List of British divisions in WWII

This page is a list of British Army divisions that existed in World War II.

The following AA Divisions existed during the early years of World War II. All AA Divisions were disbanded on 30 September 1942 and replaced by AA Groups.

For deception units, see British deception formations in World War II

For British Indian Army units, see List of Indian divisions in World War II

The "infantry division" was the backbone of the British Army. Its intended role was to breach the front line of the opposing force, to allow motorized infantry and armoured divisions to then breakthrough securing victory via superior mobility and firepower. Issues with doctrine implementation and training resulted in the army going to war incapable of fighting in such a manner. As the war progressed and the army evolved, as well as the organization of divisions, this basic doctrine was maintained.

In addition to the Regular Army, the full-time professional army, the British military was supplemented by the Territorial Army: a reserve made up of part-time volunteers. This reserve would also be the sole method of expanding the size of the armed forces during wartime. To do so, the existing territorial formations known as the First Line would create a Second Line using a cadre of trained personnel.

Furthermore, infantry divisions were split into two classes: Lower Establishment, intended strictly for service within the United Kingdom; and Higher Establishment, divisions that were intended for deployment overseas and combat. The war-establishment, the on-paper strength, of an infantry division was set at 13,863 men in 1939 increasing to 18,347 by 1944. However, this figure could vary considerably. For example, during the Siege of Tobruk the 70th Infantry Division was 28,000 men strong, whereas in June 1944 the total combined strength of the remaining five Lower Establishment divisions was 17,845 men.

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