45th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)

2nd Wessex Division 45th (2nd Wessex) Division 45th Infantry Division 45th (Holding) Division 45th Division
Formation sign of the 45th Division in the Second World War
Active	October 1914 – 1919 April 1939 – August 1944 September 1944 – March 1946
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Territorial Force Territorial Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Service	First World War Second World War

The 45th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Territorial Force, part of the British Army. It was formed in the First World War as a duplicate of the 43rd (Wessex) Division and was originally formed as the 2nd Wessex Division in 1914–1915 before later being renamed as the 45th (2nd Wessex) Division and the brigades numbered. It was sent overseas to India in December 1914 to relieve Regular Army units for service in France. The division remained there for the rest of the war, supplying drafts of replacements to the British units fighting in the Middle East and later complete battalions.

It was reformed as 45th Infantry Division in the Territorial Army in 1939, again as a duplicate of the 43rd (Wessex) Division, when another European conflict with Germany seemed inevitable. During the Second World War, the division was active in the United Kingdom throughout its service. It was placed on a lower establishment on 1 December 1941 and disbanded on 30 August 1944.

The division was reformed on 1 September 1944 as 45th (Holding) Division, later 45th Division, for the reception of troops returning from overseas. The division did not see service outside the United Kingdom during the war.

In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw. 7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. 2nd Line units performed the home defence role, although in fact most of these were also posted abroad in due course.