British divisions in 1942

Discussion in 'Higher Formations' started by Chris C, Aug 11, 2018.

  1. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Hi all,

    I'm looking over some General Staff documents from 1942 and the following puzzles me. The question in my mind is, what was "a division" as opposed to either an armoured division or an infantry division? Was this a point in time when the army had made some sort of balanced non-infantry, non-armoured division?

    Bold added by me.

     
  2. Gary Kennedy

    Gary Kennedy Member

    The Division referred to in your document is what we would now call a Mixed Division, with two Inf Bdes and one Tank Bde. Pre-war 'Divisions' were what we would now call 'Infantry Divisions' of three Inf Bdes. By mid-war they were being termed as Inf Divs, with those modified to two Inf Bdes and one Tk Bde being termed Divisions. This was latterly changed to Mixed Divs (not sure when). And by late 1943 they were all converted to Inf Divs anyway!

    Gary
     
    Chris C likes this.
  3. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Hi Gary,

    Thanks! I'd read about mixed divisions elsewhere, but I didn't realize they would be referred to without that designation.

    Cheers,
    Chris
     

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