42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division
42nd (East Lancashire) Division | |
---|---|
Active | 1908 - 1918/9, 1920-1941, 1947-67 |
Branch | Territorial Army |
Type | Infantry |
Motto(s) | Go One Better |
Engagements | Battle of Gallipoli * Second Battle of Krithia * Third Battle of Krithia * Battle of Krithia Vineyard Battle of Romani Third Battle of Ypres First Battle of the Somme (1918) * First Battle of Bapaume Second Battle of the Somme (1918) * Battle of Albert (1918) * Second Battle of Bapaume Battle of the Canal du Nord Battle of the Selle |
The British 42nd (East Lancashire) Division was a Territorial Army division. Originally called the 'East Lancashire Division', it was redesignated as the 42nd Division on May 25 1915[1]. It was the first Territorial division to be sent overseas during the First World War. The division fought at Gallipoli, in the Sinai desert and on the Western Front in France and Belgium.
Unit History in World War I
Egypt
The division was sent to Egypt in September 1914 and defended the Suez Canal against Turkish attacks.
Gallipoli
In early May 1915 the division joined the British Army Corps, from June known as VIII Corps, at Cape Helles following the failure of the Allies to achieve the anticipated swift success at Gallipoli during April. The 125th Brigade landed in time to participate in the Second Battle of Krithia on May 6. The entire division was involved in the Third Battle of Krithia on June 4.
The Division carried out the Helles diversion at the start of the Battle of Sari Bair in what became known as the Battle of Krithia Vineyard. Captain William Thomas Forshaw of the 1/9th Manchesters was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in this battle from August 7 to 9.
Second Lieutenant Alfred Victor Smith of the 1/5th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his action at Helles on December 23.
The Division remained at Gallipoli until the final evacuation of Helles in January 1916 but was severely depleted by casualties and illness.
42nd Division's casualties at Gallipoli : 395 officers and 8152 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.[1]
Egypt Again
After the evacuation of Gallipoli, the division returned to Egypt and participated in the Battle of Romani and the advance across the Sinai.
Western Front
In March 1917 the division moved to France and joined 3 Corps in Fourth Army.
- April 8 - May 23 1917 : Relieved 48th Division. Held line at Epéhy
- May 23 - July 8 1917 : Relieved 20th Division. Held line at Havrincourt North of Epéhy.
- July 8 : Infantry relieved by 58th Division.
Divisional artillery remained in the line in support of 58th and then 9th Division at Havrincourt Wood.
- July 9 - August 22 1917 : Ytres sector.
- August 23 - September 1 1917 : Joined 5 Corps in Fifth Army. Infantry in Poperinghe area behind Ypres for training.
Divisional artillery entered line immediately in support of 15th Division near Potijze Chateau.
- September 1 - 18 1917 : Ypres. Infantry relieved 15th Division in the line to the right of Potijze Road near Frezenberg Ridge. On September 6 125 Brigade made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the fortified Iberian, Borry and Beck Farms. (Third Battle of Ypres)
- September 18 1917 : Infantry relieved by 9th Division and retired to Poperinghe area.
Divisional artillery remained in the Line until September 29, participated in heavy fighting from September 20 and advanced to exposed positions on Frezenberg Ridge on September 25. (Third Battle of Ypres)
- September 26 - November 1917 : Relieved 66th Division. Divisional artillery rejoined. Held line at Nieuport (present-day Nieuwpoort)
- November 29 1917 - February 15 1918 : Relieved 25th Division. Held line at Givenchy on La Bassée sector. Constructed fortifications according to the new British defensive doctrine of "defended localities" in anticipation of major German attack.
Private Walter Mills of C Company, the 1/10th Manchesters, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for actions at Red Dragon Crater, Givenchy on the night of December 10 1917.
- February 15 1918 - March 22 1918 : Relieved by 55th Division. In reserve and training at Busnes - Burbure - Fouquieres area. 1 Corps reserve and then G.H.Q. reserve from March 1.
- March 23/24 : Joined 6 Corps (Lt-General Sir Aylmer Haldane) in Third Army at Ervillers to defend the line against the German Seventeenth Army (General Otto von Below) on the right (i.e. north) wing of the "Michael 1" German Spring Offensive (Kaiserschlacht) in the First Battle of the Somme (1918). First Battle of Bapaume.
- March 26 - July 1918 : Stopped German attack and held line at Bucquoy, Gommecourt, Hébuterne.
- August 21 - 25 1918 : With 4 Corps in Third Army. Attacked and advanced Miraumont, across the River Ancre, Pys, Warlencourt. (Second Battle of the Somme (1918) including Battle of Albert (1918))
Lance-Sergeant Edward Smith of the 1/5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions in the capture of The Lozenge (Hill 140, a German machine-gun nest) on August 21 and enemy counterattacks on August 22.
- August 25 - 27 1918 : Infantry withdrew for 2 days rest in Miraumont-Pys area.
Divisional artillery went into action under heavy fire in support of 63rd Division on outskirts of Loupart Wood.
- August 28 - September 5 1918 : Relieved 63rd Division in the line and resumed advance. Attacked and advanced Thilloy, Riencourt-lès-Bapaume, Villers-au-Flos, Ytres, across the Canal du Nord to Metz-en-Couture (Second Battle of the Somme (1918) including the Second Battle of Bapaume)
- September 6 1918 : Infantry relieved by New Zealand Division and moved to rest in Pys-Tholloy area. Divisional artillery remained in the line in support of New Zealand Division.
- September 21/2 1918 : Relieved 37th Division east of Havrincourt Wood.
- September 27 - 28 1918 : Attacked and advanced Havrincourt Wood through the Siegfried Stellung section of the Hindenburg Line via successive planned objectives denoted Black, Red, Brown, Yellow, Blue Lines, to Welsh Ridge. The Hindenburg Line was attacked in enfilade, or diagonally, as can be seen from the map. Many casualties were sustained from machine guns situated in Beaucamp to the right of the Division's front. (Battle of the Canal du Nord)
- September 29 - October 8 1918 : Infantry relieved by New Zealand Division and withdrew to Havrincourt Wood for rest.
Divisional artillery remained in action in support of the New Zealand Division in the Pursuit to the Selle
- October 9 - 12 1918 : Infantry marched up to the front through Lesdain, Esnes, Beauvois and relieved New Zealand Division, who had established a bridgehead across the River Selle at Briastre.
- October 12 - 23 1918 : Defended Briastre against heavy German counterattacks and shelling. Advanced across River Selle to Marou, Virtigneul and Belle Vue Farm (Battle of the Selle).
Private Alfred Robert Wilkinson of the 1/5th Manchesters was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions on October 20th at Marou. The Division's opponent in these actions was the German 25th Division[1].
- October 24 - November 3 1918 : Relieved by New Zealand Division. Withdrew to Beauvois for rest.
- November 3 - 6 1918 : Moved up though Le Quesnoy and Forest of Mormal in support of the advance of 37th and New Zealand Divisions.
- November 6 - 9 1918 : Relieved New Zealand Division in line of attack on eastern edge of Forest of Mormal. Attacked and advanced to Hautmont in the Arrondissement of Avesnes-sur-Helpe.
- November 11 1918 : Stood fast on line Maubeuge - Avesnes-sur-Helpe Road
World War II
In 1940 the division was deployed as part of the British Expeditionary Force in France. After the evacuation of Dunkirk the Division was regrouped but then reorganised as 42nd Armoured Division on 1 November 1941. It was later disbanded on 17 October 1943 without seeing action as an armoured formation.
Post 1945
The Division was reformed in the post-war Territorial Army but disbanded by 1968.
In the modern British Army the division survives as the 42 North West Brigade.
Composition in World War I
Infantry
The infantry were equipped with the obsolescent long Magazine Lee-Enfield (MLE) rifle from embarkation in 1914 until arrival in France in March 1917, when they were re-equipped with the standard modern Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE).[1]
The division comprised three infantry brigades:
125th Brigade (Lancashire Fusiliers Brigade) :
See : Fusiliers' Museum, Lancashire (external link)
- 1/5th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers
from Bury - 1/6th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers
from Rochdale
disbanded February 1918. Men transferred within 42nd Division and to 66th Division. - 1/7th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers
from Salford - 1/8th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers
from Salford
126th Brigade (East Lancashire Brigade) :
- 1/4th Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment
from Blackburn
disbanded February 1918. Men transferred within 42nd Division and to 66th Division. - 1/5th Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment
from Burnley - 1/8th (Ardwick) Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
from Ardwick and East Manchester
transferred from 127th Brigade February 1918. - 1/9th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
from Ashton-under-Lyne
disbanded February 1918. Men transferred within 42nd Division and to 66th Division. - 1/10th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
from Oldham
127th Brigade (Manchester Brigade) :
See : Museum of The Manchester Regiment. History Territorial Force 1914 - 1919 (external link)
- 1/5th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
from Wigan - 1/6th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
from Manchester and suburbs including Cheshire - 1/7th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
from Manchester and suburbs including Cheshire - 1/8th (Ardwick) Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
from Ardwick and East Manchester
transferred to 126th Brigade February 1918.
Pioneer Battalion
See : Captain Francis Buckley, Extract from "War History of The Seventh Northumberland Fusiliers" (external link)
- 1/7th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
Joined the 42nd Division from 50th Division on February 12 1918 near Bethune after being converted from an infantry battalion.
3 companies
Cavalry
- A Squadron, 1/1st Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry
from Oldham
did not proceed to Gallipoli; remained in Egypt and fought in the Western Desert expedition against the Senussi. Rejoined 42nd Division after it returned to Egypt from Gallipoli.
Transferred to 53rd Division January 1917 and fought at Gaza, then served with 60th and 52nd Divisions in Palestine and Syria.
Divisional Artillery
- 1st East Lancs Brigade R.F.A. (Blackburn Artillery)
Renamed 210 Brigade May 1916 - 2nd East Lancs Brigade R.F.A. (Manchester Artillery)
Arrived Egypt May 1915, did not go to Gallipoli.
Renamed 211 Brigade May 1916.- 15th Lancashire Battery from Manchester. Renamed A Battery May 1916.
- 16th Lancashire Battery from Manchester. Renamed B Battery May 1916.
- 17th Lancashire Battery from Manchester. Renamed C Battery May 1916.
- 3rd East Lancs Brigade R.F.A. (Bolton Artillery)
Renamed 212 Brigade May 1916.- 18th Lancashire Battery from Bolton and district. Renamed A Battery May 1916.
- 19th Lancashire Battery from Bolton and district. Renamed B Battery May 1916.
- 20th Lancashire Battery from Bolton and district. Renamed C Battery May 1916.
Originally each of the above 3 Brigades was equipped with 3 4-gun batteries of obsolescent BLC 15 pounder field guns ("relics of South Africa"[2]). They were replaced in March 1916 with modern QF 18 pounder guns handed over by 29th Division in Egypt.[1]
- 4th East Lancs (Howitzer) Brigade R.F.A. (Cumberland Artillery)
Originally equipped with obsolescent BL 5 inch Howitzers ("some of them Omdurman veterans"[2]).
Joined Division on Gallipoli in July 1915 from Egypt. However, only limited supplies of the new 40 pound 5-inch shells were sent from Mudros (older shells were 50 pounds). No range tables for the lighter and hence longer-range shell were available, and they had a new pattern fuse for which no fuse keys were available. Hence use of these howitzers on Gallipoli became very limited.[3]
Renamed 213 Brigade in May 1916.
Re-equipped in June 1916 with modern QF 4.5 inch Howitzers.[1]- 1st Cumberland (Howitzer) Battery from Carlisle. Renamed A Battery May 1916.
- 2nd Cumberland (Howitzer) Battery from Workington. Renamed B Battery May 1916.
In February 1917 the Cumberland Artillery / 213 Brigade was disbanded and its 2 Howitzer batteries merged into the 18-pounder Brigades in accordance with the new artillery brigade philosophy. Existing 4-gun 18-pounder batteries in each of 210, 211 and 212 Brigades were merged into 6-gun batteries, and the 4 Brigades replaced by new 210 and 211 Brigades each with 3 6-gun 18-pounder batteries and 1 Howitzer battery.
Gibbon's divisional history states that the above occurred on paper on Christmas day 1916, when the division was on manouevres at Al Mazar, and the reorganization actually occurred in February 1917 on return to the canal zone.[1] Hence from February 1917 to November 11 1918 the divisional artillery consisted of 210 and 211 Brigades, each with 3x6-gun batteries of 18-pounders (A,B,C) and 1 battery of 4.5 inch howitzers (D).
Trench Mortar Batteries
- V/42 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery. Formed in France March 1917
Equipped with 4 9.45 inch Heavy Mortars
Part of Divisional Artillery until February 15 1918 when it remained in La Bassée sector under Corps command when the Division departed. - Medium Trench Mortar Batteries. Formed in France March 1917
Initially 3 batteries, each equipped with 4 Newton 6 inch Mortars, and 2 batteries of 6 from February 1918, following the disbanding of Z Battery.
Part of Divisional Artillery- X/42 Battery
- Y/42 Battery
- Z/42 Battery. Broken up February 1918. Redistributed to X and Y Batteries.
- Light Trench Mortar Batteries. Formed in France March 1917
Equipped with the 3 inch Stokes Mortar
Attached to the 3 infantry brigades and named after them.
42 Battalion Machine Gun Corps
Formed February 23 1918 from the previous 4 separate companies. 1 Company was attached to each of the 3 infantry brigades and 1 company in Divisional Reserve.
- 1st East Lancashire Field Company
renamed 427 Field Company February 1917 - 2nd East Lancashire Field Company
renamed 428 Field Company February 1917 - 3rd East Lancashire Field Company
joined Division June 1916 in Egypt
renamed 429 Field Company February 1917 - 42nd Division Signal Company
See : Major I G Kelly, 42 Squadron History World War One (external link)
- 3 Companies
- Transport and Supply Column
Left and joined joined 53d Division in March 1917 and served in the operations against Gaza, then joined 74th Division.
A new Divisional Train was formed in England and joined the 42nd Division in France after previously serving in France with the 3rd (Lahore) Division.
- 1/1st East Lancashire Field Ambulance
attached to 127 Brigade - 1/2nd East Lancashire Field Ambulance
did not proceed to Gallipoli
attached to 126 Brigade - 1/3rd East Lancashire Field Ambulance
attached to 125 Brigade
19th Mobile Veterinary Section
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239th Divisional Employment Company
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Battles
- Battle of Gallipoli
- Battle of Romani
- Third Battle of Ypres
- First Battle of the Somme (1918)
- Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
- Battle of the Canal du Nord
- Battle of the Selle
Memorials and Monuments
Trescault, France
The 42nd Division Memorial stands on the north edge of Trescault village (Multimap external link) on the left of the road to Havrincourt. It was unveiled by Major-General Solly-Flood on Easter Sunday, 1922.
The inscription reads : "In memory of all ranks of the 42nd East Lancashire Territorial Division who gave their lives for King and Country during the Great War and in commemoration of the attack and capture of the Hindenburg line at Trescault by the Division on September 28th 1918"
On the north-east side of Trescault, 274 metres to the east of the monument, is Ribecourt Road Cemetery, which the 42nd Division called the Divisional Cemetery, Trescault.
Further details and photographs can be found on the World War One Battlefields : Cambrai page (external link).
Bucquoy, France
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Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g Frederick P. Gibbon. The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division 1914-1918. London: Country Life, 1920.
- ^ a b General Sir Ian Hamilton, G.C.B. Gallipoli Diary Vol. I. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1920
- ^ General Sir Hugh Simpson Baikie, Ex-Commander of the British artillery at Cape Helles. Appendix I STATEMENT ON ARTILLERY in General Sir Ian Hamilton, G.C.B. Gallipoli Diary Vol. II. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1920
See also
External links
- Chris Baker, The British Army in the Great War: The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division
- PB Chappell, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division Battles & Units
- Virtual Tour of Helles war zone of Gallipoli
- Major I G Kelly, "Go One Better" A History of the 42nd (City of Manchester) Signal Squadron (Volunteers)
- Museum of The Manchester Regiment. History Territorial Force 1914 - 1919
- Linda Corbett, The Ashton Territorials, 9th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment During WWI
- John Hartley, "IN FROM THE COLD" A Manchester at Gallipoli. Sgt. Thomas Worthington, 1/6th Battalion, Manchester Regiment
- Captain S. J. Wilson, M.C. The Seventh Manchesters July 1916 to March 1919 Manchester University Press, 1920.
- Fusiliers' Museum, Lancashire
- Neil Drum and Roger Dowson, "Hell let loose. The 1/7th (Salford) Territorial Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers" published by Neil Richardson, 2005
- John Hartley, More than a Name. The stories of the men from the Stockport area who fought and died in the Great War 1914-1918