Essex County Division

Essex County Division
Division insignia of the Essex County Division^[1]
Active	18 February – 7 October 1941
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Static Division

Military unit

The Essex County Division was a short-lived formation of the British Army formed in the Second World War on 18 February 1941 by the redesignation of the West Sussex County Division. It was disbanded on 7 October.^[2] It had one commanding officer, Major-General J. H. T. Priestman. It was an infantry only formation consisting of three Independent Infantry Brigades (Home). Combat support, artillery, engineers etc., would be provided by other local formations.^[3] It was under the command of XI Corps from formation to 22 July and then under GHQ Home Forces.

Order of Battle

207th Independent Home Infantry Brigade^[4]
- 7th Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (left 26 August 1941)
- 9th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment (left 27 August 1941)
- 10th Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment (left 25 August 1941)
- 13th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (left 22 July 1941)

The brigade headquarters remained, without battalions, with the division until its disbanding, then it was redesignated the 207th Independent Infantry Brigade.

208th Independent Home Infantry Brigade^[5]
- 7th Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment (left 13 October 1941)
- 10th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers (left 10 October 1941)
- 13th Battalion, The King's Regiment (left 13 October 1941)
- 22nd Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (left 22 July 1941)

The brigade headquarters was disbanded shortly after the division.

223rd Independent Home Infantry Brigade^[6]
- 6th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment
- 8th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment
- 10th Battalion, The Essex Regiment

The brigade left the division on 22 July 1941, joining XI Corps.

References

^ Cole p58
^ Joslen p. 111
^ Joslen, p. 108
^ Joslen p. 370
^ Joslen p. 371
^ Joslen p. 386

Bibliography

Cole, Howard (1973). Formation Badges of World War 2 Britain, Commonwealth and Empire. London: Arms and Armour Press.
Joslen, Lt-Col H.F. (1990) [1st. Pub. HMSO:1960]. Orders of Battle, Second World War, 1939–1945. London: London Stamp Exchange. ISBN 0-948130-03-2.

Divisions of the British Army

Active

Administrative units	Guards and Parachute Union Queen's Light
Combat units	1st (United Kingdom) Division 3rd (United Kingdom) Division 6th (United Kingdom) Division

Post-Cold War period

Administrative units	Guards King's Light Prince of Wales's Queen's Scottish Scottish, Welsh and Irish
Combat units	1st (UK) Armoured 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Multi-National Division (South-West) (Bosnia) Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq)

Cold War

Administrative units	Guards King's Light Prince of Wales's Queen's Scottish
Airborne	6th Airborne 16th Airborne
Armoured	1st 2nd 3rd 4th 6th 7th 11th 49th (West Riding) 56th (London)
Infantry	1st 2nd 3rd 5th 13th 40th 42nd (Lancashire) 43rd (Wessex) 44th (Home Counties) 50th (Northumbrian) 51st/52nd (Scottish) 53rd (Welsh)
Other	Artillery Division 1st Commonwealth Division 17th Gurkha Division

Second World War (list)

Airborne	1st Airborne 6th Airborne
Armoured	Guards 1st 2nd 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 42nd 79th
Infantry	Guards 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th (Highland) 12th (Eastern) 15th (Scottish) 18th 23rd (Northumbrian) 36th 38th (Welsh) 42nd (East Lancashire) 43rd (Wessex) 44th (Home Counties) 45th 46th 47th (London) 48th (South Midland) 49th (West Riding) 50th (Northumbrian) 51st (Highland) 52nd (Lowland) 53rd (Welsh) 54th (East Anglian) 55th (West Lancashire) 56th (London) 59th (Staffordshire) 61st 66th 70th 76th 77th 78th 80th
Anti-Invasion "County Divisions"	Devon and Cornwall Dorset Durham and North Riding Essex Hampshire Lincolnshire Norfolk Northumberland West Sussex Yorkshire
Anti-Aircraft	1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
Deception	See British deception formations in World War II
African	1st (African) 2nd (African) 11th (African) 11th (East Africa) 12th (SDF) 81st (West Africa) 82nd (West Africa)
Other	1st Cavalry Beauman Division Royal Marines Y Division British Army in India

First World War (list)

Regular Army

Guards
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
27th
28th
29th

New Army

1st New Army	9th (Scottish) 10th (Irish) 11th (Northern) 12th (Eastern) 13th (Western) 14th (Light)
2nd New Army	15th (Scottish) 16th (Irish) 17th (Northern) 18th (Eastern) 19th (Western) 20th (Light)
3rd New Army	21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th
4th New Army	30th 31st 32nd 33rd 34th 35th
5th New Army	36th (Ulster) 37th 38th (Welsh) 39th 40th 41st

Territorial Force

1st Line	42nd (East Lancashire) 43rd (Wessex) 44th (Home Counties) 46th (North Midland) 47th (1/2nd London) 48th (South Midland) 49th (West Riding) 50th (Northumbrian) 51st (Highland) 52nd (Lowland) 53rd (Welsh) 54th (East Anglian) 55th (West Lancashire) 56th (1/1st London)
2nd Line	45th (2nd Wessex) 57th (2nd West Lancashire) 58th (2/1st London) 59th (2nd North Midland) 60th (2/2nd London) 61st (2nd South Midland) 62nd (2nd West Riding) 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) 64th (2nd Highland) 65th (2nd Lowland) 66th (2nd East Lancashire) 67th (2nd Home Counties) 68th (2nd Welsh) 69th (2nd East Anglian)