3rd Infantry Division (Belgium) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 3rd Infantry Division |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1940 |
| Country |  Belgium |
| Branch | Belgian Army |
| Type | Infantry Division |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Part of | III Corps (Belgium) |
| Garrison/HQ | Liège |
| Engagements | Battle of Belgium (World War II) |
| Disbanded | 28 May 1940 |
The 3rd Infantry Division (also known as 3de Infanterie Divisie) was a special group of soldiers in the Belgian Army. They were an infantry division, which means they were mainly foot soldiers. This division was active during the Battle of Belgium in World War II.
Contents
History of the 3rd Infantry Division
The 3rd Division in World War I
During World War I, which started in 1914, this group was simply called the 3rd Division. It was one of only seven main divisions in the Belgian Army at that time.
The division was led by Lieutenant-General Gérard Leman. Their main base was in Liège, a city in Belgium. The 3rd Division was made up of several smaller groups of soldiers. These included the 9th, 11th, 12th, and 14th Mixed Brigades. They also had cavalry (soldiers on horseback) from the 2nd Lancer Regiment and artillery (big guns) from the 3rd Artillery Regiment.
The 3rd Division in World War II
When World War II began on May 10, 1940, the 3rd Division had a very important job. They were placed in the northern part of the Fortified Position of Liège. This was a strong defense line with modern forts like Fleron, Barchon, and Evegnée.
Their goal was to protect the Albert Canal and Meuse river lines. This would give the French and British armies enough time to get into position along the K-W Line, another defense line. The 3rd Division had many bunkers set up in two lines to help them defend.
Retreating from Liège
However, the war quickly became very difficult. Another Belgian division, the 7th Division, was badly defeated to the north. This meant the 3rd Division was in danger of being surrounded by the German army. By the end of May 10, the 3rd Division was told to quickly pull back to the K-W Line.
Their retreat was much harder than other divisions. The 7th Division was almost completely destroyed. So, two battalions (smaller groups of soldiers) from the 3rd Division were sent north of Liège. Their job was to protect the retreat of the main force. But German planes, called the Luftwaffe, were bombing heavily. This made it very hard for the soldiers to move safely.
By May 11, it was clear that stopping the German attack was impossible. The division had to retreat fully along the Meuse river towards Namur.
Challenges During Retreat
The German air attacks continued, and fast-moving German armored divisions (tanks) were getting closer. The 3rd Division lost a lot of its heavy equipment during this time. Often, their foot soldiers were caught by German tanks while trying to retreat.
At the Mehaigne river, French soldiers had already blown up the bridges. This happened while units of the 3rd Division were still trying to cross. Soldiers who were left behind had no choice but to leave their weapons and swim across the river or surrender to the Germans.
Reorganizing the Division
By May 13, it was clear that the 3rd Division was too weak to keep fighting. The remaining soldiers were told to gather in Charleroi. From there, trains would take them to West Flanders to get new equipment and reorganize.
Many soldiers were lost. Each infantry regiment had lost about a third of its troops. They had to be reorganized into smaller groups. Some artillery platoons had lost all their big guns.
By May 21, the reorganization was finished. Some parts of the 3rd Division were briefly sent to the Scheldt river. They helped relieve the British 44th Division. This allowed the British army to make their defense line shorter.
The Battle of the Lys River
Soon after, the Germans reached the English Channel. The 3rd Division, along with the rest of the Belgian army, was called to defend a new line at the Lys river. They were placed between Kuurne and Wielsbeke, just north of Kortrijk.
All three of their infantry regiments were placed along the river in the front line. Only a small group of bicycle soldiers was kept as a reserve. On May 22, the 3rd Division started digging in behind the Lys river. This river was very shallow, which made it a difficult place to defend. In some areas, the German side of the river was higher, giving them a better view. They could also use the small town of Harelbeke for cover.
By the end of May 23, Belgian and German artillery started firing at each other. The 12th regiment faced small arms fire from the rooftops in Harelbeke.
Unfortunately, the 3rd Division was right in front of the main German attack. The Germans had four regiments and 300 artillery pieces against the weakened 12th and 25th Belgian regiments. After intense fighting on the afternoon of May 23, the 3rd Division's regiments had to give way. This created a large gap of 8 kilometers in the Belgian lines. The 12th regiment was reduced to only about 600 men, with around 130 soldiers killed.
The End of the Division
By this point, the 3rd Division was mostly exhausted. After the German breakthrough, they were moved to a reserve area near Roeselare. Even so, a battalion from the 12th regiment, with their last anti-tank gun, was sent to Tielt on May 27. They went to help the struggling 16th Division in their final defense of that town.
When Belgium surrendered on May 28, at least 452 officers and soldiers from the 3rd Division had been killed in action.
How the 3rd Division was Organized in 1940
Here is how the 3rd Division was set up just before the Battle of Belgium:
- Headquarters: Located in Liège.
- Commanding Officer: Lieutenant-General Gaston Lozet.
- Main fighting units:
- 1st Line Regiment
- 12th Line Regiment
- 25th Line Regiment
- 3rd Artillery Regiment (Belgium)
- Support units:
- 3rd Bicycle Squadron
- 3rd Engineer Battalion (for building and destroying things)
- 3rd Signal Battalion (for communications)
- 1st Divisional Anti-Tank Gun Company (truck-mounted guns to fight tanks)
- 3rd Divisional Anti-Tank Gun Company (T-13 tank destroyers)
- 3rd Divisional Supply Battalion (for food and supplies)
- 3rd Divisional Field Hospital Battalion (for medical care)
- 3rd Divisional Quartermaster Company (for managing supplies)
- 3rd Divisional Anti Aircraft Company (for fighting enemy planes)
- 3rd Divisional Military Police Unit (for keeping order)
See also
