14th (Light) Division

Formed at Aldershot in August/September 1914 as part of the First New Army. Arrived in France in May 1915. Served in France and Flanders until April 1918. The Division was then reduced to Cadre, and returned to England, here the Division was reconstituted, it then returned to France. The Division served in France and Flanders until the Armistice.

Battles and Engagements
France and Flanders

Actions of Hooge. 19 Jul. 30 Jul. 9 Aug 1915.
Second attack on Bellewaarde. 25-26 Sep 1915.

 

 

Battle of Delville Wood. 15 Jul-3 Sep 1916.
Battle of Flers-Courcelette. 15-22 Sep 1916, including the capture of Martinpuich.

 

First Battle of the Scarpe. 9-14 Apr 1917, including the capture Monchy le Preux and the Wancourt Ridge.
Third Battle of the Scarpe. 3-4 May 1917, including the capture of Fresnoy.
Battle of Langemarck. 16-18 Aug 1917.
Local operations around St. Julian. 19, 22, 27 Aug 1917.
First Battle of Passchendaele. 12 Oct 1917.
Second Battle of Passchendaele. 26 Oct-10 Nov 1917.

 

 

Battle of St. Quentin. 21-23 Mar 1918.
Battle of the Avre. 4 Apr 1918.
Battle of Ypres. 28 Sep-2 Oct 1918.
Battle of Courtrai. 14-19 Oct 1918.

 

 

Infantry Units

 

41st Brigade.

Prior to being reduced to Cadre.

7th Bn King’s Royal Rifle Corps. 19 Aug 1914 - 02 Feb 1918. To the 43rd Brigade.
8th Bn King’s Royal Rifle Corps. 21 Aug 1914 - 16 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 27 Apr 1918. Cadre to the 34th Division.
7th Bn Rifle Brigade. 21 Aug 1914 - 17 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 27 Apr 1918. Cadre absorbed by the 33rd Bn London Regt.
8th Bn Rifle Brigade. 21 Aug 1914 - 16 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 27 Apr 1918. Cadre to the 34th Division.

After being reconstituted.

18th Bn York and Lancaster Regt. 18 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
29th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 19 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
33rd Bn London Regt. 19 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

42nd Brigade.

Prior to being reduced to Cadre.

5th Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Aug 1914 - 16 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 27 Apr 1918. Cadre to the 16th Division.
5th Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. Aug 1914 - 04 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 1st, 1/4th, 6th, 7th and 8th Bns.
9th Bn King’s Royal Rifle Corps. Aug 1914 - 16 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 27 Apr 1918. Cadre to the 34th Division.
9th Bn Rifle Brigade. 21 Aug 1914 - 16 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 27 Apr 1918. Cadre to the 34th Division.

After being reconstituted.

6th Bn Wiltshire Regt. 19 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918. The Cadre of the Battalion joined the Division on 16 Jun 1918 and was reconstituted by absorbing the 9th Bn Dorsetshire Regt.
16th Bn Manchester Regt. 21 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918. The Cadre of the Battalion joined the Division on 16 Jun 1918 and was reconstituted by absorbing the 29th Bn.
14th Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918. The Cadre of the Battalion joined the Division on 16 Jun 1918 and was reconstituted by absorbing the 17th Bn.

 

43rd Brigade.

Prior to being reduced to Cadre.

6th Bn Somerset Light Infantry. Aug 1914 - 18 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 27 Apr 1918. Cadre to the 16th Division.
9th Bn Cameronians. 05 Feb 1918 - 21 Apr 1918. To the 9th Division.
6th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. 07 Jun 1918 - 18 Jun 1918. To the 34th Division.
6th Bn Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Aug 1914 - 20 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 1/5th, 7th and 10th Bns.
6th Bn King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. 12 Aug 1914 - 12 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 16th Entrenching Bn.
7th Bn King’s Royal Rifle Corps. 02 Feb 1918 - 16 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 25 Apr 1918. Cadre to the 16th Division.
10th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 22 Aug 1914 - 12 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 16th Entrenching Bn.

After being reconstituted.

12th Bn Suffolk Regt. 19 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918. The Cadre of the Battalion joined the Division on 16 Jun 1918 and was reconstituted by absorbing the 16th Bn.
20th Bn Middlesex Regt. 17 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918. The Cadre of the Battalion joined the Division 16 Jun 1918 and was reconstituted by absorbing the 34th Bn.
10th Bn Highland Light Infantry. 17 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

 

Pioneers.

11th Bn King’s. 11 Jan 1915 - 19 Jun 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 27 Apr 1918. Cadre absorbed by the 15th Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regt.
15th Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regt. 19 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

Attached Troops.

Prior to being reduced to Cadre.

11th Bn King’s. 23 Aug 1914 - 11 Jan 1915. Became the Pioneer Bn.
8th Bn Devonshire Regt. 19 Aug 1914 - May 1915. To the 7th Division.

After being reduced to Cadre.

Cadre 2/7th Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regt. 18 Jun 1918 - Jun 1918. Absorbed by the 29th Bn Durham Light Infantry.
Cadre 10/11th Bn Highland Light Infantry. 16 Jun 1918 - 17 Jun 1918. Reconstituted by absorbing the 22nd Bn. The Battalion was now renamed the 10th Bn and joined the 43rd Brigade.
5th Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers. 03 Jun 1918 - 16 Jun 1918. To the 30th Division.
6th Bn Leinster Regt. 07 Jun 1918 - 19 Jun 1918. To the 34th Division.

 

   

Artillery Units

 

On 21 March 1918 the divisional artillery lost all its guns and 259 officers and men were killed, wounded or missing. The brigades were refitted and were in action again by 01 Apr 1918 but did not rejoin the division until 19 Sep 1918. While away from the division the brigades served with the following formations:
III Corps. 01 Apr 1918 - 19 Apr 1918.
XIII Corps. 19 Apr 1918 - 19 Sep 1918.

XLVI Brigade.

148th Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became A Bty.
149th Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became B Bty.
150th Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became C Bty.

 

 

XLVI Brigade. When the Brigade was reorganised a fourth Battery was formed.

A Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
B Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
C Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
D Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 24 May 1916. Went to XLIX Brigade where it became A Bty.
D (H) Bty.24 May 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

XLVII Brigade.

151st Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became A Bty.
152nd Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became B Bty.
153rd Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became C Bty.

 

 

XLVII Brigade. When the Brigade was reorganised a fourth Battery was formed.

A Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
B Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
C Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
D Bty 14 Jan 1915 - 24 May 1916. Went to XLIX Brigade where it became B Bty.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 24 May 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

XLVIII Brigade.

154th Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became A Bty.
155th Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became B Bty.
156th Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became C Bty.

 

 

XLVIII Brigade. When the Brigade was reorganised a fourth Battery was formed. On 07 Jan 1917 the Brigade left the Division and became an Army Field Artillery Brigade.

A Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 07 Jan 1917. With the Brigade to the Army Field Artillery.
B Bty. 14 Jan 1915 -07 Jan 1917. With the Brigade to the Army Field Artillery.
C Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 05 Oct 1916. Broken up and divided up between A and B Btys.
C (Howitzer) Bty. 26 Oct 1916 - 07 Jan 1917. Broken up and divided between D (Howitzer) Bty, XLVI Brigade and D (Howitzer) Bty, XLVII Brigade.
D Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 24 May 1916. Went to XLIX Brigade where it became C Bty.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 24 May 1916 - 07 Jan 1917. With the Brigade to the Army Field Artillery.
528th (Howitzer) Bty. 21 Oct 1916 - 26 Oct 1916. Became C (Howitzer) Bty.

 

XLIX (Howitzer) Brigade.

157th (Howitzer) Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became A (Howitzer) Bty.
158th (Howitzer) Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became B (Howitzer) Bty.
159 (Howitzer) Bty. Sep 1914 - 14 Jan 1915. Became C (Howitzer) Bty.

 

 

XLIX (Howitzer) Brigade. When the Brigade was reorganised a fourth Battery was formed. Further reorganisation took place in May 1916 when the Brigade lost its Howitzer designation.

A (Howitzer) Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 17 Jun 1915. Attached to the 28th Division where it eventually became A (Howitzer) Bty, CXXX (Howitzer) Bde.
B (Howitzer) Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 24 May 1916. Went to LXVII Brigade where it became D(Howitzer) Bty.
C (Howitzer) Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 24 May 1916. Went to LXVI Brigade where it became D (Howitzer) Bty.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 14 Jan 1915 - 24 May 1916. Went to LXVIII Brigade where it became D (Howitzer) Bty.

 

XLIX Brigade. Broken up 06 Oct 1916.

A Bty. 24 May 1916 - 06 Oct 1916. Broken up and divided between the Btys in XLVI Brigade.
B Bty. 24 May 1916 - 06 Oct 1916. Broken up and divided between the Btys in XLVII Brigade.
C Bty. 24 May 1916 - 06 Oct 1916. Broken up, half to the XLVI Brigade and the other half to the XLVII Brigade.

 

   

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