List of commanders of the British 1st Division explained

The 1st Division is a division of the British Army; the division was first formed in 1809. The head of the division is a general officer commanding (GOC), who receives orders from a level above him in the chain of command, and then uses the forces within the division to undertake the mission assigned. In addition to directing the tactical battle the division is involved in, the GOC oversees a staff and the administrative, logistical, medical, training, and discipline of the formation. The 1st Division has had 81 different permanent GOCs over a 200-year history.

Prior to 1809, the British Army did not use divisional formations. As the British military grew in size during the Napoleonic Wars, the need arose for such formations, in order to better organise forces. The 1st Division was formed on 18 June 1809 by Lieutenant-General Arthur Wellesley, and it served in the Peninsular War.^[1] After the conclusion of the War of the Sixth Coalition, the division was broken-up in France and its troops dispersed to the UK or dispatched to North America to take part in the War of 1812. It was reformed the following year, when the War of the Seventh Coalition began, and it subsequently fought at the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo. In the latter battle, the division's GOC, George Cooke, was severely wounded, while his troops helped repulse the final attack of the day, which had been launched by the French Imperial Guard.^[1] With the end of the war, the division became part of the Army of Occupation based in France. It remained there until December 1818, when it was disbanded upon the British withdrawal and the end of the occupation.

During the mid- to late-19th century, several formations bearing the name 1st Division were formed, each for a particular conflict. Per the division's official website, only three such formations form part of its lineage: those that fought in the Crimean War (1854–1856), the Anglo-Zulu War (1879), and the Second Boer War (1899–1900).^[1] In 1902, the division was reformed as a permanent formation within the British Army, and was stationed at Aldershot. The division fought in both World Wars. During the First World War (1914–1918), it was deployed to France and fought on the Western Front throughout the conflict. At the First Battle of Ypres, Lieutenant-General Samuel Lomax, the division's GOC, was wounded in action. In 1918, following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, the division marched into Germany and became part of the occupation force, the British Army of the Rhine. In March 1919, the 1st Division was redesignated as the Western Division. It was then reformed as the 1st Division on 4 June 1919, at Aldershot, and was the only division maintained in a state of readiness in the immediate post-war years; detachments were dispatched to take part in the Irish War of Independence, to reinforce the Occupation of Constantinople, and to help oversee the 1935 Saar status referendum.^[2] From September to December 1936, the entire division was deployed to Palestine during the opening stages of the Arab revolt, with most of it having been sent back to the UK by the end of the year, with the remaining troops going home in 1937.^[3] During the Second World War, the division took part in the Battle of France, the Tunisian campaign, and the Italian campaign. In February 1945, it was transferred from Italy to Palestine and remained there for the duration of the war.^[1]

In the ten-year period following the end of the Second World War, the division moved between Palestine, Egypt, and Libya. Then, in November 1955, it returned to the UK where it remained for five years until it was disbanded on 30 June 1960. The following day in Germany, 1 July 1960, the 5th Division was redesignated as the 1st Division.^[4] On 1 April 1978, the division was renamed as the 1st Armoured Division, which subsequently fought in the Gulf War, where it overran five Iraqi divisions, and took 7,000 prisoners, during a 48-hour period. With the end of the Cold War, the British government enacted Options for Change, which resulted in the division being disbanded in Germany on 31 December 1992. It was soon reformed, when in July 1993 the 4th Armoured Division was redesignated as the 1st (UK) Armoured Division. Peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, Cyprus, and Kosovo followed during the mid to late 1990s.^[5] In 2003, the division led the British contribution to the invasion of Iraq. As part of the Army 2020 restructuring, the formation was renamed the 1st (United Kingdom) Division and was relocated from Germany to York, England.

General officer commanding

No.! width="15%" scope="col"

General officer commanding	Rank	Appointment date	class=unsortable width=45% scope="col"	Notes	class=unsortable width=5% scope="col"	Source(s)
1		Lieutenant-General		The division was formed for the first time, during the Peninsular War, from battalions from the British foot guards as well as the King's German Legion that were based in Portugal. Due to the large number of aristocrats within the division, it was dubbed "The Gentlemens' Sons. In April 1810, Sherbrooke returned to the UK due to illness.
2		Major-General		On 3 June, Cotton took command of the Cavalry Division.
3		Major-General		Was also second-in-command, to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, of the British forces in the Iberian Peninsula during much of his tenure.
4		Major-General		Was given command of the division during the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro, as Sir Brent Spencer was assigned to also command a corps. Due to his second-in-command position, Spencer commanded all British forces in the Iberian Peninsula during a brief absence by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. As a result, Nightingall likely retained command of the division into June.
		Brigadier-General
3		Major-General		Was also second-in-command, to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, of the British forces in the Iberian Peninsula during much of his tenure.
		Major-General
5		Lieutenant-General		Was also second-in-command, to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, of the British forces in the Iberian Peninsula. Departed the peninsular for the UK, prior to the Battle of Salamanca, as a result of an eye infection.
		Major-General
6		Lieutenant-General		Captured during the retreat following the Battle of Burgos on 17 November 1812.
7		Lieutenant-General
8		Major-General		Howard maintained command of the division until the end of the Peninsular War.
5		Lieutenant-General		After his return to the Iberian Peninsula, Graham resumed command of the division. However, Kenneth Howard maintained de facto command, as Graham was responsible for the left wing of the British force in the peninsula. On 8 October, Graham again left the peninsula due to illness.
9		Lieutenant-General		Kenneth Howard maintained de facto command of the division, as Hope was responsible for the left wing of the British force in the peninsula.
8		Major-General		Sir John Hope was captured at the Battle of Bayonne and Howard was formally appointed to lead the 1st Division. At the end of the Peninsular War, the division was disbanded in France.
10		Major-General		On 11 April 1815, the division was reformed in Southern Netherlands. Cooke was severely wounded in action, during the Battle of Waterloo, and lost an arm.
11		Major-General		Byng took acting command of the division, during the Battle of Waterloo, following the injury to George Cooke. Later in the day, he also assumed control of I Corps when the Prince of Orange was also injured.
12		Major-General		Took over acting command of the division when Sir John Byng assumed control of I Corps.
8		Major-General
11		Major-General
12		Major-General
13		Lieutenant-General		On this date, the British Army in France was reorganised into an Army of Occupation, and Cole was given command of it. The division was disbanded in December 1818 when the British military withdrew from France.
14		Lieutenant-General		The division was reformed in Varna, Ottoman Bulgaria, from British troops who had been assembled there during the opening stages of the Crimean War. The division then moved to the Crimean peninsular itself. On 25 November 1854, the Duke boarded a ship bound for the UK due to illness.
15		Brigadier-General		Acting rank
16		Lieutenant-General
17		Lieutenant-General
		Brigadier-General
17		Lieutenant-General		In 1856, after the end of the Crimean War, the division was disbanded in Crimea.
18		Major-General		The division was reformed in the Colony of Natal for service in the Anglo-Zulu War. Following the Battle of Ulundi in July, the division was disbanded.
19		Lieutenant-General		A new 1st Division was formed in England, and then moved to southern Africa to fight in the Second Boer War. Methuen maintained command through the end of 1900, when the division was disbanded while still in southern Africa.
20		Major-General		A new 1st Division was formed in the UK	[6] [7]
21		Major-General			[8]
22		Lieutenant-General		During Lomax's tenure, the division was mobilised for service in the First World War. Lomax was wounded in action on 31 October 1914, during the First Battle of Ypres
		Major-General
23		Major-General
24		Major-General
25		Major-General
26		Major-General		The First World War ended in November 1918, and the division entered Germany one month later. In March 1919, elements of the division were used to create the 'Western Division' of the British Army of the Rhine, while the rest of the division was demobilised and returned to England, where it was reformed.
27		Major-General		The division was reformed in England on this date. During Bainbridge's tenure, the division dispatched troops to reinforce British forces fighting in the Irish War of Independence and also sent troops to reinforce the British presence during the Occupation of Constantinople.	[9] [10]
28		Major-General			[11]
29		Major-General
30		Major-General			[12]
31		Major-General			[13]
32		Major-General			[14]
33		Major-General		During Kennedy's tenure, the division dispatched troops to the Territory of the Saar Basin to oversee the 1935 Saar status referendum.	[15]
34		Major-General		In 1936, following the start of the Arab revolt, the entire division was dispatched to Palestine for several months. The majority of troops had returned to the UK by the end of the year, with the last detachments returning in 1937.	[16] [17]
35		Major-General		During Alexander's tenure, the division was mobilised for service in the Second World War, dispatched to France, and fought in the Battle of France
		Brigadier
35		Major-General		The division was evacuated from France, during June 1940, and returned to England.
		Brigadier
36		Major-General
37		Major-General
38		Major-General		During Clutterbuck's tenure, the division was dispatched to Africa to fight in the Tunisian campaign of the Second World War.
39		Major-General		During Penney's tenure, the division was dispatched to fight in the Italian campaigns of the Second World War.
		Major-General		Templer was the commanding officer of the 56th (London) Infantry Division at this time, when he was appointed to temporary command of the 1st Division.
39		Major-General
		Major-General
		Brigadier
39		Major-General
40		Major-General		In February 1945, the division left Italy and moved to Palestine. It was still in Palestine when the Second World War ended.
41		Major-General
42		Major-General		During Murray's tenure, the division moved from Palestine to Tripoli, Libya.
43		Major-General		In 1951, the division moved from Tripoli, Libya to Egypt, to maintain a British military presence at the Suez Canal.	[18]
44		Major-General			[19]
45		Major-General		In the late 1955, the division moved from the Middle East to the UK. On 16 November 1955, Moore was transferred to command the 10th Armoured Division. No new appointment was made to the 1st Infantry Division for the duration of 1955.	[20]
46		Major-General			[21]
47		Major-General		By April 1959, the division was known simply as the 1st Division. It was disbanded in England on 30 June 1960, as there was other need for the divisional headquarters facilities there.	[22]
48		Major-General		The division was reformed in Germany, when the 5th Division was redesignated, and became part of the British Army of the Rhine.	[23]
49		Major-General			[24]
50		Major-General			[25]
51		Major-General			[26]
52		Major-General			[27]
53		Major-General			[28]
54		Major-General			[29]
55		Major-General			[30]
56		Major-General
57		Major-General		In April 1978, the 1st Division was reorganised as the 1st Armoured Division.	[31]
58		Major-General			[32]
59		Major-General			[33]
60		Major-General			[34] [35]
61		Major-General			[36]
62		Major-General			[37]
63		Major-General			[38]
64		Major-General		During Smith's tenure, the division was deployed to the Middle East and fought in the Gulf War. The division returned to Germany following the conclusion of hostilities.
65		Major-General		As a result of the end of the Cold War and the British government's Options for Change policy, the division was disbanded on 31 December 1992.
66		Major-General		In July 1993, the division was reformed in Germany as the 1st (United Kingdom) Armoured Division, when the 4th Armoured Division was redesignated.	[39]
67		Major-General
68		Major-General
69		Major General		Hyphens had been dropped from rank titles by the time Watt was appointed to command the division.
70		Major General		During Brim's tenure, the division took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
71		Major General
72		Major General
73		Major General
74		Major General
75		Major General
76		Major General		During 2014, the division was redesignated the 1st (United Kingdom) Division.	[40]
77		Major General		In June 2015, the division relocated from Germany to the UK.	[41]
78		Major General
79		Major General
80		Major General
		Brigadier General		Laurentin was a French Army officer who was serving as the division's deputy general commanding officer.	[42]
81		Major General			[43]
82		Major General		Incumbent.	[44]

References

• Book: Barthorp, Michael . The Armies of Britain, 1485–1980 . National Army Museum . London . 1980 . 252418281.
• Book: Becke, Archibald Frank . 1935 . Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1: The Regular British Divisions . His Majesty’s Stationery Office . London . 929528172.
• Book: Blume, Peter . BAOR The Final Years: Vehicles of the British Army of the Rhine 1980 – 1994. Tankograd Publishing . Erlangen, Germany . 2007 . 252418281.
• Book: Bourque, Stephen A.. Jayhawk! The VII Corps in the Persian Gulf War. Washington, D.C.. 2002. 978-0-16051-128-8.
• Book: Colenso. Frances Ellen. Frances Colenso. Anthony. Durnford. Anthony Durnford. History of the Zulu War and its Origin. Chapman and Hall. London. 1880. 731088583.
• Book: Cooper King, Charles. The Story of the British Army. Methuen. London. 1897. 752927257.
• Book: Creswicke, Louis . South Africa and the Transvaal War . II — From the commencement of the war to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899 . Edinburgh . T. C. & E. C. Jack . 1900 . 154231374 . gutenberg.org .
• Book: Creswicke, Louis . South Africa and the Transvaal War . VI . Edinburgh . T. C. & E. C. Jack . 1901 . 154231374.
• Book: Dalton, Charles . The Waterloo Roll Call . 2nd . London . Eyre and Spottiswoode . 1904 . 558745289 . archive.org.
• Book: Demchak, Chris C. . Wars of Disruption and Resilience: Cybered Conflict, Power, and National Security . The University of Georgia Press . Athens, Georgia. 2011. 978-0-82034-137-8.
• Book: Dunlop, John K. . The Development of the British Army 1899–1914 . Methuen . London . 1938 . 59826361.
• Book: Haythornthwaite, Philip . Philip Haythornthwaite . Picton's Division at Waterloo . Barnsley . Pen & Sword Books . 2016 . 978-1-78159-102-4.
• Book: Heathcote, T. A.. 2010. Wellington's Peninsular War Generals & Their Battles. Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Pen & Sword Military. 978-1-84884-061-4.
• Book: Heyman, Charles . The British Army Guide 2008–2009. Pen & Sword. Barnsley. 2007. 978-1-783-40811-5.
  • Book: Kennedy . Alistair . George Felix . Crabb . The Postal History of the British Army in World War I, Before and After, 1903–1929. G. Crabb . Ewell, Surrey . 1977 . 60058343.
• Book: Lord . Cliff . Graham . Watson . 2003 . The Royal Corps of Signals: Unit Histories of the Corps (1920–2001) and its Antecedents . West Midlands . Helion . 978-1-874622-07-9.
• Book: McGuigan, Ron. 'Into Battle!' British Orders of Battle for the Crimean War, 1854–56. Withycut House . Bowdon, Cheshire . 2001. 978-1-89924-402-7.
• Book: McGuigan . Ron . Burnham. Robert . Wellington's Brigade Commanders . 2017 . Barnsley . Pen and Sword . 978-1-47385-079-8.
• Book: Oman, Charles . A History of the Peninsular War . VII August 1813 – April 14, 1814 . Oxford . Oxford University Press . 1930 . 185228609 . archive.org.
• Book: Reid, Stuart . Wellington's Army in the Peninsula 1809–14 . Battle Orders 2 . Oxford . Osprey Publishing . 2004 . 978-1-84176-517-4.
• Book: . . Report upon the State of the Hospitals of the British Army in the Crimea and Scutari . Her Majesty's Stationery Office . London . 1855. 14530844.
• Book: Ross-of-Bladensburg, John Foster George . A History of the Coldstream Guards from 1815 to 1895 . London . A.D. Inness & Co. . 1896 . 1152610342 . Gutenberg.org.
• Book: Siborne, William . William Siborne . The Waterloo Campaign . 5th . Westminster . Archibald Constable and Co. . 1900 . 672639901 .
• Book: Smart, Nick. Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. 2005. Pen & Sword Military. Barnsley. 978-1-78346-036-6.
• Book: Tanner, James. The British Army since 2000. Oxford. Osprey Publishing. 2014. 978-1-78200-593-3.
• Book: Veve, Thomas Dwight . The Duke of Wellington and the British Army of Occupation in France, 1815-1818. Westport, Connecticut and London . Greenwood Press . 1992. 978-0-31327-941-6.
• Encyclopedia: . . History of the War in South Africa . III . 1908. Hurst and Blackett Limited. London. 775290586. archive.org.
• Book: Weller, Jac . Wellington at Waterloo . Barnsley . Frontline Books . 2010. 1992. 978-1-84832-586-9.

Further reading

• Book: Wilson, Peter Liddell. The First Division 1809-1985: A Short Illustrated History. 1st Armoured Division. Viersen, Germany. 1985. 500105706. none.
• Book: Wilson, Peter Liddell. The First Division 1809-1993: A Short Illustrated History. 2nd. 1st Division. Herford, Germany. 1993. 29635235. none.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1st (UK) Division. Ministry of Defence. 27 June 2022.
2. Web site: War Office, Monthly Army List, December 1920. 1920. 29. His Majesty's Stationery Office. London.
3. News: 24 September 1936. 47488. 12. British Troops In Palestine. The Times., News: 19 December 1936. 47562. 10. The Army: Return of the 1st Division. The Times., News: 17 August 1937. 47765. 10. British Troops in Palestine: Reliefs This Winter. The Times., Web site: War Office, Monthly Army List, November 1937. 22. National Library of Scotland. 20 December 2022. and Web site: War Office, Monthly Army List, December 1937. 22. National Library of Scotland. 20 December 2022.
4. 1960. Army Notes. Royal United Services Institution. 105. 619. 430–434. 10.1080/03071846009421132.
5. Web site: HQ ARRC - Formations. https://web.archive.org/web/20070622174718/http://www.arrc.nato.int/divisions/1ukdiv.htm. dead. NATO/Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. 23 August 2002. 22 June 2007.
6. and
7. News: 3 October 1902. 36889. 8. Naval & Military Intelligence. The Times.
8. and
9. and
10. Web site: War Office, Monthly Army List, December 1920. 1920. 29. His Majesty's Stationery Office. London.
11. and
12. and
13. and
14. and
15. and
16. and
17. News: 24 September 1936. 47488. 12. British Troops In Palestine. The Times., News: 19 December 1936. 47562. 10. The Army: Return of the 1st Division. The Times., News: 17 August 1937. 47765. 10. British Troops in Palestine: Reliefs This Winter. The Times., Web site: War Office, Monthly Army List, November 1937. 22. National Library of Scotland. 20 December 2022., and Web site: War Office, Monthly Army List, December 1937. 22. National Library of Scotland. 20 December 2022.
18. Web site: Badge, formation, 1st Infantry Division & 2nd Infantry Brigade. Imperial War Museum. 17 December 2022.
19. and
20. and
21. and
22. and
23. and
24. and
25. and
26. and
27. and
28. and
29. and
30. and
31. and
32. and
33. and
34. and
35. News: 28 April 2000. 66813. 25. Major-General Sir David Thorne. The Times.
36. and
37. and
38. and
39. News: 24 January 1994. 64860. 18. Appointments in the Forces. The Times.
40. Ian. Kemp. The UK's Armoured Fist. EDR Magazine (European Defence Review). 52 . July–August 2020. 30–40.
41. Web site: Homecoming of a Yorkshire general. The Press. 4 June 2015. 10 August 2015.
42. News: 17 June 2022. French Brigadier General to command British Army Division. British Army.
43. Web site: 1 (UK) Division. ((1 (UK) Division)). 20 September 2022. Twitter. 1 October 2022.
44. Web site: RUSI Land Warfare Conference 2024. RUSI. 25 July 2024.