Allied war cemetery." When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today "-Works:...
and is thought to have been inspired by the epitaph written by Simonides
Simonides
* Simonides of Ceos, , a lyric poet* Semonides of Amorgos, an iambic poet* Flavius Simonides Agrippa, son of Roman Jewish Historian Josephus* Constantine Simonides, 19th-century forger of 'ancient' manuscripts...
to honour the Greek who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August...
in 480 BC.
The division continued to serve as part of British Fourteenth Army
British Fourteenth Army
The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Many of its units were from the Indian Army as well as British units and there were also significant contributions from West and East African divisions within the British Army.It...
during its offensive into Burma. It was withdrawn to India at the end of March 1945, as it could not be maintained nor kept up to strength. It was rebuilt in India and was intended for further amphibious operations, but the war ended before it saw further action.
In September 1945 the divisional headquarters was in Malaya under Headquarters XXXIV Corps, with the three brigades en route to Japan, in Malaya, and in Burma earmarked for Malaya.
Second World War formation
(On Deployment to India, April 1942)4th Infantry Brigade
- 1st Bn, Royal Scots
- 2nd Bn, The Royal Norfolk Regiment
- 1/8th Bn, The Lancashire Fusiliers
5th Infantry Brigade
- 1st Bn, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
- 2nd Bn, The Dorsetshire Regiment
- 7th Bn, The Worcestershire Regiment
6th Infantry Brigade
- 1st Bn, The Royal Berkshire Regiment
- 1st Bn, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers
- 2nd Bn, Durham Light InfantryDurham Light InfantryThe Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...
Support
- 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment RACRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
- 2nd Bn, The Manchester RegimentThe Manchester RegimentThe Manchester Regiment was a regiment of the British army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 63rd Regiment of Foot and the 96th Regiment of Foot...
- 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards)3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards)The 3rd Carabiniers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army.-History:The regiment was formed in 1922 as part of a reduction in the army's cavalry by the amalgamation of the 3rd Dragoon Guards and The Carabiniers , to form the 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards...
- 10th Field Regt. Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- 16th Field Regt, Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- 59th Light Anti Aircraft Regt, Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
TA - 99th (Royal Buckinghamshire YeomanryRoyal Buckinghamshire YeomanryThe Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry was formed in 1794, when King George III was on the throne and William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister, of Great Britain. Across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation which had recently guillotined its King and which possessed a...
) Field Regt, RA - 100th (Gordon Highlanders) Anti-Tank Regt. RA
Post-war
The division was amalgamated with the 36th Division and reformed at St. David's Barracks in HildenHilden
Hilden is a city in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is situated in the District of Mettmann, west of Solingen and east of Düsseldorf on the right side of the Rhine. It is a middle sized industrial town with a forest and numerous attractions....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in February 1947. It also amalgamated with the disbanding 6th Armoured Division in 1958 and moved to Tunis Barracks at Lübbecke
Lübbecke
Lübbecke is a town in northeast North Rhine-Westphalia in north Germany. This former county town lies on the northern slopes of the Wiehen Hills and has around 26,000 inhabitants. The town is in the Eastwestphalian district of Minden-Lübbecke...
in September 1959.
Until the late 1970s, it consisted of the 4th Armoured Brigade and 12th Mechanised Brigade, but from 1976 to 1983 it was reorganised as a small armoured division, incorporating two brigade-sized headquarters, Task Force Charlie (TFC) and Task Force Delta (TFD), which controlled five tank/mechanised infantry battle groups (one armoured and two infantry in TF Charlie, and one armoured and one infantry in TF Delta). The 2nd Armoured Division was the first British division in Germany to undergo this reorganisation, and the division's commander while this establishment was tested was Major General Frank Kitson
Frank Kitson
General Sir Frank Edward Kitson GBE, KCB, MC and Bar, DL is a retired British Army officer and writer on military subjects, notably low intensity operations...
.
In a major reorganisation of British forces in 1982 and 1983, the division returned to the United Kingdom. Its new headquarters was at Imphal Barracks in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, and it consisted of three infantry brigades: the regular 24th Airmobile Brigade
British 24th Infantry Brigade (Guards)
The 24th Infantry Brigade was a British Army formation from the First World War to the late 1990s.- 1914 - 1918 :The Brigade was first formed as part of the 8th Infantry Division by battalions returning from overseas stations to reinforce British forces on the Western Front in France...
, and the 15th Brigade
British 15th Infantry Brigade
The 15th Infantry Brigade is a British Army brigade. It was part of the regular British 5th Infantry Division during the Second World War, and is now part of the British 2nd Infantry Division in the north of the United Kingdom, with specific responsibility for the areas of North East England and...
and 49th Brigade
British 49th Infantry Brigade
The British Army's 49th Infantry Brigade started its existence as part of the British 16th Division, part of Kitchener's Army in the First World War...
from the Territorial Army. Its role would have been to cross the Channel and protect I (BR) Corps rear area in the event of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe.
Present day
Military district
Military districts are formations of a state's armed forces which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and in countries with conscript forces, often handle parts of the conscription cycle.Navies have also used...
s - North East District and part of Eastern District, when the formation reformed on 1 April 1995. The 1998 Strategic Defence Review
Strategic Defence Review
The Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
led to a reorganisation of Land Command. The 2nd Division absorbed Scotland District and its headquarters moved to Craigiehall
Craigiehall
Craigiehall is a late-17th-century country house, which now serves as the Headquarters of the 2nd Division of the British Army. It is located close to Cramond, around west of central Edinburgh, Scotland....
, near Edinburgh in April 2000.
Following further reshuffing, 52nd Infantry Brigade
British 52nd Infantry Brigade
The 52nd Infantry Brigade is a Scottish formation in the British Army. It was formed and disbanded several times during the 20th Century.- History :...
was reformed as an operational, rather than regional, brigade consisting of several light infantry battalions, and left the formation to join 3 Division in 2007.
The Division reports to Commander Regional Forces
Commander Regional Forces (United Kingdom)
The Commander Regional Forces was a senior British Army officer who had command over the Regenerative Divisions of the British Army i.e. those divisions that are not on full strength and would only be mobilised in a national emergency. The post was held by a Lieutenant General and was based at HQ...
at HQ Land Forces at Wilton. It is tasked with maintaining the infrastructure and resources and the command and control responsibilities, for the training and administration of all Regular Army and Territorial Army units in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England and as such the deputy commander is always a Territorial Army officer at the Rank Of Brigadier.
Current formation
The division HQ controls Catterick GarrisonCatterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
and four Regional Brigades:
- 15th (North East) Brigade
- 38th (Irish) Brigade38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)The 38th Infantry Brigade was a British Army unit formed initially after the start of World War I, without the title 'Irish'.-History:...
- 42nd (North West) Brigade
- 51st (Scottish) Brigade
Recent Commanders
Recent Commanders have been:GOC 2nd Division
- 1899-1901 Major-General Francis CleryFrancis CleryGeneral Sir Francis Clery KCB KCMG was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division during the Second Boer War.-Military career:...
- 1902-1904 Major-General Charles Douglas
- 1904-1907 Lieutenant-General Sir Bruce HamiltonBruce Hamilton (British Army officer)General Sir Bruce Meade Hamilton GCB, KCVO was a British Army General during World War I.-Military career:...
- 1907-1910 Major-General Theodore StephensonTheodore StephensonMajor-General Theodore Edward Stephenson CB was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:Educated at Marlborough College, Stephenson was commissioned into the 56th Regiment of Foot in 1874. He served in the Second Boer War in which he commanded a column which took part in...
- 1910-1914 Major-General Henry LawsonHenry Merrick LawsonLieutenant General Sir Henry Merrick Lawson KCB was a British Army General during World War I.-Military career:...
- Aug-Dec 1914 Major-General Charles MonroSir Charles Monro, 1st BaronetGeneral Sir Charles Carmichael Monro, 1st Baronet of Bearcrofts, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, was a British Army General during World War I and Governor of Gibraltar from 1923 to 1929.-Military career:...
- 1914-1915 Major-General Henry HorneHenry Horne, 1st Baron HorneGeneral Henry Sinclair Horne, 1st Baron Horne GCB, KCMG was a military officer in the British Army, most notable for his generalship during World War I. He was the only British artillery officer to command an army in the war. Until recently Horne was the unknown General of the Great War and did...
- 1915-1916 Major-General William WalkerWilliam George WalkerMajor General William George Walker VC, CB was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
- 1916-1919 Major-General Sir Cecil PereiraCecil PereiraMajor-General Sir Cecil Edward Pereira KCB CMG was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division during World War I.-Military career:...
- 1919-1923 Major-General Sir Richard ButlerRichard Butler (British Army officer)Lieutenant General Sir Richard Harte Keatinge Butler KCB KCMG was a British Army General during World War I.-Military career:Educated at Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Butler was commissioned into the Dorset Regiment in 1890.He served in the Second Boer War and then became...
- 1923-1926 Major-General Sir Peter StricklandPeter StricklandLieutenant-General Sir Peter Strickland KCB KBE CMG DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 1st Infantry Division during World War I.-Military career:...
- 1926-1928 Major-General Sir Edmund IronsideEdmund Ironside, 1st Baron IronsideField Marshal William Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside GCB, CMG, CBE, DSO, was a British Army officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the first year of the Second World War....
- 1928-1935 Major-General Thomas CubittThomas Cubitt (British Army officer)General Sir Thomas Astley Cubitt KCB CMG DSO was a British Army officer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, who commanded a division in the First World War and in retirement served as Governor of Bermuda....
- 1931-1935 Major-General Henry JacksonHenry Jackson (British Army officer)General Sir Henry Cholmondeley Jackson KCB CMG DSO was a British Army General who achieved high office in the 1930s.-Military career:...
- 1935-1937 Major-General Archibald WavellArchibald Wavell, 1st Earl WavellField Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during the Second World War. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army...
- 1937-1939 Major-General Henry WilsonHenry Maitland Wilson, 1st Baron WilsonField Marshal Henry Maitland Wilson, 1st Baron Wilson, GCB, GBE, DSO , also known as "Jumbo" Wilson, saw active service in the Second Boer War and First World War, and became a senior British general in the Middle East and Mediterranean during the Second World War...
- 1939-1940 Major-General Henry LoydHenry LoydLieutenant General Sir Henry Charles Loyd GCVO KCB DSO MC was a British Army General during World War II.-Military career:...
- May-Aug 1940 Major-General Noel IrwinNoel IrwinLieutenant General Noel Mackintosh Stuart Irwin CB, DSO & Two Bars, MC was a British soldier, who played a prominent role in the British Army after the Dunkirk evacuation, and in the Burma Campaign...
- 1940-1941 Major-General Daril WatsonDaril WatsonGeneral Sir Daril Gerard Watson GCB CBE MC was a British Army General during World War II.-Military career:Daril Watson was enlisted into the British Army in 1914 at the start of World War I. He was commissioned into the Highland Light Infantry in 1915...
- 1941-1944 Major-General John GroverJohn Grover (British Army officer)Major-General John Malcolm Lawrence Grover CB MC was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division in Burma during World War II.-Military career:...
- 1944-1946 Major-General Cameron NicholsonCameron NicholsonGeneral Sir Cameron Gordon Graham Nicholson GCB KBE DSO & Bar MC is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:Cameron Nicholson was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1915...
- 1946-1947 Major-General Robert ArkwrightRobert ArkwrightMajor-General Robert Harry Bertram Arkwright CB DSO & Bar was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:Arkwright was commissioned into the 12th Royal Lancers in 1924...
- 1947-1949 Major-General Philip BalfourPhilip BalfourLieutenant General Sir Philip Maxwell Balfour KBE CB MC was a British Army General who achieved high office in the 1950s.-Military career:...
- 1949-1951 Major-General Colin CallanderColin CallanderLieutenant General Sir Colin Bishop Callander KCB KBE MC was a senior British Army officer who went on to be Military Secretary.-Military career:...
- 1951-1954 Major-General Basil CoadBasil CoadMajor General Basil Aubrey Coad CB CBE DSO & Bar was a senior British Army officer. He held battalion, brigade and divisional commands during the Second World War and immediately after, but is best known as the commander of 27th British Commonwealth Brigade during the Korean War.After his...
- 1954-1956 Major-General John WilseyJohn Harold Owen WilseyMajor-General John Harold Owen Wilsey CB CBE DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:...
- 1956-1958 Major-General Cosmo NevillCosmo NevillMajor-General Cosmo Alexander Richard Nevill CB CBE DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Infantry Division.-Military career:...
- 1958-1960 Major-General William StirlingWilliam Stirling (British Army officer)General Sir William Gurdon Stirling GCB CBE DSO was a British Army General who reached high office during the 1960s.-Military career:...
- 1960-1962 Major-General Edward WilliamsEdward Alexander Wilmot WilliamsMajor-General Edward Alexander Wilmot Williams CB CBE MC was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:...
- 1962-1964 Major-General Mervyn Butler
- 1964-1966 Major-General Norman WheelerNorman WheelerMajor-General Norman Wheeler CB CBE was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:...
- 1966-1967 Major-General John SharpJohn Sharp (British Army officer)General Sir John Sharp KCB MC was a British Army General who achieved high office in the 1970s.-Military career:Sharp was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1938. He served in World War II with 5th Medium Regiment and then with 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery...
- 1968-1970 Major-General Chandos BlairChandos BlairLieutenant General Sir Chandos Blair KCVO OBE MC & Bar was General Officer Commanding Scotland.-Military career:...
- 1970-1972 Major-General Rollo PainRollo PainLieutenant-General Sir Rollo Pain KCB MC was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:...
- 1972-1974 Major-General John ArcherJohn Archer (British Army officer)General Sir John Archer KCB OBE is a former Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces.-Army career:Educated at King's School, Peterborough and St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, John Archer was commissioned into the Royal Norfolk Regiment in 1944...
- 1974-1976 Major-General Desmond ManghamDesmond ManghamMajor-General Desmond Mangham CB is a former British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:...
- 1976-1977 Major-General Frank KitsonFrank KitsonGeneral Sir Frank Edward Kitson GBE, KCB, MC and Bar, DL is a retired British Army officer and writer on military subjects, notably low intensity operations...
- Note: from 1977 to 1983 2nd Division operated as an Armoured Division: see 2nd Armoured Division
GOC 2nd Infantry Division
- 1983-1984 Major-General Patrick Palmer
- 1984-1986 Major-General Peter IngePeter Inge, Baron IngeField Marshal Peter Anthony Inge, Baron Inge was the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1992 and 1994. He then served as Chief of the Defence Staff before retiring in 1997.-Army career:...
- 1986-1987 Major-General Charles GuthrieCharles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of CraigiebankGeneral Charles Ronald Llewelyn Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, was Chief of the Defence Staff between 1997 and 2001 and Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1994 and 1997.-Army career:...
- 1987-1989 Major-General Murray NaylorMurray NaylorMajor-General Murray Naylor CB MBE DL is a former British Army officer who commanded 2nd Infantry Division.-Military career:...
- 1989-1991 Major-General Michael Rose
- 1991-1992 Major-General Michael Walker
GOC 2nd Division
- 1995-1996 Major General Patrick CordingleyPatrick CordingleyMajor General Patrick Anthony John Cordingley DSO DSc FRGS is a retired British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:...
- 1996-1999 Major General Dair Farrar-HockleyDair Farrar-HockleyMajor General Charles Dair Farrar-Hockley, MC is a former British Army officer and a military arbitrator. He is the son of General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley.-Military career:...
- 1999-2002 Major General Robert GordonRobert Gordon (British Army officer)Major-General Robert Duncan Seaton Gordon CMG CBE is a former British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:Educated at Wellington College and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, Gordon was commissioned into the 17th/21st Lancers in 1970 and subsequently saw operational service...
- 2002-2004 Major General Nick Parker
- 2004-2007 Major General Euan LoudonEuan LoudonMajor-General William Euan Buchanan Loudon CBE is a former British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:Loudon was commissioned into the Royal Highland Fusiliers in 1974 and later commanded the 1st Battalion of his regiment. In 1991 he served in the Gulf War as the Chief of...
- 2007-2009 Major General David McDowallDavid McDowallMajor-General David McDowall CBE is a former British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:McDowall joined the British Army as a private soldier in the Royal Corps of Signals at the age of 18. He was commissioned into the Corps in 1981 and later commanded a squadron in operations...
- May 2009-September 2009 Major General Andrew MackayAndrew Mackay (British Army officer)Major-General Andrew Douglas Mackay CBE is a former British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.-Military career:Mackay was an Inspector in the Royal Hong Kong Police for three years before he was commissioned into the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1982...
- October 2009 – Present Major General David ShawDavid Shaw (British Army officer)Major-General David Anthony Hirst Shaw is a British Army officer who currently commands 2nd Division.-Military career:Brought up in Sri Lanka, Shaw was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1976 and went on to take part in operations in Cyprus, Bosnia and Northern Ireland...
Deputy Commanders
- 2006-2009 Brigadier Joe d'Inverno
- 2009–Present Brigadier Simon Bell
The future
A single UK Support Command, which is planned to replace three existing divisional headquarters, will be based in AldershotAldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
. HQ 2nd division in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, HQ 4th division
4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
in Aldershot and HQ 5th division in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
will all be disbanded in 2012. 2 Division will disband in April 2012.
Despite the closure of HQ 2nd Division in Edinburgh the Army will retain a General Officer Commanding (GOC) Scotland, in addition to a small number of staff, in order to maintain the level of senior representation in Scotland required to oversee the rebasing changes. In the longer term HQ 1 (UK) Armoured Division, currently based in Germany, is expected to re-locate to Scotland by 2020 and will take over the GOC Scotland role.
Further reading
- Jon Latimer, Burma: The Forgotten War, London: John Murray, 2004 ISBN 0-7195-6576-6
- Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War, New York: Random House 1979.
External links
- 2nd Division Website
- History
- British Unit History Site
- The British Army in the Great War: The 2nd Division
- British Military History: 2 Division (1930-38)
- British Military History: 2 Infantry Division (1939)
- British Military History: 2 Infantry Division (1940)
- British Military History: 2 Infantry Division (1944-45)
See also
- List of British divisions in WWI
- British Divisions in World War IIBritish Divisions in World War IIThis page is a list of British Army divisions that fought in World War II.-Armoured:*Guards Armoured Division*1st Armoured Division*2nd Armoured Division - Formed 15 December 1939 in the UK. Served in Egypt from January 1941 until March 1941 and from April 1941 until May 1941, and in Libya from...
- British Army Order of Battle - September 1939