The Division embodied in September 1939 and served in the U.K. until the invasion of N.W. Europe.
The Division took part in the battle on the River Odon (Operation EPSOM), 26th-29th June and, later, the battle for capture of Caen, 7th–9th July. It took part in the capture of Caumont, 30th July, and captured Mont Pinçon, a steep and rugged hill of vital importance to the German defence plan, 6th August. In the break-out at the end of the Normandy Campaign, the Division crossed the River Seine on 25th August.
(Major General GI Thomas)
129th Infantry Brigade.
4th Bn. The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert’s).
4th Bn. The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh’s).
5th Bn. The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh’s).
130th Infantry Brigade.
7th Bn. The Hampshire Regiment.
4th Bn. The Dorsetshire Regiment.
5th Bn. The Dorsetshire Regiment.
214th Infantry Brigade.
7th Bn. The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert’s).
1st Bn. The Worcestershire Regiment.
5th Bn. The Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry.
Divisional Troops.
43rd Reconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps.
8th Bn. The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own).
94th (Queen’s Own Dorset Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
112th (Wessex) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
179th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
59th (Duke of Connaught’s – Hampshire) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.
110th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.
204th (Wessex) Field Company, Royal Engineers.
260th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
553rd Field Company, Royal Engineers.
207th (Wessex) Field Park Company, Royal Engineers.
13th Bridging Platoon, Royal Engineers.
43rd(Wessex) Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.
129th (Wessex) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
130 th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
213th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
14th Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps.
15th Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps.
38th Field Hygiene Section, Royal Army Medical Corps.
54th Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
504th Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
505th Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
506th Divisional Troops Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
129th Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
130th Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
214th Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
43rd (Wessex) Divisional Ordnance Field Park, Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
43rd Divisional Postal Unit, Royal Engineers.
43rd Divisional Provost Company, Corps of Military Police.