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6th Division 6th Infantry Division
Most recent insignia of the 6th Division. A white circle on a black background.
Active	1812 1914–1919 1939–1940 1941 2008–2011
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Part of	Land Forces
Garrison/HQ	York
Engagements	Peninsular War Battle of Fuentes de Onoro Battle of Salamanca Battle of the Pyrenees Battle of Orthez First World War First Battle of Ypres Battle of the Somme (1916) Battle of Cambrai (1917) Battle of Épehy
Commanders
Notable commanders	Richard O'Connor WN Congreve VC, May – Nov 1915

The 6th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was first established by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsular War as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army and was active for most of the period since, including the First World War and the Second World War. The modern division was reformed on 1 February 2008, as a deployable two star Headquarters for service in Afghanistan during Operation Herrick. The division was officially reformed with a parade and flag presentation at York on Tuesday 5 August 2008 and then closed in April 2011.

Peninsular War

The 6th Division was formed for service in the Peninsular War by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, it was present at the Battles of Fuentes de Onoro, Salamanca, Pyrenees and the Battle of Orthez.

Formation during the Peninsular War

• Commanding General Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
  


• 1st Brigade: Major General Hulse (to November 1812)
  
  
  
  • 1/11th Foot
  
  
  • 2/53rd Foot
  
  
  • 1/61st Foot
  
  
  • 1 coy., 5/60th Foot
    
  
  
  
  


• 1st Brigade: Major General Pack (from November 1812)
  
  
  
  • 1/42nd Foot
  
  
  • 1/79th Foot
  
  
  • 1/91st Foot
  
  
  • 1 coy., 5/60th Foot
  
  
  
  


• 2nd Brigade: Colonel Hinde (to November 1812)
  
  
  
  • 2nd Foot
  
  
  • 2/32nd Foot
  
  
  • 1/36th Foot
  
  
  
  


• 2nd Brigade: Major General Lambert (from November 1812)
  
  
  
  • 1/11th Foot
  
  
  • 1/32nd Foot
  
  
  • 1/36th Foot
  
  
  • 1/61st Foot
  
  
  • 1 coy., 5/60th Foot
  
  
  
  


• Portuguese Brigade: Brigadier General de Rezende
  
  
  
  • 1/8th Portuguese Line
  
  
  • 2/8th Portuguese Line
  
  
  • 1/12th Portuguese Line
  
  
  • 2/12th Portuguese Line
  
  
  • 9th Caçadores
    
  
  
  
  

First World War

The 6th Division was a Regular Army division that was sent to France on 9 September 1914. It served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War, first seeing action in the First Battle of Ypres as part of III Corps.

In 1915 the division moved into the Ypres Salient to relieve troops that had fought in the Second Battle of Ypres. The Salient was relatively quiet for the rest of the year, except for an attack on the chateau at Hooge on 9 August.

At the end of July 1916 the division was withdrawn, having suffered 11,000 casualties, and in September it was attached to XIV Corps where it joined in the Battle of the Somme by attacking the German fortification known as the Quadrilateral. It captured this area on 18 September. They then participated in the attacks on Morval and Le Transloy before being withdrawn on 20 October and moved into Corps Reserve. Total casualties on the Somme were 277 officers and 6,640 other ranks. In November the division moved to the relatively quiet La Bassée sector, and in March 1917 it went to the Loos sector where it conducted operations and trench raids around Hill 70.

Men of the 11th (Service) Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, the divisional pioneers, with German prisoners in Ribecourt, France, less than two hours after the village was captured, 20 November 1917.

It was withdrawn on 25 July, shortly before the final assault on the hill. From reserve, it then went to take part in the Battle of Cambrai as part of III Corps. Four days after the battle ended, the division was withdrawn to rest at Basseux. By February 1918 the division was manning the Lagnicourt Sector and was there on 22 March when the Germans launched their Spring Offensive which drove the division back and caused 3,900 casualties out of its 5,000 infantry. On 25 March the division was withdrawn to the Ypres Salient again as part of the Second Army.

By September the division was part of IX Corps and took part in the Battle of Épehy, participating in the general attack on St Quentin and The Quadrilateral (not the same as the position of the same name attacked at the Somme (see above)) that began on 18 September and ended with the Quadrilateral's capture on the 25th.

The division's last two major assaults of the war were in October. On the 8th they captured Bohain and on the 18th they took the high ground overlooking the Sambre–Oise Canal that prepared the way for the Battle of the Sambre.^[1]

First World War formation

9 September 1914

The 6th Division embarked for France on 8 and 9 September. It was commanded by Major-General J. L. Keir, with Colonel W. T. Furse as GSO 1. Brigadier-General W. L. H. Paget commanded the Royal Artillery, and Lieutenant-Colonel G. C. Kemp commanded the Royal Engineers.^[2]

• 
  16th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier-General E. C. Ingouville-Williams)
  
  
  
  • 1st The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
    
  
  
  • 1st The Leicestershire Regiment
    
  
  
  • 1st The King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)
    
  
  
  • 2nd The York and Lancaster Regiment
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  17th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier-General W.R.B. Doran)
  
  
  
  • 1st The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
    
  
  
  • 1st The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)
    
  
  
  • 2nd The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
    
  
  
  • 3rd The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  18th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier-General W. N. Congreve)
  
  
  
  • 1st The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)
    
  
  
  • 1st The East Yorkshire Regiment
    
  
  
  • 2nd The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment)
    
  
  
  • 2nd The Durham Light Infantry
    
  
  
  
  


• Divisional Troops
  
  
  
  • Mounted Troops
    
    
    
    • C Squadron, 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars
      
    
    
    • 6th Cyclist Company
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Artillery
    
    
    
    • 
      II Brigade RFA
      
      
      
      • 21st Battery, RFA
      
      
      • 42nd Battery, RFA
      
      
      • 53rd Battery, RFA
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • 
      XXIV Brigade RFA
      
      
      
      • 110th Battery, RFA
      
      
      • 111th Battery, RFA
      
      
      • 112th Battery, RFA
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • 
      XXXVIII Brigade RFA
      
      
      
      • 24th Battery, RFA
      
      
      • 34th Battery, RFA
      
      
      • 72nd Battery, RFA
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • 
      XII (Howitzer) Brigade RFA
      
      
      
      • 43rd (Howitzer) Battery, RFA
      
      
      • 86th (Howitzer) Battery, RFA
      
      
      • 87th (Howitzer) Battery, RFA
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • 24th Heavy Battery, RGA
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Engineers
    
    
    
    • 12th Field Company, RE
    
    
    • 38th Field Company, RE
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

Later in the War

16th Infantry Brigade 

• 1st Battalion, Buffs (East Kent) Regiment
  


• 1st Battalion, King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)
  


• 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment


• 8th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (from 71st Bde. November 1915, disbanded February 1918)


• 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment (to 71st Bde. November 1915)


• 
  1/5th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (from February 1915 to June 1915)

17th Infantry Brigade (until 14 October 1915) 

• 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
  


• 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)
  


• 2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
  


• 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
  


• 1/2nd (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (from February 1915)

The brigade transferred to the 24th Division in October 1915, swapping with the 71st Brigade.

18th Infantry Brigade 

• 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
  


• 1st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment (until November 1915)


• 
  2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
  


• 11th (Service) Battalion, Essex Regiment (from 71st Bde. October 1915)


• 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (to 71st Bde. October 1915)


• 14th (Service) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (from November 1915, disbanded February 1918)


• 1/16th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (until February 1916
  

19th Infantry Brigade (until 31 May 1915) 

• 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
  


• 1st Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
  


• 1/5th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)


• 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
  


• 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
  

Originally an independent brigade before being attached to the division, the 19th Brigade moved to the 27th Division in May, 1915 and was not replaced, reducing the division to the standard three infantry brigades.

71st Infantry Brigade (from 11 October 1915) 

• 9th (Service) Battalion, Norfolk Regiment
  


• 9th (Service) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (disbanded February 1918)


• 8th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment (to 16th Bde. November 1915)


• 11th (Service) Battalion, Essex Regiment (to 18th Bde. October 1915)


• 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment (from 16th Bde. November 1915)


• 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (from 18th Bde. October 1915)

The brigade joined from the 24th Division in October 1915, swapping with the 17th Brigade.

Royal Field Artillery

• II Brigade, RFA


• XXIV Brigade, RFA

Royal Engineers

• 12th Field Company RE


• 509th (1st London) Field Company RE


• 459th (2/2nd West Riding) Field Company RE

Second World War

Insignia of the 6th Infantry Division during the Second World War. A red four pointed star on white background.

During the Second World War the division did not fight as a complete formation. On 3 November 1939 it was formed in Egypt by the redesignation of the British 7th Infantry Division, under the command of Major-General R.N.O'Connor. On 17 June 1940 Divisional H.Q. became H.Q. Western Desert Force.^[3] The Division effectively ceased to exist. The Division reformed in Egypt on 17 February 1941, under the command of Major-General John Evetts. From 7 to 19 April it was temporarily under command of Brigadier C.E.N. Lomax.

On 18 June, when command of the allied forces fighting in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign on the southern front were reorganised, the divisional HQ was placed under Australian I Corps to command the remnants of Gentforce (5th Indian Infantry Brigade and 1st Free French Light Division). Two days later the division was joined from Egypt by 16th Infantry Brigade and on 29 June by 23rd Infantry Brigade. Gentforce force captured Damascus on 21 June. For the rest of the campaign, which ended with the Vichy French surrender on 11 July, the division was engaged with the support of Australian units^[4] in attempts to force the Damascus to Beirut road through the Anti-Lebanon mountains the entrance to which was dominated by the 5,000 feet (1,500 m) high Jebel Mazar. Despite intense efforts Vichy forces maintained control of the position and the main allied effort was switched to the advance on the coast.

On 29 September 1941 Major-General Evetts left and Brigadier G.N.C. Martin took acting command. Eleven days later on 10 October that year it was redesignated the 70th Infantry Division, and Major-General Ronald Scobie assumed command.

Order of battle Second World War

• 
  Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) 25 Mar – 30 May 40

Artillery

• 
  60th (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 20 Jul – 30 Sep 41

Engineers

• 2nd Field Company, Royal Engineers 19 Feb – 30 Apr 41 & 29 Jun – 9 Oct 41


• 12th Field Company, Royal Engineers 20 May – 7 Jun 40, 5 Mar – 6 Apr 41 & 15 Jun – 9 Oct 41


• 54th Field Company, Royal Engineers 6 Mar – 7 Apr 41 & 11 Aug – 9 Oct 41


• 219th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers 29 Jul – 9 Oct 41


• 6th Divisional Signals Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals 3 Nov 39 – 7 Jun 40 & 1 Mar 41 – 9 Oct 41

22nd Infantry Brigade

6 Division 3 Nov 39 – 11 Mar 40 & 10 – 17 Jun 40

• 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
  


• 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
  


• 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment
  


• 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
  

22nd Guards Brigade

6 Division 17 Feb – 6 Apr 41

• 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
  


• 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards
  


• 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
  

14th Infantry Brigade

6 Division 29 Mar – 30 May 40 & 10 Jul – 9 Oct 41

• 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment


• 2nd Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
  


• 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)


• 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment


• 14th Infantry Brigade Anti Tank Company

16th Infantry Brigade

6 Division 23 Mar – 7 Jun 40

• 2nd Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
  


• 2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment
  


• 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
  


• 16th Infantry Brigade Anti Tank Company

23rd Infantry Brigade

6 Division 29 Jun – 9 Oct 41

• 2nd Battalion, Black Watch
  


• 4th Battalion, Border Regiment
  


• Czechoslovak 11th Infantry Battalion


• 23rd Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company

Twenty-First Century

On 26 July 2007 the Secretary of State for Defence announced that a new 'HQ 6 Division' would reform to direct the International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command South in Afghanistan.^[5]Des Browne said 'In order to meet these temporary demands we have decided to augment the forces’ command structure, and will temporarily establish an additional 2-Star deployable HQ. It will be based in York and will be known as HQ 6 Division, with a core of 55 Service personnel, drawn from existing structures. We will keep our planning assumption under review but currently we assess this HQ will be established until 2011.'^[6] Major General J D Page OBE took command of the new HQ with effect from 1 February 2008.

The new divisional headquarters, Headquarters 6th (United Kingdom) Division, marked its formation with a parade and flag presentation in York 5 August 2008.^[7] It had a clear focus on preparing brigades for Afghanistan and was based at Imphal Barracks, Fulford, York.During summer 2009, the divisional headquarters was significantly reinforced and transformed into Combined Joint Task Force 6 before deploying to Afghanistan as Regional Command South in November 2009.^[8]
The division headquarters closed in April 2011.^[9]

Afghanistan War Formation

(November 2009)

Regional Command South^[10] – Kandahar Airfield

• 
  3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland – regional reserve

Task Force Helmand – British 11th Light Brigade

• The Light Dragoons


• 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards
  


• 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
  


• 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment
  


• 3rd Battalion, The Rifles
  


• Danish Battle Group 8

Task Force Kandahar – Canadian 1st Mechanized Brigade Group

• 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment
  


• 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
  

Task Force Leatherneck – US 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade

• 
  Regimental Combat Team 7
  
  
  
  • 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
  
  
  • 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment
  
  
  • 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment
  
  
  • 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment
  
  
  
  

Task Force Uruzgan – Dutch 11th Airmobile Brigade

• 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment


• 17th Armored Infantry Battalion


• Australian Special Operations Task Group

Task Force Zabul – Romanian 2nd Mountain Brigade

• 280th Infantry Battalion

Task Force Stryker - US 5th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division^[11]

• 8th Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment
  


• 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment
  


• 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment
  


• 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment
  

General Officers Commanding

Commanders have included:^[12]

• 1905–1906 Major-General Arthur Wynne
  


• 1906–1907 Major-General Theodore Stephenson
  


• 1907–1909 Major-General Lawrence Parsons
  


• 1909–1910 Major-General Charles Metcalfe
  


• 1910–1914 Major-General William Pulteney
  


• 1914–1915 Major-General John Keir
  


• May 1915 – Nov 1915 Major-General Walter Congreve
  


• 1915–1917 Major-General Charles Ross
  


• 1917–1919 Major-General Thomas Marden
  


• 1919–1922 Major-General Sir Peter Strickland
  


• 1939–1940 Major-General Richard O'Connor
  


• Jan 1941 – Sep 1941 John Evetts
  


• 2008–2009 Major-General Jacko Page
  


• 2009–2011 Major-General Nick Carter^[13]
  

See also

• List of British divisions in World War I


• List of British divisions in World War II

References

Bibliography