British Expeditionary Force order of battle (1940)

On 10 May 1940, this force, which was really just the 51st Division reinforced by various small units, was part of the Colonial Army Corps of the French Third Army in front of the Maginot Line.

Units attached to the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division in April 1940 to form Saar Force

Lothians and Border Horse

7th Battalion The Northumberland Fusiliers (Machine-Guns)

1st Battalion Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment (Machine-Guns)

7th Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment (Pioneers)

6th Battalion The Royal Scots Fusiliers (Pioneers)

Sound Ranging and Survey Troop - detached from 3rd Survey Regiment RA

1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (Field)

51st (Midland) Medium Regiment Royal Artillery

385/97 Army Field Battery Royal Artillery

213th (North Midland) Army Field Company Royal Engineers

Topographic Section from 19th Army Field Survey Company Royal Engineers

22nd Animal Transportation Company Royal Indian Army Service Corps

Sub-Division from III Corps Ammunition Park Royal Army Service Corps

F Section from III Corps Petrol Park Royal Army Service Corps

10th Army Field Workshop Royal Army Ordnance Corps

10th Salvage Unit

51st (Highland) Infantry Division

Major-General V. M. Fortune

Division-level units

51st (Highland) Infantry Divisional Signals Royal Signals

51st Postal Unit Royal Engineers

8th Mobile Bath Unit Royal Army Medical Corps

51st Provost Company Royal Military Police

152nd Infantry Brigade

2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders

4th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders

4th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders

152nd Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company

153rd Infantry Brigade

4th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders

5th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders

153rd Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company

154th Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

8th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

154th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company

Commander Royal Artillery

17th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

23rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

75th (Highland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

^[4] 10th Army Field Workshop WO 167/1210

51st (West Highland) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

Commander Royal Engineers

26th Field Company, Royal Engineers

236th (City of Aberdeen, Highland) Field Company, Royal Engineers

237th (City of Dundee, Highland) Field Company, Royal Engineers

239th (Highland) Field Park Company, Royal Engineers

Formations undergoing training and performing labour duties

12th (Eastern) Infantry Division

Major-General R. L. Petre^{[nb 4]}^[5]

35th Infantry Brigade

2/5th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

2/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

2/7th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

36th Infantry Brigade

5th Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)

6th Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment

7th Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment

37th Infantry Brigade

2/6th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment

6th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment

7th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment

Commander Royal Engineers

262nd Field Company, Royal Engineers

263rd Field Company, Royal Engineers

264th Field Company, Royal Engineers

265th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers

23rd (Northumbrian) Division

Major-General W. N. Herbert^{[nb 4]}

Divisional Troops

8th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (Motorcycle Battalion)

9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (Machine Gun Battalion)

69th Infantry Brigade

5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment

6th Battalion, Green Howards

7th Battalion, Green Howards

70th Infantry Brigade

10th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

11th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

1st Battalion, Tyneside Scottish

Commander Royal Engineers

233rd Field Company, Royal Engineers

507th Field Company, Royal Engineers

508th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers

46th Infantry Division

Major-General H. O. Curtis^{[nb 4]}

137th Infantry Brigade

2/5th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment

2/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment

2/7th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment

138th Infantry Brigade

6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

2/4th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

6th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment

139th Infantry Brigade

2/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment

2/5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters

9th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters

Commander Royal Engineers

270th Field Company, Royal Engineers

271st Field Company, Royal Engineers

272nd Field Company, Royal Engineers

273rd Field Park Company, Royal Engineers

HQ Lines of Communication British Expeditionary Force

Major-General Philip de Fonblanque^[6]

104th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers

106th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers

110th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers

212th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers

218th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers

4th Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)

14th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

12th (Garrison) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

4th Battalion, Border Regiment

1/5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters

3rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade

2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

8th (Belfast) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

79th (Hertfordshire Yeomanry) Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery

4th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery

Units arriving in France after 10 May 1940

1st Armoured Division

Major-General R. Evans^{[nb 5]}

2nd Armoured Brigade

2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)

9th Queen's Royal Lancers

10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own)

3rd Armoured Brigade

2nd (Battalion) Royal Tank Regiment

5th (Battalion) Royal Tank Regiment

30th Infantry Brigade^{[nb 6]}

3rd (Battalion) Royal Tank Regiment ^{[nb 7]}

2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps

1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)

1st Battalion, Queen Victoria's Rifles (7th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps) (Motorcycle Battalion)^{[nb 8]}

20th Guards Brigade Group^{[nb 9]}

2nd Battalion, Irish Guards

2nd Battalion, Welsh Guards

20th Guards Brigade Anti-Tank Company

1st Support Group

101st Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

Air Component

Air Vice-Marshal Charles Blount^[9] (Data from Jackson 1974 unless indicated.)^[10]

85 Squadron: Hurricane (fighter)

87 Squadron: Hurricane (fighter)

607 Squadron: Gladiator (fighter, converting to Hurricane May 1940)

615 Squadron: Gladiator (fighter, converting to Hurricane May 1940)

3 Squadron: Hurricane (fighter; reinforcement, May 1940)

79 Squadron: Hurricane (fighter; reinforcement, May 1940)

504 Squadron: Hurricane (fighter; reinforcement, May 1940)

From 22 (Army Co-operation) Group^[9]

81 Squadron: Blenheim I (strategic reconnaissance)^[9]

57 Squadron: Blenheim I (strategic reconnaissance)^[9]

53 Squadron: Blenheim IV (bomber)

59 Squadron: Blenheim IV (bomber)

2 Squadron: Lysander (army co-operation)

4 Squadron: Lysander (army co-operation)

13 Squadron: Lysander (army co-operation)

16 Squadron: Lysander (army co-operation)

26 Squadron: Lysander (army co-operation)

Second Expeditionary Force

The following force was sent to France during the second week of June 1940 in an unsuccessful attempt to form a second British Expeditionary Force. This second formation was to be commanded by Lieutenant-General A. F. Brooke. All units were evacuated in late June 1940, during Operation Aerial.

1st Canadian Infantry Brigade (from 1st Canadian Infantry Division)

Royal Canadian Regiment

Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment

48th Highlanders of Canada

1st Field Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery

52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division

Major-General J. S. Drew

155th Infantry Brigade

7th/9th (Highlanders) Battalion, Royal Scots

4th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers

5th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers

156th Infantry Brigade

4th/5th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers

6th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders

7th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders

157th Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion, Glasgow Highlanders

5th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry

6th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry

Commander Royal Artillery

70th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

71st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

78th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

54th (Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery

Commander Royal Engineers

202nd Field Company, Royal Engineers

241st Field Company, Royal Engineers

554th Field Company, Royal Engineers

243rd Field Park Company, Royal Engineers

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Attached from I Corps.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Attached from G.H.Q. Troops.
^ Attached from II Corps Troops
^ ^a ^b ^c Although this division participated in the Battle of France, it was not adequately prepared for battle by May 1940. The division only had a skeleton headquarters staff, no organic artillery formations and few support units. Only a third of the infantry had received minimal training. The battalions lacked a carrier platoon and their full complement of heavy weapons.
^ The 1st Armoured Division arrived in France between 15–21 May.^{[citation needed]} The division fought south of the Somme River and never linked up with the main body of the Expeditionary Force.^{[citation needed]}
^ Detached from 1st Armoured Division on 21 May 1940 and dispatched to defend Calais.^[7]
^ Detached from 3rd Armoured Brigade and attached to the 30th Infantry Brigade. The regiment was sent to defend Calais on 21 May 1940.
^ The QVR was sent, without their vehicles, to defend Calais on 21 May 1940 and attached to the 30th Infantry Brigade.^[7]
^ The 20th (Guards) Infantry Brigade was dispatched from the United Kingdom to defend Boulogne on 21 May 1940.^[8]

Footnotes

^ Lieutenant-General Sydney Rigby Wason after 26 May 1940 [Grehan 2018, Chapter 4]
^ Attached from III Corps
^ Lieutenant-General Sydney Rigby Wason after 26 May 1940 [Grehan 2018, Chapter 4]
^ "From Percy Main to Sumatra via F". Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2020-06-01.
^ Ellis 2004, p. 21.
^ "HQ Lines of Communication British Expeditionary Force". Orders of Battle Military Unit Database. Archived from the original on 2012-05-16.
^ ^a ^b Glover, Michael (1985). The Fight for the Channel ports: Calais to Brest 1940, a Study in Confusion. London: L. Cooper. ISBN 978-0-43618-210-5.
^ Ellis 2004, p. 154.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Baughen 2016, p. 52.
^ Jackson 1974, p. 136.

References

Baughen, G. (2016). The RAF in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain: A Reappraisal of Army and Air Policy 1938–1940. Stroud: Fonthill Media. ISBN 978-1-78155-525-5.

Ellis, Major L. F. (2004) [1953]. Butler, J. R. M. (ed.). The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series (repr. Naval & Military Press, Uckfield ed.). HMSO. ISBN 978-1-84574-056-6. Retrieved 21 October 2016.

Jackson, R. (1974). Air War over France 1939–40 (1st ed.). London: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-7110-0510-5.

External links

"Documents – France & Norway 1940". British Military History. Retrieved 2019-10-27.

"British Expeditionary Force, May 1940". niehorster.org. Retrieved 2019-10-26.

"British Infantry Brigades, 1st thru 215th - 1939-1945" (PDF). web.archive.org. 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2019-10-29.

[ICorps-3] Attached from I Corps.

[GHQ-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Attached from G.H.Q. Troops.

[5] Attached from II Corps Troops

[traininglabour-8] Although this division participated in the Battle of France, it was not adequately prepared for battle by May 1940. The division only had a skeleton headquarters staff, no organic artillery formations and few support units. Only a third of the infantry had received minimal training. The battalions lacked a carrier platoon and their full complement of heavy weapons.

[11] The 1st Armoured Division arrived in France between 15–21 May.^{[citation needed]} The division fought south of the Somme River and never linked up with the main body of the Expeditionary Force.^{[citation needed]}

[13] Detached from 1st Armoured Division on 21 May 1940 and dispatched to defend Calais.^[7]

[14] Detached from 3rd Armoured Brigade and attached to the 30th Infantry Brigade. The regiment was sent to defend Calais on 21 May 1940.

[15] The QVR was sent, without their vehicles, to defend Calais on 21 May 1940 and attached to the 30th Infantry Brigade.^[7]

[17] The 20th (Guards) Infantry Brigade was dispatched from the United Kingdom to defend Boulogne on 21 May 1940.^[8]

[1] Lieutenant-General Sydney Rigby Wason after 26 May 1940 [Grehan 2018, Chapter 4]

[2] Attached from III Corps

[6] Lieutenant-General Sydney Rigby Wason after 26 May 1940 [Grehan 2018, Chapter 4]

[7] "From Percy Main to Sumatra via F". Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2020-06-01.

[FOOTNOTEEllis200421-9] Ellis 2004, p. 21.

[10] "HQ Lines of Communication British Expeditionary Force". Orders of Battle Military Unit Database. Archived from the original on 2012-05-16.

[Glover-12] Glover, Michael (1985). The Fight for the Channel ports: Calais to Brest 1940, a Study in Confusion. London: L. Cooper. ISBN 978-0-43618-210-5.

[FOOTNOTEEllis2004154-16] Ellis 2004, p. 154.

[FOOTNOTEBaughen201652-18] Baughen 2016, p. 52.

[FOOTNOTEJackson1974136-19] Jackson 1974, p. 136.

[1]

[2]

[nb 1]

[nb 2]

[nb 3]

[3]

[4]

[nb 4]

[5]

[6]

[nb 5]

[nb 6]

[nb 7]

[nb 8]

[nb 9]

[9]

[10]

[7]

[8]

High-level order of battle

First Expeditionary Force

General Headquarters (GHQ)

GHQ, BEF Headquarters Troops

Armoured Brigades

Commander Royal Artillery

Commander Royal Engineers

5th Infantry Division

I Corps

I Corps Troops, Royal Engineers

I Corps Artillery Troops

1st Infantry Division

2nd Infantry Division

48th (South Midland) Infantry Division

II Corps

II Corps Troops, Royal Engineers

II Corps Artillery Troops

3rd Infantry Division

4th Infantry Division

50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Division

III Corps

III Corps Headquarters, Troops

Commander Royal Engineers, III Corps

Commander Royal Artillery, III Corps

42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division

44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division

Saar Force

51st (Highland) Infantry Division

Formations undergoing training and performing labour duties

12th (Eastern) Infantry Division

23rd (Northumbrian) Division

46th Infantry Division

HQ Lines of Communication British Expeditionary Force

3rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade

Units arriving in France after 10 May 1940

1st Armoured Division

Air Component

Second Expeditionary Force

52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division

See also

Notes

Footnotes

References

External links