45th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)
| 45th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
 World War 2 formation sign | |
| Active |
First World War Second World War |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Territorial Army |
| Type | Infantry |
The 45th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army, part of the Territorial Force. It was formed in the First World War as a duplicate of the 43rd (Wessex) Division. It was originally formed as the 2nd Wessex Division in 1914–1915 before later being renamed the 45th (2nd Wessex) Division. It was sent overseas to India in December 1914 to relieve Regular Army units for service in France. The division remained there for the rest of the war, supplying drafts of replacements to the British units fighting in the Middle East.
It was reformed in the Territorial Army in 1939, again as a 2nd Line duplicate of the 43rd (Wessex) Division, when another European conflict with Germany seemed inevitable. During the Second World War, the division was active in the United Kingdom throughout its service. It was placed on a lower establishment on 1 December 1941 and disbanded on 30 August 1944. The division did not see active service overseas during the war.
World War I Order of Battle
134th (2/1st Hampshire) Brigade
- 2/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
- 2/5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
- 2/6th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
- 2/7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
135th (2/1st South Western) Brigade
- 2/4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
- 2/5th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
- 2/4th Battalion, Dorset Regiment
- 2/4th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
136th (2/1st Devon and Cornwall) Brigade
- 2/4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 2/5th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 2/6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 2/4th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
World War II Order of Battle
(as at 7 September 1939, when the division became operational)[1][2]
- 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 6th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 5th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
- 6th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
- 7th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
- 9th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 4th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
- 5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Support Units
- 55th (Wessex) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 96th (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 142nd (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 69th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 45th Division, Royal Engineers
- 205th (Wessex) Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 259th Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 261st Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
- 45th Infantry Division Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals
Commanders during World War II
- Maj. Gen. F. V. B. Witts
- Maj. Gen. Sir Desmond Anderson
- Maj. Gen. Sir Edmond Schreiber
- Maj. Gen. H. De R. Morgan
- Maj. Gen. J. K. Edwards
Notes
See also
- List of British divisions in World War I
- List of British divisions in World War II
- British Army Order of Battle - September 1939