46th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)

46th Infantry Division
Formation sign of the 46th Infantry Division
Active	1939–1947
Branch	Territorial Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Infantry
Size	War establishment strength: 13,863–18,347 men[a]
Nickname(s)	Oak Tree Division[2][3]
Engagements	St Omer-La Bassée El Kouriza Tunis Italian Campaign: *Salerno landings *Naples *Volturno Line *Monte Camino *Gothic Line **Coriano **Romini Line **Lamone Crossing
Commanders
Notable commanders	Henry Curtis Harold Freeman-Attwood John Hawkesworth Stephen Weir

The 46th Infantry Division was a British Army infantry division formed during the Second World War that fought during the Battle of France, the Tunisian Campaign, and the Italian Campaign. In March 1939, after Germany re-emerged as a significant military power and occupied Czechoslovakia, the British Army increased the number of divisions in the Territorial Army (TA) by duplicating existing units. The 46th Infantry Division was formed in October 1939, as a second-line duplicate of the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division. The division's battalions were drawn largely from men living in the English North Midlands.

It was intended that the division would remain in the United Kingdom to complete training and preparation, before being deployed to France within twelve months of war breaking out. However, in April 1940, the division was sent to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, leaving behind most of its administration, logistical units, heavy weapons, and artillery. The men were assigned to labouring duties. Following the German invasion of France, the division, only partly trained and ill-equipped, was ordered to the frontline. It was mauled in a series of engagements, before it was evacuated from France during the Dunkirk evacuation and in the subsequent evacuation codenamed Operation Aerial. Back in the United Kingdom, the division was rebuilt and trained extensively.

In December 1942, it departed for North Africa and fought in the campaign in Tunisia. In 1943, it landed at Salerno and fought in Italy through 1943 and into 1944. The division was then given a three-month respite in Africa and the Middle East before it returned to fight in Italy during the campaign to break through the Gothic Line. At the end of 1944, the division was dispatched to Greece after the second stage of the country's civil war broke out. It fought several skirmishes with communist partisans and assisted the Greek Government in restoring order. In 1945, the division returned to Italy just after the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy began. The division did not arrive at the forward area until after the campaign, and the war in Europe had ended. It then marched into Austria to form part of the occupation force. There, the division took part in Operation Keelhaul, which included the forced repatriation of Cossacks to the Soviet Union, some of whom were later executed. The division was disbanded in Austria in 1947 as part of Britain's post-war demobilisation.

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