BlitzkriegBlitzkrieg WestForces Organisation

British Infantry Division, 1941 to 1942, March

Divisional Troops

Divisional Headquarters

Defence and Employment Platoon

Field Security Section

Divisional Intelligence Section

Divisional Signals

Divisional Reconnaissance Battalion (30 Officers & 740 men; 45 Light Reconnaissance Cars & 67 Universal Carriers)Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers & 20 men; 1 Universal Carrier)

Headquarter Company (7 Officers & 216 men)Company Headquarters (1 Officer & 3 men)

Anti-Aicraft Platoon (1 Officer & 18 men)

Signal Platoon (1 Officer & 62 men)

Mortar Platoon (1 Officer & 19 men)

Anti-Tank Platoon (1 Officer & 32 men)

Administrative Platoon (2 Offciers & 82 men)

3x Companies, each (6 Officers & 168 men)Company Headquarters (2 Officers & 20 men; 1 Universal Carrier)

Infantry Platoon (1 Officer & 40 men)

3x Scout Platoons, eachPlatoon Headquarters (1 Officer & 3 men; 1 Universal Carrier)

Armoured Reconnaissance Section (15 men; 5 Light Reconnaissance Cars)

2x Carrier Sections, each (9 men; 3 Universal Carriers)

After March 1942Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment (41 Officers & 776 men; 52 Light Reconnaissance Cars & 63 Universal Carriers)Regimental Headquarters (6 Officers & 26 men; 3 Light Reconnaissance Cars)

Headquarters Squadron (8 Officers & 225 men)Squadron HQ (2 Officers & 3 men)

Anti-Aircraft Troop (18 men)

Signals Troop (1 Officer & 39 men)

Mortar Troop (1 Officer & 44 men)

Anti-Tank Troop (2 Officers & 46 men; Light Reconnaissance Car)

Administrative Troop (2 Officers & 75 men)

3x Reconnaissance Squadrons, each (9 Officers & 175 men)Squadron HQ (2 Officers & 27 men; Light Reconnaissance Car)

Assault Troop (1 Officer & 40 men)

3x Scout Troops, eachTroop HQ (1 Officer & 4 men; 1 Universal Carrier)

Reconnaissance Section (1 Officer & 14 men; 5 Light Reconnaissance Cars)

2x Carrier Sections, each (9 men; 3 Universal Carriers)

Machine Gun Battalion (48 Vickers MMG)4x Companies, each3x Platoons, each (4 Vickers MMG)

3x Infantry Brigades, each

Brigade Headquarters

Defence Platoon

Infantry Anti-Tank Company3x Platoons, each (3 25mm French supplied ATG)

3x Infantry Battalion, each (33 Officers & 773 men)Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers & 50 men)

Headquarters Company (8 Officers & 247 men)Company HQ (1 Officer & 7 men)

Signals Platoon (1 Officer, 35 men)

Anti-Aircraft Platoon (20 men; 4 15-cwt trucks with one twin Bren gun mounted in each)

Mortar Platoon (1 Officer & 45 men; 6 3 mortars & 6 Universal Carriers)3x Sections, each (2 3 mortars & 2 Universal Carriers)

Carrier Platoon (2 Officers & 62 men; 13 Universal Carriers, each mounting a Bren gun)Platoon HQ (1 Universal Carrier)

4x Sections, each (3 Universal Carriers; 1 2 mortar & 1 Boys ATR)

Pioneer Platoon (1 Officer & 21 men; 3-ton lorry for transport equipment))

Administrative Platoon (2 Officers & 57 men)

4x Rifle Companies, each (5 Officers & 119 men)Company HQ (2 Officers & 11 men)

3x Rifle Platoon, eachPlatoon HQ (1 Officer & 6 men; 1 2 mortar & 1 Boys ATR)

3x Rifle Sections, each (10 men; 1 single Bren LMG)

Divisional Artillery

Headquarters, Divisional Artillery

3x Field Regiments, each (24 25pdr guns)3x Batteries, each2x Troops, each (4 guns)

Anti-tank Regiment (64 ATG)4x Batteries, each4x Troops, each (4 ATG)

Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (48 towed 40mm light AAG)4x Batteries, each3x Troops, each (4 AAG)

Divisional Engineers

Headquarters, Divisional Engineers

3x Field Companies

Field Park Company

Supply and Transport

Headquarters, Divisional Royal Army Service Corps

Divisional Petrol Company

Divisional Ammunition Company

Divisional Supply Column

Amended late 1941 into early 1942Headquarters, Commander Royal Army Service Corps

3x Infantry Brigades Companies

Divisional Troops Company

Medical

3x Field Ambulances

2x Field Dressing Station (introduced from mid 1942)

Field Hygiene Section

Repair

Divisional Ordnance Workshop

Divisional Ordnance Field Park

Light Aid Detachments

Amended late 1942 toHeadquarters, Commander Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Three Infantry Brigade Workshops

Light Aid Detachments

Miscellaneous

Divisional Provost Company

Divisional Postal Unit

*Divisional Reconnaissance BattalionAs with the Infantry Battalion, a Universal Carrier was available for the CO, along with the usual mix of cars, 15-cwt trucks and motorcycles

The small AA Platoon fielded four 15-cwt trucks, each mounting twin Bren guns and also carrying an anti-tank rifle

The unusual size of the Signals Platoon was partly due to the fact that 24 of its personnel served with the companies, with a further 20 acting as motorcycle messengers

Mortar Platoon served a pair of 3-inch mortars, carried by 15-cwt trucks

Anti-Tank Platoon deployed four Sections, each carried in a 15-cwt truck. It was entirely reliant on the Boys anti-tank rifle, three being issued to each Section

*Divisional Reconnaissance RegimentThe above organisation appeared in April 1942, and was almost certainly that used ny 44th and 51st Reconnaissance Regiments. These two units joined 8th Army with their parent Divisions in time for the major offensive at second El Alamein, however neither was used in their intended role.

51st Regiment is described as being reformed into a single infantry company, likey established by concentrating the three Assault Troops under a HQ, and a Carrier Company

The light reconnaissance cars proved ineffective in the desert and were abandoned

*Anti-Tank RegimentThrough 1941 the standard anti-tank gun remained th 2pdr, which was increasingly obsolete in the face of up-armoured German Panzers. During 1942 the more potent 6pdr ATG began to reach Regiments in North Africa, gradually replacing the 2pdr. A number of Infantry Divisions in the theatre however fielded a mixture of guns, with forty eight 6pdr and sixteen 2pdr weapons in their Anti-Tank Regiments

*Field RegimentMost Infantry Divisions serving in North Africa deviated in some way or other from the Home Force establishment. 50th Division was brought up to strength with a volunteer Greek Brigade Group following the capture of its own 150th Brigade, and had no Reconnaissance Regiment, while 44th Division substituted a Lorried Infantry Brigade for a normal Infantry Brigade

References

NAFZIGER, George; The Nafziger Collection of Orders of Battle

http://www.bayonetstrength.150m.com/