View source for 3rd (UK) Division

{{Short description|Armoured division of the British Army}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = {{ubl|3rd Division|3rd Infantry Division|3rd Armoured Division|3rd (United Kingdom) Mechanised Division|3rd (United Kingdom) Division}}
| image                         = British 3rd Infantry Division2.svg
| caption                       = [[Divisional insignia of the British Army|Divisional insignia]] since 1940<ref>Cole p. 36</ref>
| dates                         = 18 June 1809 - present
| country                       = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch                        = {{Army|UK}}
| type                          = Armoured [[Infantry]]
| command_structure             = [[Commander Field Army|Field Army]]
| current_commander             = <!-- Remember to update [[List of commanders of the British 3rd Division]] when you update here (please source from the London Gazette) --> [[Major General]] [[Oliver Brown (British Army officer)|Oliver Brown]]
| garrison                      = [[Bulford Camp]], [[Wiltshire]]
| nickname                      = 1810–1814: Fighting 3rd<br />From 1916: The Iron Division, Ironsides, or Iron Sides
| battles                       = [[Napoleonic Wars]]<br>[[Crimean War]]<br>[[Second Boer War]]<br>[[First World War]]<br>[[Second World War]]<br>[[Palestine Emergency]]<br>[[Gulf War]]<br />[[Iraq War]]
| identification_symbol         = [[File:3rd Division WW1.svg|100px]]
| identification_symbol_label   = {{Circa|First World War}}
| website                       = {{Official URL}}
}}

The '''3rd (United Kingdom) Division''', also known as The Iron Division, is a [[regular army]] [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[British Army]]. It was created in 1809 by [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington]], as part of the [[Anglo-Portuguese Army]], for service in the [[Peninsular War]], and was known as the Fighting 3rd under [[Thomas Picton|Sir Thomas Picton]] during the [[Napoleonic Wars]]. The division fought at the [[Battle of Waterloo]], as well as during the [[Crimean War]] and the [[Second Boer War]]. As a result of bitter fighting in 1916, during the [[First World War]], the division became referred to as the 3rd (Iron) Division, or the Iron Division or Ironsides. During the [[Second World War]], the division (now known as the 3rd Infantry Division) fought in the [[Battle of France]] including a rearguard action during the [[Dunkirk Evacuation]], and played a prominent role in the [[Normandy landings|D-Day landings of 6 June 1944]]. The division was to have been part of a proposed [[Commonwealth Corps]], formed for a [[Operation Downfall|planned invasion of Japan]] in 1945–46, and later served in the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]]. During the Second World War, the insignia became the "pattern of three" — a black triangle trisected by an inverted red triangle.

==Napoleonic Wars==

The division was part of the Allied British and Portuguese forces that took part in the [[Peninsular War]]. It fought at the [[Battle of Bussaco]] in September 1810,<ref>Cannon, p. 48</ref> the [[Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro]] in May 1811<ref>Cannon, p. 56</ref> and the [[Battle of El Bodón]] in September 1811,<ref>Cannon, p. 59</ref> before further combat at the [[Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo (1812)|Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo]] in January 1812,<ref>Cannon, p. 61</ref> the [[Siege of Badajoz (1812)|Siege of Badajoz]] in March 1812<ref>Cannon, p. 65</ref> and the [[Battle of Salamanca]] in July 1812.<ref>Cannon, p. 73</ref> It also fought at the [[Siege of Burgos]] in September 1812<ref>Cannon, p. 77</ref> and the [[Battle of Vitoria]] in June 1813.<ref name=cannon81>Cannon, p. 81</ref> It then pursued the French army into France and saw action at the [[Battle of the Pyrenees]] in July 1813,<ref>Cannon, p. 90</ref> the [[Battle of Nivelle]] in November 1813<ref>Cannon, p. 92</ref> and the [[Battle of the Nive]] in December 1813.<ref>Cannon, p. 93</ref> After that it fought at the [[Battle of Orthez]] in February 1814<ref>Cannon, p. 95</ref> and the [[Battle of Toulouse (1814)|Battle of Toulouse]] in April 1814.<ref>Cannon, p. 99</ref>

According to Picton, the fighting by the 3rd was so intense at the Battle of Vitoria, that the division lost 1,800 men (over one third of all Allied losses at the battle) having taken a key bridge and village, where they were subjected to fire by 40 to 50 [[cannons]], and a counter-attack on the right flank (which was open because the rest of the army had not kept pace).<ref name=cannon81/> The 3rd held their ground and pushed on with other divisions to capture the village of [[:es:Aríñez|Arinez]].<ref name=cannon81/>

[[File:Battle of Waterloo.svg|thumb|Map of the [[Battle of Waterloo]], the 3rd Division holding the centre under Alten]]
The 3rd Division was also present at the [[Battle of Quatre Bras]] and the [[Battle of Waterloo]] in the [[Waterloo campaign]] under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir [[Charles Alten]] K.C.B. (Count Carl von Alten).<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Alten, Sir Charles|volume=1 |page=763}}</ref>

==Crimean War==
The 3rd Division took part in the [[Crimean War]] and fought in the [[Battle of Alma]] and the [[Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)|Siege of Sevastopol]]. It was under the command of Lieutenant-General [[Richard England (British Army officer, born 1793)|Sir Richard England]].<ref>{{DNB|wstitle=England, Richard (1793{{nat|-}}1883)|display=England, Richard (1793–1883)}}</ref>

==Second Boer War==
During the [[Second Boer War]] (1899–1902) the division began under the command of General [[William Forbes Gatacre|Gatacre]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27126|page=6180|date=13 October 1899}}</ref> In 1902 the army was restructured, and a 3rd Infantry division was established permanently at [[Bordon Camp|Bordon]] as part of the [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|1st Army Corps]], comprising the [[5th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|5th]] and [[6th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|6th]] Infantry Brigades.<ref>Rinaldi, p. 31</ref><ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence - The 1st Army Corps|date=7 October 1902 |page=8 |issue=36892}}</ref>

==First World War==
[[File:The German Spring Offensive, March-july 1918 Q6506.jpg|thumb|right|Men of the 1st Battalion, [[Royal Scots Fusiliers]] watching the 7th (Service) Battalion, [[King's Shropshire Light Infantry]] marching up to the outpost line, 3rd Division, 11 April 1918.]]

During the [[World War I|First World War]] the 3rd Division was a permanently established [[Regular army|Regular Army]] [[Division (military)|division]] that was amongst the first to be sent to France at the outbreak of the war as part of the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF). The 3rd Division served on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in France and Belgium for four years, from 1914 to 1918. During this time, it was nicknamed "The Iron Division". Its first commander during the war, [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[Hubert Hamilton]], was killed by shellfire near [[Béthune]] in October 1914. The division served in many major battles of the war, including the [[Battle of Mons]] and the subsequent [[Great Retreat]], and later the [[First Battle of Ypres]] and the [[Battle of Passchendaele]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/where-australians-served/western-front/third-battle-of-ypres|title=Battle of Passchendaele 12 October 1917|publisher=Australian Government: Department of Veterans' Affairs|access-date=29 June 2023}}</ref>

==Inter-war period==
After the end of the First World War, the division was stationed in southern England where it formed part of [[Southern Command (United Kingdom)|Southern Command]]. In 1937, one of its brigades, the 9th Infantry Brigade, was commanded by [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] [[Bernard Montgomery]]. He assumed command of the 3rd Division shortly before Britain declared war on [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] in September 1939.<ref>Heathcote 1999, p. 214</ref>

==Second World War==
===France 1940===
[[File:The British Army in France 1940 F2419.jpg|thumb|left|Men of the 2nd Battalion, [[East Yorkshire Regiment]] on [[Military exercise|exercise]] wearing snow suits, 4 February 1940.]]
The 3rd Infantry Division, under the command of Major-General Bernard Montgomery was sent overseas to France in late September 1939, just under a month after the outbreak of the [[World War II|Second World War]].<ref name="Joslen, p. 43-44">Joslen, p. 43-44</ref> There the division became part of [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]] [[Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke|Alan Brooke]]'s [[II Corps (United Kingdom)|II Corps]] of the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF).<ref name="Joslen, p. 43-44"/>

[[File:The British Army in France 1940 F3238.jpg|thumb|right|Troops from the 2nd Battalion, [[Middlesex Regiment]], 3rd Division, training on the Vickers machine gun at Gondecourt, 21 March 1940.]]

In May 1940, after several months of relative inactivity, the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] launched its [[Battle of France|attack in the west]] which resulted in the BEF being split up from the [[French Army]], evacuated from [[Battle of Dunkirk|Dunkirk]]. Due to Montgomery's strict training regime, the 3rd Division suffered comparatively few casualties and earned a reputation as one of the best British divisions in France. During the evacuation Montgomery was promoted to temporary command of II Corps and Brigadier [[Kenneth Anderson (British Army officer)|Kenneth Anderson]] took temporary control of the division before, in July, Major General [[James Gammell]] assumed command.<ref name="Joslen, p. 43-44"/>

[[File:The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H8379.jpg|thumb|left|Gunners of the 20th Anti-Tank Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, haul a 2-pdr anti-tank gun up a steep slope during training at Verwood in Dorset, 22 March 1941.]]

For over a year after Dunkirk the composition of 3rd Division remained largely unchanged (except that the motorcycle battalion was converted into [[3rd (Royal Northumberland Fusiliers) Reconnaissance Regiment|3rd (RNF) Reconnaissance Regiment]], [[Reconnaissance Corps]]). Then, in September 1941, the [[7th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters East|7th Guards Brigade]] was transferred to help create the [[Guards Armoured Division]], and, in November, the [[37th Brigade (United Kingdom)|37th Infantry Brigade Group]] joined the 3rd Division and was renumbered 7th Brigade with the following composition:<ref name = Joslen>Joslen, pp. 43–4.</ref><ref>Joslen, p. 286.</ref> The brigade anti-tank companies were disbanded during 1941 and [[92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery]], formerly the 7th Battalion, [[Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)]], joined the division in March 1942. In June 1942, 3rd Infantry Division was reorganised as a 'Mixed' Division, with [[33rd Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|33rd Tank Brigade]] replacing 7th Infantry Brigade. By early 1943, the experiment with 'mixed' divisions was abandoned, and division reverted to being an infantry formation, 33rd Tank Brigade being replaced by [[185th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|185th Infantry Brigade]].<ref name = Joslen/><ref>Joslen, pp. 30, 360.</ref>
{{clear}}
===France 1944 ===
[[File:The British Army in Normandy 1944 B5039.jpg|thumb|right|Men of 2nd Battalion, [[Royal Ulster Rifles]] pause during the move inland from [[Sword Beach]], 6 June 1944.]]
The 3rd British Infantry Division was the first British formation to land at [[Sword Beach]] on [[Normandy landings|D-Day]], 6 June 1944, as part of the [[invasion of Normandy]], part of the larger [[Operation Overlord]]. For the assault landing, 3rd British Division was organised as a Division Group, with other formations temporarily under its command. These included [[27th Armoured Brigade]] ([[Sherman DD]] amphibious tanks of 13/18th Hussars, and the Sherman tanks of the Staffordshire Yeomanry and East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry) , [[1st Special Service Brigade]] and [[41 Commando|No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando]], with [[Royal Marines Armoured Support Group|5th Royal Marine Independent Armoured Support Battery]] ([[Cromwell tank|Centaur IV]] close support tanks),  and specialist units of the  [[79th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|79th Armoured Division]]:  [[22nd Dragoons]] ([[Sherman Crab]] mine clearing tanks), [[Royal Engineers]] 77 and 79 Assault Squadrons of 5th Assault Regiment ([[Churchill AVRE]] tanks for obstacle demolition).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030031439|title=Private papers of FW Norris MM|publisher=Imperial War Museum|access-date=8 December 2018}}</ref>

The division's own artillery were all self-propelled (the artillery field regiments with [[M7 Priest]];<ref name="blueyonder76">{{cite web|url=http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/field/page76.html |title=RA 1939–45 76 Fld Rgt |publisher=Ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk |access-date=2013-01-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218191852/http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/field/page76.html |archive-date=18 December 2014 }}</ref><ref>Ellis, p. 542.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/field/page7.html |title=RA 1939–45 7 Fld Rgt |publisher=Ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk |access-date=2013-01-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424021033/http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/field/page7.html |archive-date=24 April 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/field/page33.html |title=RA 1939–45 33 Fld Rgt |publisher=Ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk |access-date=2013-01-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522195608/http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/field/page33.html |archive-date=22 May 2014 }}</ref> the anti-tank regiment: [[M10 tank destroyer]]<ref>Ellis, p. 546.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/atk/page3.html |title=RA 1939–45 20 A/Tk Rgt |publisher=Ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk |access-date=2013-01-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120424021121/http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/atk/page3.html |archive-date=24 April 2012 }}</ref>) and the SP field guns and RM Centaurs were able to fire from their landing craft during the run-in to the beach. In addition, 3rd Division had 101 Beach Sub-Area HQ and No. 5 and [[6th Beach Group|No. 6 Beach groups]] under command for the assault phase: these included additional engineers, transport, pioneers, medical services and vehicle recovery sections which would hold and manage the beach landing area after the initial assault.<ref name = Ellis>Ellis, pp. 173, 184–6.</ref><ref>Joslen, pp. 584–5.</ref>

The 3rd Division's brigades were organised as [[brigade group]]s for the assault, with 8 Brigade Group making the first landing, followed by 185 Brigade Group and 9 Brigade Group in succession during the morning and early afternoon.<ref name = Ellis/>

[[File:The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 BU1226.jpg|thumb|right|Men of the 2nd Battalion, [[East Yorkshire Regiment]] clearing houses in [[Venray]], the [[Netherlands]], 17 October 1944.]]

The 3rd Infantry Division fought through the [[Battle for Caen]], in [[Operation Charnwood]] and [[Operation Goodwood]].{{sfn|Williams|2004|p=24}}

=== Low countries and Germany ===
The division participated in the [[Siegfried Line campaign|Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine]] and fought in the [[Netherlands]] and [[Belgium]] and later the [[Western Allied invasion of Germany|Allied invasion of Germany]]. For the campaign in Normandy, the division was commanded by Major-General [[Tom Rennie]] until he was wounded on 13 June 1944; Major-General [[Lashmer Whistler|'Bolo' Whistler]], a highly popular commander, took command on 23 June 1944.<ref>Delaforce, p. .</ref> During the campaign in Normandy, two posthumous [[Victoria Cross]]es were awarded to units under its command. In August 1944, corporal [[Sidney Bates]] of 1st Battalion, [[Royal Norfolk Regiment]] and in March 1945 [[Private (rank)|Private]] [[James Stokes]] of the 2nd Battalion, [[King's Shropshire Light Infantry]], both units part of the 185th Infantry Brigade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2046193|title= James Stokes|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|access-date=18 July 2014}}</ref>


During the often intense fighting from Sword Beach to Bremen, the 3rd Division suffered 2,586 killed with over 12,000 wounded.<ref>Delaforce, p. 206.</ref> Following the German surrender, the division moved towards central Germany. It was then ordered to Berlin, to become part of the Western Allied garrison, but before a move could be made it was sent to Belgium. It was intended that the division would be flown to the United States, from where it would join [[Operation Downfall|the assault on Japan]]. With the [[surrender of Japan]] and the end of the Second World War, the move was cancelled.{{sfn|Scarfe|2006|p=200}}

==Post-war and Cold War==
{{further|Cold War}}
The division remained in Europe until October 1945, when it left for the Middle East. After spending time in Egypt and undertaking [[internal security]] operations during the [[Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine|Jewish insurgency]], it was disbanded in June 1947. Sources differ on the specifics. The Imperial War Museum stated it was disbanded in Palestine while historians Lord and Watson stated the division first returned to the UK in April 1947 before being disbanded. However, they also note that at least one source (although not specified by the authors) claimed that the division was still active in Palestine until February 1948.{{sfn|Scarfe|2006|p=200}}<ref name="IWM">{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30072603|title=Badge, formation, 3rd Infantry Division|publisher=Imperial War Museum|access-date=27 June 2023}}</ref>{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|p=30}}

With the outbreak of the [[Korean War]] and the need for a divisional-sized strategic reserve based in the UK, the 3rd Infantry Division was reformed at Colchester, England, on 14 December 1950. In April 1951, the division helped form the signals regiment for the [[1st Commonwealth Division]], which served in the Korean War. In November, the entire formation was dispatched to Egypt to garrison the [[Suez Canal|Suez Canal Zone]].{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|p=30}} During this period, the Egyptian government abrogated the [[Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936]], which was the basis for British troops to remain in the canal area. The ensuing political landscape saw increased animosity to the British presence, eventually resulting in an agreement to withdraw.{{sfn|Darwin|1988|pp=163, 207–208}} The division departed for the UK during 1954, where it returned to Colchester and its role as the British Army's strategic reserve. March 1955 saw troops deployed to Cyprus, during the [[Cyprus Emergency]]. The following year, the division was mobilised for [[Operation Musketeer (1956)|Operation Musketeer]], the attack on Egypt during the [[Suez Crisis]]. In the event of a successful invasion, the division would have severed as a follow-up formation and occupied [[Port Said]]. Only the divisional headquarters was dispatched, and the division was ultimately not deployed. In April 1959, the divisional headquarters moved from Colchester to Bulford.<ref name="IWM"/>{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|pp=30–31}}

In 1961, elements of the division were [[Operation Vantage|dispatched to Kuwait]] to deter an Iraqi invasion; signals personnel were sent to assist with the [[1961 British Cameroons referendum|British Cameroons referendum]]; and other troops were sent to Kenya. Exercises in Libya followed in 1963, which also established the division in an [[Airlift|air-portable]] role. Elements were dispatched to Cyprus, in February 1964, to support the forming [[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus]]. That lasted until August, when the UN force was activated.{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|p=31}} On 1 April 1968, the [[Land_Command#Predecessors|Army Strategic Command]] was formed in the UK, with a goal of supporting [[NATO]] forces from as far north as Norway to as far south as Turkey; to provide internal security operations world-wide; and to undertake limited operations in conjunction with allies. The 3rd Division was assigned to this command, and from 1969 onwards was the primary British formation that would reinforce European-based NATO forces in the event of the Cold War heating up. Under [[Operation Banner]], the division also deployed troops to Northern Ireland for four-month tours of duty.{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|p=31}}{{sfn|Kneen|Sutton|1996|pp=253–254, 256}} During 1974, the division returned to Cyprus in response to the [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|Turkish invasion]].{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|p=31}}

==Armoured division==
The 1975 [[Mason Review]], a government [[white paper]], outlined a new defence policy that removed the UK-based divisional-sized strategic reserve and also resulted in the restructure of the [[British Army of the Rhine]] (BAOR). With its role eliminated, the 3rd Division was disbanded. It was reformed in [[Soest, Germany|Soest]], Germany, on 1 September 1977, as the 3rd Armoured Division.{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|p=31}}{{sfn|Taylor|2010|pp=6–7}}{{sfn|Mason|1975|p=23}} Its reformation increased the BAOR to four divisions, for the first time since the end of the 1950s. Each division consisted of two armoured regiments, three mechanised infantry battalions, and two artillery regiments.{{sfn|Isby|1988|pp=331–332}}{{sfn|Dodd|1977|p=374}}

The Mason Review removed brigades and replaced them with a concept of task forces or battlegroups. It was intended that the division could form up to five battlegroups, with each commanded by either an armoured regiment or an infantry battalion. These groups were to be formed for a specific task and allocated the required forces needed. The divisional commander ([[general officer commanding]] (GOC)) would oversee these battlegroups, but early training showed this to be impractical. To compensate, the divisional headquarters was increased to 750 men (wartime strength) and included two brigadiers. Each officer would command a flexible task force, which consisted of the battlegroups the GOC had formed. The division's task forces were named Task Force Echo and Task Force Foxtrot. These were not a reintroduction of a brigade command structure and had no administrative responsibilities. The approach intended to provide greater flexibility in tailoring forces to meet unforeseen events and allow for an overall reduction in the size of a division by 700 men.{{sfn|Dodd|1977|p=375}}{{sfn|DeVore|2009|pp=281–282}} The task force concept was dropped by the end of the decade, having been deemed to have not met expectations. The division then comprised the 6th and the 33rd Armoured Brigades, with each made up of two mechanised infantry battalions and one armoured regiment.{{sfn|Isby|1988|p=332}}{{sfn|Stone|1998|p=224}}{{sfn|Blume|2007|p=4}}

In 1981, [[John Nott]], the Secretary of State for Defence for the government [[1979 United Kingdom general election|elected in 1979]], announced the [[1981 Defence White Paper]]. It, like the Mason Review, aimed to balance the British military in line with the nation's financial resources and save manpower. Resultingly, the BAOR was restructured from four armoured divisions of two brigades, into a force of three divisions of three brigades.{{sfn|Taylor|2010|p=7}}{{sfn|Nott|1981|p=17}} The division then comprised the [[4th Light Brigade Combat Team|4th]] (based in [[Münster]]), the 6th (Soest), and the 33rd Armoured Brigades ([[Paderborn]]). During the 1980s, the 33rd Armoured Brigade joined the [[4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|4th Armoured Division]] and in exchange the 3rd Armoured Division received the [[19th Brigade (United Kingdom)|19th Infantry Brigade]] (Colchester, England).{{sfn|Blume|2007|p=5}} During 1983, the 6th Armoured Brigade converted into the 6th Airmobile Brigade and maintained that role until 1988.{{sfn|Isby|1988|p=332}}{{sfn|Cordesman|1988|p=140}}

The end of the 1980s saw the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]] and the end of the Cold War. In July 1990, the British government announced [[Options for Change]]. This framework sought to restructure the British military based on the new strategic situation, allow for further cost saving measures to be enacted, and to reduce the BAOR by half.{{sfn|Taylor|2010|pp=8–9}} During September and October 1992, the division relocated from Germany to [[Bulford Camp|Bulford]], Wiltshire where it was reorganised as a [[mechanized infantry]] division known as the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division.{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|p=31}}{{sfn|Blume|2007|p=7}}

==Post–Cold War==
Following its reorganisation, the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division (also referred to as the 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division) was assigned to the [[Allied Rapid Reaction Corps]], a newly formed [[NATO]] HQ that was administered by the UK. Around 8,400 strong, it comprised the [[1st Armoured Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st]] (Tidworth) and the 19th (Mechanised) Brigades (Catterick), in conjunction with the 5th (Airborne) Brigade (Aldershot), the [[2nd Signal Brigade (United Kingdom)|2nd (National Communications) Brigade]] (Corsham), and the [[43rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|43rd (Wessex) Brigade]] (Exeter). The 1st and 19th Brigades each contained a [[Challenger 1]] tank-equipped armoured regiment, an  armoured infantry battalion carried in [[Warrior tracked armoured vehicle]]s, and two mechanised infantry battalions carried in [[Saxon (vehicle)|Saxon]] [[armoured personnel carrier]]s. In the event of a major emergency, as part of agreements between the UK and Italy, the division could be reinforced by the [[132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete"]]. During the 1990s, the division deployed troops to Angola, the Falkland Islands, Kosovo, Northern Ireland as part of [[Operation Banner]], and Rwanda.{{sfn|Lord|Watson|2003|p=31}}{{sfn|Heyman|1997|pp=14, 27}}<ref name="ARRC">{{cite web|url=http://www.arrc.nato.int/divisions/3ukdiv.htm|title=HQ ARRC - Formations|publisher=NATO/Allied Rapid Reaction Corps|access-date=23 August 2002|archive-date=22 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622174140/http://www.arrc.nato.int/divisions/3ukdiv.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Most notably, in December 1995, following the signing of the [[Dayton Agreement]], the division was the first British formation deployed as part of the [[Implementation Force]] to serve as peacekeepers in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] and remained through 1996. The British contribution to this force eventually came under the guidance of the [[Multi-National Division (South-West) (Bosnia)|Multi-National Division (South-West)]], which was administered by the 3rd Division for six months. Command then rotated to the [[1st (United Kingdom) Division|1st (UK) Armoured Division]].{{sfn|Tanner|2014|pp=49–50}} During 1999, the 5th Airborne Brigade was converted into the [[12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team (United Kingdom)|12th Mechanised Brigade]] (still based at Aldershot). The division's tanks were replaced by 165 [[Challenger 2]]s. By the early 2000s, the formation's strength ranged from 18–21,600, depending on the source.<ref name="ARRC"/><ref>{{cite news|date=31 May 1999|issue=66527|page=11|title=Britain ready to match Gulf War force|work=The Times}}</ref>{{sfn|Heyman|2002|loc=3 (UK) Division}}

==Afghanistan and Iraq==
{{main|Operation Telic|Operation Herrick}}
Following the [[United States invasion of Afghanistan]], in December 2001, the divisional headquarters was dispatched to [[Kabul]] as part of the [[International Security Assistance Force]]. It oversaw a multinational brigade until command was handed over to other NATO forces.{{sfn|Tanner|2014|p=52}} From 2006 onwards, [[Task Force Helmand]] (based on a reinforced brigade) was formed to conduct stabilisation and counter-insurgency missions in [[Helmand Province]]. Between April and October 2007, the division's 12th Mechanised Brigade was deployed to serve as the core of Task Force Helmand; it was replaced by the division's newly added [[52nd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|52nd Infantry Brigade]] from October through to April 2008; the 19th Brigade deployed between April and October 2009; the 4th Mechanised Brigade undertook a tour between April and October 2010; the 12th Brigade returned between April and October 2011; followed by the 4th Brigade (joined the division in 2008) until April 2013; and the division's final deployment to Task Force Helmand came between April and October 2013, when then the 1st Brigade was dispatched. The task force was maintained until 2014, consisting of 1st Armoured Division units, when it was disbanded following the British withdrawal.{{sfn|Tanner|2014|pp=52–54}}

In June 2003, following the initial stage of the [[2003 Invasion of Iraq]] and start of security and stabilisation responsibilities, the 19th Mechanised Brigade was deployed to [[Basra]], Iraq, to replace the 1st (UK) Armoured Division's [[7th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|7th Armoured Brigade]]. This was followed by the divisional headquarters, which replaced the 1st (UK) Armoured Division on 11 July. The [[Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq)|Multi-National Division (South-East)]] was subsequently formed to oversee all [[Multi-National Force – Iraq|Multi-National Forces]] in southern Iraq. The British portion of this force was based around a reinforced brigade, which came from different parent formations and were rotated through several deployments.{{sfn|Tanner|2014|pp=51–52}}{{sfn|Carney|2011|p=120}} The 3rd Division held operational control of the Multi-National Division until December 2003, when it passed command to other forces. The 3rd Division's headquarters undertook additional tours of Iraqi between July 2006 and January 2007 as well as in 2008, during these periods it also controlled the Multi-National Division.{{sfn|Stewart|2013|p=79}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arrc.nato.int/alliedrapidreactioncorps/page37703459.aspx|title=Lieutenant General Sir Richard Shirreff to become Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR)|publisher=Allied Rapid Reaction Corps|access-date=29 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218031036/http://www.arrc.nato.int/alliedrapidreactioncorps/page37703459.aspx|archive-date=18 February 2013|url-status=}}</ref>{{sfn|Bailey|Iron|Strachan|2013|p=xvi}} Between April and November 2004, the division's 1st Mechanised Brigade was dispatched to Iraq under the oversight of the Multi-National Division; the 12th Mechanised Brigade was deployed between April and October 2005; the 19th Brigade between November 2006 and June 2007; the 1st Mechanized Brigade returned between June and December 2007; and the division's final deployment, under the oversight of the Multi-National Division, was made by the newly added 4th Mechanised Brigade between December 2007 and June 2008.{{sfn|Tanner|2014|pp=51–52}}{{sfn|Carney|2011|p=120}} 

==Army 2020==
On 1 January 2005, the 19th Mechanised Brigade was converted into the 19th Light Brigade. It then moved from Catterick to Northern Ireland in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/6362039/alternatively-download-a-low-resolution-pdf-method-publishing|title=Catterick Garrison: Service Community Official Guide, 2012|publisher=Army Welfare Service, Catterick Garrison|page=120|access-date=28 June 2023}}</ref> The following year, the [[4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East|4th Mechanised Brigade]] moved from Germany and joined the division.{{sfn|Heyman|2007|p=37}} This was followed, during April 2007, with the addition of the 52nd Infantry Brigade.{{sfn|Tanner|2014|p=13}} By the late 2000s, the division comprised the 1st Mechanised Brigade (based at Tidworth), the 12th Mechnised Brigade (Aldershot), the 19th Light Brigade, and the 52nd Infantry Brigade (Edinburgh).{{sfn|Heyman|2007|p=37}} In 2013, the 19th Brigade was disbanded leaving the division with just four brigades.{{sfn|Tanner|2014|p=15}}

The [[Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010|Strategic Defence and Security Review of 2010]] outlined the [[Army 2020]] plan. This project aimed to restructure the army from one optimized for the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]], to one that was more flexible and included the establishment of a "Reaction Force" and an "Adaptable Force". The latter would be based around the 1st (United Kingdom) Division, while the 3rd Division would serve as the basis for the Reaction Force. The division's new role required it to be held in a state of high readiness, ready to be deployed to undertake operations on short notice, and all its forces were concentrated around the [[Salisbury Plain Training Area]]. The restructured division then contained the 1st, 12th, and 20th Brigades. These were all renamed from "Mechanised" brigades to "Armoured Infantry" brigades, with each containing an armoured cavalry regiment for reconnaissance, an armoured regiment equipped with Challenger 2 [[main battle tank]]s, two armoured infantry battalions carried in Warriors, and one infantry battalion carried in [[Cougar (MRAP)|Mastiff]] [[infantry mobility vehicle]]s (this battalion being described as a 'heavy protected mobility' battalion). The division also included the [[101st Logistic Brigade]], and could be supported by the [[16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team|16 Air Assault Brigade]] as part of the reaction force.{{sfn|Tanner|2014|pp=6–7, 18–19, 28–29}}<ref>{{cite web|last=HM Government|year=2010|page=32|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/62482/strategic-defence-security-review.pdf|title=Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review|accessdate=22 June 2023|archiveurl=|archivedate=|url-status=}}</ref> By 2016, the division had a strength of around 16,000 personnel.<ref>{{cite web |title=British Army Welcome First US General To Join The Ranks|url=https://www.forces.net/services/army/british-army-welcomes-first-us-general-join-ranks|publisher=[[British Forces Broadcasting Service]]|date=3 September 2015|access-date=28 June 2023}}</ref>

Further changes occurred following the [[Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015|2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review]], which resulted in [[Army 2020 Refine]] that was implemented in 2019. Army 2020 Refine saw the [[1st Artillery Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Artillery Brigade]], the [[25 (Close Support) Engineer Group|25th Engineer Group]], and the [[7th Air Defence Group]] all added to the division.{{sfn|Neads|Galbreath|2023|p=336}}<ref name="MOD2019">{{cite web|last=HM Government|year=2019|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/army-restructures-to-confront-evolving-threats|title=Army restructures to confront evolving threats|accessdate=23 June 2023|archiveurl=|archivedate=|url-status=}}</ref>

In 2024, the 7th Air Defence Group was resubordinated to [[Allied Rapid Reaction Corps|HQ ARRC]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=SOLDIER |url=https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=1a92be17-44b0-4dd4-b740-89057cd9a275 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Future Soldier ==
[[File:3rd (UK) Division - Future Soldier 2024 organization.png|thumb|right|420px|3rd (UK) Division organization November 2024 (click to enlarge)]]
* '''3rd (UK) Division''', in [[Bulford]]<ref>Future Soldier Guide, p. 52</ref>

Under the 2021 [[Future Soldier (United Kingdom)|Future Soldier programme]], the division is organised as such:<ref name="FSG">{{cite web|last=British Army|year=2021|url=https://www.army.mod.uk/media/14919/adr010310-futuresoldierguide_25nov.pdf|pages=53–67|title=Future Soldier Guide|accessdate=23 June 2023|archiveurl=|archivedate=|url-status=}}</ref>

* [[1st Deep Reconnaissance Strike Brigade Combat Team]] (Tidworth)<ref name="FSG"/>
* [[12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team (United Kingdom)|12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team]] (Bulford)<ref name="FSG"/>
* [[20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team (United Kingdom)|20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team]] (Bulford)<ref name="FSG"/>
* 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade (Aldershot)<ref name="FSG"/>
* 25 (Close Support) Engineer Group (Perham Down)<ref name="FSG"/>
* 4th Military Intelligence Battalion, [[Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)|Intelligence Corps]] (Bulford)<ref name="FSG"/>
* 7th Military Intelligence Battalion, Intelligence Corps (Bristol)<ref name="FSG"/>
* 1st Signal Regiment, [[Royal Corps of Signals]] (Perham Down)<ref name="FSG"/>
* 3rd Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals (Bulford)<ref name="FSG"/>
* 15th Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals (Perham Down)<ref name="FSG"/>
* 71st Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals (Bexley Heath)<ref name="FSG"/>

==The Iron Division nickname==
During the First World War, the division obtained the nickname "the ironsides" and "The Iron Division.<ref name="IWM"/> [[Norman Scarfe]], the divisional historian for the period 1943-1945, argued against a continuation of the nickname beyond the First World War. He wrote that while it was a complement to be associated with the term, it was a nickname "earned by quite different groups of units in quite different circumstances, not by the 3rd Division in its Assault form. '[[Ironside (cavalry)|Ironsides]]' is surely another not entirely justifiable reference to [[East Anglia]], where [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwell]] did his recruiting; and Iron, a symbol of strength and resolution of the 3rd Division in the Four Years' War, can also suggest inflexibility and cruelty, rust and robots. The distinction of being British [in comparison to the [[3rd Canadian Division]]], on the other hand, is open to only one interpretation. It is the most suitable of all titles. There was only one 3rd British Division fighting in Europe, and from D-Day until the Germans were defeated the men of the division deserved the honour of their name."{{sfn|Scarfe|2006|p=xxix}} The separation of traditions was also suggested by Lieutenant-Colonel T. F. Furnell, secretary of the Association of the 3rd (Iron) Division, who in a reunion speech to Second World War 3rd Division veterans stated "You of the 3rd British Division have more than lived up to the tradition of the Iron Division."{{sfn|Scarfe|2006|p=xxix}} The [[Imperial War Museum]] highlighted that while the nickname was earned during the First World War, it continued on through the Second World War and indicated Major-General Bernard Montgomery (who took command in 1939) referred to the division as such.<ref name="IWM"/> Per [[Patrick Delaforce]], Montgomery told an officer "I knew it in the last war – it was known as the 'Iron Division' then and it is going to be known as the "Iron Division" in this war."{{sfn|Delaforce|1995|p=1}} The modern-day division still refers to itself as such.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Iron Division|url=https://twitter.com/3rdUKDivision|last=The Iron Division|date=27 June 2023|website=Twitter|access-date=6 July 2022}} and {{cite web|url=https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/formations-divisions-brigades/3rd-united-kingdom-division/|title=3rd (United Kingdom) Division|publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]|access-date=27 June 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|United Kingdom}}
* [[List of commanders of the British 3rd Division]]
* [[List of British divisions in World War I]]
* [[List of British divisions in World War II]]
* [[British Army Order of Battle (September 1939)]]
* [[Formation reconnaissance regiment]]

==Notes==
===Footnotes===
{{Notelist}}

===Citations===
{{Reflist|20em}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|editor-first1=Jonathan|editor-last1=Bailey|editor-first2=Richard|editor-last2=Iron|editor-first3=Hew|editor-last3=Strachan|editor-link3=Hew Strachan|title=British Generals in Blair's Wars|publisher=Ashgate Publishing|location=Farnham, Surrey|date=2013|isbn=978-1-40943-737-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Becke |first=Major A.F. |title=History of the Great War Based on Official Documents. Order of Battle of Divisions: Part 1 - The Regular British Divisions |date=1935 |publisher=HMSO |location=London |ref=Becke_P1}}
* {{cite book |last=Blume |first=Peter |title=BAOR The Final Years: Vehicles of the British Army of the Rhine 1980 – 1994|publisher=Tankograd Publishing |location=Erlangen, Germany |date=2007 |oclc=252418281}}
*{{cite book|first=Richard|last=Cannon|author-link=Richard Cannon|title=Historical Record of the Seventy-Fourth Regiment (Highlanders) containing account of the formation of the regiment in 1787 and of its subsequent services to 1850|year=1851|location=London|publisher=Parker, Furnivall and Parker|url=https://archive.org/details/historicalrecor02canngoog}}
* {{cite book |last=Carney|first=Stephen A.|date=2011|title=Allied Participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom|publisher=Center of Military History|location=Washington D.C.|isbn=978-0-16086-694-4}}
*Chappel M., (1986) ''British Battle Insignia (1). 1914–18'' Osprey Publishing {{ISBN|9780850457278}}
*{{cite book|last1=Cole|first1=Howard|title=Formation Badges of World War 2. Britain, Commonwealth and Empire|date=1973|publisher=Arms and Armour Press|location=London}}
* {{cite book|last=Cordesman|first=Anthony H.|title=NATO's Central Region Forces: Capabilities/Challenges/Concepts|publisher=Jane's|location=London|date=1988|isbn=978-0-710-60487-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Darwin|first=John|title=Britain and Decolonisation: The Retreat from Empire in the Post-War World|publisher=MacMillan|location=London|date=1988|isbn=978-0-33329-258-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Delaforce|first=Patrick|author-link=Patrick Delaforce|year=1995|title=Monty's Iron Sides: From the Normandy Beaches to Bremen with the 3rd Division|location=Stroud, Gloucestershire|publisher=Alan Sutton|isbn=978-0-75090-779-8}}
* {{cite thesis|type=PhD|last=DeVore|first=Marc Ronald|year=2009|title=Armed Forces, States and Threats: Civil-Military Institutions and Military Power in Modern Democracies|publisher=[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]|location=Cambridge|hdl=1721.1/59797|access-date=29 October 2019|url=https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/59797|oclc=680546037}}
* {{cite journal|last=Dodd|first=Norman|date=1977|title=British New Look Divisions Tested in Exercise Spearpoint|journal=Militaire Spectator|publisher=Broese / Vrijens|location=Breda and The Hague, Netherlands|issue=August 1977|pages=373–379|access-date=29 October 2019|url=https://www.militairespectator.nl/sites/default/files/bestanden/uitgaven/1977/1977-0373-01-0093.PDF|oclc=781537634}}
* Ellis, Major L.F. (2004) ''History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West'', Volume I: ''The Battle of Normandy'', London: HMSO, 1962/Uckfield: Naval & Military, {{ISBN|1-84574-058-0}}
* {{cite book| first=Tony|last=Heathcote|title=The British Field Marshals 1736–1997|publisher=Pen & Sword|location=Barnsley, UK|year=1999|isbn=0-85052-696-5}}
* {{cite book|first=Charles|last=Heyman|title=The British Army Pocket Guide 1997/1998|location=Barnsley|publisher=Pen & Sword Books|year=1997|isbn=978-0-85052-539-7|url=https://archive.org/details/britisharmypocke0000unse_q3g6/}}
* {{cite book|first=Charles|last=Heyman|title=The British Army: A Pocket Guide, 2002–2003|location=Barnsley|publisher=Pen & Sword Books|year=2002|isbn=978-1-78337-896-8}}
* {{Cite book|first=Charles|last=Heyman|title=The British Army: A Pocket Guide 2008–2009|location=Barnsley|publisher=Pen & Sword|year=2007|isbn=978-1-78340-811-5}}
* [[Brian Horrocks|Horrocks, Lt-Gen Sir Brian]], (1960) ''A Full Life'', London: Collins.
* {{cite book|last=Isby|first=David C.|editor-first=Jeffrey|editor-last=Simon|title=NATO-Warsaw Pact Force Mobilization|publisher=[[National Defense University Press]]|location=Washington D.C.|date=1988|pages=317–352|chapter=Developments in the Front-Line States: The United Kingdom|oclc=18522267}}
* {{Joslen-OOB}}
* [[John Keegan|Keegan, John]] (1991), ''Churchill's Generals'', London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
* {{cite book|last1=Kneen|first1=J. M.|first2=D. J.|last2=Sutton|title=Craftsmen of the Army: The Story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 1969–1992|volume=II|publisher=[[Leo Cooper (publisher)|Leo Cooper]]|location=London|year=1996|isbn=978-0-850-52549-6}}
* {{cite book |last1=Lord |first1=Cliff |first2=Graham |last2=Watson |year=2003 |title=The Royal Corps of Signals: Unit Histories of the Corps (1920–2001) and its Antecedents |location=West Midlands |publisher=Helion |isbn=978-1-874622-07-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Mason|first=Roy|chapter=Chapter I: The Defence Review|pages=1–38|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|location=London|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9298672|title=CAB 129/181/21: C (75) 21 Statement on the Defence Estimates 1975|year=1975|via=The National Archives|access-date=28 October 2019|oclc=1141000943}}
* [[Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein|Montgomery, Field Marshal Viscount]], (1958) ''Memoirs'', London: Collins.
* {{cite book|last1=Neads|first1=Alex|last2=Galbreath|first2=David J.|editor-first1=Mikael|editor-last1=Weissmann|editor-first2=Niklas|editor-last2=Nilsson|title=Advanced Land Warfare: Tactics and Operations|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|date=2023|chapter=Tactics and Trade Offs: The Evolution of Manoeuvre in the British Army|isbn=978-0-19285-742-2}}
* {{cite web|last=Nott|first=John|url=http://fc95d419f4478b3b6e5f-3f71d0fe2b653c4f00f32175760e96e7.r87.cf1.rackcdn.com/991284B4011C44C9AEB423DA04A7D54B.pdf|title=Cmnd. 8288: The United Kingdom Defence Programme The Way Forward|year=1981|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|location=London|access-date=11 November 2019}}
* {{cite book|last=Scarfe|first=Norman|year=2006|orig-year=1947|title=Assault Division: A History of the 3rd Division from the Invasion of Normandy to the Surrender of Germany|location=Stroud, Gloucestershire|publisher=Spellmount|isbn=978-1-86227-338-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Stewart|first=Andrew|author-link=Andrew Stewart (British Army officer)|editor-first1=Jonathan|editor-last1=Bailey|editor-first2=Richard|editor-last2=Iron|editor-first3=Hew|editor-last3=Strachan|title=British Generals in Blair's Wars|publisher=Ashgate Publishing|location=Farnham, Surrey|date=2013|pages=79–89|chapter=Chapter 6: Southern Iraq 2003–2004: Multi-National Command|isbn=978-1-40943-737-6}}
* {{cite book|last=Stone|first=David|title=Cold War Warriors: The Story of the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)|publisher=Leo Cooper|location=London|year=1998|isbn=978-0-850-52618-9}}
* {{cite book|first=James|last=Tanner|title=The British Army since 2000|location=Oxford|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=2014|isbn=978-1-78200-593-3}}
* {{cite web|last=Taylor|first=Claire|year=2010|url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN05714/SN05714.pdf|title=A Brief Guide to Previous British Defence Reviews (SN/IA/5714)|website=House of Commons Library: International Affairs and Defence Section|access-date=28 October 2019}}
* {{Cite book|first=Andrew|last=Williams|author-link=Andrew Williams (novelist)|title=D-Day to Berlin|location=London|publisher=[[Hodder & Stoughton]]|year=2004|isbn=978-0-340-83397-1|oclc=60416729|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/ddaytoberlin0000will}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|first1=Robin|last1=McNish|first2=Paul|last2=Bray|first3=Charles|last3=Messenger|title=Iron Division: The History of the 3rd Division 1809-2000|edition=3rd.|publisher=Headquarters 3 (UK) Division|location=Salisbury|year=2000|isbn=978-0-71102-820-3|ref=none}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{Twitter}}
* {{Instagram}}

{{British 3rd Division}}
{{British Army Divisions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:03 Infantry Division}}
[[Category:Infantry divisions of the British Army in World War I]]
[[Category:Infantry divisions of the British Army in World War II]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1809]]
[[Category:1809 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the Peninsular War]]