In July 2007 the Defence Secretary, Des Browne, announced that an additional 2 star Headquarters was required to share the command rotations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

This Headquarters was named Headquarters 6 (United Kingdom) Division (HQ 6 (UK) Div) and consists of over 60 military and civilian staff. It formed up at its home in Imphal Barracks York on 7 April 2008 with a clear focus on the Afghanistan theatre of operations. It is currently lifed until April 2011. 

At its inception, the Headquarters took responsibility for the preparation of 3 Commando Brigade for its deployment to Afghanistan and has similarly prepared follow on Brigades. During the summer of 2009 the Headquarters was significantly reinforced and transformed into Combined Joint Task Force 6 before deploying to Afghanistan as Regional Command (South) in November 2009.

HQ 6 (UK) Div has impressive wartime antecedents. In August 1914, 6 Infantry Division was mobilised and joined the hard-pressed British Expeditionary Force on the Aisne, spending the entire war on the Western front fighting in the battle of the Somme, Cambrai and on the Hindenburg line before demobilising in 1918.  It has a winning pedigree and therefore the new HQ 6 (UK) Div has much to live up to.