An order of battle is a list of the various elements of a military formation organised within a hierarchical command structure. It can provide information on the strength of that formation and the equipment used. An order of battle is not necessarily a set structure, and it can change depending on tactical or strategic developments, or the evolution of military doctrine. For example, a division could be altered radically from one campaign to another through the adding or removing of subunits but retain its identity and prior history. The size of a division can vary dramatically as a result of what forces are assigned and the doctrine employed at that time.
The 1st Division was an infantry division of the British Army, which was formed numerous times from 1809 to present. Several formations bore the name "1st Division", from 1809 through to the end of the 19th century. Per the 1st Division's official website, its lineage is described as including the Peninsular War, the Battle of Waterloo, the Crimean War, the Anglo-Zulu War, and the Second Boer War. In 1902, following reforms within the British Army, a permanent 1st Division was formed that fought in both world wars.
The original 1st Division, formed in 1809, was around 6,000 men strong. This formation did not include supporting weapons such as artillery. In comparison, when the formation fought in the Second World War, it was over 18,000 men strong, supported by 72 artillery pieces, and numerous other support weapons. Each war that the division fought in, from inception up until the end of the Second World War, has a corresponding order of battle section.
Napoleonic Wars
During the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), the British Army grew in size. On 18 June 1809, Lieutenant-General Arthur Wellesley, commander of the British forces in Spain and Portugal, ordered the creation of four divisions, including the 1st Division. During the division's first action of the Peninsular War (the name given to Napoleonic Wars fought in Spain and Portugal), the Battle of Talavera (1809), it was 5,964 men strong. It roughly maintained this strength for the rest of the Peninsular War, for example being 4,854 men strong at the Battle of Vittoria in 1813. It was disbanded when the fighting ended in 1814. It was reformed on 11 April 1815, in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium), upon the resumption of hostilities. It fought at the Battle of Waterloo, where it had a strength of 4,061 men. It then marched into France. Shortly after, the Napoleonic Wars came to a conclusion. The division remained in the restored French kingdom, as part of the British Army of Occupation. In December 1818, the Army of Occupation and the division were disbanded, and the troops returned to Britain.
Talavera campaign (July 1809) 1st Division
Campbell's Brigade: 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
Cameron's Brigade: 1st Battalion, 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion, 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
Langwerth's Brigade: 1st Line Battalion, King's German Legion 2nd Line Battalion, King's German Legion Light Companies, King's German Legion
Low's Brigade: 5th Line Battalion, King's German Legion 7th Line Battalion, King's German Legion
Battle of Bussaco (September 1810) During this period, brigades were referred to by their commander's names. Due to changes in command, the brigade names fluctuated frequently.
1st Division
The division's 1st brigade: 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, Scots Guards 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
The division's 2nd brigade: 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion, 42nd Regiment of Foot 1st Battalion, 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
The division's 3rd brigade: 1st Line Battalion, King's German Legion 2nd Line Battalion, King's German Legion 5th Line Battalion, King's German Legion 7th Line Battalion, King's German Legion Detachment of Light Battalions, King's German Legion
The division's 4th brigade: 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment of Foot 1st Battalion, 79th Regiment of Foot
1810–1811, including the Lines of Torres Vedras and Fuentes de Oñoro
During this period, brigades were referred to by their commander's names. Due to changes in command, the brigade names fluctuated frequently.
1st Division
The division's 1st brigade: 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
The division's 2nd brigade: 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion, 42nd Regiment of Foot 1st Battalion, 79th Regiment of Foot 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
The division's 3rd brigade: 1st Battalion, 50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot 1st Battalion, 71st (Highland) Regiment of Foot 1st Battalion, 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company) (left by 1 May 1811) 3rd Battalion, 95th Regiment of Foot (one company)
The division's 4th brigade: 1st Line Battalion, King's German Legion 2nd Line Battalion, King's German Legion 5th Line Battalion, King's German Legion 7th Line Battalion, King's German Legion Light company, King's German Legion
Battle of Salamanca (1812) During this period, brigades were referred to by their commander's names. Due to changes in command, the brigade names fluctuated frequently.
1st Division
The division's 1st brigade: 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
The division's 2nd brigade: 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion, 42nd Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion, 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot 1st Battalion, 79th Regiment of Foot 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
The division's 3rd brigade: 1st Line Battalion, King's German Legion 2nd Line Battalion, King's German Legion 5th Line Battalion, King's German Legion
Vittoria campaign (1813) During this period, brigades were referred to by their commander's names. Due to changes in command, the brigade names fluctuated frequently.
1st Division
The division's 1st brigade: 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment (one company)
The division's 2nd brigade: 1st Line Battalion, King's German Legion 2nd Line Battalion, King's German Legion 5th Line Battalion, King's German Legion 1st Light Infantry Battalion, King's German Legion 2nd Light Infantry Battalion, King's German Legion
Battle of Nivelle (November 1813)
During this period, brigades were referred to by their commander's names. Due to changes in command, the brigade names fluctuated frequently.
1st Division
The division's 1st brigade: 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment of Foot Guards 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment of Foot Guards
The division's 2nd brigade: 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards
The division's 3rd brigade: 1st Line Battalion, King's German Legion 2nd Line Battalion, King's German Legion 5th Line Battalion, King's German Legion 1st Light Infantry Battalion, King's German Legion 2nd Light Infantry Battalion, King's German Legion
Lord Aylmer's Brigade (never officially part of the division, but acted alongside it following its August 1813 arrival): 76th Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion, 84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot 85th Regiment of Foot (Bucks Volunteers)
Waterloo campaign (1815) 1st Division
First British Brigade 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment of Foot Guards 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment of Foot Guards
Second British Brigade 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards
Divisional Artillery: Captain Sandham's British Foot Battery Major Kuhlmann's Horse Battery, King's German Legion
Crimean War
In June 1854, a new 1st Division was formed following the reorganisation of a British expeditionary force that had been dispatched to Ottoman Bulgaria, to support the Ottoman Empire against the Russian Empire during the early stages of the Crimean War. The division proceeded to the Crimea, where it landed on 14 September. It was then engaged in the Siege of Sevastopol, including action at the battles of Alma and the Inkerman. At full strength, the division would have been around 4,800 men strong although at the Battle of Inkerman it contained a mere 1,200 infantry. The division remained in the Crimea until 1856, and demobilised following the conclusion of hostilities.
August–October 1854 1st Division
1st Guards Brigade 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, Scots Guards
2nd Highland Brigade 42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot 79th (The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Regiment of Foot 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot (detached in October 1854)
Divisional Artillery: A Field Battery (2nd Company, 8th Battalion) H Field Battery (5th Company, 11th Battalion)
November 1854–May 1855 1st Division
1st Guards Brigade 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, Scots Guards 97th (The Earl of Ulster's) Regiment of Foot (had joined by January 1855)
Divisional Artillery: A Field Battery (2nd Company, 8th Battalion) H Field Battery (5th Company, 11th Battalion)
June 1855
1st Division
1st Guards Brigade 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, Scots Guards
2nd Highland Brigade 42nd (Highland) Regiment of Foot 79th (The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) Regiment of Foot 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot
August 1855–end of the war 1st Division
1st Guards Brigade 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards 1st Battalion, Scots Guards
2nd Brigade 9th Regiment of Foot 13th Regiment of Foot 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) (had left by September) 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot (had joined by September)
Divisional Artillery: X Field Battery (temporarily detached from the division during September fighting)
Anglo-Zulu War The Anglo-Zulu War broke out in January 1879. After three months of back and forth fighting, which saw the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift, reinforcements were dispatched to Natal for a renewed offensive. This saw the creation of No. 1 Division, which was just over 9,000 men strong. The force comprised 6,508 British regulars and colonial irregular troops, supplemented by 2,707 Africans that included 151 mounted troops. The division saw little fighting and was largely engaged in engineering work. When the war ended, the division was broken-up in July.
No. 1 Division
1st brigade 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment of Foot 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) 99th (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot
2nd Brigade 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot 3rd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps 91st (Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot
Divisional troops Three batteries, Royal Artillery Naval Brigade (artillery) Ammunition column, Royal Artillery 30th Company, Royal Engineers 4th Battalion, Natal Native Contingent 5th Battalion, Natal Native Contingent John Robert Dunn's scouts Attached mounted troops
Second Boer War