The 12th, 23rd & 46th Infantry Divisions
In March 1940 it was decided that these three second line divisions should be sent to France for pioneer duties building Marshalling yards, airfields and depots. Only the infantry and engineers were sent with a skeletal HQ organization and minimal service units, ('A' Echelon divisional supply column, one field ambulance, one field hygiene section, a detachment of divisional provost company, and the divisional postal unit), There was no question of using these formed but untrained bodies for fighting. The divisions left in the United Kingdom all Royal Artillery units, bulk of Signals, and part of the Administrative Units. Every man had a rifle but only half had even fired one. The infantry had about a third of their established amount of LMGs and it was a fortunate battalion which had more than 4 Brens to a company instead of the normal 9. There was a slender ration of Boyes antitank rifles but no 3 inch mortars, no Carriers and no battalion signallers.