Division (military)

A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers. In most armies a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions make up a corps.

Nomenclature

In most nations, divisions are designated by combining an ordinal number and a type name. Nicknames are often assigned or adopted although these often are not considered an official part of the unit's nomenclature. In some cases, divisions are titled without an ordinal number, often in the case of unique units, or units serving as elite or special troops. For clarification in histories and reports, the nation is identified previous to the number.

Related Topics:
Ordinal number - Nomenclature

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It is important to note that division names are completely subject to the whim of whatever controlling body names the unit. Fanciful and incongruous names are commonly found. It is common for the ordinal number to not be sequential, leading to high numbers without that many divisions existing. Types as well are not always indicative of the actual structure or mission of the unit. Germany raised a parachute armored division (Fallschirmpanzer-Division) during World War II which obviously never conducted, nor was intended to conduct, a parachute drop.

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The primary purpose of nomenclature is to give each unit a unique identification to assist in command and control of units. This is also helpful in historical studies, but due to the nature of intelligence on the battlefield, division names and assignments are at times obscured. However, the size of the division makes such obfuscation rarely necessary.

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