At the time of the outbreak of World War II, the Belgian armed forces numbered about 100,000 people in active service, and after the announcement of universal mobilization, this number could increase to 550,000 people. After mobilization, the Belgian army consisted of 7 infantry corps that were stationed, among others, in Antwerp, Brussels and Liege, and from two partially mechanized cavalry divisions in Brussels and in the Ardennes region (the so-called Ardennes riflemen). The basic operational unit of the Belgian infantry was a division composed of three regiments with a force of approximately 3,000 men each. One regiment was equipped with 108 light machine guns, 52 heavy machine guns, 9 heavy mortars or howitzers, and 6 anti-tank guns. The basic shooting weapon of the infantryman was the Mauser model 1889 or the so-called Belgian Mauser model 1935. The supporting weapons were outdated heavy machine guns MG 08 or Hotchkiss M1914. The artillery was mainly equipped with weapons of French production, cal. 75 and 120 mm. It is worth adding that in 1940 - at the time of the German invasion of Belgium - the Belgian armed forces had a small number of Vickers T-15 tanks and a larger number of T-13 vehicles.
During World War II, the British Army formed a total of 43 infantry divisions. At the start of the war, the division's staff numbered approximately 13,800 officers and soldiers, while in 1944 this number increased to approximately 18,300 people. This significant change in the number of employees resulted primarily from the increase in various types of support units, and not the increase in the number of infantrymen themselves. In 1944, the British infantry division consisted of three infantry brigades, each with its own headquarters, a staff platoon, 3 infantry battalions, and engineering divisions. It is worth adding that a single infantry battalion had approx. 780 officers and soldiers and had numerous support units (e.g. a mortar platoon or a reconnaissance platoon). The division also included a de facto artillery brigade with five artillery regiments (including one anti-tank and one AA), a battalion of machine guns and mortars, as well as reconnaissance, communication and sapper units. An important element increasing the mobility of the British infantry division was its full motorization. The British infantryman's primary rifle was the Lee Enfield No.1 or No.4 rifle. As machine weapons, among others, Sten submachine guns, Bren manual machine guns and Vickers machine guns were used. The most commonly used anti-tank weapons were the 40 and 57 mm 2- and 6-pounder cannons, and later also the 76-mm 17-pounder cannons. In turn, the main armament of the field artillery was a very successful howitzer Ordnance QF 25-pounder.