British 3rd Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Mechanised Division, known at various times as the Iron Division, 3rd (Iron) Division or as Iron Sides; is a regular army division of the British Army. It was created in 1809 by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
, as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army
, for service in the Peninsular War
, and was known as the Fighting 3rd under Sir Thomas Picton
during the Napoleonic Wars
. The division is also sometimes referred to as the Iron Division, a nickname earned during the bitter fighting of 1916, during the First World War. The division's other battle honours include: the Battle of Waterloo
, the Crimean War
, the Second Boer War
, the Battle of France
(1940) and D-Day (1944). It was commanded for a time, during the Second World War, by Bernard Montgomery. The division was to have been part of a proposed Commonwealth Corps
, formed for a planned invasion of Japan
in 1945-46, but was disbanded when the war was ended by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
During the Second World War, the insignia became the "pattern of three" — a black triangle trisected by an inverted red triangle.
and fought in the Battle of Sabugal
, Battle of Orthez
, Battle of Badajoz (1812)
, Battle of Salamanca
, Battle of Nivelle
, Battle of Fuentes de Onoro
, Battle of Vitoria
, Battle of Bussaco and the Battle of the Pyrenees
example
Commanding General: Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton
(7,500)
According to Picton, the fighting by the 3rd was so intense at the Battle of Vitoria
, that the division lost 1,800 men (over one third of all Allied losses at the battle) having taken a key bridge and village, where they were subjected to fire by 40 to 50 cannons, and a counter-attack on the right flank (which was open because the rest of the army had not kept pace). The 3rd held their ground and pushed on with other divisions to capture the village of Arinez.
The 3rd Division was also present at the Battle of Quatre Bras
and the Battle of Waterloo
.in the Waterloo campaign under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Alten
K.C.B. (Count Carl von Alten)
K.C.B.
and fought in the Battle of Alma
and the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)
that was amongst the first to be sent to France
at the outbreak of the war. It served on the Western Front
for four years. During this time, it was nicknamed "The Iron Division". Its first commander during the war, Major-General Hubert Hamilton
, was killed by shellfire near Béthune
in October 1914.
The brigade moved to the 25th Division in October
1915 and was replaced by the 76th Brigade.
8th Brigade
:
The following battalions joined the brigade for periods in 1914 and 1915.
The following battalions joined the brigade for periods in 1915 and 1916.
The following battalions left the brigade for the 76th Brigade when it
joined the division in October 1915:
9th Brigade :
Other battalions to serve with the brigade were:
The brigade moved to the 28th Division for a
brief period in early 1915.
76th Infantry Brigade (from 15 October 1915) :
The brigade joined the division from the 25th Division in October 1915.
After the end of the First World War, the division was stationed in southern England where it formed part of Southern Command. In 1937, one of its brigades was commanded by Bernard Montgomery. He assumed command of the division shortly before Britain declared war on Germany.
evacuated from Dunkirk
early in the Second World War.
After the evacuation, the Division spent four years training in the UK, in preparation for an eventual assault landing in Europe.
The Third Division was the first British division to land at Sword Beach
on D-Day and fought through the Battle of Normandy
, the Netherlands
and later the invasion of Germany. For the campaign in Normandy, the division was commanded by Major General Tom Rennie until 13 June 1944; Major General Lashmer Whistler
, a highly popular commander, took command on 23 June 1944.
During the often intense fighting from Sword Beach to Bremen, the Division suffered 2,586 killed.
:
9th Brigade
:
185th Brigade
:
Divisional Troops
, the 19th Infantry, and the 39th Infantry. It served in the UK for many years; in 1968 it was part of the Army Strategic Command, comprising 5th, 19th, and 24th Brigade
s. It was an armoured division in the British Army of the Rhine
from 1977 to 1991. When its sub-units were Task Force Echo (TFE) and Task Force Foxtrot (TFF), these changed around 1980 to 6 Armoured Brigade and 33rd Armoured Brigade
.
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The division was reraised in the mid 1990s after 3rd Armoured Division disbanded in BAOR. From 1995 it alternated with 1 (UK) Armoured Division in providing the headquarters for Multi National Division South West in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as part of IFOR
.
On 1 September 1999 the Division was freed from its administrative and regional responsibilities and it became a deployable or "fly-away" division.
As 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division it is now the only division at continual operational readiness in the United Kingdom
(the other at operational readiness being 1st (UK) Armoured Division in Germany). It is based at Picton Barracks, Bulford Camp
, in Wiltshire
and reports to the Commander Field Army
within HQ Land Forces at Wilton, Wiltshire.
Under the divisional command are four ready brigades:
GOC 3rd Division
GOC 3rd Armoured Division
GOC 3rd (UK) Division
GOC 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division
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...
, 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...
, and was known as the Fighting 3rd under Sir Thomas Picton
Thomas Picton
Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton GCB was a Welsh British Army officer who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain, and rose to the rank of lieutenant general...
during 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 is also sometimes referred to as the Iron Division, a nickname earned during the bitter fighting of 1916, during the First World War. The division's other battle honours include: the Battle of Waterloo
Battle 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...
, the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
(1940) and D-Day (1944). It was commanded for a time, during the Second World War, by Bernard Montgomery. The division was to have been part of a proposed Commonwealth Corps
Commonwealth Corps
The Commonwealth Corps was the name given to a proposed British Commonwealth army formation, which was scheduled to take part in the planned Allied invasion of Japan in during 1945 and 1946. The corps was never formed however, as the Japanese surrender obviated any need for it...
, formed for a planned invasion of Japan
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
in 1945-46, but was disbanded when the war was ended by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
During the Second World War, the insignia became the "pattern of three" — a black triangle trisected by an inverted red triangle.
Peninsular War
The Division was part of the British forces that took part in the Peninsular WarPeninsular 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...
and fought in the Battle of Sabugal
Battle of Sabugal
The Battle of Sabugal was an engagement of the Peninsular War which took place on 3 April 1811 between Anglo-Portuguese forces under Arthur Wellesley and French troops under the command of Marshal André Masséna...
, Battle of Orthez
Battle of Orthez
The Battle of Orthez saw the Anglo-Portuguese Army under Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington defeat a French army led by Marshal Nicolas Soult in southern France near the end of the Peninsular War.-Preliminaries:...
, Battle of Badajoz (1812)
Battle of Badajoz (1812)
In the Battle of Badajoz , the Anglo-Portuguese Army, under the Earl of Wellington, besieged Badajoz, Spain and forced the surrender of the French garrison....
, Battle of Salamanca
Battle of Salamanca
The Battle of Salamanca saw Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont's French forces among the hills around Arapiles south of Salamanca, Spain on July 22, 1812 during the Peninsular War....
, Battle of Nivelle
Battle of Nivelle
The Battle of Nivelle took place in front of the River Nivelle near the end of the Peninsular War . After the Allied siege of San Sebastian, Wellington's 80,000 British, Portuguese and Spanish troops were in hot pursuit of Marshal Soult who only had 60,000 men to place in a 20-mile perimeter...
, Battle of Fuentes de Onoro
Battle of Fuentes de Onoro
In the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro , the British-Portuguese Army under Viscount Wellington checked an attempt by the French Army of Portugal under Marshal André Masséna to relieve the besieged city of Almeida.-Background:...
, 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...
, Battle of Bussaco and 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...
Peninsular War Formation
Battle of VitoriaBattle 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...
example
Commanding General: Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton
Thomas Picton
Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton GCB was a Welsh British Army officer who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain, and rose to the rank of lieutenant general...
(7,500)
- 1st Brigade (Maj-Gen Thomas BrisbaneThomas BrisbaneMajor-General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, 1st Baronet GCH, GCB, FRS, FRSE was a British soldier, colonial Governor and astronomer.-Early life:...
)- 1/45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot
- 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot74th (Highland) Regiment of FootThe 74th Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment. During the Childers Reforms it was united with the 71st Regiment of Foot to form the Highland Light Infantry.-Service history:...
- 1/88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers)88th Regiment of FootThree regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 88th Regiment of Foot:* 88th Regiment of Foot , also known as "Campbell's Regiment"* 88th Regiment of Foot...
- 3 Cos, 5/60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot
- 2nd Brigade (Maj-Gen Charles ColvilleCharles ColvilleSir Charles Colville was a British military leader who fought in the Peninsular War and in action near the Battle of Waterloo, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He was the son of John Colville, 8th Lord Colville of CulrossAmong other battles, Colville led the 2nd Brigade in Picton's 3rd...
)- 1/5th (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot
- 2/83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot83rd Regiment of FootThe 83rd Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment that served in the American Revolutionary War...
- 2/87th (Prince of Wales' Irish) Regiment of Foot
- 94th Regiment of Foot94th Regiment of FootThe 94th Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment. Originally formed as the 'Scots Brigade' in 1568, for service in the Netherlands. The regiment was brought onto the English establishment, in October 1794, as the 'Scotch Brigade', renumbered as the 94th Regiment of Foot in...
- Power's Portuguese Brigade (Maj-Gen Manley PowerManley PowerLieutenant General Sir Manley Power, KCB, ComTE was a British military leader who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He is chiefly remembered for leading a brigade of Portuguese troops under The Duke of Wellington in the Iberian Peninsular War...
); See Military history of Portugal#Peninsular War (1807-1814)- 1/9th Portuguese Line
- 2/9th Portuguese Line
- 1/21st Portuguese Line
- 2/21st Portuguese Line
- 11th CaçadoresSkirmisherSkirmishers are infantry or cavalry soldiers stationed ahead or alongside a larger body of friendly troops. They are usually placed in a skirmish line to harass the enemy.-Pre-modern:...
According to Picton, the fighting by the 3rd was so intense at 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...
, that the division lost 1,800 men (over one third of all Allied losses at the battle) having taken a key bridge and village, where they were subjected to fire by 40 to 50 cannons, and a counter-attack on the right flank (which was open because the rest of the army had not kept pace). The 3rd held their ground and pushed on with other divisions to capture the village of Arinez.
Waterloo Campaign
Battle of Quatre Bras
The Battle of Quatre Bras, between Wellington's Anglo-Dutch army and the left wing of the Armée du Nord under Marshal Michel Ney, was fought near the strategic crossroads of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815.- Prelude :...
and the Battle of Waterloo
Battle 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...
.in the Waterloo campaign under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Alten
Charles Alten
Sir Charles Alten , Hanoverian and British soldier, son of Baron Alten, a member of an old Hanoverian family, entered the service of the elector as a page at the age of twelve. He led a famous Anglo-Portuguese division during the Peninsular War. At the Battle of Waterloo, he commanded a division...
K.C.B. (Count Carl von Alten)
5th Brigade
Major-General Sir Colin HalkettColin Halkett
General Sir Colin Halkett GCB GCH GCTE was a British Army officer who became Lieutenant Governor of Jersey.-Family:Halkett came from a military family...
K.C.B.
- 2nd Battalion, 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:...
- 1st Battalion, 33rd Regiment of Foot
- 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of FootThe 69th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1758 and amalgamated into The Welsh Regiment in 1881....
- 73rd Regiment of Foot73rd Regiment of FootThe 73rd Regiment of Foot also known as MacLeod's Highlanders after its founder John Mackenzie, Lord MacLeod, was an infantry regiment of the British Army.- History :- First raising :...
2nd Brigade, King's German Legion
Brevet Colonel Baron Christian Freiherr von OmptedaChristian Friedrich Wilhelm von Ompteda
Christian Friedrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Ompteda was a Hanoverian officer of the Napoleonic Wars.- Life :...
- 1st Light Battalion
- 2nd Light Battalion
- 5th Line Battalion
- 8th Line Battalion
1st Hanoverian Brigade
Major-General Friedrich, Graf von Kielmansegge- Field Battalion Bremen
- Field Battalion 1st Duke of York's
- Light Battalion Grubenhagen
- Light Battalion Lüneburg
- Field Battalion Verden
- Field Jaeger Battalion (two companies)
Artillery
Lieutenant Colonel John Samuel Williamson- Lloyd's Field Brigade R. A. 5/390 5x9lb guns 1x5.5 inch Howitzer
- Cleeves' Field Brigade King's German Legion 6/209 5x9lb guns 1x5.5 inch Howitzer
Crimean War Formation
The 3rd Division took part in the Crimean WarCrimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
and fought in the Battle of Alma
Battle of Alma
The Battle of the Alma , which is usually considered the first battle of the Crimean War , took place just south of the River Alma in the Crimea. An Anglo-French force under General St...
and the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)
- Commanding General:Lieutenant-General Sir Richard EnglandRichard EnglandRichard England is an Australian racing cyclist who rides for American continental team . England turned pro in 2005 and is a sprinter...
- 5th Brigade: Brigadier-General Sir John Campbell
- 4th King’s Own Royal RegimentKing's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)The King's Own Royal Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, which served under various titles from 1680 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.-History:...
- 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot
- 50th (Queen's Own) 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....
- 4th King’s Own Royal Regiment
- 6th Brigade6th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)- World War I :The brigade was part of 2nd Division. It was composed as follows;*1st Battalion, The King's *2nd Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment*13th Battalion , The Essex Regiment...
: Brigade-General Eyre- 1st Royal Regiment
- 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...
- 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot
- Two field batteries Royal Artillery
First World War
During the First World War it was a permanently established Regular Army divisionDivision (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...
that was amongst the first to be sent to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the outbreak of the war. It 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 four years. During this time, it was nicknamed "The Iron Division". Its first commander during the war, Major-General Hubert Hamilton
Hubert Hamilton
Major General Hubert Ion Wetherall Hamilton CB, CVO, DSO was a senior British general who served with distinction throughout his career, seeing battle in the Mahdist War in Egypt and the Second Boer War in South Africa, before being given command of the British Third Division at the outbreak of...
, was killed by shellfire near Béthune
Béthune
Béthune is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department.-Geography:Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated South-East of Calais, West of Lille, and North of Paris.-Landmarks:...
in October 1914.
First World War formation
7th Brigade (to 18 October 1915) :- 3rd Battalion, The Worcester Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, The South Lancashire Regiment
- 1/4th Battalion, The South Lancashire Regiment
- 1st Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Irish Rifles
- 1/1st Battalion, the Honourable Artillery CompanyHonourable Artillery CompanyThe Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
The brigade moved to the 25th Division in October
1915 and was replaced by the 76th Brigade.
8th Brigade
British 8th Infantry Brigade
The British 8th Infantry Brigade was formed before the First World War as part of the 3rd Division. As part of that division it spent the entire war on the Western Front...
:
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Scots Regiment
- 8th (Service) Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment
- 7th (Service) Battalion, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry
- 1st Battalion, the Royal Scots FusiliersRoyal Scots Fusiliers-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
The following battalions joined the brigade for periods in 1914 and 1915.
- 2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (1684) (from August 1914 to March 1915)
- 4th Battalion, The Middlesex RegimentMiddlesex RegimentThe Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
(from August 1914 to November 1915)
The following battalions joined the brigade for periods in 1915 and 1916.
- 13th (Service) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (from October 1915 to April 1916)
- 1/5th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (from October 1915 to February 1916)
The following battalions left the brigade for the 76th Brigade when it
joined the division in October 1915:
- 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment (from October 1914)
- 1st Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders (from August 1914)
- 1/4th Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders (from February 1915)
9th Brigade :
- 1st Battalion, the Northumberland Fusiliers
- 4th Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers
- 12th (Service) Battalion, The West Yorkshire Regiment (from November 1915)
- 13th (Service) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (from April 1916)
Other battalions to serve with the brigade were:
- 1/10th (Scottish) BattalionThe Liverpool ScottishThe Liverpool Scottish, known diminutively as "the Scottish", is a unit of the British Territorial Army, raised in 1900 as an infantry battalion of the King's . The Liverpool Scottish became affiliated to the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in the 1920s and formally transferred to the regiment in...
, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (from November 1914 to January 1916) - 1st Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment (from August 1914 to November 1915)
- 1st Battalion, the Royal Scots FusiliersRoyal Scots Fusiliers-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
(from August 1914 to April 1916)
The brigade moved to the 28th Division for a
brief period in early 1915.
76th Infantry Brigade (from 15 October 1915) :
- 8th (Service) Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
- 13th (Service) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
- 10th (Service) 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...
- 2nd Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment
- 1st Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders
- 1/4th Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders (until February 1916)
The brigade joined the division from the 25th Division in October 1915.
After the end of the First World War, the division was stationed in southern England where it formed part of Southern Command. In 1937, one of its brigades was commanded by Bernard Montgomery. He assumed command of the division shortly before Britain declared war on Germany.
Second World War
The Division was part of the ill-fated 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....
evacuated from Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
early in the Second World War.
After the evacuation, the Division spent four years training in the UK, in preparation for an eventual assault landing in Europe.
The Third Division was the first British division to land at Sword Beach
Sword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
on D-Day and fought through the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and later the invasion of Germany. For the campaign in Normandy, the division was commanded by Major General Tom Rennie until 13 June 1944; Major General Lashmer Whistler
Lashmer Whistler
General Sir Lashmer Gordon Whistler GCB, KBE, DSO & Two Bars, DL , known as Bolo, was a British army officer who served in the First and Second World Wars. In the Second World War he achieved senior ranks serving with Field Marshal Montgomery in North Africa and Europe...
, a highly popular commander, took command on 23 June 1944.
During the often intense fighting from Sword Beach to Bremen, the Division suffered 2,586 killed.
Post-Dunkirk Second World War formation
8th BrigadeBritish 8th Infantry Brigade
The British 8th Infantry Brigade was formed before the First World War as part of the 3rd Division. As part of that division it spent the entire war on the Western Front...
:
- 1st Battalion, the Suffolk RegimentSuffolk RegimentThe Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...
- 2nd Battalion, the East Yorkshire RegimentEast Yorkshire RegimentThe East Yorkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, first raised in 1685 as Sir William Clifton's Regiment of Foot. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the West Yorkshire Regiment , becoming The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of...
- 1st Battalion, the South Lancashire Regiment
9th Brigade
9th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
-History:The Brigade together with 8th Infantry Brigade and 185th Infantry Brigade formed the 3rd Infantry Division and participated in the ill-fated British Expeditionary Force, which evacuated from Dunkirk early in World War II....
:
- 2nd Battalion, the Lincolnshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion, the King's Own Scottish BorderersKing's Own Scottish BorderersThe King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Ulster RiflesRoyal Ulster RiflesThe Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
185th Brigade
185th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
-History:The Brigade together with 8th Infantry Brigade and 9th Infantry Brigade formed the 3rd Infantry Division and participated in the ill-fated British Expeditionary Force, which evacuated from Dunkirk early in World War II....
:
- 2nd Battalion, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion, the Royal Norfolk RegimentRoyal Norfolk RegimentThe Royal Norfolk Regiment, originally formed as the Norfolk Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The Norfolk Regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as the county regiment of Norfolk...
- 2nd Battalion, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry
Divisional Troops
- 2nd Battalion, The Middlesex RegimentMiddlesex RegimentThe Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
- 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion The Northumberland Fusiliers Regt.
- 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars15th/19th The King's Royal HussarsThe 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was created as part of the reduction in the cavalry in the aftermath of World War I. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 15th The King's Hussars and the 19th Royal Hussars on 11 April 1922, becoming the...
- 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal ArtilleryThe 92nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery was a British Army mobile light anti-aircraft regiment active during the Second World War....
- 7th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
Post Second World War
Post war, the Division was reformed on 1 April 1951, in the Suez Canal Zone, under the command of Sir Hugh Stockwell. The division became part of Middle East Land Forces. It consisted of three recently reraised brigades, the 32nd GuardsBritish 32nd Infantry Brigade (Guards)
The 32nd Infantry Brigade was a British Army formation from World War I to after World War II.-World War I:The Brigade was raised originally as the 32nd Infantry Brigade, part of the 11th Division, a New Army formation which served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front during World War...
, the 19th Infantry, and the 39th Infantry. It served in the UK for many years; in 1968 it was part of the Army Strategic Command, comprising 5th, 19th, and 24th 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...
s. It was an armoured division in the British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
from 1977 to 1991. When its sub-units were Task Force Echo (TFE) and Task Force Foxtrot (TFF), these changed around 1980 to 6 Armoured Brigade and 33rd Armoured Brigade
33rd Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 33rd Armoured Brigade was a British Army brigade active in 1944-45, in the 1970s, and in 1980-92.- Normandy :The brigade was formed in the UK on 17 March 1944 by re-designating of the 33rd Tank Brigade. The brigade took part in the Normandy campaign and landed on Gold Beach on 6 June 1944...
.
Current formation
IFOR
The Implementation Force was a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename Operation Joint Endeavour. Its task was to implement the military Annexes of The General Framework Agreement for...
.
On 1 September 1999 the Division was freed from its administrative and regional responsibilities and it became a deployable or "fly-away" division.
As 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division it is now the only division at continual operational readiness in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(the other at operational readiness being 1st (UK) Armoured Division in Germany). It is based at Picton Barracks, Bulford Camp
Bulford Camp
Bulford Camp is a military camp on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England.The modern day Bulford Camp is two camps separated by Marlborough Road. The camp on the eastern side contains Picton Barracks housing the headquarters of 3rd Division and Kiwi Barracks houses the 4th Battalion The Rifles...
, in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and reports to the Commander Field Army
Commander Field Army (United Kingdom)
The Commander Field Army was a senior British Army officer who had command over the Deployable Divisions of the British Army i.e. those divisions on full strength...
within HQ Land Forces at Wilton, Wiltshire.
Under the divisional command are four ready brigades:
- 1 Mechanized Brigade
- 4th Mechanized Brigade
- 12 Mechanized Brigade
- 19 Light Brigade
- 3rd Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment
- 5 Regiment Army Air Corps (Lynx)
- 36 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
- 3 Regiment, Royal Military PoliceRoyal Military PoliceThe Royal Military Police is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of service personnel, and for providing a military police presence both in the UK, and whilst service personnel are deployed overseas on operations and exercises.Members of the RMP are generally known as...
- 3 Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical CorpsRoyal Army Medical CorpsThe Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
- 3 Logistic Support Regiment, Royal Logistic CorpsRoyal Logistic CorpsThe Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
- 4 Logistic Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps
- 12 Logistic Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps
Recent Commanders
Recent Commanders have been:GOC 3rd Division
- 1907-1910 Major-General William FranklynWilliam Franklyn (British Army officer)Lieutenant General Sir William Edmund Franklyn KCB was a senior British Army officer who went on to be Military Secretary.-Military career:...
- 1910-1914 Major-General Henry RawlinsonHenry Rawlinson, 1st Baron RawlinsonGeneral Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB, GCSI, GCVO, KCMG , known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, was a British First World War general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.-Military career:Rawlinson was...
- May 1914-Oct 1914 Major-General Hubert HamiltonHubert HamiltonMajor General Hubert Ion Wetherall Hamilton CB, CVO, DSO was a senior British general who served with distinction throughout his career, seeing battle in the Mahdist War in Egypt and the Second Boer War in South Africa, before being given command of the British Third Division at the outbreak of...
- Oct 1914 Major-General Colin MackenzieColin John MackenzieMajor-General Sir Colin John Mackenzie, KCB was a British soldier and Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Army, from 1910 until 1913.-Background:...
- 1914-1916 Major-General Aylmer Haldane
- 1916-1919 Major-General Cyril DeverellCyril DeverellField Marshal Sir Cyril John Deverell, GCB, KBE, ADC was a British career military officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1936 and 1937.-Army career:...
- 1919-1922 Major-General Robert WhighamRobert WhighamGeneral Sir Robert Dundas Whigham GCB KCMG DSO is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:Educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Robert Whigham was commissioned into the 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment in 1885.He becam...
- 1922-1926 Major-General William HenekerWilliam HenekerGeneral Sir William Charles Giffard Heneker KCB KCMG DSO was a Canadian born and educated soldier who served with the British Army in West Africa, India, and then later on the western front during the First World War...
- 1926-1930 Major-General John Burnett-StuartJohn Burnett-StuartGeneral Sir John Theodosius Burnett-Stuart GCB KBE CMG DSO was a British Army General in the 1930s.-Military career:Educated at Repton School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, John Burnett-Stuart was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1895. He saw service on the North West Frontier of...
- 1930-1932 Major-General Harry KnoxHarry KnoxGeneral Sir Harry Hugh Sidney Knox KCB DSO is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:Educated at St. Columba's College, Harry Knox was commissioned into the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1893. He served on the North-West Frontier between 1897 and 1898.He fought in World War I and...
- 1932-1934 Major-General Walter Pitt-TaylorWalter Pitt-TaylorGeneral Sir Walter William Pitt-Taylor KCB CMG DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 3rd Infantry Division.-Military career:...
- 1934-1936 Major-General Robert Gordon-FinlaysonRobert Gordon-FinlaysonGeneral Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson KCB CMG DSO was Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:Finlayson entered the British Army from the Suffolk Militia and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery. He served during the First World War initially as a Royal Artillery officer with 7th...
- 1936 Major-General Cecil HeywoodCecil HeywoodMajor-General Cecil Percival Heywood CB CMG DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 3rd Division.-Military career:...
- 1936-1939 Major-General Denis BernardDenis Bernard (British Army officer)Lieutenant General Sir Denis John Charles Kirwan Bernard KCB CMG DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 3rd Infantry Division.-Military career:Born the son of Percy Bernard MP, Hayes was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1902...
- 1939-1940 Major-General Bernard MontgomeryBernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of AlameinField Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
- 1940-1941 Major-General James GammellJames GammellLieutenant-General Sir James Andrew Harcourt Gammell KCB DSO MC was a British Army General during World War II.-Military career:After studying at Cambridge University, James Gammell was commissioned into the Scottish Horse Yeomanry in 1913...
- 1941-1942 Major-General Eric HayesEric HayesMajor General Eric Charles Hayes CB was a British Army officer who commanded 3rd Infantry Division.-Military career:Hayes was commissioned into the Royal Norfolk Regiment in 1915 during World War I and saw action in Mesopotamia and Persia...
- 1942-1943 Major-General William RamsdenWilliam Havelock RamsdenMajor-General William Havelock Ramsden CB, CBE, DSO, MC was a British Army commander during World War II.-Military career:...
- 1943-1944 Major-General Tom Rennie
- 1944-1947 Major-General Lashmer WhistlerLashmer WhistlerGeneral Sir Lashmer Gordon Whistler GCB, KBE, DSO & Two Bars, DL , known as Bolo, was a British army officer who served in the First and Second World Wars. In the Second World War he achieved senior ranks serving with Field Marshal Montgomery in North Africa and Europe...
- 1951-1952 Major-General Hugh StockwellHugh StockwellGeneral Sir Hugh Charles Stockwell GCB, KBE, DSO & Bar was a British soldier, most remembered for commanding the Anglo-French ground forces during the Suez Crisis and his service as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1960 to 1964.-Early life:Stockwell was born in Jersey, but spent...
- 1952-1954 Major-General Nigel PoettNigel PoettGeneral Sir Joseph Howard Nigel Poett KCB, DSO was a British Army officer who commanded the 5th Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division, during the Second World War.-Early life:...
- 1954-1957 Major-General John ChurcherJohn ChurcherMajor General John Bryan Churcher CB DSO & Bar was a British Army officer who commanded 3rd Infantry Division.-Military career:...
- 1957-1959 Major-General George Gordon-LennoxGeorge Gordon-LennoxLieutenant-General Sir George Charles Gordon-Lennox, KBE, CB, CVO, DSO was a British soldier.-Military career:...
- 1959-1961 Major-General Charles HaringtonCharles Henry Pepys HaringtonGeneral Sir Charles Henry Pepys Harington GCB, CBE, DSO, MC was an officer in the British Army. He served in the British Expeditionary Force and in Normandy in the Second World War. He was later Commander-in-Chief of the three-service Middle East Command from 1963 to 1965, based at Aden...
- 1961-1962 Major-General Vivian StreetVivian Street (British Army officer)Major General Vivian Wakefield Street CMG CBE DSO MC JP was a British Army officer who commanded 3rd Infantry Division.-Military career:...
- 1962-1964 Major-General Michael CarverMichael Carver, Baron CarverField Marshal Richard Michael Power Carver, Baron Carver GCB, CBE, DSO & Bar, MC was a British soldier. He served as the Chief of the Defence Staff of the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces.-Army career:Educated at Winchester College, Michael Carver was...
- 1964-1966 Major-General Cecil BlackerCecil BlackerGeneral Sir Cecil Hugh Blacker GCB OBE MC was a senior British Army officer and a former Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:...
- 1966-1968 Major-General Anthony Deane-DrummondAnthony Deane-DrummondMajor General Anthony John Deane–Drummond CB, DSO, MC & Bar is a retired officer of the Royal Signals in the British Army, whose career was mostly spent with airborne forces....
- 1968-1970 Major-General Terence McMeekinTerence McMeekinLieutenant-General Sir Terence Douglas Herbert McMeekin KCB OBE is a former British Army officer who commanded 3rd Division.-Military career:...
- 1970-1972 Major-General Glyn GilbertGlyn GilbertMajor-General Glyn Charles Anglim Gilbert CB MC was a 20th century British military officer who served during World War II...
- 1972-1974 Major-General Richard WorsleyRichard WorsleyGeneral Sir Richard Edward Worsley GCB OBE is a British Army General who achieved high office in the 1980s.-Military career:Educated at Radley College, Worsley was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1942....
- 1974-1976 Major-General Robin CarnegieRobin CarnegieLieutenant General Sir Robin Macdonald Carnegie KCB OBE was a senior British Army officer who became Military Secretary. He died peacefully in Salisbury Hospice.-Military career:...
GOC 3rd Armoured Division
- 1976-1978 Major-General Michael WalshMichael J. H. WalshMajor-General Michael John Hatley Walsh CB DSO was a senior British Army officer and the Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories between 1982 and 1988.-Education:...
- 1978-1980 Major-General Henry Dalzell-PayneHenry Dalzell-PayneMajor-General Henry Salusbury Legh Dalzell-Payne CBE is a former British Army officer who commanded 3rd Mechanised Division.-Military career:...
- 1980-1982 Major-General Norman ArthurNorman ArthurLieutenant General Sir John Norman Stewart Arthur KCB CVO was General Officer Commanding in Scotland.-Military career:Educated at Eton College and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Arthur was commissioned into the Royal Scots Greys in 1951...
- 1982-1984 Major-General Anthony WalkerAnthony Walker (British Army officer)General Sir Anthony Kenneth Frederick Walker KCB is a former British Army officer who became Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies.-Military career:...
- 1984-1987 Major-General David RamsbothamDavid Ramsbotham, Baron RamsbothamGeneral David John Ramsbotham, Baron Ramsbotham GCB CBE is a retired British Army officer, who later served as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons...
- 1987-1988 Major-General Edward Jones
- 1988-1990 Major-General Michael WilkesMichael WilkesGeneral Sir Michael John Wilkes KCB CBE KStJ is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces in the United Kingdom.-Military career:Educated at the King's School, Rochester, Michael Wilkes was commissioned in to the Royal Artillery in 1961. He served as Commanding Officer of 22 SAS and was appointed...
- 1990-1992 Major-General Christopher Wallace
GOC 3rd (UK) Division
- 1992-1994 Major-General Hew PikeHew PikeLieutenant-General Sir Hew William Royston Pike KCB, DSO, MBE is a retired British Army officer known for his service in the Falklands War and for his command in Northern Ireland.-Education and early career:...
- 1994-1996 Major-General Mike JacksonMike JacksonGeneral Sir Michael David "Mike" Jackson, is a retired British Army officer and one of its most high-profile generals since the Second World War. Originally commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in 1963, he transferred to the Parachute Regiment, with whom he served two of his three tours of...
- 1996-1999 Major-General Cedric DelvesCedric DelvesLieutenant General Sir Cedric Norman George Delves KBE DSO is a former British Army general.-Military career:Educated at Woolverstone Hall School, Cedric Delves was commissioned into the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment in 1968...
GOC 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division
- 1999-2000 Major General Richard Dannatt
- 2000-2003 Major General John McCollJohn McCollGeneral Sir John Chalmers McColl KCB, CBE, DSO is the current Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. He was sworn in on 26 September 2011. He was formerly Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Army career:...
- 2003-2005 Major General Graeme LambGraeme LambLieutenant-General Sir Graeme Cameron Maxwell Lamb, KBE, CMG, DSO is a retired British Army officer. He is a former Commander of the Field Army at Land Command, known for his contributions to counter-insurgency.-Career:...
- 2005-2007 Major General Richard ShirreffRichard ShirreffGeneral Sir Alexander Richard David Shirreff KCB CBE is the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Early and personal life:Educated at Oundle School and Exeter College, Oxford, Richard Shirreff was commissioned into the 14th/20th King's Hussars in 1976.He is married to Sarah-Jane and has two...
- 2007-2009 Major General Barney White-SpunnerBarney White-SpunnerLieutenant General Sir Barnabas William Benjamin White-Spunner, KCB, CBE is the current Commander of the British Field Army.-Military career:Educated at Eton College and the University of St Andrews, Barney White-Spunner was commissioned into the Blues and Royals in 1979. He was appointed...
- 2009-2011 Major General James Everard
- 2011-present Major General John LorimerJohn LorimerMajor-General John Gordon Lorimer DSO MBE is a senior British Army officer who is currently General Officer Commanding 3rd Mechanised Division.-Military career:...
See also
- 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