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Formed by Wellington in Portugal in 1809, the 3rd Division played a leading part in the battles of the Peninsula War. In 1815 it bore the brunt of Napoleon's attacks at Waterloo, and in the Crimea and South Africa, shared reverses and frustrations with the rest of the British Forces engaged. The 3rd Division fought with distinction as an infantry division in the world wars of the 20th century, earning the nickname 'Iron Division' in 1916, and assaulting Hitler's Atlantic Wall on D-Day, 1944. In postwar years, in close co-operation with 38 Group Royal Air Force, the Division has formed the United Kingdom's airportable Strategic Reserve, dispatching troops for operations in all parts of the world from Borneo to Ulster. The Division was reformed in Baor as 3 Armoured Division in 1978 as part of Britain's contribution to the NATO Alliance. Following the end of the Cold War and the subsequent restructuring of Britain's Armed Forces, the Division, 3 (UK) Division, reformed again at Bulford as a strategic reserve able to undertake operations beyond the NATO area, with parachute, airmobile and mechanised formations-'A Division for all Seasons'.

About the Author

Robin McNish was commissioned in the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1948 and served in the Near East, Aden and Baor. His first contact with 3rd Division was during the 1952 Suez Canal emergency. He served on the staff of its headquarters during 1961-63, when it formed the UK Strategic Reserve, and in 1977 was attached to the Division to write the first edition of its history. He was promoted to Colonel in 1978 and retired in 1981.