12th (Eastern) Infantry Division
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| 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division | |
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_Division_Insignia.png) |
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| Active | World War I: August 1914–22 March 1919 World War II: 1939–1940 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | New Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Engagements | Battle of Epehy |
The 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division was a division raised by the British Army during the First World War. It was disbanded during the Second World War due to the number of casualties that it took.
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[edit] Formation and World War One
The 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division, was one of the Kitchener's Army divisions raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener. It fought on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War. One of its most notable actions was the Battle of Epehy.
In World War I the division's insignia was the "Ace of Spades".
[edit] Second World War
The Division was reformed as a second line Territorial Army formation just before the start of the Second World War, a duplicate of the 44th (Home Counties) Division. As such it contained mostly half trained units, some of whom had not even fired their rifles. In April 1940 the 12th Infantry, along with the 23rd (Northumbrian) Division and 46th (North Midland) Division Divisions , were sent as pioneer units to France. They were all under-equipped and did not have their signal, Royal Artillery or administrative units with them.
When the German attacks began on May 10, 1940 only every third battalion had done a week's training. As a result the 12th Infantry suffered heavy casualties during the Battle of France and the subsequent retreat to and evacuation from Dunkirk .
As a result of its high proportion of casualties (the 36th Infantry Brigade having been severely mauled on May 20, 1940) the 12th Infantry Division was disbanded on July 11, 1940. However, two of its constituent brigades, the 36th Infantry Brigade and the 35th Infantry Brigade would see service later in the war, the 35th as 169th Infantry Brigade, with the 56th (London) Division, and the 36th with the 78th Infantry Division
[edit] Structure World War I
- 35th Brigade
- 7th The Norfolk Regiment
- 7th The Suffolk Regiment
- 9th The Essex Regiment
- 5th Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment)
- 1/1st Battalion, The Cambridge Regiment
- 36th Brigade
- 8th Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
- 9th Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
- 7th The Royal Sussex Regiment
- 11th The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)
- 37th Brigade
- Pioneers
[edit] World War II Order of Battle
France 1940
- 35th Infantry Brigade
- 2/5th The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
- 2/6th The Queen's Royal Regiment
- 2/7th The Queen's Royal Regiment
- 36th Infantry Brigade
- 5th Royal East Kent Regiment
- 6th The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
- 7th The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
- 37th Infantry Brigade
- 6th The Royal Sussex Regiment
- 2/6th The East Surrey Regiment
- 7th The Royal Sussex Regiment
