List of commanders of the British 4th Division

The 4th Division was an infantry division of the British Army, which was first formed in 1809 and disbanded for the final time in 2012. The division was commanded by a general officer commanding (GOC). In this role, the GOC received orders from a level above him in the chain of command, and then used the forces within the division to undertake the mission assigned. In addition to directing the tactical battle in which the division was involved, the GOC oversaw a staff and the administrative, logistical, medical, training, and discipline of the division. The division had 63 different permanent GOCs over its history that spanned 203 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 4th Division was formed on 18 June 1809 by Lieutenant-General Arthur Wellesley, and served in the Peninsular War (part of the Napoleonic Wars). During this period, three of the division's commanding officers were wounded. Major-General Galbraith Lowry Cole was wounded on two separate occasions, while leading the division. 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. It then fought at the Battle of Waterloo, and was disbanded the same year when the Napoleonic Wars concluded.

It was next raised for service in the Crimean War (1853–1856). During the Battle of Inkerman (5 November 1854), the division had four different commanding officers, with two killed in action. Following the end of the war, in 1856, the division was disbanded. Forty-three years later, in 1899, the division was reformed to take part in the Second Boer War. Lieutenant-General William Penn Symons, who initially led the division, was wounded in action and subsequently taken prisoner. When the need for divisions subsided, the following year, the division was broken-up to provide garrisons for various static locations.

In 1902, a new 4th Division was formed as a permanent standing formation and not for a particular crisis. During the 20th century, the division fought in the First and Second World Wars. Major-General Louis Lipsett, the division's penultimate commander during the First World War, was killed in action shortly before the war ended in November 1918. In the post-Second World War years, it formed part of the British Army of the Rhine in Germany. During the 1960s, Major-General Jean Allard became the first Canadian to command a British Army division when he was appointed to lead the 4th. In 1978, the infantry division was transformed into an armoured formation. It maintained this role until the division was disbanded in 1993, when the British Army was downsized following the end of the Cold War. It was re-raised in 1995 as an administrative formation and maintained this role until 2012, when it was disbanded for the final time.

General officer commanding

+No.General officer commandingRankAppointment dateNotesSource(s)1Major-GeneralThe division was formed for the first time, during the Peninsular War, from troops based in Portugal. Campbell was wounded in action at the Battle of Talavera, on 28 July 1809.Colonel2Major-GeneralCole was wounded during the Battle of Albuera on 16 May 1811.ColonelPromoted to Major-General during temporary tenure2Major-GeneralCole returned to the UK on sick leave in December 1811.3Major-GeneralColville was wounded in action during the siege of Badajoz in April 1812. His position was kept vacant following Colville's injury until June 1812.2Major-GeneralCole was assigned as commander following his return from injury. He was again wounded, this time at the Battle of Salamanca on 22 July.Major-General2Major-GeneralCole maintained this role until the conclusion of the Peninsular War, in 1814, when the division was disbanded in France.4Major-GeneralOn 11 April 1815, the division was reformed in the Southern Netherlands.3Lieutenant-GeneralFollowing the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, the British military in France was reorganised into three divisions. The remaining forces, including the 4th Division, were stood down.5Lieutenant-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. Cathcart was killed in action at the Battle of Inkerman on 5 November 1854.Brigadier-GeneralLeigh-Goldie commanded the division's first brigade, and took over command during the Battle of Inkerman after Cathcart was killed. Leigh-Goldie was killed soon after, during the same battle.Brevet ColonelWindham was the assistant adjutant general of the division, and temporarily took command during the Battle of Inkerman.Brevet ColonelHorn commanded an infantry battalion within the division's first brigade. By the end of the Battle of Inkerman, command had fallen to him. Major-GeneralCampbell took command of the division once the Inkerman fighting ended. He held this position until Bentinck took command the following year.6Lieutenant-GeneralBentinck was assigned to take command of the division following Cathcart's death. However, he was also wounded during the Battle of Inkerman and this delayed his ability to take command until June 1855.7Major-GeneralGarrett retained command of the division until 1856 and the conclusion of the war. With the end of hostilities, the division was disbanded in Crimea.8Lieutenant-GeneralA new 4th Division was formed in southern Africa, from troops based there, for service in the Second Boer War. Symons was wounded during the Battle of Glencoe on 20 October. His force soon retreated following the battle and the wounded, including Symons, were captured. Symons died from his wounds on 23 October.Brigadier-GeneralUnder Yule, the division retired to Ladysmith and became part of the besieged garrison on 26 October.9Lieutenant-GeneralFollowing the lifting of the siege of Ladysmith, the garrison was reorganised into a new 4th Division. At the end of 1900, while still in southern Africa, the division was broken-up.10Major-GeneralThis marked the first time the 4th Division was formed as a permanent formation, and not raised on an ad hoc basis for a particular war. and 11Major-GeneralAround May 1907, Franklyn's command was reorganised as the 3rd Division., and 12Major-GeneralAround May 1907, the 6th Division was reorganised as the 4th Division, and 13Major-General and 14Major-GeneralUnder Snow, the division was mobilised for the First World War and departed for France. Snow was incapacitated on 9 September 1914, during the First Battle of the Marne.Brigadier-General15Major-General16Major-General17Major-GeneralLambton was incapacitated on 12 September 1917.Brigadier-General18Major-General19Major-GeneralLipsett was killed in action on 14 October 1918.20Major-GeneralOn 6 January 1919, the division was demobilised in Belgium.21Major-GeneralThe division was reformed in England and 22Major-General and 23Major-General and 24Major-General and 25Major-General and 26Major-GeneralOn 13 December 1934, Brind was temporarily assigned as the commander of the peacekeeping International Force in the Saar, and held this position until 16 March 1935., , , and 27Major-GeneralDied in office28Major-General and UnknownUnknownOn this date, Liddell relinquished command of the division. A new commanding officer was not appointed until the new year.29Major-GeneralDuring Johnson's tenure, the division was mobilised for service in the Second World War. The division was deployed to France in 1939 and was evacuated back to the UK in 1940.30Major-General31Major-General32Major-GeneralDuring Hawkesworth's tenure, the division was deployed to Tunisia and fought in the Tunisian campaign.Brigadier33Major-GeneralDuring Hayman-Joyce's tenure, the division was deployed to fight in the Italian campaign.34Major-GeneralIn December 1944, the division was deployed to Greece and would remain there until the end of the war.Brigadier34Major-GeneralBrigadier35Major-General36Major-GeneralThe division was disbanded, in Greece, in March 1947.37Major-GeneralIn April 1956, the 11th Armoured Division, based in Germany, was reorganised as the 4th Infantry Division. and 38Major-GeneralDuring Hopkinson's tenure, the word 'infantry' was dropped from the division's title. and 39Major-General and 40Major-GeneralAllard was a Canadian Army officer, and the first Canadian to command a British Army division. and 41Major-General and 42Major-General and 43Major-General and 44Major-General and 45Major-General and 46Major-General and 47Major-General and 48Major-GeneralOn 1 January 1978, the formation was redesignated as the 4th Armoured Division. and 49Major-General and 50Major-General and 51Major-General52Major-General53Major-General and 54Major-General and 55Major-GeneralAs part of Options for Change, the division was disbanded in Germany in 1993.55Lieutenant-GeneralThe division was reformed in England56Major-General57Major-General199858Major General59Major General60Major General61Major General62Major General63Major GeneralDuring January 2012, the division was disbanded.

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