| > > The
12th (Eastern) Division |
| A New
Army Division of K1: what is a Division? |
 With
this symbol, the 12th was often called the Ace of Spades Division |
| This
page is dedicated to the memory of George Coppard,
young 12th Division machine-gunner and later author of With
a Machine Gun to Cambrai: he really kick-started my interest in the
war. His simple but powerful remembrance inspired me to find out more. "Today's
my daughters wedding day...hooray, hooray!" |
| Summary history of the Division |
| This was one of the first New Army divisions
to be formed, as part of K1. It was assembled from late August 1914:
35th Brigade and artillery in the area of Shorncliffe, 36th Brigade at
Colchester, 37th Brigade at Purfleet, Engineers
and RAMC at Hounslow, ASC initially at Aldershot and then at Lord's cricket
ground. Divisional training was completed near Aldershot from 20 February
1915, where the cavalry, motor machine gun battery, sanitary and veterinary
sections joined. The Division moved to France on 29 May - 1 June
1915 and after two days rest near Boulogne, moved to concentrate near
St Omer and by 6 June had moved to the Meteren-Steenwerck area. Next
day Divisional HQ established at Nieppe. Units of the Division were
placed under temporary orders of 48th (South Midland)
Division for the
purposes of instruction. The third of the New Army formations to go to
France (after 9th
(Scottish) and 14th (Light) Divisions)
the 12th Division served with distinction on the Western Front throughout
the rest of the war. |
| 1915 |
| On 23 June 1915 the Division
took over a sector of the front line for the first time, at Ploegsteert
Wood, relieving 46th (North
MIdland) Division. 6th Queen's, 6th Buffs and 11th Middlesex
were the units that first entered the trenches. By 15 July the Divisional
front had extended south to reach east of Armentieres; the 12th was
now holding 7000 yards. In just holding this relatively quiet sector,
in July alone the Division suffered the loss of 7 officers and 64
men killed, 18 officers and 413 men wounded. |
The
Battle of Loos and subsequent Action of Hohenzollern Redoubt
On 26 September, after this battle had started,
the Division was relieved by the 1st Canadian and 50th
(Northumbrian) Divisions and moved
towards the Loos front. It arrived on 29 September and relieved outgoing
units in the Gun Trench - Hulluch Quarries sector on the night of 30
September - 1 October. The Division commenced consolidating the position,
under heavy artillery fire. The Officer Commanding,
Major-General Frederick Wing CB, was killed in action on 2 October
1915. His ADC, Lieutenant Christopher Tower DSO, was killed by the same
shell. On 8 October, the Division repelled a heavy German infantry attack.
Five days later the Division took part in a large scale action to renew
the offensive, now called the "Action of the Hohenzollern Redoubt". The
Division succeeded in capturing Gun Trench and the south western face
of the Hulluch Quarries. During this period at Loos, 117 officers and
3237 men were killed or wounded. By the end of 21 October the Division
had been relieved and moved to Fouquieres-les-Bethune. It took over the
Hohenzollern Redoubt front after a very short rest of five days and spent
a cold, wet and miserable month here before being relieved on 15 November
by 15th (Scottish) Division,
whereupon it moved into reserve at Lillers. |
| The location of the Quarries
and the Hohenzollern Redoubt |
 |
|
| On 9 December, 9th Royal Fusiliers
was given the unusual task of assisting in a round-up of spies and
other uncertain characters in the streets of Bethune. Next day the
Division moved up and relieved 33rd Division in the front line north
of the La Bassee canal at Givenchy. |
| 1916 |
| Between 12 December 1915 and
18 January 1916 in a quiet period of trench-holding, the Division
nonetheless suffered the loss of 102 officers and 670 men killed,
wounded or missing. Relieved on 19 January and moved to Busnes, the
Division had a spell of training in open warfare. Units moved back
into the Loos trenches at the Quarries on 12-13 February 1916 and
by 15 February held the line from there to the Hohenzollern Redoubt. |
| The Hohenzollern Redoubt
today |
 |
Little trace remains
today of the once fearsome Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8.
The small hillock and rough ground in this shot mark the spot.
The higher summit in the background is on the site of the Hulluch
Quarries. This picture is taken from near Quarry Cemetery,
facing Auchy les Mines. |
|
| The area of the Hohenzollern
Redoubt had in the meantime become one where underground
mine warfare was very active. A plan was evolved that
required 4 mines to be blown under the enemy positions, which would
be followed by an infantry assault aimed at capturing the enemy front
trench called "The Chord". 36th Brigade made the attack
after 170 Tunnelling Company RE detonated the mines at 5.45pm on
2 March 1916, successfully capturing the craters and gaining important
observation over enemy lines as far as Fosse 8. Severe fighting in
the crater area continued for some weeks, with the Division suffering
more than 4000 casualties until being finally relieved on 26 April.
A period of rest and training began, until finally - beginning with
the RE Field Companies - the Division moved to the Somme. By 18 June
1916 the Division was based at Flesselles. |
The Battle of Albert (first
phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
By 18 June 1916 the
Division was based at Flesselles. It immediately carried out a training
exercise to practice a planned attack to capture Martinpuich. This
action never materialised. The Division moved up to Baizieux on
30 June and reached Hencourt and Millencourt by 10am on 1 July,
in reserve to the British infantry attack that had begun earlier
that morning. It moved to relieve 8th
Division, which had suffered a severe repulse at Ovillers-la-Boisselle,
during the night of 1-2 July. Ordered to continue the attack on Ovillers,
35th and 37th Brigades went in at 3.15am on 2
July (just before
this, Divisional HQ received information that a British attack on
their left, by X Corps against Thiepval, was cancelled). Unlike the
troops of 8th Division who had to cross a wide no man's land in the
bright morning sun, the 12th Division attack, at night, adopted sensible
tactics of advancing across no man's land while the artillery bombarded
the enemy and rushed the last few yards when it lifted. The first
wave of the attack met with mixed success: for example the 9th Essex
came under heavy shellfire before it had reached even the British
front line; it was difficult to keep direction in the deep shellholes;
yet the 5th Berkshire and 7th Suffolk crossed, finding the enemy
wire was well cut, and took at least two lines of
German trenches before becoming bogged in intense bombing fights
in the trenches. 6th Queen's were held up by wire and machine gun
fire from Mash Valley. Heavy fire from the Leipzig salient - where
X Corps would have been attacking - halted supporting units in no
man's land, and the attack failed to achieve its objective. On 7
July 36th Brigade, with 74th Brigade attached to the Division
for the purpose, attacked again and in spite
of heavy casualties from German artillery and machine guns in Mash
Valley, succeeded in holding the first and second lines that they
captured on the spur on which Ovillers stands. By the time the Division
was withdrawn to the area on Contay on 9 July, 189 officers and 4576
men had become casualties. |
The Battle
of Pozieres (third phase)
After short spells at Bus-les-Artois and in
the front line at Beaumont Hamel, the Division moved back to the
Ovillers area for an operation north and northwest of Pozieres designed
to destroy the enemy garrison holding Thiepval. On 3
August, an attack
aimed at capturing 4th Avenue Trench was successful and pushed on
to Ration Trench next day. German counter attacks including flamethrowers
were beaten off over the next few days. An attack on 8 August to
finally capture the stubborn enemy Point 77 failed with heavy casualties
to 7th Sussex. Severe local fighting continued for five more days,
when the Division was relieved and moved to the area of Doullens.
Casualties since 28 July amounted to 126 officers and 2739 men. |
| Ration Trench, 4 August
1916 |
 |
This contemporary
aerial photograph shows the ground over which the 9th Royal
Fusiliers advanced on 4 August. The wiggly lines are trenches;
the many pinprick dots are shellholes; the white is exposed
chalk, which lies just below the surface in this area. |
|
The Battle of Le Transloy (eighth
phase)
Marched for five days after leaving Somme and
relieved 11th (Northern)
Division on Arras front on 22 August.
A comparatively quiet time, punctuated by trench raids. Relieved
on 26-7 September and moved back to Somme, taking over forward positions
in appalling conditions at Geudecourt, Grid and Grid Support on 1-2
October. Fourth Army
mounted an attack on 7 October: the objective for the Division was
Bayonet Trench and 500 yards beyond. A small gain was made in spite
of heavy enemy fire. So few men made it to Bayonet Trench that it
could not be held. Troops came under machine gun fire from German
aircraft on 9 October. More efforts were made on 12 and 19 October,
that got no further. The Division - except its artillery - was relieved
on 19 October and returned to Arras .Another 135 officers and 3176
men had become casualties. In all, almost 11000 casualties had been
sustained in a total of just 43 days fighting on the Somme. |
| Again, Arras proved to be
a relatively quiet sector, although there were frequent trench raids
and shellfire. On 17 December, the Division moved out of the front
line for rest - its first since June - in the Grande Rullecourt
and Ambrines areas. |
| 1917 |
The First Battle of the Scarpe
(first phase of the Arras Offensive)
As early as January 1917, the Division received
notice that it would take part in an offensive at Arras. It moved
to the front in that sector on 14 January.
It did not leave other than for periods of rest until towards the
end of 1917. The position held at Arras was not affected by the German
withdrawal from the Somme to the Hindenburg Line in March. The task
of the Division, now part of VI Corps, in the Arras attack was to
capture the enemy's "Black Line" (forward position) then
go on to the "Brown Line" (the Wancourt-Feuchy trench including
the strong point at Feuchy Chapel). The artillery bombardment opened
on 4
April 1917, and the infantry - many of whom had been able
to approach the front line in the long tunnels and subways reaching
out from Arras itself, advanced behind a creeping barrage on 9 April.
Resistance was rapidly overcome; fine counter-battery work had stifled
the German guns. The leading troops quickly captured the Black Line,
but German fire increased as successive waves came through to advance
on the Feuchy Switch trench, notably from Observation Ridge. In places,
the German soldiers were seen retreating at a run and by noon, 37th
Division had pushed through with orders to capture Monchy le
Preux. The 12th Division remained in position, as snow and sleet
fell. On the night 11-12 April, 36th
and 37th Brigades moved up and relieved units of of 8th Cavalry
Brigade east of Monchy. Next day, 29th
Division relieved 12th Division, whereupon
the units moved back to the area between Arras and Doullens. The
attack had been highly successful, making an advance on the Divisional
front of some 4000 yards for a total of 2018 casualties. |
| The 1917 battlefield
of Arras |
 |
|
The Battle of Arleux (third
phase)
After a ten day rest the Division re-entered
the Arras battlefield, 37th Brigade going into the forward positions
between the north east of Monchy and the River Scarpe. On 28
April,
formations north of 12th Division undertook an operation to capture
Roeux. 35th Brigade took part and attacked Rifle and Bayonet Trench
but owing to heavy enemy shellfire and machine guns firing from Roeux
- which was not captured - fell back to its start point. |
The
Third Battle of the Scarpe (fourth phase)
This action included the Division's role in
the capture of Roeux, which actually took place to the left of
the Division. A
larger effort - including the British Fifth, Third and First
Armies - took place on 3
May,
with an artillery bombardment that began two days earlier. 12th
Division's role was to make an advance of some 2500 yards, including
the capture of Pelves on the left flank. A preliminary attack
on the left by 36th Brigade in the early hours of 2 May, including
a gas barrage fired by Livens projectors, was not entirely successful
but apparently caused considerable casualties to the enemy. The
main attack was of mixed fortune, although 7th Royal Sussex reached
the objective and then beat off determined counter attacks. Once
again, German shellfire was the primary cause of problems and
and heavy machine gun fire from Roeux caused many casualties.
Shellfire was heavy over the next few days and the uncertain
position of the advanced troops in Devil's Trench meant that
British artillery was cautious in replying on German trenches.
The Division was relieved on 16 May and moved to the area of
Le Cauroy, having suffered a total of 141 officers and 3380 other
ranks casualties since 25 April 1917. |
| Between 17
May and 19 October
1917, the Division held positions east of Monchy le Preux,
mounting several raids and small scale attacks and beating off some
made against them, notably in the area of Hook Trench - Pick Avenue
- Tites Copse. Much manual work took place, for the position held
in May was of shell holes and disconnected parts of trenches, with
few dugouts and no communications. When out of the line, units took
part in training at Beaurains, where a scale model of the area occupied
had been built for the purposes of instruction. A very successful
major raid was carried out on 14 October. Five days later the Division
was relieved by 4th Division,
and returned to La Cauroy. (It should be noted that in holding the
Arras front for as long as it did, 12th Division did not take part
in the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele)). |
The Battle of Cambrai
Divisional HQ moved to Hesdin on 30
October,
preparatory to a move to the Cambrai front. Commander in Chief
Sir Douglas Haig watched a rehearsal attack carried out by 6th
Buffs and 7th East Surrey on 13 November. Next day, a gradual move
to the Heudecourt - Vaucelette Farm area began, where the Division
went into III Corps for the offensive. It was the right-most formation
of the attacking force.. The special role of 12th Division in the
attack of 20 November was to capture
its first objective and then form a defensive flank to the south
east, keeping in touch with 55th
(West Lancashire) Division which
was not attacking. Advancing from Gonnelieu, the Division moved
forward through Sonnet and Pam Pam Farms, Bonavis and
Lateau Wood, and dug in a defensive flank to allow the cavalry
to pass unrestricted, as ordered. On the extreme right of the attack,
the 7th Royal Sussex got into Banteux, which had been subjected
to gas attack from Livens projectors.The next three days were spent
in consolidating as the centre of the battle moved to the north.
On 24 November a local operation to move the line to Quarry Post
- Bleak Quarry - to gain command of a better line of observation
- was carried out by 35th and 36th Brigades, which met with mixed
success. By 29 November it had become apparent that the enemy was
assembling a force in the area of Villers Guislain, south of 12th
Division in area of 55th. Warning orders were issued: just in time,
for on 30 November at 6.45am, heavy shellfire began to fall and
by 7.45am Divisional HQ was already out of touch with its
forward units. The failure of the 24 November attack now became
apparent as the enemy had invisibly assembled a considerable attacking
force in the canal valley. A hard and confused fight followed as
the German infantry advanced, the Division falling back across
the recently won ground. By the end of the day the line had held
at La Vacquerie. Further German efforts on 1 December were largely
held off, although by now losses to some units had been as high
as 50% of the strength they had before the counter attack. Relieved
on 3-4 December, the Division - excluding its artillery which stayed
a while longer - moved to Albert and from there moved by train
to Aire, with billets at nearby Thiennes and Berguette. |
| British tank, a casualty
at Cambrai - note the Ace of Spades, symbol of 12th Division
painted on its side |
 |
|
| 1918 |
| On 5 January, Divisional HQ
moved to Merville and on 13 January moved
again to Croix du Bac where it came under orders of XV Corps, while
the brigades relieved 38th
(Welsh) Division in the Fleurbaix
front line. Various trench raids took place here, as did the reduction
of brigades from 4 battalions to 3. On 22 March orders were received
warning the Division of an imminent move. Two days later the Division,
less its artillery, concentrated in the Busnes area and moved that
night by motor lorry to Albert. |
The First Battle of Bapaume
(second phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)
On the morning of 24 March the
Division arrived in the area of Senlis, Warloy and Bouzincourt. An
tiring and confusing day was to follow. That afternoon, 36 and 37
Brigades moved forward to the line Montauban-Bazentin le Grand, on
the old 1916 Somme battlefield. But events were moving fast as the
enemy's offensive pressed forward. 35 Brigade after much marching
took up a position covering Albert. 37 Brigade, in the area of Ovillers,
covered the withdrawal of 47th
(London) Division and
then itself withdrew to Aveluy and by 4.30am on 26 March 36 Brigade
had also taken up a position west of the Ancre. There were no prepared
trenches or wire defences and natural lines, such as
the railway embankment north of Albert, were taken up to await the
expected German attack. There was no touch with other Divisions to
the right but contact was made with 2nd Division on the left. |
| The positions taken up
to await German attack, 26 March 1918 |
 |
|
The First
Battle of Arras, 1918 (fourth phase)
Soon
after midday on 26 March, Germans were seen advancing down the
slopes into the Ancre valley. They were also seen in large numbers
to the south of Albert moving on Meaulte and Dernancourt and by
7pm Albert itself was full of them. The 7/Suffolks had to withdraw
through the ruined town to west of the railway line. On the northern
side too, it seemed that the Division was in great danger of being
outflanked, for enemy had got to Grandcourt and Beaumont Hamel.
All units came under increasing pressure as the enemy pressed
on. Many enemy attacks were repelled with heavy casualties, although
the Division suffered 1634 casualties in halting
their advance. The Division was finally relieved by 47th
(London) Division on
29 March and moved to Warloy. After a short rest, the Division
came back to the front line on 2 April.
Further enemy efforts on 5 and 6 April were beaten off, yet by
the time relief came from
38th (Welsh)
Division and
the 12th Division had withdrawn to Toutencourt, another 1285 men
were lost. April to July were spent in the area of Auchonvillers
and Mailly-Maillet, where new drafts arrived to replace the losses.
On 1 July, two years to the day that
the British offensive had opened on the Somme, the Division carried
out an attack at Bouzincourt. After initial success, counter attack
drove the attacking units back at a cost of 680 casualties. The
Division was relieved on 10 July and came under orders of XXII
Corps. It was moved to the area south of Amiens. |
|
The Battle of Amiens
The
Divisional artillery supported the successful attack of the French
66th Division near Moreuil on 23 July 1918.
It remained in action near Gentelles in covering the 2nd Australian
Division, and between 8 and 25 August played a part in the highly
successful attack by Fourth Army, the Battle of Amiens. Meanwhile
the infantry of the Division continued to rebuild and train.
On 30 July, the Division moved to III Corps and the area of Vignacourt,
Canaples and Pernois. |
The Battle of Albert (first
phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)
Under the command of III Corps and on the
left flank of this Corps front along the River Ancre, the Division
generally played only a holding role on 8
August 1918 when Fourth
Army made its great attack. However, German withdrawal from the Ancre
and from Dernancourt being observed before the attack took place,
35 Brigade - on the Division's right - became involved. The 7/Norfolk
and 9/Essex advanced to their objectives, consolidating a new line
from the west of Morlancourt to the Ancre, but the Cambridgeshires
on the right were held up by heavy fire from the Sailly Laurette
road. The battalion renewed its attack later in the day, assisted
by a tank, and achieved its objectives, capturing 316 enemy, 14 machine
guns and 10 mortars. 37 Brigade took up this attack later on 9 August
and succeeded in further captures. By the evening of 10 August the
old Amiens defence line had been recaptured: in all the Division
had by now advanced almost two miles. After a brief rest, the Division
attacked again on 22 August, pushing
right across the wilderness of the old Somme battlefield, capturing
Meaulte, Mametz, Carnoy, Hardecourt and Faviere Wood, which was reached
after a week's continuous fighting. The Division had made an advance
of another 15000 yards. It was relieved on 30 August by 47th
(London) Division and moved
back to the Carnoy-Briqueterie area.
|
| On 4-5
September 1918 the Division relieved 18th
(Eastern) Division east of the Canal du Nord and just south
of Manancourt, for an attack on Nurlu. Formidable wire defences
and German counter attacks were overcome, Nurlu was taken. The
German army retreated in haste for several miles, pursued by the
Division which reached the line Sorel Wood - Lieramont cemetery.
The advance was continued early on 8 September, capturing Guyencourt
although in spite of heavy casualties. The movement halted 1000
yards west of Epehy and Pezieres, where the Division was relieved.
It was now some 17 miles ahead of where the offensive had opened
on 8 August. More than 1000 prisoners had been taken, as well as
17 artillery pieces and dozens of smaller weapons. |
The Battle of Epehy (second
phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
After a rest in the area of Manancourt,
the Division was ordered to renew the attack on Epehy. This took
place on 18 September. Enemy strongholds
at Malassise Farm and Fishers Keep held on stubbornly and caused
heavy casualties but gradually resistance was overcome. Over the
next few days further attacks were made against heavily defended
posts and trenches; fighting was intense and progress slow. |
| 12th Division memorial,
Epehy - near Malassise Farm, scene of fighting in September 1918 |
 |
|
The Battle of the St Quentin
Canal (fourth phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
On 27 September,
the British Third and Fourth Armies made a heavy attack on the Hindenburg
Line. The role of 12th Division, still involved in pushing through and
past the Epehy defences, was to secure the vantage points up to the St
Quentin Canal and to protect the left flank of the 27th Division of the
United States Army which was attacking under orders of Fourth Army. Localised
actions took place at first before the main attack on 29 September, in
which the Division fought up through the formidable mass of enemy trenches
in front of Ossus Wood before reaching the western outskirts of Vendhuile.
This successful action gave the US Division, 46th (North) Midland and
Australian Divisions to the right the chance to break through the Hindenburg
Line on this most important day in the the final offensive. The Division
was now 26 miles from where the offensive had begun on 8 August and for
that ground had lost 6229 officers and men. The Division was withdrawn
for rest in the areas of Savy, Acq and Aubigny and left III Corps at
this point. |
The Final Advance in Artois
On the night 6-7 October,
the Division relieved
20th (Light) Division in
Third Army, taking over the front sector between Oppy and Eleu dit
Leauvette. It became apparent that the enemy was in the process of
withdrawing from this area, leaving only stubborn outposts. Patrols
pushed out and a general advance began through Drocourt, Mericourt
and Billy-Montigny (east of Lens), in which the strong Drocourt-Queant
Line was occupied by the Division. The advance had now assumed the
characteristics of open warfare: the trenches were of the past and
this battle became one of pursuit, communications and logistics. The
advance pushed on through Courcelles, Henin-Lietard, past the Canal
de la Haute Deule. By 23 October, the Division was crossing the River
Scarpe at St Amand and four days later were at the Scheldt Canal. The
Division was withdrawn for rest on 30 October and as events turned
out, had finished its war. |
| Once the enemy had signed
the Armistice, the Division - not selected to advance into Germany
- moved to the area east of Douai. Main activities were battlefield
salvage and sports, as demobilisation began. On 22 March 1919, the
Division ceased to exist. |
|
| |
| Order of Battle |
| 35th Brigade |
|
| 7th (Service) Bn, the Norfolks |
|
| 7th (Service) Bn, the Suffolks |
left May 1918 |
| 9th (Service) Bn, the Essex |
|
| 5th (Service) Bn, the Royal Berkshire |
left February 1918 |
| 1/1st Bn, the Cambridgeshire |
joined May 1918 |
| 35th Machine Gun Company |
formed 1 February 1916, moved into 12 MG Bn 1 March 1918 |
| 35th Trench Mortar Battery |
formed by 25 June 1916 |
| |
|
| 36th Brigade |
|
| 8th (Service) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers |
disbanded February 1918 |
| 9th (Service) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers |
|
| 7th (Service) Bn, the Royal Sussex |
|
| 11th (Service) Bn, the Middlesex |
disbanded February 1918 |
| 5th (Service) Bn, the Royal
Berkshire |
joined February 1918 |
| 36th Machine Gun Company |
formed 1 February 1916, moved into 12 MG Bn 1 March 1918 |
| 36th Trench Mortar Battery |
formed 15 June 1916 |
| |
|
| 37th Brigade |
|
| 6th (Service) Bn , the Queen's |
|
| 6th (Service) Bn , the Buffs |
|
| 7th (Service) Bn, the East Surreys |
disbanded February 1918 |
| 6th (Service) Bn, the Royal West Kents |
|
| 37th Brigade Machine Gun Company |
formed by 4 February 1916, moved into 12 MG Bn 1 March 1918 |
| 37th Trench Mortar Battery |
formed by 15 June 1916 |
| |
|
| Divisional Troops |
|
| 5th (Service) Bn (Pioneers), the Northamptonshire |
|
| No 9 Motor Machine Gun Battery |
joined early 1915, left 20 June and joined II ANZAC |
| 235th Machine Gun Company |
joined 16 July 1917, joined Divisional MG Battalion 1 March 1918 |
| No 12 Machine Gun Battalion |
created 1 March 1918 |
| |
|
| Divisional Mounted Troops |
|
| 12th Divisional Cyclist Company |
formed 1914, left 15 June 1916 |
| A Squadron, 1st King Edward's Horse |
joined April 1915, left June 1916 |
| |
|
| Divisional Artillery |
|
| LXII Brigade, RFA |
|
| LXIII Brigade, RFA |
|
| LXIV Brigade, RFA |
left 6 January 1917 |
| LXV (H) Brigade, RFA |
broken up 30 August 1916 |
| 12th Heavy Battery, RGA |
a Battery of four 4.7-inch guns which left the Division on 8 June 1915
and joined X Heavy Artillery Brigade |
| 12th Divisional Ammunition Column |
|
| V.12 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA |
formed 31 July 1916, disbanded 15 February 1918 |
| X.12, Y.12 and Z.12 Medium Mortar Batteries RFA |
formed 1 July 1916; on 16 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised
to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each |
| |
|
| Royal Engineers |
|
| 69th Field Company |
|
| 70th Field Company |
|
| 87th Field Company |
joined January 1915 |
| 12th Divisional Signal Company |
|
| |
|
| Royal Army Medical Corps units |
|
| 36th Field Ambulance |
|
| 37th Field Ambulance |
|
| 38th Field Ambulance |
|
| 23rd Sanitary Section |
left 1 April 1917, for No 7 Sanitary Area, Third Army |
| |
|
| Other Divisional Troops |
|
| 12th Divisional Train ASC |
116, 117, 118, 119 Coys ASC |
| 9th Motor Machine Gun
Battery |
|
| 23rd Mobile Veterinary Section |
|
| 12th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop |
joined Division in France on 7 June 1915, absorbed by Divisional Train
16 April 1916 |
| 214th Divisional Employment Company |
joined 16 June 1917 |
| |
|
| Divisional commanders |
| Maj.-Gen.
J. Spens |
From
24 August 1914 |
|
| Maj-Gen.
F. D. V. Wing |
From
15 March 1915, killed
in action 2 October 1915.
War Graves register entry |
 |
| Br-Gen.
W. McLeod |
Acting, 2
October 1915 |
|
| Maj-Gen.
A. B. Scott |
From
3
October 1915 |
|
| Maj-Gen.
H. Higginson |
From
26 April 1918 |
|
|
| Divisional Christmas card |
 |
|
| Other senior officer casualties |
| Lt-Col
Albemarle Annesley DSO |
7
July 1916 |
Officer
commanding 8th Royal Fusiliers. Buried in the communal cemetery
extension at Warloy-Baillon. |
| Lt-Col
Herbert Trevor |
11
Apr 1917 |
Officer
commanding 9th Essex. Aged 32. Buried in the Faubourg d'Amiens cemetery
at Arras. |
| Lt-Col
Alfred Sansom |
5
July 1917 |
Officer
commanding 7th Royal Sussex. Aged 50. Buried in the Faubourg d'Amiens
cemetery at Arras. |
| Lt-Col
Fredrick Thompson DSO |
14
Oct 1917 |
Officer
commanding 9th Essex. Aged 37. Died of wounds. Buried in Duisans
cemetery near Etrun. |
| Lt-Col
Henry Gielgud MC |
30
Nov 1917 |
Officer
commanding 7th Norfolks. Aged 37. No known grave. Commemorated on
the Louverval Memorial near Cambrai. |
| Lt-Col
Neville Ellliott-Cooper VC DSO MC |
11
Feb 1918 |
Officer
commanding 8th Royal Fusiliers. Aged 29. Died of wounds in enemy
hands. Buried in Hamburg Cemetery. An extract from "The London Gazette," dated
12th Feb., 1918, records his Victoria Cross citation "For most conspicuous
bravery and devotion to duty. Hearing that the enemy had broken through
our outpost line, he rushed out of his dug-out, and on seeing them
advancing across the open he mounted the parapet and dashed forward
calling upon the Reserve Company and details of the Battalion Headquarters
to follow. Absolutely unarmed, he made straight for the advancing
enemy, and under his direction our men forced them back 600 yards.
While still some forty yards in front he was severely wounded. Realising
that his men were greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties,
he signalled to them to withdraw, regardless of the fact that he
himself must be taken prisoner. By his prompt and gallant leading
he gained time for the reserves to move up and occupy the line of
defence." |
| Lt-Col
William Bovet DSO |
5
May 1918 |
Divisional
CRE for two years. "Mortally wounded near Bouzincourt" on
his way back to the trenches. Aged 43. Buried at Bagneux British
Cemetery near Gezaincourt. Had served in the Somaliland campaign. |
| Lt-Col
Edward Saint DSO |
29
Aug 1918 |
Officer
commanding 1/1st Cambridgeshire. Aged 33. Mortally wounded by shellfire
on the Maltz Horn Farm Ridge on 28 August. Buried in the communal
cemetery extension at Daours. |
| Lt-Col
William Dawson DSO and 3 Bars |
3
Dec 1918 |
Officer
commanding 6th Royal West Kents. Aged 27. Served with battalion throughout
its history to his death. Wounded - for the seventh and final time
- while reconnoitring for a bridge position on 23 October 1918. Buried
in Etaples Military Cemetery. |
|
| Statistics |
| The Division suffered more than 41,300 casualties
during the war. It received 6 Victoria Crosses and over 3,000 other honours. |
| Divisional histories and other published works |
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