The 3rd Division today
The Iron Division exists to fight and win battles on Land as part of a Joint and Allied Force. As the nation's armoured warfighters, we have a Euro-Atlantic focus aligned to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and NATO, but we are capable of deploying worldwide, across the spectrum of conflict.
World Wars
The 20th Century saw the Division fight with distinction in the First and Second World Wars. In the First World War the Division was present at Mons (1914), Ypres (1915), the Somme (1916), Arras (1917) and finally as part of the occupation force of the Rhineland (1918-9) earning the nickname 'The Iron Division'.
In the Second World War the Division had two distinct phases. Firstly it was part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to France to stem the German advance, but having fought hard yet ultimately unsuccessfully, it was evacuated from Dunkirk.
The second saw it lead the assault on Sword Beach on D-Day and fight as part of 21st Army Group across northern Europe and into Germany in 1945.
Origins
‘The Iron Division’ can trace its history to 1809 in Spain when in the early years of the Peninsular War the future Duke of Wellington decided to adopt, for the first time in the British Army, a permanent divisional structure to help him combat the French.
The Division's first General Officer Commanding was Major General Thomas Picton and it remained part of the Army structure throughout the 19th Century. It fought at The Battle of Waterloo (1815), against the Russians in the Crimean War (1854-6) and in South Africa during the Second Boer War (1899-1900).
Division Locations
The 3rd (UK) Division Headquarters
Picton Barracks, Salisbury
Headquarters 1st Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade
Delhi Barracks, Tidworth
Headquarters 12th Armoured Brigade
Ward Barracks, Salisbury
Headquarters 20th Armoured Brigade
Ward Barracks, Salisbury
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Headquarters 7 Air Defence Group
Thorney Island, Hampshire
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Headquarters 25 Engineer Group
Picton Barracks, Salisbury
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Headquarters 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade
St Omer Barracks, Aldershot
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Headquarters 7th Signal Group
Picton Barracks, Salisbury