British 5th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The 5th Infantry Division is a regular army division of the British Army. It was established by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
for service in the Peninsula War, as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army
, and has been active for most of the period since, including the First World War and the Second World War. The modern day division was established in 1995 and is an administrative division covering Wales and the English regions
of West Midlands
, East Midlands
and East
. Its headquarters are in Shrewsbury
.
under the command of General James Leith
was present at most of the major engagements including the Battle of Bussaco, the Battle of Sabugal
, the Siege of Almeida (1811)
, the Battle of Badajoz (1812)
, the Battle of Salamanca
, the Battle of Vitoria
, the Siege of San Sebastian
, the Battle of Nivelle
and the Battle of the Nive
.
then at the Battle of Waterloo
under the command of Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton
the formation was
The 5th Division, as a regular army formation (one of the Old Contemptibles) fought in many of the major battles of the Western Front from The Battle of Mons
in 1914 , the later stages of the Somme offensive , including the first battle using tanks, up to the Battle of the Selle in 1918. They were in almost continuous action throughout the war and suffered a tremendous amount of casualties as can be seen from the way the battalions that made up the division changed during the war. By 1918 the 5th Division, like most other regular divisions, contained very few of those regulars who went to France in 1914.
This Brigade was temporarily under the command of 28th Division between 23 February and 7 April 1915, when it was replaced by 84th Brigade from that Division.
14th Brigade
Brigade transferred to 32nd Division
on 30 December 1915
15th Brigade
This Brigade was temporarily under the command of 28th Division between 3 March and 7 April 1915, when it was replaced by 83rd Brigade from that Division.
95th Brigade
Brigade transferred from 32nd Division
on 26 December 1915
and Belgium in 1940 including at the Ypres
-Comines Canal from 26th to 28 May 1940, and then was withdrawn, along with the rest of the British Expeditionary Force
, from Dunkirk
. After this it served and travelled in so many regions of the world that they became known as the Globe Trotters. In April 1942 13th and 17th Infantry Brigades and a portion of the Divisional Troops were detached to 'Force 121' for Operation Ironclad
, the invasion of Vichy
French held Madagascar
. The Division was not complete again until August 1942.
It was sent from the UK to India to Iraq
, and Persia to join Tenth Army
, where it spent time under the command of III Corps and XXI Indian Corps. It then went to Syria
and Egypt
before being withdrawn in preparation for the Sicily landings.
After the British 1st Infantry Division and other British forces, as part of the U.S. VI Corps
under Major General John P. Lucas
, landed at Anzio
in January 1944, the 5th Division was part of later reinforcements sent there, along with the 56th (London) Infantry Division
.
It was part of the drive on Rome from 22 May to 4 June 1944. From there they were sent to Palestine
, back to Italy and finally to North West Europe for the final months of the war.
During the Second World War, unlike during the First World War, the Division used a 'Y' on a black square background as its insignia.
(26 April 1942 – 2 August 1942 detached to Force 121 in Madagascar
)
15th Infantry Brigade
17th Infantry Brigade
(15 March 1942 - 30 June 1942 Detached to Force 121 in Madagascar
)
Division Troops
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Today the 5th Division is an administrative division - effectively a military district, having been reformed from North West, Wales, and Western Districts on 1 April 1995. It has administrative control over a wide range of regiments, training establishments and cadet corps. It has its permanent headquarters at the Copthorne Barracks
in Shrewsbury
, Shropshire
, which is also the headquarters of the 143rd Brigade.
The division was in charge of the majority of British Army
units in Wales, the English West Midlands
and South West England
, with approximately 20,000 regular personnel, 9,000 TA personnel and around 5,000 civilians, between 1995 and 2007. The South West has now been transferred to the 4th Division, replaced by the East Midlands
and the East
English regions. The division therefore now covers the central regions of England as well as Wales.
The 5th Division took command of Headquarters Salisbury Plain
Area and 43rd (Wessex) Brigade from 3rd Division on 1 April 1999, and 107 (Ulster) Brigade also fell under its responsibility. However 107 Brigade was shifted back under Headquarters, Northern Ireland, at a later date. HQ 43rd Brigade moved to Bulford by 1 September 1999, and HQ Salisbury Plain
Area disbanded by that date. This process freed Headquarters 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division
from its administrative and regional responsibilities and it become a deployable or "fly-away" division.
The Divisional Commander, Major General M. J. Rutledge OBE
, reports to the Commander Regional Forces
within HQ Land Forces at Wilton.
The current composition is as follows:
GOC 5th Division
. HQ 2nd division in Edinburgh
, HQ 4th division
in Aldershot and HQ 5th division in Shrewsbury
will all be disbanded in 2012.
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...
for service in the Peninsula War, 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...
, and has been active for most of the period since, including the First World War and the Second World War. The modern day division was established in 1995 and is an administrative division covering Wales and the English regions
Regions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
of West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
, East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
and East
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
. Its headquarters are 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...
.
Peninsula War
The 5th Division during 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...
under the command of General James Leith
James Leith (British Army infantry officer)
General Sir James Leith GCB commanded the 5th Division in the Duke of Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese army at several critical battles during the Peninsular War between 1810 and 1813.-Early career:...
was present at most of the major engagements including the Battle of Bussaco, 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...
, the Siege of Almeida (1811)
Siege of Almeida (1811)
The Siege of Almeida took place during the Peninsular War portion of the Napoleonic Wars. After a month-long blockade, the French garrison under Brigadier-General Antoine Brenier escaped, leaving the fortress in Anglo-Portuguese hands.Almeida is located in eastern Portugal, near the border with...
, the 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....
, the 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....
, 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...
, the Siege of San Sebastian
Siege of San Sebastian
In the Siege of San Sebastián Allied forces under the command of General Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington captured the city of San Sebastián in northern Spain from its French garrison under Brigadier-General Louis Rey...
, the 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...
and the Battle of the Nive
Battle of the Nive
The Battles of the Nive were fought towards the end of the Peninsular War. Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish army defeated Marshal Nicolas Soult's French army in a series of battles near the city of Bayonne.Unusually, for most of the battle, Wellington...
.
Formation
- 1st Brigade
- 3/1st (Royal Scots) Regiment of Foot
- 1/9th (Norfolk) Regiment of Foot9th Regiment of FootThe 9th Regiment of Foot was a infantry line regiment of the British Army from 1751 to 1881. It became the Norfolk Regiment following the Army reforms of 1881.-Early history:...
- 1/38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot (from June 1812)
- 2/38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot (to December 1812)
- 2/47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot (from October 1813)
- 1 Coy., Brunswick-Oels Jaegers
- 2nd Brigade
- 1/4th (King's Own) Regiment of FootKing'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:...
- 2/4th (King's Own) Regiment of Foot (May to December 1812)
- 2/30th (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:...
- 2/44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot
- 2/47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot (to October 1813)
- 1/4th (King's Own) Regiment of Foot
- Portuguese Brigade
- 1/3rd Infantry Regiment, Portuguese ArmyPortuguese ArmyThe Portuguese Army is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal...
- 2/3rd Infantry Regiment, Portuguese Army
- 1/15th Infantry Regiment, Portuguese Army
- 2/15th Infantry Regiment, Portuguese Army
- 8th CaçadoresCaçadoresThe Caçadores were the elite light infantry of the Portuguese Army during the Peninsular War...
Battalion, Portuguese Army
- 1/3rd Infantry Regiment, Portuguese Army
Waterloo Campaign
The Division was also present during the Waterloo Campaign first seeing action at the Battle of Quatre BrasBattle 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 :...
then at 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...
under the command of 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...
the formation was
- 8th British Brigade, Major-General Sir James KemptJames KemptGeneral Sir James Kempt, GCB was a British Army officer, who served in Holland, Egypt, Italy, the Peninsula, and British North America during the Napoleonic Wars...
- 1/28th (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...
- 1/32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot
- 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameron Highlanders)Queen'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...
- 1/95th Regiment of Foot (Rifles)
- 1/28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot
- 9th British Brigade, Major-General Sir Dennis Pack
- 3/1st Regiment of Foot (Royal Scots)
- 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot "Black Watch"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....
- 2/44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot
- 92nd Regiment of Foot (Gordon Highlanders)
- 5th Hanoverian Brigade, Colonel Ernst von Vincke
- Landwehr Battalion Gifhorn
- Landwehr Battalion Hameln
- Landwehr Battalion Hildesheim
- Landwehr Battalion Peine
- Artillery, Major Heinrich Heise
- Roger's Battery, Royal Artillery
- Braun's Battery, Hanoverian Foot Artillery
First World War
The 5th Division was a permanently established Regular Army division that was amongst the first to be sent to France at the outbreak of the First World War. It served on the Western Front for most of the war except for a brief period in Italy.The 5th Division, as a regular army formation (one of the Old Contemptibles) fought in many of the major battles of the Western Front from The Battle of Mons
Battle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
in 1914 , the later stages of the Somme offensive , including the first battle using tanks, up to the Battle of the Selle in 1918. They were in almost continuous action throughout the war and suffered a tremendous amount of casualties as can be seen from the way the battalions that made up the division changed during the war. By 1918 the 5th Division, like most other regular divisions, contained very few of those regulars who went to France in 1914.
First World War formation
13th BrigadeBritish 13th Infantry Brigade
The 13th Infantry Brigade was a regular British Army formation during the Second World War.-History:This brigade was part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to France in 1940. After the retreat from France the 13th Brigade was involved in the landings on Vichy held French Madagascar in 1942...
This Brigade was temporarily under the command of 28th Division between 23 February and 7 April 1915, when it was replaced by 84th Brigade from that Division.
- 2nd Bn, The King's Own Scottish Borderers
- 2nd Bn, The Duke of Wellington'sThe Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
left January 1916 - 1st Bn, The Royal West Kent Regiment
- 2nd Bn, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry left December 1915
- 1/9th (City of London) Bn, The London Regiment joined November 1914, left February 1915
- 14th (Service) Bn, The Royal Warwicks joined December 1915, became Divisional Pioneers October 1918
- 15th (Service) Bn, The Royal Warwicks joined January 1916, disbanded October 1918
- 16th (Service) Bn, The Royal Warwicks joined October 1918
14th Brigade
British 14th Infantry Brigade
The British 14th Infantry Brigade was a British Army formation during both the First World War and the Second World War.- World War I :In 1914 this brigade was part of the 5th Division and moved over to France...
Brigade transferred to 32nd Division
British 32nd Division
The British 32nd Division was a New Army division that was originally made up of battalions raised by public subscription or private patronage. The division was taken over by the British War Office in September 1915...
on 30 December 1915
- 1st Bn, The Devons
- 2nd Bn, The Suffolk Regiment left September 1914
- 1st Bn, The East Surrey Regiment
- 1st Bn, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
- 2nd Bn, The ManchestersThe 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...
- 1/5th Bn, The Cheshires joined February 1915, left November 1915
- 1/9th (Highlanders) Bn, The Royal ScotsThe Royal ScotsThe Royal Scots , once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest, and therefore most senior, infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland...
joined November 1915 - 2nd Bn, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers joined November 1915
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...
This Brigade was temporarily under the command of 28th Division between 3 March and 7 April 1915, when it was replaced by 83rd Brigade from that Division.
- 1st Bn, The Norfolk Regiment
- 1st Bn, The Bedfordshire Regiment
- 1st Bn, The Cheshires
- 1st Bn, The DorsetsDorset RegimentThe Dorset Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1958, the county regiment of Dorset. Until 1951 it was formally called The Dorsetshire Regiment, although usually known as "The Dorsets".-History:...
left December 1915 - 1/6th Bn, The Cheshires joined December 1914, left March 1915
- 1/6th Bn, The King's (Liverpool) Regimentjoined February 1915, left November 1915
- 16th (Service) Bn, the Royal Warwicks joined December 1915, left October 1918
95th Brigade
Brigade transferred from 32nd Division
British 32nd Division
The British 32nd Division was a New Army division that was originally made up of battalions raised by public subscription or private patronage. The division was taken over by the British War Office in September 1915...
on 26 December 1915
- 12th (Service) Bn (Bristol), The GloucestersThe Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Nicknamed "The Glorious Glosters", the regiment carried more battle honours on their regimental colours than any other British Army line regiment.-Origins and early history:...
joined December 1915, disbanded October 1918 - 1st Bn, The Devonshire RegimentThe Devonshire RegimentThe Devonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which served under various titles from 1685 to 1958. Its lineage is continued today by The Rifles.-Origin and titles:...
joined January 1916 - 1st Bn, The East Surrey Regiment joined January 1916
- 1st Bn, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry joined January 1916
Insignia
The division was unusual among other British divisions in that no battle patches were worn on their tunics or helmets, aside from those briefly worn by New Army battalions bringing them from their former division.Second World War
In September 1939 the Division was a regular formation in the UK. Both its infantry brigades went to France by early October as independent infantry brigades, but Divisional Headquarters crossed to France on 19 December and by the new year the Division was reformed.Globe Trotting
The 5th Infantry Division saw action in FranceBattle 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...
and Belgium in 1940 including at the Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
-Comines Canal from 26th to 28 May 1940, and then was withdrawn, along with the rest of the British Expeditionary Force
British 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....
, 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...
. After this it served and travelled in so many regions of the world that they became known as the Globe Trotters. In April 1942 13th and 17th Infantry Brigades and a portion of the Divisional Troops were detached to 'Force 121' for Operation Ironclad
Battle of Madagascar
The Battle of Madagascar was the Allied campaign to capture Vichy-French-controlled Madagascar during World War II. It began on 5 May 1942. Fighting did not cease until 6 November.-Geo-political:...
, the invasion of Vichy
Vichy
Vichy is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. It belongs to the historic province of Bourbonnais.It is known as a spa and resort town and was the de facto capital of Vichy France during the World War II Nazi German occupation from 1940 to 1944.The town's inhabitants...
French held Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. The Division was not complete again until August 1942.
It was sent from the UK to India to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and Persia to join Tenth Army
Tenth Army
Tenth Army or 10th Army may refer to:* Tenth Army * 10th Army * Tenth Army * Tenth Army * 10th Army * Tenth Army * 10th Guards Army * Tenth United States Army-See also:...
, where it spent time under the command of III Corps and XXI Indian Corps. It then went to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and 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...
before being withdrawn in preparation for the Sicily landings.
Sicily and Italy
The 5th Division saw action in the Sicily Landings from 9th to 12 July 1943, and then was part of the British Eighth Army in Italy. Under XIII Corps, it was in the Messina area in September 1943, involved in the Sangro battles from 19 Nov. to 3 Dec. 1943, engagements at Garigliano Crossing from 17th to 31 January1944.After the British 1st Infantry Division and other British forces, as part of the U.S. VI Corps
U.S. VI Corps
The VI Corps was activated as VI Army Corps in August 1918 at Neufchâteau, France, serving in the Lorraine Campaign. Constituted in the Organized Reserves in 1921, it was allotted to the Regular Army in 1933 and activated on 1 August 1940 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois...
under Major General John P. Lucas
John P. Lucas
John Porter Lucas was an American Major General and one of the commanders of VI Corps during the Italian Campaign of the Mediterranean Theater of World War II.-Early career:...
, landed at Anzio
Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
in January 1944, the 5th Division was part of later reinforcements sent there, along with the 56th (London) Infantry Division
British 1st London Division
The 56th Infantry Division was a British Territorial Army division of the First and Second World War. The division's insignia was the sword from the coat of arms of the City of London.- First World War:...
.
It was part of the drive on Rome from 22 May to 4 June 1944. From there they were sent to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, back to Italy and finally to North West Europe for the final months of the war.
During the Second World War, unlike during the First World War, the Division used a 'Y' on a black square background as its insignia.
Second World War formation
13th Infantry BrigadeBritish 13th Infantry Brigade
The 13th Infantry Brigade was a regular British Army formation during the Second World War.-History:This brigade was part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to France in 1940. After the retreat from France the 13th Brigade was involved in the landings on Vichy held French Madagascar in 1942...
(26 April 1942 – 2 August 1942 detached to Force 121 in Madagascar
Battle of Madagascar
The Battle of Madagascar was the Allied campaign to capture Vichy-French-controlled Madagascar during World War II. It began on 5 May 1942. Fighting did not cease until 6 November.-Geo-political:...
)
- 2nd Battalion, The Cameronians
- 2nd Battalion, 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...
(30 Nov.1939-14 Aug.1944) - 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire RegimentWiltshire RegimentThe Wiltshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd Regiment of Foot and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment of Foot....
- 5th Battalion, The Essex Regiment (From 14 Aug.1944)
15th Infantry 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...
- 1st Battalion, Green Howards
- 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light InfantryKing's Own Yorkshire Light InfantryThe King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. The regiment's traditions and history are now maintained by The Rifles.-The 51st Foot:...
- 1st Battalion1st Battalion, York and Lancaster RegimentThe 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment was formed in 1881 from the 65th Regiment of Foot .- Early history :After amalgamation in the army reform of 1881 the new 1st Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment were based in Bengal, India. In 1882 they were shipped to Aden while the 2nd...
, York and Lancaster RegimentYork and Lancaster Regiment-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
17th Infantry Brigade
British 17th Infantry Brigade
The 17th Infantry Brigade was a formation of the British Army which provided active service in both the First and Second World Wars. It was mainly composed of Regular Army battalions.- History :...
(15 March 1942 - 30 June 1942 Detached to Force 121 in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
)
- 2nd Battalion, 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...
- 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire RegimentNorthamptonshire RegimentThe Northamptonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1960. Its lineage is now continued by The Royal Anglian Regiment.-Formation:The regiment was formed as part of the reorganisation of the infantry by the Childers reforms...
- 2nd Battalion, Seaforth HighlandersSeaforth HighlandersThe Seaforth Highlanders was a historic regiment of the British Army associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The Seaforth Highlanders have varied in size from two battalions to seventeen battalions during the Great War...
(Until 30 Mar.1940) - 6th Battalion, Seaforth HighlandersSeaforth HighlandersThe Seaforth Highlanders was a historic regiment of the British Army associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The Seaforth Highlanders have varied in size from two battalions to seventeen battalions during the Great War...
(From 30 Mar. 1940)
Division Troops
- 7th Bn. The Cheshire Regiment (Machine Gun Battalion)
- 5th Reconnaissance Regt. Royal Armoured CorpsRoyal 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...
Post Second World War
It was reformed briefly from the 7th Armoured Division in Germany on 16 April 1958, with the 7th and 20th Armoured Brigades but was then redesignated the 1st Division on 30 June 1960. It was again reformed in the UK on 1 April 1968, under Army Strategic Command, incorporating the 2nd, 8th, and 39th Brigades, but disbanded in February 1971.Current formation
Copthorne, Shropshire
Copthorne is a suburb in the county town of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.Surrounding Copthorne Road, the suburb is mainly residential and runs from the junction where Copthorne Bank meets New Street, in the north east near Frankwell Island, to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the suburb of...
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...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, which is also the headquarters of the 143rd Brigade.
The division was in charge of the majority of 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...
units in Wales, the English West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
and South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, with approximately 20,000 regular personnel, 9,000 TA personnel and around 5,000 civilians, between 1995 and 2007. The South West has now been transferred to the 4th Division, replaced by the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
and the East
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
English regions. The division therefore now covers the central regions of England as well as Wales.
The 5th Division took command of Headquarters Salisbury Plain
Salisbury 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...
Area and 43rd (Wessex) Brigade from 3rd Division on 1 April 1999, and 107 (Ulster) Brigade also fell under its responsibility. However 107 Brigade was shifted back under Headquarters, Northern Ireland, at a later date. HQ 43rd Brigade moved to Bulford by 1 September 1999, and HQ Salisbury Plain
Salisbury 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...
Area disbanded by that date. This process freed Headquarters 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division
British 3rd Infantry Division
The 3rd Mechanised Division, known at various times as the Iron Division, 3rd Division or as Iron Sides; is a regular army division of the British Army...
from its administrative and regional responsibilities and it become a deployable or "fly-away" division.
The Divisional Commander, Major General M. J. Rutledge OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, reports to the 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...
within HQ Land Forces at Wilton.
The current composition is as follows:
- 49th (Eastern) Brigade
- 143rd (West Midlands) Brigade
- 160th (Wales) Brigade
- Colchester GarrisonColchester GarrisonColchester Garrison is located in Colchester in the county of Essex. It has been an important military base since the Roman era. The first permanent military garrison in Colchester was established by Legio XX Valeria Victrix in 43 AD following the Claudian invasion of Britain. Colchester was an...
- 16th Air Assault Brigade - operationally independent unit that, because its Headquarters is at Colchester, falls under purely administrative command of 5th Division.
Recent Commanders
Recent Commanders have been:GOC 5th Division
- 1902-1903 Major-General Sir Leslie RundleLeslie RundleGeneral Sir Leslie Rundle GCB GCMG GCVO DSO was a British Army General during World War I.-Military career:...
- 1903-1906 Lieutenant-General Henry GrantHenry Grant (British Army officer)General Sir Henry Fane Grant GCB GCVO was a British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:...
- 1907-1909 Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert PlumerHerbert Plumer, 1st Viscount PlumerField Marshal Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE was a British colonial official and soldier born in Torquay who commanded the British Second Army in World War I and later served as High Commissioner of the British Mandate for Palestine.-Military...
- 1909-1913 Major-General William CampbellWilliam Pitcairn CampbellLieutenant General Sir William Pitcairn Campbell KCB was a British Army General during World War I.-Military career:...
- 1913-1914 Major-General Sir Charles Fergusson
- 1914-1915 Major-General Thomas MorlandThomas MorlandGeneral Sir Thomas Lethbridge Napier Morland KCMG, DSO was a British general during the First World War.-Biography:Born in Montreal, Canada East, Morland was the son of Thomas Morland and Helen Servante...
- 1915-1916 Major-General Charles KavanaghCharles KavanaghLieutenant General Sir Charles Toler MacMorrough Kavanagh KCB KCMG CVO DSO was a British Army officer who commanded the Cavalry Corps at the Battle of Amiens.-Military career:...
- 1916-1918 Major-General Reginald StephensReginald Byng StephensGeneral Sir Reginald Byng Stephens KCB CMG DL was a British Army general of the First World War and later Commandant of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from 1919 to 1923, Major-General commanding the 4th Division, 1923 to 1926, and finally Director-General of the Territorial Army, 1927 to...
- 1918-1919 Major-General John PonsonbyJohn Ponsonby (British Army officer)Major-General Sir John Ponsonby KCB CMG DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 5th Division during World War I.-Military career:...
- 1919-1922 Major-General Sir Hugh JeudwineHugh JeudwineLieutenant General Sir Hugh Sandham Jeudwine KCB KBE was a British Army officer who became Director General of the Territorial Army.-Military career:...
- Note the Division was disbanded in 1922 and reformed in 1929
- 1929-1931 Lieutenant-General Walter Kirke
- 1931-1934 Lieutenant-General Thomas HumphreysThomas Humphreys (British Army officer)Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Humphreys KCB CMG DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:...
- 1934-1937 Major-General Geoffrey HowardGeoffrey Howard (British Army officer)Lieutenant General Sir Geoffrey Weston Howard KCB CMG DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:...
- 1937-1938 Major-General Guy WilliamsGuy Williams (British Army officer)General Sir Guy Charles Williams KCB CMG DSO was a British Army General during World War II.-Military career:Guy Williams was commissioned into the Royal Engineers and served in World War I....
- 1938-1940 Major-General Harold FranklynHarold FranklynGeneral Sir Harold Edmund Franklyn KCB DSO MC was a British Army officer who commanded 5th Infantry Division.-Military career:...
- 1940-1943 Major-General Horatio Berney-FicklinHoratio Pettus Mackintosh Berney-FicklinMajor-General Horatio Pettus Mackintosh Berney-Ficklin CB MC was a British Army officer who served in World War I and World War II.-Military career:...
- 1943-1944 Major-General Gerard BucknallGerard BucknallLieutenant General Gerard Corfield Bucknall, CB, MC was a British Army officer and corps commander during World War II.-Military career:...
- Jan 1944-Nov 1944 Major-General Philip Gregson-EllisPhilip Gregson-EllisMajor-General Philip George Saxon Gregson-Ellis CB OBE was a British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:Gregson-Ellis was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1917 towards the end of World War I. He was appointed an instructor at the Staff College, Camberley in 1937...
- 1944-1946 Major-General Richard Hull
- 1946-1947 Major-General Philip Gregson-EllisPhilip Gregson-EllisMajor-General Philip George Saxon Gregson-Ellis CB OBE was a British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:Gregson-Ellis was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1917 towards the end of World War I. He was appointed an instructor at the Staff College, Camberley in 1937...
- Note the Division, having been disbanded at the end of the War, was reformed in 1958 but the brigades used to form 1st Armoured Division in 1959
- 1958-1959 Major-General Geoffrey MussonGeoffrey MussonGeneral Sir Geoffrey Randolph Dixon Musson GCB CBE DSO was a senior British Army officer who became Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:...
- 1958-1959 Major-General Geoffrey Musson
- Note the Division was briefly reformed in 1968 but disbanded again in 1971
- 1968-1970 Major-General Walter ThomasWalter Babington ThomasMajor-General Walter Babington 'Sandy' Thomas CB DSO MC and Bar is a former Commander of British Far East Land Forces.-Military career:...
- 1970-1971 Major General Mervyn JanesMervyn JanesMajor-General Mervyn Janes CB MBE is a former British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:Educated at Sir Walter St John's Grammar School For Boys, Janes was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1942 during World War II...
- 1968-1970 Major-General Walter Thomas
- Note the Division was reformed in 1995
- 1995-1996 Major General Ian FreerIan Freer (British Army officer)Major-General Ian Lennox Freer CB CBE is a former British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:Freer was commissioned into the Staffordshire Regiment in 1961. He was appointed Chief of British Mission to Soviet Forces in Europe in 1989 and then served as Commander Land Forces in...
- 1996-1999 Major General Robin SearbyRobin SearbyMajor-General Robin Vincent Searby CB is a former British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:Educated at Leasam House School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Searby was commissioned into the 9th/12th Royal Lancers in 1968...
- 1999-2000 Major General Peter Grant PeterkinPeter Grant PeterkinMajor-General Anthony Peter Grant Peterkin CB OBE was the British House of Commons' Serjeant at Arms between 2004 and 2007.-Military career:...
- 2000-2003 Major General Arthur DenaroArthur DenaroMajor General Arthur George Denaro CBE DL is a former British Army officer. He led his regiment, the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars, during the Gulf War and later became Commandant of Sandhurst. He commanded the 5th Infantry Division from 2000 to 2003...
- 2003-2005 Major General Nicholas CottamNicholas CottamMajor-General Nicholas Jeremy Cottam CB OBE was a senior British Army officer who went on to be Military Secretary.-Military career:...
- 2005-2008 Major General Andrew FarquharAndrew FarquharMajor-General Andrew Peter Farquhar CBE DL is a former British Army officer who commanded 5th Division.-Military career:...
- 2008 - Present Major General Martin RutledgeMartin RutledgeMajor-General Martin John Rutledge CB OBE is a British Army officer who commands 5th Division.-Military career:Educated at Oxford University and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Rutledge was commissioned into the 9th/12th Royal Lancers in 1973. He became Commanding Officer of his regiment in...
- 1995-1996 Major General Ian Freer
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.
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
Further reading
- A Guide to Appointments and Invitations for High Commissions & Embassies in London, UK Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, June 2006 Edition - Gregory Blaxland, The Regiments Depart: A History of the British Army 1945-70, William Kimber, London, 1971.
- Readers' Digest, The World At Arms, 1989