Infantry Division (The Second World War)

During the Second World War, the majority of the British Army consisted of division of infantry, which included the supporting arms of artillery, engineers, logistics and medical support. They could operate as an independent organisation. Multiple divisions formed Corps, which then were part of Armies and Army Groups.

Machine gun capability within the regular Infantry Division was the Divisional (Machine Gun) Battalion. The Infantry Battalions of an Infantry Division did not generally have Medium Machine Guns in their support companies – there were few exceptions.

The alternative to the Machine Gun Battalion was the Divisional (Support) Battalion and this existed for a short period between 1942 and 1944.

The machine gun support to each infantry division consisted of the following units. Unless otherwise noted, they are organised as Divisional (Machine Gun) Battalions.

• Guards Division.
  • 1 Independent Machine Gun Company, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
    • 12 June 1945 to 31 August 1945.
• 1st Infantry Division.
  • 4 Cheshire.
    • 11 November 1941 to 1 October 1942.
  • 2/7 Middlesex.
    • 17 August 1943 to 27 May 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 28 May 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 1st London Division (redesignated 56th (London) Division 18 November 1940).
  • 1 Kensington.
    • 11 November 1941 to 20 May 1942.
  • 6 Cheshire.
    • 12 January 1943 to 31 August 1945.
• 2nd Infantry Division.
  • 2 Manchester.
    • 11 November 1941 to 31 August 1945.
• 2nd London Division (redesignated 47th (London) Division 21 November 1940).
  • Within 6th London Infantry Brigade.
    • 1 Kensington.
      • 3 September 1939 to 19 November 1939.
    • 2 Kensington.
      • 3 September 1939 to 3 May 1940.
    • 2/7 Middlesex.
      • 7 October 1939 to 31 March 1940.
    • 1/8 Middlesex.
      • 7 October 1939 to 25 November 1939.
    • 2/8 Middlesex.
      • 7 October 1939 to 3 May 1940.
• 3rd Infantry Division.
  • 2 Middlesex.
    • 11 November 1941 to 20 May 1942.
    • 1 October 1943 to 3 March 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 4 March 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 4th Infantry Division.
  • 2 Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
    • 11 November 1941 to 20 May 1942.
    • 10 March 1944 to 6 June 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 7 June 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 5th Infantry Division.
  • 7 Cheshire.
    • 11 November 1941 to 31 August 1945.
• 6th Infantry Division (redesignated 70th Infantry Division on 10 October 1941).
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 7th Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 8th Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 9th (Highland) Infantry Division (redesignated 51st (Highland) Infantry Division on 7 August 1940.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division.
  • 1 Middlesex.
    • 1 October 1943 to 17 March 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 18 March 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 18th Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 23rd (Northumbrian) Division.
  • 2 Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
    • 2 October 1939 to 29 June 1940. Under command for labour duties and training, although not a divisional unit.
• 36th Infantry Division.
  • ‘D’ Company, 2 Manchester.
    • 1 September 1944 to 15 May 1945.
  • 1/7 Rajput Regiment.
    • 22 June 1945 to 31 August 1945.
• 38th (Welsh) Division.
  • 5 Cheshire.
    • 1 September 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 40th Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division.
  • 1/8 Middlesex.
    • 18 November 1941 to 1 October 1942.
  • 8 Middlesex.
    • 1 October 1943 to 28 February 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 28 February 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division.
  • 6 Cheshire.
    • 11 November 1941 to 24 November 1942.
• 45th Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 46th Infantry Division.
  • 2/7 Middlesex.
    • 11 November 1941 to 1 October 1942.
  • 2 Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
    • 3 July 1943 to 10 March 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
  • 9 Manchester.
    • 15 July 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 48th (South Midland) Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division.
  • 2 Kensington.
    • 7 June 1943 to 27 February 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 28 February 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division.
  • 2 Cheshire.
    • 1 February 1941 to 30 June 1945.
• 51st (Highland) Infantry Division.
  • 1/7 Middlesex.
    • 20 November 1941 to 9 December 1943.
    • 10 December 1943 to 27 February 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 28 February 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division.
  • 1/9 Manchester.
    • 11 November 1941 to 4 May 1942.
  • 7 Manchester.
    • 7 June 1943 to 18 March 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 19 March 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division.
  • 5 Cheshire.
    • 11 November 1941 to 1 October 1942.
  • 1 Manchester.
    • 1 October 1943 to 27 February 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 28 February 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division.
  • 5 Manchester.
    • 22 October 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 57th Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division.
  • 7 Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.
    • 18 November 1941 to 1 October 1942.
    • 1 October 1943 to 27 February 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 28 February 1944 to 34 August 1944.
• 61st Infantry Division.
  • 2/8 Middlesex.
    • 11 November 1941 to 20 May 1942.
  • 4 Cheshire.
    • 29 October 1943 to 20 September 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 1 July 1944 to 20 September 1944.
  • 2 Cheshire.
    • 1 July 1945 to 31 August 1945.
• 66th Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 70th Infantry Division – see 6th Infantry Division.
• 76th Infantry Division.
  • No specific machine gun support identified.
• 77th Infantry Division.
  • 10 King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
    • 7 January 1943 to 4 November 1943 as a Motor Battalion.
• 78th Infantry Division.
  • 1 Kensington.
    • 16 June 1943 to 12 July 1944 as a Divisional (Support) Battalion.
    • 13 July 1944 to 31 August 1945.
• 80th Infantry (Reserve) Division.
  • 5 Cheshire.
    • 8 January 1943 to 31 August 1944.

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Sources:

• Bouchery, 1999
• Joslen, 1960