2nd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)

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2nd Division
Image: British_2nd_Infantry_Division.png
Insignia of the 2nd Division
Active 1809 - Present
Country United Kingdom
Branch Regular/Territorial Army
Type Infantry/All Arms and Services
Role Training and Administration
Military Aid to the Civil Community
Military Aid to the Civil Power
Size One Garrison
Three Brigades
Part of Land Command
Garrison/HQ Craigiehall, near Edinburgh
Engagements Battle of France
Burma Campaign
Battle of Kohima
Commanders
Current
commander		 Major General D McDowall, MBE[1]

The British 2nd Infantry Division has seen much service including fighting in Burma against the Japanese during World War II.

Contents

[edit] History

The British 2nd Division was originally formed in 1809 by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War. During the First World War it was a permanently established Regular Army division that was amongst the first to be sent to France at the outbreak of the war. It served on the Western Front for the duration of the war. After the war the division was part of the occupation force stationed at Cologne.

It continued life as a regular army formation that served in France 1940, and after being stationed in Britain until April 1942 was then shipped off to India where it would spend the rest of the war fighting in the Burma Campaign. It gained the World War II Battle Honours of the Dyle, St. Omer-La Bassee, Kohima and Mandalay. Amalgamated in the Far East with the 36th Division in 1946-7, the division was disbanded soon afterwards there and reformed in Germany by February 1947 utilising the structure of the disbanding 53rd Welsh Division. The Division was to stay in Germany with I(BR) Corps for decades, and spend a period as 2nd Armoured Division, a small five-battle group armoured division probably incorporating Task Force Charlie and Task Force Delta, from 1976 to 1983.

The Division was brought home in the 1982-3 reorganisation, and headquartered at York. Consisting of 15 (TA), 49 (TA) and 24th Brigades, its war role would have been to cross the Channel and protect the corps rear area in the event of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe.

Following the end of the Cold War, the division disbanded, but the title was resurrected for the amalgamation of several military districts - 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 and 2nd Division absorbed Scotland District and its headquarters moved to Craigiehall, near Edinburgh. The Division reports to Commander Regional Forces, a Lieutenant General, at Headquarters Land Command at Wilton.

Following further reshuffing, 52nd Infantry Brigade was reformed as an operational, rather than regional, brigade consisting of several light infantry battalions, and as a result will leave the formation to join 3 Division in 2007.

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.

[edit] Crimean War Formation

Commanding General: Lieutenant General Sir de Lacy Evans

[edit] World War I formation

4th (Guards) Brigade 

The brigade left the division on August 20, 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.

  • 1st Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment (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 (August 19, 1915 to November 25, 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 
  • 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)

[edit] World War II formation

(On Deployment to India, April 1942)

[edit] 4th Infantry Brigade

Main article: 4th Infantry Brigade

[edit] 5th Infantry Brigade

Main article: 5th Infantry Brigade

[edit] 6th Infantry Brigade

Main article: 6th Infantry Brigade

[edit] Support

[edit] Current formation

Structure 2nd Division
Structure 2nd Division

The Division was reformed on 1 April 1995. 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. The Division has its Headquarters at Craigiehall, near Edinburgh and comprises Catterick Garrison and four Regional Brigades:

52nd Infantry Brigade was transferred from the 2nd Division to 3 (Mechanised) Division in April 2007.

[edit] Recent Commanders

Recent Commanders have been:[2]

  • 1995-1996 Major General PAJ Cordingley
  • 1996-1999 Major General CD Farrar-Hockley
  • 1999-2002 Major General RDS Gordon
  • 2003-2004 Major General NR Parker
  • 2004-2006 Major General WEB Loudon
  • 2007-present Major General D McDowall

[edit] References

  1. ^ MoD Appointments List
  2. ^ Whitaker's Almanacks

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Further Reading

v • d • e
Divisions of the British Army