32nd Division (United Kingdom)

32nd Division
Active	1915–1919
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Engagements	World War I Battle of the Somme (1916) Battle of Albert (1916) Battle of Amiens (1918)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Reginald Barnes

The 32nd Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was raised in 1914, during World War I. The division was raised from volunteers for Lord Kitchener's New Armies, that was originally made up of infantry battalions raised by public subscription or private patronage. The division was taken over by the War Office in September 1915. It served in France and Belgium in the trenches of the Western Front for the duration of the war.

The division's insignia was four 'eights' arranged in an 'X' shape.

Unit history

to be completed .

A working party of the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment, part of the 32nd Division, moving up to the trenches near Serre, January 1917.

Formation

95th Brigade 

The brigade moved to the 5th Division in December 1915, swapping with the 14th Brigade.

• 14th (Service) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, (1st City of Birmingham Battalion)
• 15th (Service) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, (2nd City of Birmingham Battalion)
• 16th (Service) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, (3rd City of Birmingham Battalion)
• 12th (Service) Battalion (Bristol), Gloucestershire Regiment

96th Brigade 

• 16th (Service) Battalion, (Newcastle), Northumberland Fusiliers
• 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers
• 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers
• 19th (Service) Battalion (3rd Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers (to 14 Brigade January 1916)
• 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (from December 1915 until February 1918)
• 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment (from 14 Brigade February 1918)

97th Brigade 

• 11th (Service) Battalion (Lonsdale), Border Regiment (until May 1918)
• 1/5th (Cumberland) Battalion, Border Regiment (from May 1918)
• 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Glasgow), Highland Light Infantry (to 14 Brigade January 1916)
• 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Glasgow), Highland Light Infantry (to Pioneers February 1918)
• 17th (Service) Battalion (3rd Glasgow), Highland Light Infantry (disbanded February 1918)
• 2nd Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (from December 1915)
• 10th (Service) Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (from February 1918)

14th Brigade 

The brigade joined from the 5th Division in December 1915, swapping with the 95 Brigade.

• 1st Battalion, Dorset Regiment
• 19th (Service) Battalion (3rd Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers (from 96 Brigade January 1916 until July 1916)
• 1/5th Battalion, Royal Scots (from July 1916)
• 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Glasgow), Highland Light Infantry (from 97 Brigade January 1916)
• 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment (to 14 Brigade February 1918)

Pioneers 

• 17th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (various times)
• 1/12th Battalion TF (Pioneers), Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (from November 1916 until January 1917)
• 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Glasgow), Highland Light Infantry (from 97 Brigade February 1918)

Battles

• Battle of the Somme
  • Battle of Albert
• Battle of Amiens

General Officier commanding

• Major-General W. H. Rycroft September 1915 - May 1918
• Major-General Reginald Barnes May 1918 -

See also

• List of British divisions in World War I

External links

• The British Army in the Great War: The 32nd Division