Light Division (Netherlands)

Light Division
Lichte Divisie
Active	Mobilized: April 1940 – Disbanded: May 1940
Disbanded	May 1940
Country	Netherlands
Branch	Royal Netherlands Army (Koninklijke Landmacht)
Type	Motorized Division / Cavalry
Role	Rapid deployment, counter-attack, and flank security
Size	Division
Part of	Part of the Field Army (Veldleger)
Engagements	World War II Battle of the Netherlands (1940) Battle of the Grebbeberg (actions near the Meuse and Peel-Raam Line)
Commanders
Commander (1940)	Major General H.F.M. Baron van Voorst tot Voorst

The Light Division (Dutch: Lichte Divisie) was a military formation of the Royal Netherlands Army that was mobilized in April 1940. It was the only fully motorized/cavalry division available to the Dutch forces and was designed for rapid deployment, though it was structurally incomplete. ^[1]

The division was used to secure the exposed flanks of the Field Army in North Brabant and later saw heavy action as the Dutch tried to contain the German breakthrough.

Organisation (May 10, 1940)

The division was commanded by Major General H.F.M. Baron van Voorst tot Voorst. ^[2]

Due to a recent reorganization on May 1, 1940, all horses were removed, and the division was fully converted to use bicycles, motorcycles, and trucks. Many battalions were incomplete in terms of personnel and equipment. ^[1]

Subordinate Regiments and Squadrons

• 1st Regiment Cyclists (1e Regiment Wielrijders)
• 2nd Regiment Cyclists (2e Regiment Wielrijders)
• 2nd Regiment Motorized Hussars (2e Regiment Huzaren Motorrijders) – Only two squadrons instead of three.
• Machine Gun Squadron (Mitrailleur Eskadron) – Newly formed, equipped with Vickers M.18 heavy machine guns.
• 5th Regiment Hussars (5e Regiment Huzaren) – Formed from remnants of the dissolved cavalry units.

Divisional Troops

• Korps Rijdende Artillerie (Motorized Horse Artillery Corps) – Fully motorized.
• Light Anti-Tank Company (Lichte Compagnie Pantserafweergeschut)
• Light Pioneer Company (Lichte Pionier Compagnie)
• Light Signals Company (Lichte Verbindings Compagnie)
• Separate Staff (Afzonderlijke Staff) – A second staff used when the division was split into two elements.

Detached Units

Due to its composition, many sub-units were detached to other commands: ^[1]

• 1st Armoured Car Squadron (1e Eskadron Pantserwagens) – Detached to Ypenburg and Schiphol Airfields.
• 2nd Armoured Car Squadron (2e Eskadron Pantserwagens) – Detached to the 1st and 4th Hussar Regiments.
• 1st Regiment Motorized Hussars (1e Regiment Huzaren Motorrijders) – Detached to Fortress Holland.

Commanders

• Major General H.F.M. Baron van Voorst tot Voorst

References

1. "Lichte Divisie – Dutch Army Order of Battle – May 10th, 1940". Dutch Army 1940 Order of Battle. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
2. War Department (1942). Handbook on the Netherlands and Netherlands East Indies Armies. U.S. War Department. p. 24. Retrieved 2023-11-20.