British Army Order of Battle (September 1939)

The organisation of Divisions and Brigades of British Army in 1939, at the outbreak of the Second World War, is listed below.

The ultimate head of all the British armed forces was nominally King George VI, with the various Offices coming underneath. The War Office covered the Army in the United Kingdom, and the Middle East Command. The professional head of the Army was the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Lord Gort. However, Gort would command the BEF when it crossed to the continent, being replaced by General Ironside. The army was administered through the Army Council, comparable to the Air Staff or the Admiralty.

War Office

Leslie Hore-Belisha was responsible for the War Office in his role as Secretary of State for War.[1]

Northern Command

The Northern Command, under Commander-in-chief Lieutenant General Sir William Bartholomew, with its HQ in York.[2][3]

Eastern Command

Eastern Command, under Lieutenant General Sir Guy Williams, with its HQ in London.[7] Apart from the 4th Infantry Division, the units were drawn from the Territorial Army.

Western Command

The Western Command, under Lieutenant General Sir Robert Haining, had its HQ in Chester.[13][14]

Southern Command

The Southern Command, under Lieutenant General Sir Bertie Fisher, with its HQ in Salisbury.[18][19]

Aldershot Command

Aldershot Command, under Lieutenant General Sir John Dill, with its HQ in Aldershot.[23][24]

Scottish Command

The Scottish Command, under General Sir Charles Grant, with its HQ in Edinburgh.[26][27]

Northern Ireland District

The Northern Ireland District, under Major-General Robert Pollok, with its HQ in Belfast. It had no subordinate divisions or brigades.[31]

London District

The London District, under Major-General Andrew Thorne, with its HQ in London.[32][33]

Anti-Aircraft Command

Anti-Aircraft Command, under Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Pile, with its HQ co-located with RAF Fighter Command[34] at RAF Bentley Priory, in the northwestern London suburb of Stanmore.[35]

There were varying numbers of brigades to each Divisional HQ, the units were drawn from the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers.

Middle East Command

The Middle East Command, under Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Wavell, with its HQ in Cairo, Egypt.[37]

India and Burma Offices

Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland was responsible for both the India and Burma Offices in his role as Secretary of State for India.[41]

Army of India

There were no British Army divisions or brigades in India[42] but units of the British Army were posted on tour to India as the "British Army in India" and collectively with the Indian Army formed the "Army of India" under the Commander-in-Chief, India (in 1939 General Robert Cassels). He commanded this force through GHQ India, covering India, Iraq and Persia.

References

  1. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  2. 1 2 Niehorster, Leo. "Northern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "British Northern Command on 3 September 1939". The Patriot Files. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Niehorster, Leo. "Northumbrian Area, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "Northumbrian Area (1939)" (PDF). British Military History. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Niehorster, Leo. "West Riding Area, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Niehorster, Leo. "Eastern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "United Kingdom 1939–1940, Eastern Command". British Military History. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  9. 1 2 Niehorster, Leo. "East Anglia Area, Eastern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Niehorster, Leo. "Home Counties Area, Eastern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  11. ↑ "Home Counties Area (1939)" (PDF). British Military History. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2011.
  12. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "Chatham Area, Eastern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  13. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "Western Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "British Western Command on 3 September 1939". The Patriot Files. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 Niehorster, Leo. "Welsh Area, Western Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Niehorster, Leo. "West Lancashire Area, Western Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Niehorster, Leo. "East Lancashire Area, Western Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 Niehorster, Leo. "Southern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "British Southern Command on 3 September 1939". The Patriot Files. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 Niehorster, Leo. "South-Western Area, Southern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Niehorster, Leo. "South Midland Area, Southern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  22. 1 2 Niehorster, Leo. "Southern Area, Southern Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Niehorster, Leo. "Aldershot Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  24. ↑ "United Kingdom 1939–1940, Aldershot Command". British Military History. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  25. 1 2 3 "British Aldershot Command on 3 September 1939". The Patriot Files. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  26. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "Scottish Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  27. ↑ "United Kingdom 1939–1940, Scottish Command". British Military History. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  28. 1 2 3 Niehorster, Leo. "Highland Area, Scottish Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "British Scottish Command on 3 September 1939". The Patriot Files. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  30. 1 2 3 Niehorster, Leo. "Lowland Area, Scottish Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  31. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "Northern Ireland District, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  32. 1 2 3 4 Niehorster, Leo. "London District, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  33. 1 2 3 4 "British London District on 3 September 1939". The Patriot Files. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  34. ↑ "No. 38149". The London Gazette. 16 December 1947. pp. 5973–5974.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Niehorster, Leo. "Anti-Aircraft Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "British Anti-Aircraft Command, TA on 3 September 1939". The Patriot Files. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  37. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "Middle East Command, British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  38. 1 2 3 Niehorster, Leo. "Egypt, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  39. 1 2 3 Niehorster, Leo. "Palestine, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  40. 1 2 Niehorster, Leo. "The Sudan, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  41. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "The India and Burma Office, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  42. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "Army of India, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  • Niehorster, Leo. "British Army, 3 September 1939". niehorster.org.
  • "British Army, 3 September 1939". ordersofbattle.darkscape.net. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.