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In September 1939, the British Army was in process of expanded their anti-aircraft and mobile (including armoured) assets. Among these new changes was the formation of Anti-Aircraft Command which was formed on 1 April 1939, and the 1st Armoured Division formed in 1937. The list below will include the British Army units, colonial units, and those units which were in the process of formation. The list includes units which were in the process of formation, cadre sized, or had no units attached Also included are Territorial Army (TA) and Supplementary Reserve (SR) units

War Office[]

The War Office or WO as it was abbreviated, was the office of the British Government which controlled all of the Armed Forces of which were based around the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland and Middle East.

Northern Command[]

Northern Command
Headquartered at York, covering the areas of: Berwick-upon-Tweed (except regulars), Northumberland, County Durham, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Rutlandshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire.

5th Infantry Division[]

Northumbrian Area[]

Northumbrian Area, Darlington: comprising the counties of Northumberland, County Durham, North Riding of Yorkshire (excluding Catterick Area and Strensall Camp), East Riding of Yorkshire; also Berwick-upon-Tweed (except regulars).

23rd (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Division (TA)[]

West Riding Area[]

West Riding Area: York, covering West Riding of Yorkshire, County Borough of York, Strensall Camp, Lincolnshire, Rutlandshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire.

46th (North Midland and Riding) Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

49th (West Riding) Infantry Division (TA)[]

Scottish Command[]

Scottish Command, Edinburgh covered Scotland and Berwick-upon-Tweed (so far as regards Regulars and Militia only).

Highland Area[]

Highland Area, Perth: covering the counties of Sutherland, Caithness, Ross and Cromarty, Inverness-shire, Nairnshire, Morayshire, Banffshire, Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire, Angus, Perthshire, Kinross-shire, Fifeshire, Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire, Dumbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Buteshire, and Argyllshire.

9th (Scottish) Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

51st (Highland) Infantry Division (TA)[]

Lowland Area[]

Lowland Area, Darlington: comprising the counties of West Lothian, Midlothian, East Lothian, Berwickshire (including Berwick-upon-Tweed for Regulars and Militia only), Roxburghshire, Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Wigtownshire, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Peeblesshire, Selkirkshire; and (for Clyde and Forth Defences only), and Fifeshire.

15th (Scottish) Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division (TA)[]

Eastern Command[]

Eastern Command was one of two southern commands, itself overseeing the areas of: Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex (except Purfleet and Rainham rifle ranges; and (when occupied by Foot Guards) the Guards' barracks at Warley Barracks), Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Middlesex, Kent, Sussex, and Surrey (less portion in the Aldershot Command and London District), and Woolwich Garrison (exclusive of the Territorial Army troops quartered there).

4th Infantry Division[]

East Anglian Area[]

East Anglian Area covered the counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire (less the following: Colchester Garrison, Purfleet Rifle Range, and Rainham rifle ranges (when occupied by the Foot Guards) the Guards' Barracks at Warley Barracks which area under London District, That porition of Essex in Chatham Area from Grays Thurrock Station along main road to Stanford-le-Hope, thence north side of railway via South Benfleet to Southend-on-Sea borough boundary - thence a line drawn north-east to Lower Edward's Hall - thence road eastwords to Harp House - thence a line south-east to Southchurch Lawn - thence a line due north to River Roach - thence along south bank of River Roach and south bank of River Crouch to Foulness Point).

18th Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division (TA)[]

Chatham Area[]

Chatham Area covered the areas of: Foulness Point (Essex) by a line drawn south to Shellness (Kent) thence a line drawn south-west to Ladydane thence along a road to Watling Street thence Watling Street to road Faversham, Leaveland, Challock Lees, Chaning, Lenham, Harrietsham, Elsfield, Hollingbourne thence Pilgrim's Way via Detling, Burham, Snodland thence via Pilgrim's Road to Trosley Towers thence along road Wrotham-Gravesent to Northumberland Bottom thence Watling Street to Southern Railway Bridge at Springhead thence northward along stream to River Thames, along south bank of River Thames to lighthouse on Swanscombe Marshes thence by a line drawn northeast across the River Thames to Grays Thurrock Station (Essex) thence along the main road to Stanford-le-Hope thence northside of railway via South Benfleet to Southend Borough boundary thence a line drawn northeast to lower Edward's Hull thence along road Eastwood to Harp House thence a line drawn south-east to Southchurch Lawn thence a line due north to River Roach, along south bank of River Roach and south bank of River Crouch to Foulness Point.

Home Counties Area[]

Home Counties Area covered the areas of: Woolwich (exclusive of Territorial Army troops in London District), Counties of Kent (less areas in Chatham Area and the 4th Infantry Division stations of Dover, Shorncliffe, Hythe and Lydd), Sussex, Surrey (less the eastern boundaries of the parishes of Chobham, Horsell and Woking through Woking) including portions of the parishes of Stoke-next-Guildford, St. Nicholas, Arlington, to the west of the railway.

12th (Eastern) Infantry Division[]

44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division[]

Northern Ireland District[]

Northern Ireland District was one of two army districts, tasked with covering all of Northern Ireland.

Western Command[]

Western Command was the largest command by area covered, including: Wales and the Counties of Cumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Cheshire, and Beachley, Gloucestershire, and The Isle of Man.

Welsh Area[]

Welsh Area covered Wales and the Countries of Shropshire and Herefordshire, and Beachley (Glouchestershire).

38th (Welsh) Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division (1/TA)[]

West Lancashire Area[]

West Lancashire encompassed: Lancashire, south and west of a line along the River Douglas and the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, South-East to Worsley, Cheshire, and Staffordshire.

55th (West Lancashire) Motor Division (TA)[]

59th (Staffordshire) Motor Division (2/TA)[]

East Lancashire Area[]

East Lancashire Area comprised the areas of: Cumberland, Westmoreland and that part of Lancashire not included in West Lancashire Area.

42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division (TA)[]

66th (2nd East Lancashire) Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

London District[]

London District comprises County of London, Warley Barracks (Foot Guards only), Rainham Rifle Range, Purfleet, Woolwich (for Territorial Army Troops), Caterham Barracks, Pirbright, and (for regular troops) Combermere Barracks and Victoria Barracks.

1st London Motor Division (TA)[]

2nd London Motor Division (2/TA)[]

Southern Command[]

Southern Command comprised: Counties of Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire (except Victoria Barracks and Combermere Barracks and that portion of the county included in the Aldershot Command), Oxfordshire, Hampshire (except that portion included in the Aldershot Command), Wiltshire, Dorset, Devonshire, Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucestershire (expect Beachley) and Worcestershire.

1st Armoured Division[]

3rd Infantry Division (Mixed)[]

Salisbury Plain Area[]

Salisbury Plain Area comprising: The County of Wiltshire (withln the following boundaries): The Great Western Railway from the bridge over the River Avon at Freshford to the aqueduct of the Kennet and Avon Canal (1.5 miles west of Bradford-on-Avon), thence the Kennet and Avon Canal to Devizes, The Depot The Wiltshire Regiment, Devizes (on the north bank of the canal), thence the Kennet and Avon Canal to the County boundary at Froxfield, thence the county boundary from Froxfield to the road Fordingbridge-Salisbury at Downton. Thence the road Fordingbridge-Salisbury from the county boundary at Downton to Salisbury; Salisbury; the road Salisbury-Wilton-Great Wishford-Codford-Hegtesbury, the road Warminster-Frome to the county boundary at Whitbourne; thence the county boundary near Whitbourne to the Great Western Railway Bridge over the River Avon near Freshford. That portion of Hampshire including Tidworth and Western District land adjacent.

South Midland Area[]

South Midland Area comprising: Counties of Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire (except Victoria Barracks and Combermere Barracks and portions in Aldershot Command), Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire (except Beachley), Worcestershire, and Wiltshire north of the Salisbury Plain Area.

48th (South Midland) Infantry Division (TA)[]

61st (2nd South Midland) Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

South-Western Area[]

South-Western Area comprising: Counties of Somerset, Dorsetshire, Devonshire and Cornwall, those portions of Wiltshire not included in South Midland and Salisbury Plain Areas, and that part of Hampshire lying west of the Southern Railway between the county boundary of Downton and the county boundary at Fordingbridge station.

43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division (TA)[]

45th (West Country) Infantry Division (2/TA)[]

Southern Area[]

Southern Area comprising: Hampshire (excluding those portions of the county Included in Aldershot Command and Salisbury Plain and South-Western Areas.).

Aldershot Command[]

Aldershot Command comprising: Encompassing the River Loddon where crossed by the Southern Railway at Loddon Brigde (south-east of Reading) along the railway through Wokingham, Bracknell and Ascot to Sunningdale – thence the eastern boundaries of the parishes of Chobham and Horsell to the railway at Woking – thence southward along the railway (omitting the portions of the parishes of Guildford and Artington to the west of the railway and the three small portions of Sussex lying to the north of the railway) to Liss – thence northward along the road leading to Reading, through Selborne, Alton and Odiham (but inclusive of the portions of the parishes of Alton and Chawton lying west of that road) – to Swallowfield – thence along the River Loddon to Loddon Brigde.

1st Infantry Division[]

2nd Infantry Division[]

Anti-Aircraft Command (TA)[]

Anti-Aircraft Command controlled all of the AA units (minus the regular 1st and 2nd AA brigades).

1st Anti-Aircraft Division[]

1st AA Division covering London, Dover, and Slough.

2nd Anti-Aircraft Division[]

2nd AA Division covering Kingston upon Hull, The Humber, Leeds, Sheffield, and Nottingham. Aligned with No. 12 Group RAF.

3rd Anti-Aircraft Division[]

3rd AA Division covering the Firth of Forth, The Clyde, Scapa Flow, Tyne River, Tees River, and Belfast. Aligned with No. 13 Group RAF.

4th Anti-Aircraft Division[]

4th AA Division covering Liverpool, Birmingham, Coventry, Manchester, Cardiff, and Newport. Aligned with No. 9 Group RAF.

5th Anti-Aircraft Division[]

5th AA Division covering Bristol, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Isle of Portland, Southampton, and Cardiff. Aligned with No. 10 Group RAF.

6th Anti-Aircraft Division[]

6th AA Division covering Thames and Medway and Harwich. Aligned with No. 11 Group RAF.

7th Anti-Aircraft Division[]

7th AA Division covering River Tyne, River Tees, and Middlesbrough.

Middle East Command[]

Middle East Command controlled all the forces based in: Sudan, Aden, Somaliland, Palestine, Transjordan, and Egypt.

British Troops in Aden[]

British Troops in Egypt[]

The Egypt Armoured Division[]

7th Infantry Division (Forming)[]

British Troops in Palestine and Transjordan[]

8th Infantry Division[]

British Troops in The Sudan[]

The Army of India[]

The British Indian Army, or as it was known in the British Army as the 'Army of India' was the collective name for all the units and commands of the army based in India (excluding Burma and Ceylon). (ISF) for Imperial Service Force.

  • General Headquarters, Army of India Commanded by General Sir Robert Archibald Cassels
  • Indian Army Staff College
  • Indian Army Senior Officers' School
  • Indian School of Artillery
  • Indian Military Academy
  • Indian Army School of Education
  • Indian School of Weapon Training and Mechanisation
  • Indian School of Chemical Warfare
  • Indian Army School of Physical Training
  • Indian Army Signal School
  • Kitchener College
  • Royal Indian Army Service School
  • Indian Mechanical Transport Advisory Committee

Auxiliary Forces, India[]

The Auxiliary Force (India) (AFI) was a part-time, paid volunteer organisation within the Indian Army in British India. Its units were entirely made up of European and Anglo-Indian personnel.

Cavalry[]

Infantry[]

  • Nagpur Rifles, Nagpur
  • Simla Rifles, Simla
  • The Calcutta and Presidency Battalion, Calcutta
  • The Nilgiri Malabar Battalion, Ootacamund
  • Hyderabad Rifles, Secunderabad
  • The Eastern Bengal Company, Dacca
  • East Coast Battalion, Vizayapatam
  • Kolar Gold Fields Battalion, Oorgaum
  • The Calcutta Scottish, Caluctta
  • The Coorg and Mysore Company, Mercara
  • The Yercaud Company, Yercaud
  • The Bhusawal Company, Bhusawal

Contingents[]

  • Agra Contingent, Agra
  • Allahabad Contingent, Allahabad
    • Detachment, The Southern Regiment (United Provinces Horse)
    • Allahabad Rifles
  • Bangalore Contingent, Bangalore
    • Bangalore Armoured Car Company
    • The Bangalore Battalion
  • Bareilly Corps, Bareilly
    • The Bareilly Contingent, Nainital
    • 18th (Bareilly) Field Battery, Indian Artillery
  • Bombay Contingent, Bombay
  • Cawnpore Contingent, Cawnpore
    • Detachment, The Southern Regiment (United Provinces Horse)
    • 20th (Sawnpore) Field Battery, Indian Artillery
    • Cawnpore Rifles
  • Dehra Dun Contingent, Dehradun
    • 3 Platoon, 1 W/T Section and 4 Mortar Platoons
  • Delhi Contingent, Delhi
    • HQ, 1 Troop, 1 Company of Infantry, and 3 Mortar Platoons
  • Karachi Corps, Karachi
    • Sind Rifles
    • 2nd (Karachi) Machine-Gun Company
    • 3 DLS Sections and 1 W/T Section
    • 2 Mortar Platoons
    • 4th (Karachi) Fortress Company, Indian Engineers
  • Lucknow Contingent, Lucknow
    • Detachment, The Southern Regiment (United Provinces Horse)
    • Lucknow Rifles
    • 13th (Lucknow) Field Battery, Indian Artillery
  • Madras Contingent, Madras
    • 1st (Madras) Signal Company, Indian Signals
    • Madras Guards
    • 3rd (Madras) Field Battery, Indian Artillery
  • Poona Contingent, Poona
  • Punjab Contingent, Lahore

Artillery[]

Engineers[]

  • 1st (Calcutta) Fortress Company, Indian Engineers, Calcutta

Railway Troops[]

  • East Indian Railway Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, Liluah
    • 2nd Battalion, Lucknow
  • Eastern Bengal Railway Battalion, Sealdah
  • Great Indian Peninsula Railway Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, Parel
    • 2nd Battalion, Jhansi
  • Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, Lower Parel
    • 2nd Battalion, Ajmer
  • Bengal and North Western Railway Battalion, Gorakhpur
  • North Western Railway Battalion, Lahore
  • South Indian Railway Battalion, Trichinopoly
  • Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Rifles
    • 1st Battalion, Perambur
    • 2nd Battalion, Hubli
  • Bengal Nagpur Railway Battalion, Kharagpur
  • Assam Bengal Railway Battalion, Chittagong

Western District (Independent)[]

Western District encompassed the states of: Baluchistan, Sind, Khairpur State, and Rajputana.

Northern Command[]

Northern Command comprised the areas of: The North-West Frontier Province; Waziristan District; Kashmir State; the Punjab (less districts of Rohtak and Gurgaon); the Punjab States including the Punjab Hill States [less Khairpur, Tehri (Garhwal), Pataudi, Dujana, and the Bawal District of the Nabha State.]

  • Headquarters, Northern Command, Rawalpindi commanded by General Sir John Francis Stanhope Duke Coleridge

Kohat District[]

Lahore District[]

Peshawar District[]

Rawalpindi District[]

Waziristan District[]

Eastern Command[]

Eastern Command comprising: Delhi Province; Rohtak and Gurgaon districts, the United Provinces; Rajputana (less States of Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Sirohi, Danta, Palanpur, Banswara, Partabgarh, Dungarpur, Shahpura, Kushalgarh, Nimbahera (Tonk); the combined Bundelkhand and Bagelkhand Agency of Central India; Piklon (Bhopal); Gwalior State (less detached Districts in Southern Command); Bihar and Orissa Province; Eastern States Agency (less States of Basar, Changbakhar, Chhuikhadan, Jashpur, Kanker, Kawardha, Khairagarh, Korea, Nandgaon, Raigarh, Sakti, Sarangarh, Surguja (Udaipur and Makrai); Bengal, Bengal States; Assam and Manipur States. Of the Punjab states; Pataudi, Dujana, Tehri (Garhwal) and the Bawal District of the Nabha State.

Lucknow District[]

Meerut District[]

Presidency & Assam District[]

Southern Command[]

Southern Command comprised the areas of the Western India States Agency – Central India States Agency (less combined Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand Agency) – Ajmer-Merwara – Jodhpur – Udaipur, Sirohi, Danta, Palanpur, Banswara, Partabgarh, Shahpurg, Kushalgarh, Nimbahera (Tonk) and Dungarpur States of Rajputana – Ujjain, Amjhera, Shajapur, and Mandasar districts of Gwalior StateBombay Presidency – Gujarat States Agency including Baroda StateDeccan State Agency, including Kolhapur State – Central Provinces – Bastar Changbakhar, Chhuikadan Jashpur, Kanker, Karwardho, Khairagarh, Korea, Nandgaon, Raigarh, Sakti, Sarangarh, Surguja, Udaipur and Makrai States of the Eastern States Agency – Hyderababd State, Madras PresidencyMysore State and Madras States Agency.

Bombay District[]

  • Bombay District, Bombay
    • Headquarters, Bombay District commanded by Major General Guy de Courcy Glover
    • Bombay Governor's Bodyguard
    • Baria Subhag Risala (ISF), Devgadh Baria
    • 2nd Baroda Lancers (ISF), Baroda
    • Bhavnagar Lancers (ISF), Bhavnagar
    • Dhar Light Horse (ISF), Dharavi
    • Jodhpur Lancers (ISF), Jodhpur
    • Janagarh Lancers (ISF), Junagarh
    • Mewar Lancers (ISF), Udaipur
    • Nawanagar Lancers (ISF), Jamnagar
    • Porbandar Bodyguard (ISF), Porbandar
    • Rajpipla Bodyguard (ISF), Rajpipla
    • 2nd Battalion, The Prince of Wales's South Lancashire Volunteers
    • 11th (Territorial) Battalion, 4th Bombay Grenadiers, Ajmer
    • 3rd Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
    • 3rd Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment, Baroda
    • 1st Battalion, 19th Hyderabad Regiment, Ahmedabad
    • 2nd (Bombay Presidency) Urban Infantry Battalion (Territorial)
    • 1st (Bombay) University Training Corps (Territorial)
    • Alirajpur Pratap Battalion (ISF), Alirajpur
    • Baria Ranjit Battalion (ISF), Devgadh Baria
    • 1st Baroda Battalion (ISF), Baroda
    • 2nd Baroda Battalion (ISF), Baroda
    • Bhavnagar Battalion (ISF), Bhavnagar
    • Bhopal Sultania Battalion (ISF), Bhopal
    • Dhar Battalion (ISF), Dhar
    • Dhrangadhar Bodyguard (ISF), Dhrangadhra
    • Idar Battalion (ISF), Himatnagar
    • 1st Battalion, The Indor Regiment (ISF), Indore
    • Jodhpur Sardar Battalion (ISF), Jodhpur
    • Janagarh Battalion (ISF), Junagarh
    • Kutch Bodyguard (ISF), Bhuj
    • Kutch Battalion (ISF), Bhuj
    • Mewar Bhupal Battalion (ISF), Udaipur
    • Mewar Sajjan Battalion (ISF), Udaipur
    • Nawanagar Battalion (ISF), Jamnagar
    • Palanpur Iqbal Battalion (ISF), Palanpur
    • Porbandar Battalion (ISF), Porbandar
    • Rajpipla Battalion (ISF), Rajpipla
    • Ratlam Lokendra Rifles (ISF), Ratlam
    • Bhopal Goshar-i-Taj Own Infantry Training Company (ISF), Bhopal
    • Mewar Chupal Infantry Training Company (ISF), Udaipur
    • Indor Holkar's Mounted Escort (ISF), Indore
    • Mhow Area

Deccan District[]

Madras District[]

  • Madras District, Bangalore
    • Headquarters, Madras District commanded by Major General Edward Felix Norton
    • Mysore Lancers Training Squadron, Bangalore
    • 2nd Mysore Training Squadron, Bangalore
    • 1st Battalion, The King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, Madras
    • 1st Battalion, The Duke of Edinburgh's Wiltshire Regiment
    • 1st Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Wellington
    • 5th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment, Cannanore
    • 2nd Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles, St Thomas Mount
    • Madras Governor's Bodyguard, Madras
    • 3rd Urban Infantry Battalion (Territorial), Madras
    • 5th Battalion, University Training Corps (Territorial), Madras
    • 14th Coorg (Territorial) Battalion, 3rd Madras Regiment, Mercara
    • 12th Malabar (Territorial) Battalion, 3rd Madras Regiment, Cannanore
    • Malabar Special Police, Cannanore
    • 1st Battalion, Mysore Regiment (ISF), Bangalore
    • 3rd Battalion, Mysore Regiment (ISF), Mysore
    • Mahraja's Bodyguard, Trivandrum
    • 1st Battalion, Travancore Nair Army, Trivandrum
    • 2nd Battalion, Travancore Nair Army, Trivandrum
    • 3rd Battalion, Travancore Nair Army, Trivandrum
    • A Field Regiment, Indian Artillery
    • 32nd Field Platoon, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore
    • 35th Field Troop, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore
    • 12th Field Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore
    • 14th Field Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore
    • 11th Army Troops Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore
    • 16th Army Troops Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore
    • 44th Divisional Headquarters Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore
    • A Depot, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore
    • Training Battalion, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore

Army in Burma[]

BAF - Burma Auxiliary Forces or BFF - Burma Frontier Force

  • Headquarters, Army in Burma, Rangoon commanded by Major General Donald Kenneth McLeod
  • Rangoon Brigade
    • Headquarters, Rangoon Bde, Rangoon
    • 1st Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment, Mingaladon
    • 1st Battalion, Burma Rifles, Mingaladon
    • 12th (Territorial) Battalion, Burma Rifles, Mingaladon
    • Rangoon Battalion (BAF)
    • Tenasserim Battalion (BAF), Moulmein
    • Rangoon University Training Corps (Territorial)
    • Rangoon Field Brigade, Royal Artillery (BAF), Dry Tree Point
    • Burma Railways Engineer Battalion (BAF)
    • 1st Rangoon Military Police Battalion
    • 2nd Rangoon Military Police Battalion
  • Mandalay Brigade
    • Headquarters, Mandalay Bde, Maymyo
    • 2nd Battalion, The King's Own South Yorkshire Light Infantry
    • 2nd Battalion, Burma Rifles
    • 3rd Battalion, Burma Rifles
    • 4th Battalion, Burma Rifles, Mandalay
    • 11th (Territorial) Battalion, Burma Rifles, Mandalay
    • Upper Burma Battalion (BAF)
    • Southern Shan States Battalion (BFF), Tvanggyi
    • Northern Shan States Battalion (BFF), Lashio
    • Bhamo Battalion (BFF), Bhamo
    • Chin Hills Battalion (BFF), Falam
    • Myitkyina Battalion (BFF), Myitkyina
    • Reserve Battalion (BFF), Pyawbwe
    • 2nd Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery
    • 1st Field Company, Burma Sappers and Miners
    • 13th Field Company, Madras Sappers and Miners
    • Mandalay Burma Military Police Battalion, Mandalay

Atlantic Region[]

The Atlantic region covered: Falkland Islands, Newfoundland (still under control of the British at this point, not part of Canada yet), Saint Helena, and Bermuda.

Caribbean[]

The Caribbean region covered: Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent.

South America[]

The South America Region covered the areas of British Guiana and British Honduras.

  • British Guiana
    • British Guiana Militia
    • British Guiana Militia Artillery (defending Georgetown)
  • British Hondouras (today known as Belize)
    • British Honduras Defense Force

Mediterranean Region[]

The Mediterranean Region consisted of the colonies which were NOT part of Middle East Command. These regions included: Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, and Iraq.

Gibraltar[]

Malta[]

Iraq[]

Cyprus[]

China Command[]

China Command covered the British interests in: Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tientsin.

  • China Command, Hong Kong
    • Headquarters, China Command commanded by Governor of Hong Kong General Sir Geoffry Alexander Stafford Northcote
    • Hong Kong Command Signal Company, Royal Corps of Signals
    • 8th Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, Kowloon (including X Bty from the HKSRA)
    • 1st Regiment, Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery, Kowloon
    • 5th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, RAF Kai Tak
    • 22nd Fortress Company, Royal Engineers (serving Shenzhen River)
    • 40th Fortress Company, Royal Engineers (serving the Harbour Installations)
    • 10th Company, Royal Army Service Corps
    • 6th Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
    • 27th Company, Royal Army Medical Corps
    • Hong Kong Infantry Brigade
      • Headquarters, Hong Kong Inf Bde, Hong Kong
      • 2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
      • Kumaon Rifles
      • 1st Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own Middlesex Regiment, Sham Shui Po (machine-gun)
    • Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps
      • Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps Signal Company
      • Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps Armoured Car Platoon
      • 1st Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, RAF Kai Tak
      • 2nd (Scottish) Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Sheko
      • 3rd (Eurasian) Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Stonecutters Island
      • 4th (Chinese) Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, High West
      • 5th Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Mount Davis
      • 6th (Portuguese) Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, North Shin Naval Yard
      • 7th Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Magasin Gap
      • Stanley Platoon, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Stanley
      • The Hugh's Group (Highsiliers), Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Northern Point
      • 1st Battery, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Cape D'Aguilar
      • 2nd Battery, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Bluff Head
      • 3rd Battery, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Aberdeen Island
      • 4th Battery, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Pak Sha Wan
      • 5th (Anti-Aircraft) Battery, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Sai Wan Hill
      • Field Engineer Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Fanling
      • Army Service Corps Company, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Deepwater Bay

Shanghai Area[]

Tientsin Area[]

Malaya Command[]

Malaya Command covered British Malaya, British Singapore, and British Borneo.

Penang Fortress[]

Federated Malay States Volunteer Force[]

  • Federated Malay States Volunteer Force, Port Dickson
    • Headquarters, Volunteer Forces
    • Federated Malay States Volunteer Force Signal Section
    • Federated Malay States Volunteer Force Armoured Car Squadron, Ipoh
    • 1st Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Force, Ipoh
    • 2nd Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Force, Kuala Lumpur
    • 3rd Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Force, Seremban
    • 4th Battalion, Federated Malay States Volunteer Force, Kuantan
    • Light Field Battery, Federated Malay States Volunteer Force, Kuala Lumpur
    • Federated Malay States Volunteer Force Engineer Company

Singapore Fortress[]

Indian Ocean[]

The Indian Ocean area covered the islands of Ceylon and Mauritius.

Ceylon[]

Mauritius[]

  • British Troops on Mauritius, Port Louis
    • Headquarters, British Troops on Mauritius commanded by Governor of Mauritius Sir Bede Edward Hugh Clifford
    • Mauritius Signal Section, Royal Corps of Signals
    • Mauritius Territorial Force, Rodrigues
    • 25th Heavy Battery, Royal Artillery
    • 43rd Fortress Company, Royal Engineers

Pacific Ocean Region[]

The Pacific Ocean region comprised the areas of: Fiji, Sarawak, and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony.

  • Fiji
    • Headquarters, Fiji Defences Forces, Suva
    • Fiji Defence Force Signals
    • 1st Battalion, The Fiji Infantry Regiment
  • Sarawak
  • Gilbert and Ellis Islands Colony
    • Ocean Island Defence Force, Ocean Island

Royal West African Frontier Force[]

The Royal West African Frontier Force or also known as the West African Force comprised troops from the areas of Colony of Nigeria, Gold Coast Protectorate, Colony of Sierra Leone, Gambia Protectorate, and the Cameroons Mandate.

East African Force[]

The East African Force comprised troops, and was tasked with covering the following areas: Uganda Protectorate, Kenya Colony, Tanganyika Mandate, Northern Rhodesia Protectorate, Southern Rhodesia Colony, and Nyasaland Protectorate.

Notes[]

References[]

  • J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660-1978, Volume I, 1984: Microform Academic Publishers, Wakefield. ISBN 1-85117-007-3.
  • J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660-1978, Volume II, 1984: Microform Academic Publishers, Wakefield. ISBN 1-85117-008-1.
  • Charles D. Pettibone, The Organization and Order of Battle of Militaries in World War II, Volume II - The British Commonwealth Trafford Publishing, Victoria, Canada/Rochester, United States. 2006. ISBN 978-1-85532-168-7.
  • H. F. Joslen, Orders of Battle; Second World War 1939-1945, Reprinted in Middletown, Delaware by Permission of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, United Kingdom, (1960 edition), 2009, (re-printed, 2019). ISBN 978-1-84176-052-0.
  • Brigadier N.W. Routledge, History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, 1994. ISBN 978-1843424741.
  • Normand E. H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908 - 1988, 1992: The Sherwood Press, Nottingham, UK. ISBN 978-0754829881.
  • Watson, Graham E; Rinaldi, Richard A (2018). "The Corps of Royal Engineers: Organization and Units 1889–2018". United States: Tiger Lily Books. ISBN 9781717901804. .
  • Cliff Lord & Graham E. Watson, The Royal Corps of Signals: Unit Histories of the Corps (1920–2001) and its Antecedents, Helion & Company, Solihull, UK, 2002. ISBN 9781874622925.
  • Major General Reginald Francis Heaton Nalder, The Royal Corps of Signals: A History of its Antecedents and Development, Royal Signals Institution, London, 1955. ISBN 978-0950121826.
  • Dr. Leo Niehorster, British Army, 3 September 1939
  • The Monthly Army List, September 1939.
  • The Monthly Army List, October 1939.
  • Rob Palmer, British Army Military History Website.
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