The British County Divisions of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
were raised by the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
in 1941 as a defence against a
planned German invasion of Britain. They were static formations which were supposed to command the Independent Infantry Brigades (Home) which were on anti-invasion duties. Each coast in danger had its own County Division.
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Devon and Cornwall County Division
The Devon and Cornwall County Division was a County Division of the British Army created during the Second World War. It was formed on 28 February 1941, from recently recruited soldiers, in response to the renewed threat of a German invasion. The ...
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Dorset County Division
The Dorset County Division was formed on 24 February 1941. However it did not take over operational commitments from Southern Area until March 10 and it did not finally assume command of its allocated infantry brigades until 24 April. It only h ...
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Durham and North Riding County Division
The Durham and North Riding County Division was a coastal defence formation of the British Army during the Second World War. It existed only from 12 March 1941 until 1 December 1941, when it was redesignated Durham and North Riding Coastal Area a ...
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Essex County Division
The Essex County Division was a short-lived formation of the British Army formed in the Second World War on 18 February 1941 by the redesignation of the West Sussex County Division. It was disbanded on 7 October. It had one commanding officer, ...
(formerly the West Sussex County Division)
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Hampshire County Division
The Hampshire County Division was a short-lived formation of the British Army, located in South East England on the coast of the English Channel. It was raised in the Second World War and was formed on 28 February 1941 by the redesignation of H ...
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Lincolnshire County Division
The Lincolnshire County Division was a short-lived formation of the British Army, formed in the Second World War. The headquarters were formed on 24 February 1941, becoming operational on 27 March. It ceased to function on 25 November and was di ...
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Norfolk County Division
The Norfolk County Division was short lived of the British Army formed during the Second World War. It was formed on 24 December 1940, and disbanded on 18 November 1941 by being redesignated as the 76th Infantry Division.Joslen p. 114 It was co ...
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Northumberland County Division
The Northumberland County Division was a formation of the British Army in the Second World War, its headquarters were formed on 24 February 1941. It ceased to function on 1 December 1941, and the headquarters were disbanded on 21 December 1941. I ...
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West Sussex County Division
The West Sussex County Division was a formation of the British Army, raised in the Second World War and formed by the redesignation of Brocforce on 9 November 1940. On 18 February 1941, the headquarters was redesignated as the Essex County Divi ...
(later, the Essex County Division)
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Yorkshire County Division
The Yorkshire County Division was a formation of the British Army in the Second World War, its headquarters were formed on 24 February 1941, and became operation on 19 March. It was commanded by three officers, Major-General the Hon E. F. Lawso ...
These formations had none of the usual divisional units that other permanent divisions had. Any they commanded were temporarily on loan from other formations.
Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II
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