The Division was a formation created during wartime.

On 15th August 1914, orders were issued to separate the 'home service' men from those who had undertaken to serve overseas, with the intention of forming reserves made up of those who had not so volunteered. On 31st August, authority was given to establish a 2nd-Line Division for each of the 1st-Line where more than 60% of the men had volunteered. These Divisions were formed from late 1914, although the permissible strength of a 2nd-Line unit was only half of the normal establishment. This was raised to full establishment early in 1915, after which many of them were sent overseas, with some playing important parts in the fighting. On 24th November 1914, it was decided to replace each overseas-service unit which proceeded abroad with its reserve unit; and directly this happened, a second reserve unit, or 3rd-Line, would be formed.

After many of the original units of the First-Line London Division had been despatched for duties in Malta and France (by January 1915), the Divisional HQ and the remaining units transferred to join the newly-formed Second-Line 2/1st London Division. The artillery did not join the 2nd-Line Division until August 1915, when the Division was first contrated near Ipswich. The Division was redesignated 58th Division in the same month.

The Second-Line TF units were possibly the worst-off of all as regards equipment and other supplies, especially artillery. It was not until mid-1916 that Lee-Enfield .303" rifles and QF artillery pieces were received. The complete Division moved to France between 20th January and 8th February 1917, and thereafter served on the Western Front.

The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line

Flanking Operations Round Bullecourt

The Battle of the Menin Road (third phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)

The Battle of the Polygon Wood (fourth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)

The Second Battle of Passchendaele (eighth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)

The Battle of St Quentin (first phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Battle of the Avre (fifth phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Actions of Villers-Bretonneux (sixth phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Battle of Amiens

The Battle of Albert (first phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Battle of Bapaume (second phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Battle of Epehy (second phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)

The Final Advance in Artois

After the Armistice the Division remained near Peruwelz and demobilisation happened quickly. By 12th March 1919, most units were down to cadre strength, although it was not until the end of June 1919 that the last units embarked and the 58th Division ceased to exist.

2/1st London Brigade

Brigade HQ moved to Malta in early 1915, relieving the 1st London Brigade HQ there. It moved to Egypt in August 1915.

2/1st (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, left February 1915)

2/2nd (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, left December 1914)

2/3rd (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, left December 1914)

2/4th (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, left December 1914)

173rd (3/1st London) Brigade

Brigade HQ was formed in April 1915.

3rd Bn, the London Regiment (joined January 1918)

2/24th (County of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joinedSeptember 1918)

3/1st Bn, the London Regiment (joined May 1915, disbanded February 1918 : became 2/1st June 1915)

3/2nd Bn, the London Regiment (joined May 1915 : became 2/2nd June 1915)

3/3rd Bn, the London Regiment (joined May 1915, disbanded February 1918 : became 2/3rd June 1915)

3/4th Bn, the London Regiment (joined May 1915, disbanded September 1918 : became 2/4th June 1915)

214th Brigade Machine Gun Company (joined 25 March 1917, moved into 58 MG Bn 2 March 1918)

173rd Trench Mortar Battery (joined January 1917)

174th (2/2nd London) Brigade

2/5th (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, disbanded February 1918)

2/6th (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, disbanded January 1918)

2/7th (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, disbanded February 1918)

2/8th (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, disbanded February 1918)

6th Bn, the London Regiment (joined January 1918)

7th Bn, the London Regiment (joined February 1918)

8th Bn, the London Regiment (joined February 1918)

198th Brigade Machine Gun Company (joined 21 February 1917, moved into 58 MG Bn 2 March 1918)

174th Trench Mortar Battery (joined January 1917)

175th (2/3rd London) Brigade

2/9th (County of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined August 1914, disbanded February 1918)

2/10th (County of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914)

2/11th (County of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, disbanded February 1918)

2/12th (County of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined September 1914, disbanded February 1918)

9th Bn, the London Regiment (joined February 1918)

12th Bn, the London Regiment (joined February 1916, left January 1918)

215th Brigade Machine Gun Company (joined 21 March 1917, moved into 58 MG Bn 2 March 1918)

175th Trench Mortar Battery (joined January 1917)

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Divisional Troops

1/4th Bn, the Suffolks (joined as Pioneers February 1918)

206th Machine Gun Company (joined 24 March 1917, joined Divisional MG Battalion 2 March1918)

No 58 Machine Gun Battalion (created 2 March1918)

No 100 (Warwicks and South Notts Yeomanry) Machine Gun Battalion (joined 7 September 1918, left 25 September 1918)

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Divisional Mounted Troops

Duke of Lancasters Own Yeomanry (broken up May 1915)

1/1st Hants Yeomanry (Carabiniers) (joined 24 February 1916; only A Squadron moved with Division; it left to rejoin the rest of the Regiment, which had meanwhile left the Division to become IX Corps Cavalry, on 25 January 1917)

2/1st Wessex Cyclist Company (did not proceed to France)

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Divisional Artillery

CCXC (2/I City of London) Brigade, RFA

CCXCI (2/II London) Brigade, RFA

CCXCIII (2/III London) Brigade, RFA (left January 1917)

2/IV London (H) Brigade, RFA (broken up in July1916)

1st London Heavy Battery, RGA (a Battery of 4 4.7-inch guns which left the Division to move to France on 11 February 1916)

2/1st London Heavy Battery, RGA (a Battery of 4 4.7-inch guns which joined 24 September 1915 but did not proceed to France with the Division. It eventually joined 71st Division in Engalnd, and then moved to 67th Division)

58th Divisional Ammunition Column

V.58 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA (broken up February 1918)

X.58, Y.58 and Z.58 Medium Mortar Batteries RFA (on 8 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each)

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Engineer Units, RE

503rd Field Coy (joined February 1916, formerly named 2/1st (Wessex) Field Coy)

504th Field Coy (joined February 1916, formerly named 2/2nd (Wessex) Field Coy)

511th Field Coy (joined November 1915, formerly called 1/5th (London) Field Coy)

2/1st (London) Field Coy (joined August 1914, left February 1916, later renamed 512th Field Coy)

2/2nd (London) Field Coy (joined August 1914, left February 1916, later renamed 513th Field Coy)

58th Divisional Signal Company (renamed from 2/1st Wessex Divisional Signal Company, which joined on 23 February 1916). Original company left the Division 12 February 1916 to join 56th Division.

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Field Ambulances, RAMC

2/1st London (left Feb 1916)

2/2nd London (left Feb 1916)

2/3rd London (left Feb 1916)

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58th Divisional Train ASC (509, 510, 511 and 512 Companies)

249th Divisional Employment Company (formed by 23 June 1917, broken up 22 April 1919)

58th Mobile Veterinary Section (joined 21 November 1915)

58th Sanitary Section ( left for No 8 Sanitary Area, VIII Corps, on 30 March 1917)