6th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)

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6th Division
Active	World War I to October 1941
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Regular Army
Type	Infantry
Battles/wars	Battle of the Somme (1916) Battle of Cambrai Battle of Epehy
Commanders
Notable commanders	Richard O'Connor

1 History
- 1.1 First World War
- 1.2 Second World War
2 World War I Composition
3 World War II Composition
4 External links/See also

[edit] History

[edit] First World War

The British 6th Division was a Regular Army division that was sent to France on 10 September 1914. It served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War, fighting in the Battle of the Somme (1916), the Battle of Cambrai and the Battle of Epehy.

[edit] Second World War

During the Second World War the division did not fight as a complete formation. On 3 November 1939 it was formed in Egypt by the redesignation of the British 7th Infantry Division, under the command of Maj-Gen.R.N.O'Connor. On 17 June 1940 Divisional H.Q. became H.Q. Western Desert Force. The Division effectively ceased to exist. The Division reformed in Egypt on 17 February 1941, under the command of Maj-Gen. J.F.Evetts. From 7 to 19 April it was temporarily under command of Brig.C.E.N.Lomax. On 29 September 1941 Major General Evetts left and Brig.G.N.C.Martin took acting command. Eleven days later on 10 October that year it was redesignated the 70th Infantry Division, and Major General R.MacK. Scobie assumed command.

[edit] World War I Composition

16th Brigade

1st Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent) Regiment
1st Battalion, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry
2nd Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment
8th (Service) Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment (from 71st Bde. November 1915, disbanded February 1918)
1st Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment (to 71st Bde. November 1915)
1/5th Battalion, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (from February 1915 to June 1915)

17th Brigade (until October 14, 1915)

1st Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers
1st Battalion, The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)
2nd Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
3rd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade
1/2nd (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (from February 1915)

The brigade transferred to the 24th Division in October 1915, swapping with the 71st Brigade.

18th Brigade

1st Battalion, The West Yorkshire Regiment
1st Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment (until November 1915)
2nd Battalion, the Durham Light Infantry
11th (Service) Battalion, The Essex Regiment (from 71st Bde. October 1915)
2nd Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (to 71st Bde. October 1915)
14th (Service) Battalion, the Durham Light Infantry (from November 1915, disbanded February 1918)
1/16th (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment (until February 1916

19th Brigade (until May 31, 1915)

2nd Battalion, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers
1st Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
1/5th Battalion, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
1st Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment
2nd Battalion, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

Originally an independent brigade before being attached to the division, the 19th Brigade moved to the 27th Division in May, 1915 and was not replaced, reducing the division to the standard three infantry brigades.

71st Brigade (from October 11 1915)

9th (Service) Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment
9th (Service) Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
8th (Service) Battalion, the Bedfordshire Regiment (to 16th Bde. November 1915)
1st Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment (from 16th Bde. November 1915)
2nd Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters (from 18th Bde. October 1915)

The brigade joined from the 24th Division in October 1915, swapping with the 17th Brigade.