List of military divisions by name
Encyclopedia
This is a list of military divisions of all nationalities that are identified by name. In many armies division
s have been given both a name and a number; they are listed here if they are commonly referred to by name in English publications.
Note that in the British Army
prior to April 1915 many Regular Army and Territorial Army divisions were designated by name. After April 1915 all divisions were assigned a number. For example the East Lancashire Division became the 42nd Division.
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...
s have been given both a name and a number; they are listed here if they are commonly referred to by name in English publications.
Note that in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
prior to April 1915 many Regular Army and Territorial Army divisions were designated by name. After April 1915 all divisions were assigned a number. For example the East Lancashire Division became the 42nd Division.
- Anzac Mounted DivisionAnzac Mounted DivisionThe ANZAC Mounted Division was a mounted infantry and mounted rifles division formed in March 1916 in Egypt during World War I following the Battle of Gallipoli when the Australian and New Zealand regiments returned from fighting dismounted as infantry...
- Australian Mounted DivisionAustralian Mounted DivisionThe Australian Mounted Division was a mounted infantry division formed in Egypt during World War I. When the British forces in the Middle East expanded in late 1916, a second mounted division was created called the Imperial Mounted Division...
(formerly Imperial Mounted Division) - Australian Jungle DivisionJungle DivisionThe Jungle Division was a military organisation adopted in 1943 by the Australian Army during the Second World War. This organisation was a much lighter version of the standard British-pattern infantry division used during previous campaigns in the deserts of North Africa and was optimised to meet...
- Bong Lau Division (Vietnam People's Army)
- British Devon and Cornwall County Division (later 77th Infantry Division)
- British Dorset County Division
- British Durham and North Riding County Division
- British Essex County Division (formerly West Sussex County Division)
- British Guards Division
- British Guards Armoured Division
- British Hampshire County Division
- British King's DivisionKing's DivisionThe King's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for infantry regiments in the North of England. The King's Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Lancastrian Brigade, Yorkshire Brigade and North Irish Brigade...
- British Light DivisionLight DivisionThe Light Division was a light infantry Division of the British Army formed in the early 19th Century. It can trace its origins to the Light Companies which had been formed to move at speed over inhospitable terrain and protect the main forces by skirmishing tactics...
- British Lincolnshire County Division
- British Norfolk County Division (later 78th Infantry Division)
- British Northumberland County Division
- British Prince of Wales' DivisionPrince of Wales' DivisionThe Prince of Wales's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all land force units in the West of England and Wales. The Prince of Wales's Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Mercian Brigade, Welsh Brigade and Wessex Brigade...
- British Queens DivisionQueen's DivisionThe Queen's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for has the regiments from the east of England and the remaining regiment of Fusiliers. The Queen's Division was formed in 1968 with the regimentation of the Home Counties Brigade, Fusilier Brigade and...
- British Royal Marines DivisionRoyal Marines DivisionThe Royal Marines Division was activated as the Royal Marines expanded during the first days of World War II. Its primary objective was to act as a specialised amphibious assault formation for the United Kingdom, much as the divisions of the United States Marine Corps did for the United States in...
- British Royal Naval Division
- British Scottish DivisionScottish DivisionThe Scottish Division is a British Army Infantry command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all Scottish line infantry units. The Scottish Division was formed on July 1, 1968 with the amalgamation of the Lowland Brigade and Highland Brigade...
- British West Sussex County Division (later Essex County Division)
- British Yeomanry Mounted Division (later 4th Cavalry Division)
- British Yorkshire County Division
- Chien Thang Division (Vietnam People's Army)
- Dong Bang Division (Vietnam People's Army)320 Division (Vietnam)The 320th Division is a formation of the Vietnam People's Army.During the Vietnam War it was a well trained division of the North Vietnamese Army that operated in the DMZ area of South Vietnam. The division battled U. S. Marines in and around Dong Ha and Leatherneck Square. One of the major battles...
- German Großdeutschland DivisionGroßdeutschland DivisionThe Großdeutschland Division was an elite Heer combat unit of the Wehrmacht. The Großdeutschland was considered to be the premier unit of the German Army and as such it was one of best-equipped unit of the German Armed Forces, receiving equipment before all other units.- Early history -...
- German Luftwaffe Hermann Göring DivisionFallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann GöringThe Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. Hermann Göring was an élite German Luftwaffe armoured division. The HG saw action in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and on the Eastern front...
(later Hermann Göring Panzer Division, 1st Hermann Göring Parachute Panzer Division) - German Luftwaffe 2nd Hermann Göring Parachute Panzergrenadier DivisionFallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann GöringThe Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. Hermann Göring was an élite German Luftwaffe armoured division. The HG saw action in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and on the Eastern front...
- German Luftwaffe ErdmannWolfgang ErdmannDipl.-Ing. Wolfgang ErdmannIn German an engineer's degree is called Diplom-Ingenieur was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
Parachute Division (later 7th Parachute Division) - German Luftwaffe MeindlEugen MeindlEugen Meindl was a highly decorated German Fallschirmjäger and general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
Division (later 21st Luftwaffe Field Division) - German Panzer Division Kempf
- German Panzer Division Kurmark
- Lam Hong Division (Vietnam People's Army)
- German Panzer Division Müncheberg
- German Panzer-Lehr-Division
- German SS Division Nord6th SS Mountain Division NordThe 6th SS Mountain Division "Nord" was a German unit of the Waffen SS during World War II, formed in February 1941 as SS Kampfgruppe Nord ....
(later 6th SS Mountain Division) - German SS Totenkopf Division3rd SS Division TotenkopfThe SS Division Totenkopf , also known as 3. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Totenkopf and 3. SS-Panzer-Division Totenkopf, was one of the 38 divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS during World War II. Prior to achieving division status, the formation was known as Kampfgruppe Eicke...
(later 3rd SS Division) - German Fortress Division Kreta
- German Fortress Division SwinemündeGerman Fortress Division SwinemündeFortress Division Swinemünde was an ad-hoc formation under the command of Baron Hermmann Von Pfel, and organized by Seekommandant Pommern in the port of Swinemünde. The division was created in 1945 primarily from German Navy personnel, although some Luftwaffe personnel were used as well...
- Imperial German AlpenkorpsAlpenkorps (German Empire)The Alpenkorps was a provisional mountain unit of division size formed by the Imperial German Army during World War I. It was considered by the Allies to be one of the best units of the German Army.-Formation:...
- Imperial German Guard Ersatz DivisionGuard Ersatz Division (German Empire)The Guard Ersatz Division was a division of the Imperial German Army during World War I. Ersatz is German for "replacement"; the division was formed from companies of the replacement battalions of the regiments of Prussian Guards and several other Prussian regiments...
- Israeli Gaza DivisionGaza DivisionThe Israel Defense Forces Gaza Division , is subordinate to the Southern Regional Command. Its area of operation is the Gaza Strip and the area surrounding it...
- Tien Phong Division (Vietnam People's Army)308 Division (Vietnam)The 308th Division is an infantry division of the People's Army of Vietnam, first formed in 1948-49.As early as January 1947, the first regiment of the PAVN, the 308 'Capital' Regiment, was created for operations around Hanoi...
- Vinh Quang Division (Vietnam People's Army)
- Israeli West Bank DivisionWest Bank DivisionThe Israel Defense Forces Judea and Samaria Division is a regional division in the Israeli Central Command responsible for Israeli military activity in Judea and Samaria....
- New Zealand and Australian DivisionNew Zealand and Australian DivisionThe New Zealand and Australian Division was formed at the start of the Battle of Gallipoli as a composite division under the command of New Zealand general Alexander Godley. At the start of World War I New Zealand had mustered insufficient infantry battalions to form their own division while...
- New Zealand DivisionNew Zealand DivisionThe New Zealand Division was a World War I infantry division formed in Egypt in January 1916 following the evacuation of Gallipoli. At the outbreak of war the New Zealand Expeditionary Force contained a single infantry brigade which was combined with the unattached Australian 4th Infantry Brigade...
- US Americal Division
- US Philippine Division