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List of military divisions — List of British divisions in WWI — List of British divisions in WWII
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The British 3rd Division, known as the Iron Division, was originally formed in 1809 by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War. In World War I it was a permanently established Regular Army division that was amongst the first to be sent to France at the outbreak of World War I. It served on the Western Front for the duration of the war.
During World War II the division was part of the ill-fated British Expeditionary Force evacuated from Dunkirk. It was the first British division to land at 'Sword' beach on D-Day.
Currently the 3rd Division is the only division at continual operational readiness in the United Kingdom.
The division's World War I insignia was an St Andrew's Cross over a circle in yellow. When General Bernard Montgomery commanded the division during World War II, the insignia was the 'pattern of three' - a black triangle trisected by an inverted red triangle.
; 7th Brigade (to October 18 1915) :
; 8th Brigade :
; 76th Brigade (from October 15 1915) :
; 8th Brigade :
; 1st Mechanised Brigade :
; 12th Mechanised Brigade :
; 19th Mechanised Brigade :Unit History
Formation
World War I
The brigade moved to the 25th Division in October
1915 and was replaced by the 76th Brigade.
The following battalions joined the brigade for periods in 1914 and 1915.
The following battalions joined the brigade for periods in 1915 and 1916.
The following battalions left the brigade for the 76th Brigade when it
joined the division in October 1915:
; 9th Brigade :
Other battalions to serve with the brigade were:
The brigade moved to the 28th Division for a
brief period in early 1915.
The brigade joined the division from the 25th Division in October 1915.
World War II
; 9th Brigade :
; 185th Brigade :
Current
