6th (United Kingdom) Division

The 6th Infantry Division was first established by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula 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. It was officially reformed with a parade and flag presentation at York on Tuesday 5 August 2008 and then closed in April 2011.

Peninsula War
The 6th Division was formed for service in the Peninsula 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 Peninsula 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 British 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At the end of July 1916 the division was withdrawn, having suffered 11,000 casualties, and in September it was attached to XIV Corps where it joined in the Battle of the Somme by attacking the German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 They then participated in the attacks on Morval and Le Transloy before being withdrawn on 20 October and moved into Corps Reserve.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.

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 Second Army.

By September the division was part of IX Corps and took part in the Battle of Epehy, participating in the general attack on St Quentin and The Quadrilateral 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.

First World War formation

 * 16th Brigade :
 * 1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent) Regiment
 * 1st Battalion, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry
 * 2nd Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment
 * 8th (Service) Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment (from 71st Bde. November 1915, disbanded February 1918)
 * 1st Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment (to 71st Bde. November 1915)
 * 1/5th Battalion, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (from February 1915 to June 1915)


 * 17th Brigade (until October 14, 1915) :
 * 1st Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers
 * 1st Battalion, The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)
 * 2nd Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
 * 3rd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade
 * 1/2nd (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (from February 1915)

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


 * 18th Brigade :
 * 1st Battalion, The West Yorkshire Regiment
 * 1st Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment (until November 1915)
 * 2nd Battalion, the Durham Light Infantry
 * 11th (Service) Battalion, The Essex Regiment (from 71st Bde. October 1915)
 * 2nd Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (to 71st Bde. October 1915)
 * 14th (Service) Battalion, the Durham Light Infantry (from November 1915, disbanded February 1918)
 * 1/16th (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment (until February 1916


 * 19th Brigade (until May 31, 1915) :
 * 2nd Battalion, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers
 * 1st Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
 * 1/5th Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
 * 1st Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment
 * 2nd Battalion, the Argyll & 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 Brigade (from October 11, 1915) :
 * 9th (Service) Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment
 * 9th (Service) Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
 * 8th (Service) Battalion, the Bedfordshire Regiment (to 16th Bde. November 1915)
 * 11th (Service) Battalion, The Essex Regiment (to 18th Bde. October 1915)
 * 1st Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment (from 16th Bde. November 1915)
 * 2nd Battalion, the 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
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. 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 in attempts to force the Damascus to Beirut road through the Anti-Lebanon mountains the entrance to which was dominated by the 5000 ft 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.

Second World War formation

 * The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) 25 Mar - 30 May 40

Artillery Engineers
 * 60th (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 20 Jul - 30 Sep 41
 * 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 3 Nov 39 - 7 Jun 40 & 1 Mar 41 - 9 Oct 41

British 22nd Infantry Brigade

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


 * 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
 * 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Regiment
 * 1st Battalion, The Welch Regiment
 * 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry

British 22nd Guards Brigade

6 Division 17 Feb - 6 Apr 41


 * 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
 * 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards
 * 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

British 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
 * 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Royal Regiment (King's Own)
 * 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
 * 14 Infantry Brigade Anti Tank Company

British 16th Infantry Brigade

6 Division 23 Mar - 7 Jun 40


 * 2nd Battalion, The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
 * 2nd Battalion, The Royal Leicestershire Regiment
 * 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

British 23rd Infantry Brigade

6 Division 29 Jun - 9 Oct 41


 * 2nd Battalion, Black Watch
 * 4th Battalion, Border Regiment
 * Czechoslovak 11th Infantry Battalion
 * 23 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. 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.' 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. 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. The division headquarters closed in April 2011.

Afghanistan War Formation

 * (November 2009)

Regional Command South  – Kandahar Airfield Task Force Helmand - British 11th Light Brigade Task Force Kandahar - Canadian 1st Mechanized Brigade Group Task Force Leatherneck - US 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Task Force Uruzgan - Dutch 11th Airmobile Brigade Task Force Zabul - Romanian 2nd Mountain Brigade US 5th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division
 * 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland - regional reserve
 * The Light Dragoons
 * 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards
 * 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
 * 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment
 * 3rd Battalion, The Rifles
 * Danish Battle Group 8
 * 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment
 * 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
 * Regimental Combat Team 7
 * 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
 * 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment
 * 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment
 * 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment
 * 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
 * 17th Armored Infantry Battalion
 * Australian Special Operations Task Group
 * 280th Infantry Battalion
 * 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:
 * 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