Belgian Divisions

Many thanks must go to Prosper Vandenbroucke and the Armee Belge Leger web site and the guys from the 18daagseveldtocht web site. Thanks also to a chap named Daveh from Axis Military Forum.

The Belgian army consisted mainly of twenty two divisions, which were divided seven infantry and one cavalry corps. The Infantry divisions were classed as active (No I to VI), first reserve (No VII to XII) and 2nd reserve (No XIII to XVIII).

Active infantry divisions contained two active infantry regiments and one reserve infantry regiment and were fully equipped with machine guns, mortars and anti-tank guns. Each contained a full field artillery regiment with three 75mm battalions and one 105mm battalion.

First reserve infantry divisions, these contained one active regiment and two reserve infantry regiments, each division was equipped in the same way as active divisions.

The 2nd reserve infantry divisions contained older men and lacked in mortars and anti-tank guns. Artillery regiments also lacked a 105mm howitzer battalion and had only two 75mmfield gun battalions.

The Chasseurs Ardennais were well equipped and the Cavalry were motorised, both types of formation were well equipped and trained.

The armoured components consisting of T-15 light tanks and T-13 tank destroyers were parcelled out to various divisions, with the T-15s and T-13s joining the cavalry divisions and T-13s equipping the 1st Chasseurs Ardennais division. The rest were allocated to four active and five first reserve divisions, with only a single second reserve division receiving a company.

Here is how the Corps stood on the eve of war;

1st Corps
Commander: Lieutenant General Alexis Vander Veken
Headquarters: Tongeren
• 4th Infantry Division
• 7th Infantry Division
• Border Cyclists Battalion Limburg
• 14th Heavy Artillery Regiment [105mm, 120mm & 155mm Field Guns]
• 4th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battalion [75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• 21st Engineer Battalion
• 21st Signal Battalion

2nd Corps
Commander: Lieutenant General Victor Michem
Headquarters: Aarschot
• 6th Infantry Division
• 9th Infantry Division
• 3rd, 4th, 8th & 10th Static Infantry Regiments
• 16th Heavy Artillery Regiment [105mm, 120mm & 155mm Field Guns]
• 3rd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battalion [75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• 24th Engineer Battalion
• 22nd Signal Battalion

3rd Corps
Commander: Lieutenant General Joseph Krahe
Headquarters: Liege
• 2nd Infantry Division
• 3rd Infantry Division
• Static Artillery Regiment [Liege Fortress]
• 1st Lancer Regiment
• 4th Regiment Carabiniers
• 1st Regiment Border Cyclists
• 2nd Regiment Border Cyclists
• Armoured Border Guard Company [T-13 Tank Destroyers]
• 15th Heavy Artillery Regiment [105mm, 120mm & 155mm Field Guns]
• 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battalion [75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• 23rd Engineer Battalion
• 23rd Signal Battalion

4th Corps
Commander: Lieutenant General André Bogaerts
Headquarters: Ivy
• 12th Infantry Division
• 15th Infantry Division
• 18th Infantry Division
• 1st & 9th Static Infantry Regiments
• 13th Heavy Artillery Regiment [105mm, 120mm & 155mm Field Guns]
• 7th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battalion [75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• 22nd Engineer Battalion
• 24th Signal Battalion

5th Corps
Commander: Lieutenant General Edouard Van den Bergen
Headquarters: Antwerp
• 13th Infantry Division
• 17th Infantry Division
• II/26th Field Artillery Battalion [75mm Field Guns]
• Heavy Field Gun Battery [120mm Field Guns]
• Schelde Heavy Artillery Battalion [75mm, 120mm & 150mm Field Guns]
• 9th Anti-Aircraft Battalion [40mm & 75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• Railroad Engineer Regiment
• 25th Signal Company

6th Corps
Commander: Lieutenant General Fernand Verstraete
Headquarters: Brussels
• 5th Infantry Division
• 10th Infantry Division
• II/2nd Light Infantry Battalion [Motorcycles]
• 10th Anti-Aircraft Battalion [40mm & 75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• 11th Anti-Aircraft Battalion [40mm & 75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• 26th Signal Company

7th Corps
Commander: Lieutenant General Georges Deffontaine
Headquarters: Namur
• 8th Infantry Division
• 2nd Division Chasseurs Ardennais
• Static Artillery Regiment [Namur Fortress]
• 1st Light Regiment Gendarmerie [Motorcycles]
• 2nd Chasseurs Ardennais Artillery Battalion [6in Howitzers]
• 8th Anti-Aircraft Battalion [40mm & 75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• 19th Heavy Engineer Company
• III/19th Engineer Company
• 27th Signal Company

Grouping Keyaerts
Commander: Lieutenant General Maurice Keyaerts
Headquarters: Saint Hubert
• 1st Division Chasseurs Ardennais
• 1st Cavalry Division
• Chasseurs Ardennais Motorcycle Battalion [Motorcycles]
• IV/19th Cavalry Artillery Battalion [105mm Howitzers]
• 7th & 10th Anti-Aircraft Companies [75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• II/4th Anti-Aircraft Platoons [40mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• III/4th Anti-Aircraft Platoons [40mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]

Cavalry Corps
Commander: Lieutenant General Knight Maximilien de Neve de Roden
Headquarters: Saint Trond
• 1st Infantry Division
• 14th Infantry Division
• 2nd Cavalry Division
• Motorised Cavalry Brigade [2nd Guide Regiment & 4th Lancer Regiment]
• 2nd Static Infantry Regiment
• 19th Cavalry Artillery Regiment [75mm Field Guns & 105mm Field Howitzers]
• 1st Anti-Aircraft Battalion [40mm & 75mm Anti-Aircraft Guns]
• 20th Engineer Battalion
• 30th Signals Battalion

General Reserve
Commander: General Headquarters Command
Headquarters: Liege
• 11th Infantry Division
• 16th Infantry Division
• 5/II/2nd Light Regiment Gendarmerie [Motorcycles & VUDBs]