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- 1st Division during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

1st Division



   1st Division was at Aldershot when war broke out in 1939, they proceeded to France and were evacuated via Dunkirk in mid 1940. They saw action in France, North Africa and Italy.
    1st Division consisted of:
  • 1st (Guards) Infantry Brigade
    • 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards.
    • 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards.
    • 2nd Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment.
    • 1st Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company.
  • 2nd Infantry Brigade
    • 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
    • 2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment.
    • 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders.
    • 2nd Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company.
  • 3rd Infantry Brigade
    • 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment.
    • 2nd Battalion, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters).
    • 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
    • 3rd Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company.
  • Divisional Troops
    • 1st Infantry Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.
    • 13th/18th (Queen Mary's Own) Royal Hussars (Armoured car reconnaissance).
    • 2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. (Machine Gun Battalion)
    • 1st Infantry Divisional Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
    • 1st Infantry Divisional Royal Army Medical Corps.
    • 1st Company, Corps of Military Police.
  • Divisional Royal Artillery
    • 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
    • 19th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
    • 24th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
    • 21st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.
  • Divisional Royal Engineers
    • 17th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
    • 23rd Field Company, Royal Engineers.
    • 26th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
    • 6th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
  • Divisional Royal Army Service Corps
    • 7th Company, Royal Army Service Corps
    • 40th Company, Royal Army Service Corps
    • 42nd Company, Royal Army Service Corps


4th Sep 1939 War

25th Sep 1939 Billets

27th Sep 1939 On the Move

12th Oct 1939 Holding the Line

13th Oct 1939 Reliefs

24th Nov 1939 Aircraft Tested

26th Nov 1939 Orders

16th of December 1939 Conference

30th March 1940 Orders

1st Apr 1940 Holding the Line

4th May 1940 Visit

10th May 1940 On the Move

11th May 1940 Recce

12th May 1940 Recce

13th May 1940 On the Move

14th May 1940 In Action

15th May 1940 In Action

15th May 1940 In Defence

16th May 1940 Withdrawal

17th May 1940 On the Move

18th May 1940 Covering Approaches

19th May 1940 New Positions

19th May 1940 Withdrawal

19th May 1940 Planning

20th May 1940 Under Pressure

21st May 1940 In Action

21st May 1940 Heavy Shelling

21st May 1940 Withdrawal

21st May 1940 Planning

22nd May 1940 Attacks Repulsed

23rd May 1940 Shortening the Front

24th May 1940 In Action

24th May 1940 Air Raids

27th May 1940 Withdrawal

27th May 1940 Withdrawal

28th May 1940 Under Attack

28th May 1940 Withdrawal

28th May 1940 Withdrawal

28th May 1940 Orders

29th May 1940 On the Beach

29th May 1940 Evacuation

30th May 1940 On the Beach

30th May 1940 Reduced Strength

30th May 1940 Pier Constructed

31st May 1940 Evacuation

1st Jun 1940 Evacuation

6th Jan 1941 Exercise

26th Feb 1941 Exercise

26th Feb 1941 Exercise

27th Feb 1941 Exercise

27th Feb 1941 Exercise

28th Feb 1941 Conference

28th Feb 1941 Exercise

18th Mar 1941 Exercise

19th Mar 1941 Exercise

20th Mar 1941 Exercise

25th Mar 1941 Training

26th Mar 1941 Exercise

18th March 1943  On the Move

22nd Jan 1944 Landings

1st of February 1944 Conference and meetings

2nd Feb 1944 Positions Occupied

2nd of February 1944 Action

3rd Feb 1944 Counter Attacks

3rd Feb 1944 In Action

3rd of February 1944 Conference

4th Feb 1944 Heavy Shelling

4th of February 1944 Counter attack

5th Feb 1944 Heavy Shelling

6th of February 1944 Air raid

7th Feb 1944 Heavy Shelling

8th Feb 1944 Enemy Active

9th Feb 1944 Break Through

7th Aug 1944 Orders

8th Aug 1944 Shelling

31st Aug 1944 River Crossed

1st Sep 1944 Orders

2nd Sep 1944 Reliefs

3rd Sep 1944 Patrols

4th Sep 1944 Enemy Engaged

5th Sep 1944 Reliefs

6th Sep 1944 New Area

7th Sep 1944 Lecture

8th Sep 1944 Lecture

16th Sep 1944 Brave Actions

11th Oct 1944 Orders

12th Oct 1944 On the March

13th Oct 1944 Patrols

14th Oct 1944 Patrols

15th Oct 1944 Patrols

16th Oct 1944 Patrols

17th Oct 1944 Shelling

18th Oct 1944 Misty

19th Oct 1944 Patrols

20th Oct 1944 Patrols

21st Oct 1944 Patrols

22nd Oct 1944 Patrols

23rd Oct 1944 Advance

24th Oct 1944 Patrols

25th Oct 1944 Enemy Positions

26th Oct 1944 Bad Weather

27th Oct 1944 Reliefs

28th Oct 1944 Some Shelling

29th Oct 1944 Reliefs

30th Oct 1944 On the March

2nd Nov 1944 Orders

5th Nov 1944 Orders

6th Nov 1944 Orders

8th Nov 1944 Reliefs

10th Nov 1944 Enemy Active

11th Nov 1944 Explosions

12th Nov 1944 Enemy Active

13th Nov 1944 Artillery Active

14th Nov 1944 Artillery Active

15th Nov 1944 Shelling

16th Nov 1944 Shelling

17th Nov 1944 Fire Fight

18th Nov 1944 Reliefs

19th Nov 1944 Rest Area

21st Nov 1944 Orders

22nd Nov 1944 Orders

23rd Nov 1944 Advance Party

25th Nov 1944 Shelling

26th Nov 1944 Shelling

27th Dec 1944 Reliefs

7th January 1945 Heavy Snow

9th Jan 1945 Reliefs


If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.



Those known to have served with

1st Division

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List



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Want to know more about 1st Division?


There are:128 items tagged 1st Division available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.