3rd British Infantry Division

E92102

British Army formation infantry division

The 3rd British Infantry Division was a key British Army formation in World War II, renowned for spearheading the D-Day landings in Normandy and sustaining continuous combat operations in Northwest Europe.

Aliases (2)

3rd (United Kingdom) Division ×2
Headquarters 3rd (United Kingdom) Division (elements) ×1

Statements (45)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	British Army formation → infantry division →
allegiance	British Crown →
associatedEvent	Allied invasion of Normandy →
associatedForce	Allied Expeditionary Force →
branch	British Army →
campaign	Northwest Europe campaign 1944–1945 → Western Front campaign 1914–1918 →
conflict	Battle of Waterloo → First World War → Napoleonic Wars → Peninsular War → Second World War →
country	United Kingdom →
decorations	multiple battle honours in both World Wars →
distinction	one of the first British divisions ashore on D-Day →
engagement	Battle for Caen → Normandy campaign → Operation Charnwood → Operation Goodwood → advance from Normandy to the Rhine →
garrison	United Kingdom →
higherFormation	I Corps → XXX Corps →
historicalEra	20th century military history →
landingBeach	Sword Beach →
militaryBranchRole	infantry operations in amphibious assaults →
nickname	Iron Division →
notableCommander	Major-General Lashmer Whistler → Major-General Tom Rennie →
notableFor	continuous combat operations in Northwest Europe 1944–1945 → long continuous service in major British wars → participation in the D-Day landings →
notableUnitType	infantry brigades →
operation	Operation Neptune → Operation Overlord →
partOf	British Army →
roleOnDDay	spearhead assault on Sword Beach →
serviceBranchRole	land warfare →
size	division →
statusDuringWWII	front-line formation →
theatre	Northwest Europe → Western Front (World War I) →
type	infantry →
worldWarIIAssignment	British Second Army →

Referenced by (4)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Commander Field Army ("3rd (United Kingdom) Division") →	formationControlled
Marlborough Lines, Andover ("Headquarters 3rd (United Kingdom) Division (elements)") →	garrison
Field Army ("3rd (United Kingdom) Division") →	hasComponent
Sword Beach →	principalAssaultDivision