Portrait of James Leith, by Charles Picart, the first commanding officer of the 5th Division.
Active
Raised and disbanded numerous times between 1810 and 2012
Country
United Kingdom
Branch
British Army
Engagements
Napoleonic Wars Second Boer War First World War Second World War
Military unit
The 5th Division was an infantry division of the British Army and was first formed in 1809 and disbanded for the final time in 2012. The division was commanded by a general officer commanding (GOC). In this role, the GOC received orders from a level above him in the chain of command, and then used the forces within the division to undertake the mission assigned. In addition to directing the tactical battle in which the division was involved, the GOC oversaw a staff and the administrative, logistical, medical, training, and discipline of the division.[1]
Prior to 1809, the British Army did not use divisional formations. As the British military grew in size during the Napoleonic Wars, the need arose for such an implementation in order to better organise forces for administrative, logistical, and tactical reasons. The 5th Division was formed in 1810 by Lieutenant-General Arthur Wellesley, and served in the Peninsular War (part of the Napoleonic Wars).
^Haythornthwaite 2016, The Divisional System.
and 20 Related for: List of commanders of the British 5th Division information
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Global Information
United Kingdom
British Army