40th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 40th Infantry Division


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dates= 1915 - 1918
1943 - 1944
1949 -
country= Great Britain
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branch= British Army
type= Infantry
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Unit History

World War I

The 40th Infantry Division was originally formed as a Kitchener's Army 'Bantam' division between September and December 1915 for service in World War I. 'Bantam' personnel were those who were under the Army regulation height but otherwise fit for service. It comprised the 119th, 120th, and 121st Brigades. It moved to the Western Front in June 1916 and served there throughout the war. From July 1918 until March 1919, the division was led by General Sir William Peyton and took part in the Hundred Days advance through Flanders. [ [http://www.firstworldwar.bham.ac.uk/donkey/peyton.htm William Eliot Peyton] at the web site of the CENTRE FOR FIRST WORLD WAR STUDIES online at bham.ac.uk (accessed 19 January 2008)]

World War II

The Division was re-formed by the British Army in 1943 during the Second World War for deception purposes. It was formed in Sicily from the H.Q. of the 43rd Infantry Brigade and it's units were designated for deception purposes as well. The division ceased to exist on 17th June 1944.

Post World War II

Following the increasing success of the Communists in the Chinese Civil War, the 40th Division was reformed to bolster the defences of Hong Kong in 1949 under the command of Major General G.C. Evans. In Hong Kong the Division comprised the 26th Gurkha, 27th and 28th Infantry Brigades, and 3rd Royal Tank Regiment. However the 27th Brigade was soon dispatched to Korea in August 1950, and followed by other units of the division. The Division was later disbanded.

External links and Sources

*Gregory Blaxland, The Regiments Depart: A History of the British Army 1945-70, William Kimber, London, 1971.
* [http://www.unithistories.com/units_british/40InfDiv.html Unit Histories Site, 40th Infantry Division]
* [http://www.1914-1918.net/40div.htm#hist The Long, Long, Trail: The British Army in the First World War]

References