25th Division (United Kingdom)

25th Division

Formation sign of the 25th Division.[1]
Active September 1914 – 1919
Country  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Type Infantry
Size Division
Engagements First World War

The 25th Division was an infantry division of the British Army, raised as part of Lord Kitchener's Third New Army (K3) in September 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the Great War. It served on the Western Front for most of the war.

Service

The component units of the division were assembled around Salisbury and moved to Aldershot in May 1915 to complete their training. The division was formed by Major-General Francis Ventris and crossed to France on 25–30 September 1915 under the command of Major-General Beauchamp Doran.[2]

The division originally comprised the 74th, 75th and 76th Infantry Brigades, but the 76th Brigade was posted away on 15 October 1915 and replaced by the 7th Infantry Brigade.[2]

In June 1916 Major-General Guy Bainbridge took command and the Division went on to fight at the Battle of the Somme, at the Battle of Messines, at the Battle of Passchendaele, in the German Spring Offensive of March/April 1918 and at the Battle of Aisne.[3]

The 25th was unlucky during the 1918 German Spring Offensives, being attacked three times (sharing its misfortune with the 19th, 21st and 50th Divisions). It was on the northern flank defences during Operation Michael in March 1918 and was moved north to refit. There it lost more men in the Battle of the Lys attacks in April. Moved south to another quiet area, it was attacked for a third time in the Third Battle of the Aisne.

After suffering severe casualties in June 1918, it underwent a major refit and reorganisation, with infantry from divisions then serving in Italy. The reformed division moving back to France in September 1918. This Division played a major role in the final few weeks of the war its most noted success was the capture of the village of Beaurevoir on 5–6 October 1918. The war came to an end over a month later with the signing of the armistice of 11 November 1918.

The division was demobilised by the end of March 1919, having suffered 48,300 casualties during the war.

Order of battle

The following units served in the division.[4]

74th Brigade

During reconstruction in mid 1918

(the last three battalions joined from the brigades of 23rd Division serving in Italy)[6]

75th Brigade

During reconstruction in mid 1918

(On 9 September 1918, the Brigade was renumbered as 236th Brigade and was placed under orders for service in North Russia. It left the 25th Division at this point.)

A new 75th Brigade was formed in September 1918

(these battalions joined from the brigades of 48th (South Midland) Division serving in Italy)[8]

76th Brigade

(left to join 3rd Division on 15 October 1915)

7th Brigade

(joined from the 3rd division in exchange for the 76th Brigade on 18 October 1915)

During reconstruction in mid 1918

(except for the 13th East Surreys, which joined from the 39th Division, these battalions joined from the brigades of 7th Division serving in Italy)[10]

Pioneers
Machine Gunners
Divisional Artillery

The Divisional artillery remained in France when the rest of the Division returned to England to re-fit in June 1918. It took part in the Second Battle of Bapaume, the Battle of Epehy and the Battle of the Saint-Quentin Canal, then rejoined the 25th Division on 4 October 1918.

Royal Engineers
Royal Army Medical Corps
Division Troops

See also

References

  1. ↑ Chappell pps. 29, 46
  2. 1 2 Kincaid-Smith 1920, p. 2.
  3. ↑ Kincaid-Smith 1920, pp. 9–390.
  4. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The 25th Division in 1914–1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The Middlesex Regiment". The Long, Long Trail. Archived from the original on 28 June 2001. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The 23rd Division in 1914–1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The Gloucestershire Regiment". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The 48th (South Midland) Division in 1914–1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The 7th Division in 1914–1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  11. ↑ BEF GHQ 1918, p. 104

Bibliography

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