This is the British Expeditionary Force order of battle on 9 May 1940, the day before the German forces initiated the Battle of France.

High-level order of battle

First Expeditionary Force Other formations

First Expeditionary Force

General Headquarters (GHQ)

GHQ, BEF Headquarters Troops

Armoured Brigades

Commander Royal Artillery

Commander Royal Engineers

Major-General Ridley Pakenham Pakenham-Walsh

5th Infantry Division

Major-General Harold Franklyn[[[[[ [nb 1] ](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940) [[[[[ [nb 1] ](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940) [[[[[ [nb 1] ](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940) [[[[[ [nb 1] ](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940) [[[[[ [nb 1] ](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940)](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-expeditionary-force-order-of-battle-1940) [nb 1]

I Corps

Lieutenant-General Michael Barker

I Corps Troops, Royal Engineers

I Corps Artillery Troops

1st Infantry Division

Major-General Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander

2nd Infantry Division

Major-General Henry Charles Loyd

48th (South Midland) Infantry Division

Major-General Augustus Francis Andrew Nicol Thorne

II Corps

Lieutenant-General Alan Brooke

II Corps Troops, Royal Engineers

II Corps Artillery Troops

3rd Infantry Division

Major-General Bernard Montgomery

4th Infantry Division

Major-General Dudley Johnson

50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Division

Major-General Giffard Martel

III Corps

Lieutenant-General Sir Ronald Forbes Adam

III Corps Headquarters, Troops

Commander Royal Engineers, III Corps

Commander Royal Artillery, III Corps

42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division

Major-General William Holmes

44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division

Major-General Edmund Osborne

Saar Force

Major-General Victor Fortune On 10 May 1940, this force, which was really just the 51st Division reinforced by various small units, was part of the Colonial Army Corps of the French Third Army in front of the Maginot Line. Units attached to the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division in April 1940 to form Saar Force

51st (Highland) Infantry Division

Major-General V. M. Fortune

Formations undergoing training and performing labour duties

12th (Eastern) Infantry Division

Major-General R. L. Petre

23rd (Northumbrian) Division

Major-General W. N. Herbert

46th Infantry Division

Major-General H. O. Curtis

HQ Lines of Communication British Expeditionary Force

Major-General Philip de Fonblanque

3rd Anti-Aircraft Brigade

Units arriving in France after 10 May 1940

1st Armoured Division

Major-General R. Evans

Air Component

Second Expeditionary Force

The following force was sent to France during the second week of June 1940 in an unsuccessful attempt to form a second British Expeditionary Force. This second formation was to be commanded by Lieutenant-General A. F. Brooke. All units were evacuated in late June 1940, during Operation Aerial.

52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division

Major-General J. S. Drew

Footnotes