| The 48th (South Midland) Division | ||||||||||||||
| A Territorial Force Division | ||||||||||||||
| History | Units | Commanders | ||||||||||||||
| Summary history of the division | ||||||||||||||
The Division was a formation created by the establishment of the Territorial Force in 1908. It moved to France 22nd March - 1st April 1915, and served with distinction on the Western Front until 21st November 1917. The Battle of Albert (first phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916) The Division held the line between the 56th (London) and the 31st Divisions, both of which were heavily engaged at Gommecourt and Serre respectively. Two of the battalions of the Division attacked on 1 July 1916, and suffered heavy casualties. The Battle of Bazentin (second phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916) In the latter action, the Division captured Ovillers. The Battle of Pozieres (third phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916) The Battle of the Ancre (tenth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916) The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line The Battle of Langemarck (second phase of Third Battle of Ypres) The Battle of the Polygon Wood (fourth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres) The Battle of Broodseinde (fifth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres) The Battle of Poelcapelle (sixth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres) The Division was ordered to Italy on 21st November 1917, where it remained, taking part in actions on the Asiago Plateau. In the latter action, the infantry of 143rd Brigade were the first British soldiers to enter the home territory of the Central Powers. By June 1919, the Division had been largely demobilised and was at cadre strength. It was reformed in the United Kingdom from April 1920. |
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| Order of Battle | ||||||||||||||
143rd (Warwickshire) Brigade 1/5th Bn, the Royal Warwicks (joined August 1914) 1/6th Bn, the Royal Warwicks (joined August 1914) 1/7th Bn, the Royal Warwicks (joined August 1914) 1/8th Bn, the Royal Warwicks (joined August 1914, left September 1918) 143rd Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 8 January 1916, moved into 48 MG Bn 22 March 1918) 143rd Trench Mortar Battery (formed 14 June 1916) 144th (Gloucester and Worcester) Brigade 1/4th (City of Bristol) Bn, the Gloucesters (joined August 1914) 1/6th Bn, the Gloucesters (joined August 1914) 1/7th Bn, the Worcesters (joined August 1914) 1/8th Bn, the Worcesters (joined August 1914, left September 1918) 144th Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 23 January 1916, moved into 48 MG Bn 22 March 1918) 144thTrench Mortar Battery (formed 14 June 1916) 145th (South Midland) Brigade 1/5th Bn, the Gloucesters (joined August 1914, left September 1918) 1/4th Bn, the Ox & Bucks (joined August 1914) 1/1st Buckinghamshire Bn, the Ox & Bucks (joined August 1914) 1/4th Bn, the Royal Berkshire (joined August 1914) 145th Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 11 January 1916, moved into 48 MG Bn 22 March 1918) 145th Trench Mortar Battery (formed 14 June 1916) Divisional Troops 1/5th (Cinque Ports) Bn, the Royal Sussex (joined as Pioneers August 1915) 251st Machine Gun Company (joined 16 November 1917, joined Divisional MG Battalion 22 March 1918) No 48 Machine Gun Battalion (created 22 March1918) Divisional Mounted Troops B Squadron, 1st King Edward's Horse (joined April 1915, left June 1916) 48th Division Cyclist Company (joined August 1914, left 14 May 1916) CCXL (I South Midland) Brigade, RFA CCXLI (II South Midland) Brigade, RFA CCXLII (III South Midland) Brigade, RFA (transferred as Army Brigade 20 January 1917) CCXLIII (IV South Midland) (H) Brigade, RFA (broken up October 1916) South Midland (Warwickshire) Heavy Battery, RGA (a Battery of 4 4.7-inch guns which left the Division to join Second Army artillery on 16/4/1915) 48th (South Midland) Divisional Ammunition Column V.48 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA (formed 21 April 1916, disbanded 10 November 1917) X.48, Y.48 and Z.48 Medium Mortar Batteries RFA (formed by 15 March 1916; on 21 March 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each) Engineer Units, RE 7th Field Company (joined April 1915, left June 1915) 474th Field Company (joined Aug 14, left Dec 14, rejoined May 15, renamed from 1st (South Midland) Field Coy) 475th Field Company (joined Aug 14, renamed from 2nd (South Midland) Field Coy) 477th Field Company (formed Sep 14 but joined Division June 1915, renamed from 2/1st (South Midland) Field Coy) 48th Divisional Signal Company (renamed from 1st South Midland Divisional Signal Company) Field Ambulances, RAMC 1st (South Midland) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914) 2nd (South Midland) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914) 3rd (South Midland) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914) 48th Divisional Train ASC (redesignated from the 1st South Midland Divisional Train - itself made from the Divisional Transport and Supply Column. Composed of 459, 460, 461 and 462 Companies ASC) 242nd Divisional Employment Company (joined by June 1917) 1st South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section 48th Sanitary Section ( formed 21 February 1915, left for III Corps area on 4 April 1917) 48th Divisional Ambulance Workshop ( joined 1914, left 4 April 1916, absorbed by Divisional Supply Column) |
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| Divisional command | ||||||||||||||
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