D-DAY - UNITS

3rd British Division (Sword Beach)

   
Thomas G. Rennie

Lord Lovat

Pierre Bourgoin
   
 
The 3rd British Infantry Division was the first British formation to land at Sword Beach on D-Day. 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 and 22nd Dragoons, 1st Special Service Brigade and No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando, 5th Royal Marine Independent Armoured Support Battery , 77 and 79 Assault Squadrons of 5th Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers . The 3rd Division's brigades were organised as brigade groups 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.
 
      
 
Commanding Officer: Major General Thomas Gordon Rennie  [view folder]
   
  8th Infantry Brigade: Brigadier E. E. Cass  [view folder]
    1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment: Lt. Colonel R. E. Goodwin  [view folder]
      A Company: Captain Reginald G Ryley  [view folder] (KIA 7 June 44)
      B Company: Major ? Mac Caffrey  [view folder]
      C Company: Major Charles Boycott  [view folder]
      D Company:
    2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment: Lt. Colonel G. F. Hutchinson  [view folder] (WIA 6 June 44)
      A Company: Major C. K. King  [view folder]
      B Company:
      C Company:
      D Company: Major ? Barber  [view folder] (KIA 6 June 44)
    1st Battalion South Lancaster Regiment: Lt. Colonel R. P. H. Burbury  [view folder]
      A Company: Major ? Howard  [view folder] (KIA 6 June 44)
      B Company: Major ? Harrison  [view folder] (KIA 6 June 44)
      C Company: Major E. Johnson  [view folder]
      D Company: Makor ? Barber  [view folder] (KIA 6 June 44)
   
  9th Infantry Brigade: Brigadier J. G. Cunningham  [view folder] (WIA 6 June 44)
    2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment: Lt. Colonel Christopher E. Welby-Everard  [view folder]
    1st Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers Regiment: Lt. Colonel G. D. Renny  [view folder]
    2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles Regiment: Lt. Colonel Ian C. Harris  [view folder]
   
  185th Infantry Brigade: Brigadier K. Pearce Smith  [view folder]
    2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment: Lt. Colonel H. O. S. Herdon  [view folder]
      Headquarters Company: Major T.L. Brock  [view folder]
      A Company: Captain H.C. Illing  [view folder]
      B Company: Major Gee Ross  [view folder]
      C Company: Captain W.T. Barratt  [view folder]
      D Company: Major T.G. Bundock  [view folder]
    1st Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment: Lt. Colonel R. Hugh Bellamy  [view folder]
      A Company:
      B Company: Major Eric Cooper-Key  [view folder]
      C Company:
      D Company: Major ? Papillon  [view folder]
    2nd King's Shropshire Light Infantry Regiment: Lt. Colonel F. J. Maurice
      Headquarters Company: Captain C. Brooke-Smith
      Support Company: Captain T. H. Read
      W Company: Major A. F. Slatter
      X Company: Major G. M. Thomycroft
      Y Company: Major P. C. Stell (KIA 6 June 44)
      Z Company: Major P. H. Wheelock
   
  27th Armoured Brigade: Brigadier G. E. Prior-Palmer
    13th/18th Royal Hussars: Lt. Colonel ? Harrap
      A Squadron: Major Wormad
    1st East Ridding Yeomanry:
    The Staffordshire Yeomanry: Lt. Colonel J. A. Eade
      A Squadron: Major M. A. Spencer-Naim
      B Squadron: Major G. J. W. Turner
      C Squadron: Major P. B. Griffin
   
  Divisional Artillery: Brigadier G. G. Mears
    7th Field Regiment: Lt. Colonel N. P. H. Tapp
    33rd Field Regiment: Lt. Colonel Thomas Hussey
    76th Field Regiment: Lt. Colonel Mervyn Foster
    20th Anti-Tank Regiment: Lt. Colonel G. B. Thatcher
    92nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment: Lt. Colonel H. C. Bazeley
   
  Divisional Engineer: Colonel "Tiger" Urguhart
    15th Field Park Company: Major H.C. Dykes
    17th Field Company: Major D. Willison
    246th Field Company: Major R. M. S. Maude
    253rd Field Company: Major J. P. Asher
   
  Divisional Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineer:
    8th Infantry Brigade Workshop:
    9th Infantry Brigade Workshop:
    185th Infantry Brigade Workshop:
   
  Divisional Royal Army Service Corps:
    23rd Company:
    47th Company:
    48th Company:
    172nd Company:
   
  22nd Dragoons:
    5th Assault Regiment RE: Lt. Colonel A. D. B. Cocks (KIA 6 June 44)
    5th Armoured Infantry Company: Major ? Freeman
    629th Field Squadron:
   
  101st Beach Sub-Area: Brigadier General E. J. Montgomery
    5th Battalion, King's Regiment: Lt. Colonel ? Broad (KIA 6 June 44)
    1st Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment
   
  1st Special Service Brigade: Brigadier Simon Fraser The Lord Lovat
    No. 3 Commando: Lt. Colonel Peter J. Young
    No. 4 Commando: Lt. Colonel Robert W. Dawson
    No. 6 Commando: Lt. Colonel Derek Mill-Roberts
    No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando: Lt. Colonel Charles Ries
    1st Naval Rifles Commando Battalion: Capitaine de Corvette Philippe Kieffer
 
  4th Special Service Brigade: Brigadier Bernard W. Leicester
    No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando: Lt. Colonel Eric C. Palmer
    No. 46 (Royal Marine) Commando: Lt. Colonel Campbell R. Hardy