The 3rd Division is an infantry division of the British Army and was first formed in 1809. The division is commanded by 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 in which the division is involved, the GOC oversees a staff and the administrative, logistical, medical, training, and discipline concerns of the division. Since its founding, the division has had 69 permanent GOCs over a history that has spanned more than 200 years.

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 an implementation in order to better organise forces for administrative, logistical, and tactical reasons. The 3rd Division was formed on 18 June 1809 by Lieutenant-General Arthur Wellesley, and served in the Peninsular War (part of the Napoleonic Wars). The division's first commanding officer, Major-General John Mackenzie, was killed in action at the Battle of Talavera in 1809. After the Peninsular War ended in 1814, the division was disbanded only to be re-raised the following year when the War of the Seventh Coalition broke out. The division then fought at the Battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo, and then marched into France where it became part of the subsequent British army of occupation. The division was broken-up, once more, in 1817. It was next raised for service in the Crimean War (1853–1856). The division was next formed to take part in the Second Boer War, in 1899. When the need for divisions subsided, the following year, the division was disbanded to provide garrisons for various static locations.

In 1902, a new 3rd Division was formed as a permanent standing formation and not raised for a particular crisis. During the 20th century, the division fought in the First and Second World Wars. Major-General Hubert Hamilton, the division's first commander during the First World War, was killed in action in 1914. During the Second World War, the division played a prominent role in the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in 1944. During that campaign, Major-General Tom Rennie was wounded in action. Following the Second World War, the division took part in the Suez Crisis, and was deployed to Cyprus in 1964, during raising tensions in the ongoing dispute over the island. In 1977, the division was converted into an armoured formation, and was deployed to Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine. The division became a mechanised infantry formation in 1992 and was moved to the UK. During the mid-1990s, the division took part in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina). In the 21st century, the division undertook deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. As of late 2021, Major General James Martin commands the division.

General officer commanding

+No.Appointment dateRankGeneral officer commandingNotesSource(s)1Major-GeneralThe division was formed for the first time, during the Peninsular War, from troops based in Portugal. Mackenzie also directly controlled one of the division's brigades. He was killed in action, at the Battle of Talavera on 28 July 1809.2Major-GeneralLikewise commanded one of the division's brigades, as well as the division itself. On 22 February 1810, Craufurd's brigade was used to form the Light Division, of which he took command.3Major-GeneralPicton was wounded during the Siege of Badajoz, in 1812.Lieutenant-ColonelMajor-GeneralPicton returned to command, but was invalided home during June.Major-GeneralMajor-GeneralWhen Picton returned to the Iberian Peninsula, Colville reverted to commanding a brigade within the division.Major-GeneralOn returning to the Iberian Peninsula, Picton was given command of his old division. Picton went on sick leave in September.Major-GeneralMajor-GeneralMajor-GeneralMajor-GeneralAfter Picton returned from sick leave, he resumed command of the division. He maintained this role until the conclusion of the Peninsular War, in 1814, when the division was disbanded in France.4Lieutenant-GeneralOn 11 April 1815, the division was reformed in Southern Netherlands. Alten was wounded during the Battle of Waterloo.Major-GeneralKielmansegg took command of the division during the Battle of Waterloo, after Alten was wounded and forced to retire.Lieutenant-GeneralAlten resumed command of the division, once the Battle of Waterloo ended.Major-GeneralAlten returned to the UK as a result of his injuries, and Bradford took temporary command.5Lieutenant-GeneralOn this date, the British Army in France was reorganised into an Army of Occupation, and Colville was given command of the division. The division was broken-up, in France, on 1 April 1817.6Lieutenant-GeneralThe division was formed in Varna, Ottoman Bulgaria, from British troops who had been assembled, and had prepared to move to the Crimean peninsular during the Crimean War.7Lieutenant-GeneralEyre retained command of the division until 1856 and the conclusion of the Crimean War. With the end of hostilities, the division was disbanded in Crimea.8Lieutenant-GeneralA new 3rd Division was formed in England, and then moved to southern Africa to fight in the Second Boer War.9Lieutenant-GeneralThe division was broken up during July 1900, while still in southern Africa.10Major-GeneralThis marked the first time the 3rd Division was formed as a permanent formation, and not raised on an ad hoc basis for a particular war. However, the division was created with only one brigade, with an intent that it would be mobilised to full strength on the outbreak of war. Hamilton held command until 2 May 1904, after which there was no divisional commander appointed until 1907., , , , and and11Major-GeneralIn 1907, the 4th Division was reorganised as the 3rd Division. On the Army List dated March 1907, the 4th Division is recorded as being commanded by Franklyn. On the next Army List, dated May 1907, his command remained intact but with the division having been renumbered to the 3rd., and 12Major-General13Major-GeneralUnder Hamilton, the division was mobilised for the First World War. Hamilton was killed in action, in France, on 15 October 1914.14Major-GeneralMackenzie was invalided back to the UK on 29 October 1914Major-General15Major-General16Major-GeneralAt the conclusion of the First World War, the division entered Germany and became part of the occupation force, the British Army of the Rhine.17Major-GeneralElements of the division were used to create the 'Northern Division' of the British Army of the Rhine, while the rest of the division was demobilised and returned to England where it was reformed.18Major-General and 19Major-General and 20Major-General and 21Major-General and 22Major-General and 23Major-General24Major-General and 25Major-GeneralUnder Montgomery's tenure, the division was mobilised for service in the Second World War and deployed to France. During the Second World War, the division was known as the 3rd Infantry Division.BrigadierMajor-GeneralThe division was evacuated via Dunkirk to the UK, following the Allied defeat in the Battle of France.Brigadier26Major-General27Major-General28Major-General29Major-GeneralAs the 3rd Canadian Division would be working in close proximity to the formation in northwest Europe, Rennie's division was unofficially styled as the 3rd British Infantry Division. On 6 June 1944, the division landed in Normandy as part of the first stage of the Allied liberation of Western Europe. Rennie was wounded in action on 13 June 1944, while fighting in France.Brigadier30Major-General31Major-GeneralThe division took part in the Western Allied invasion of Germany, and ended the Second World War in Germany.30Major-GeneralIn November 1945, the division was transferred to the Mandate for Palestine. Over the next two years, it would move between Palestine and Egypt.32Major-General33Major-GeneralThe division was disbanded on 30 June 1947, after having returned to the UK from the Middle East.34Major-GeneralOn 14 December 1950, the division was reformed to provide a divisional-size strategic reserve to the British Army, to supplement the existing strategic reserve of the 16th Parachute Brigade. The division was dispatched to Egypt, to garrison the Suez Canal, in November 1951. Stockwell was appointed commander at the turn of the new year, and was also the commanding officer of the East Anglian District.35Major-General and Major-GeneralIn December 1954, the division returned to the UK from the Middle East. In 1956, the division was assigned to the British invasion force during the Suez Crisis., , and 36Major-GeneralDuring Lennox's tenure, "infantry" was dropped from the division's title. and 37Major-General and 38Major-General and 39Major-GeneralIn February 1964, the division HQ was temporarily deployed to Cyprus. and 40Major-General and 41Major-General and 42Major-General and 43Major-General and 44Major-General and 45Major-General and 46Major-GeneralIn late 1977, the 3rd Division was disbanded in the UK. It was reformed as the 3rd Armoured Division, which was organised in Germany as part of the British Army on the Rhine, during January 1978. and 47Major-General and 48Major-General and 49Major-General and 50Major-General and 51Major-General and 52Major-General and 53Major-General54Major-GeneralThe division left Germany in September 1992 and moved to the UK, where it was reformed as the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division in October. and 55Major-GeneralBetween October 1995 and late 1997, the division rotated command of the Multi-National Division (South-West) with the 1st Armoured Division, as part of the peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina.56Major-GeneralBy this point, the division was also known as the 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division.57Major GeneralBy the time of Dannatt's appointment, the hyphen between "major" and "general" was no longer being used.58Major GeneralFollowing the United States invasion of Afghanistan, in December 2001, the divisional HQ commanded a multinational brigade in Kabul, as part of the International Security Assistance Force. The HQ subsequently handed over control of this brigade to other NATO forces.59Major GeneralDuring Lamb's tenure, the division was deployed to Iraq, as part of Operation Telic and following the conclusion of the 2003 invasion. It also took command of the Multi-National Division (South-East) until December 2003, when the latter assumed control of the British and other allied elements in southeast Iraq. Elements of the division would subsequently undertake tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan., , , and 60Major GeneralBetween July 2006 and January 2007, Shirreff deployed to Iraq with the divisional HQ to command the Multi-National Division (South-East).61Major GeneralDuring 2008, White-Spunner also commanded the Multi-National Division (South-East) in Iraq.62Major General63Major General64Major General65Major General66Major General67Major General68Major General69Major General70Major General71Major GeneralIncumbent

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