Country United Kingdom Type Infantry Motto(s) Go One Better | Branch Territorial Army Size Division | |
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Active 1908–19191920–19411947–1961 | ||
The 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army. The division was raised in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force, originally as the East Lancashire Division, and was redesignated as the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division on 25 May 1915. It was the first Territorial division to be sent overseas during the First World War. The division fought at Gallipoli, in the Sinai desert and on the Western Front in France and Belgium. In World War II it served as the 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and fought in Belgium and France before being evacuated at Dunkirk. The division was later reformed in Britain in November 1941 as the 42nd Armoured Division which was disbanded in October 1943 without serving overseas. A 2nd Line duplicate formation, the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division, was created when the Territorials were doubled in both world wars.
Contents
- First World War
- Egypt
- Gallipoli
- Egypt and the Sinai Campaign
- Western Front
- First World War battles
- First World War composition
- Infantry
- Pioneers and Cavalry
- Divisional Artillery
- 1917 field artillery reorganization
- Trench mortar batteries
- 42 Battalion Machine Gun Corps
- Royal Engineers
- Combat Service Support
- Between the wars
- Second World War
- Order of Battle World War II
- Post 1945
- Commanders
- Memorials and Monuments
- Recipients of the Victoria Cross
- References
The division was disbanded during the war but was reformed in the Territorial Army in 1947 after the Second World War. Beckett 2008 says that TA units that were in suspended animation were formally reactivated on 1 January 1947, although no personnel were assigned until commanding officers and permanent staff had been appointed in March and April 1947. From December 1955, the division was placed on a lower establishment, for home defence purposes only. On 1 May 1961 the division was merged with North West District to become 42nd Lancashire Division/North West District.
First World War
The division was embodied upon the outbreak of war. The war station was intended to be Ireland, but due to its pacific state, the intended move did not materialise. After a brief period at their drill halls, the various units proceeded to large tented camps at Turton Bottoms (near Bolton), Chesham (near Bury) and Holingworth Lake, Littleborough (near Rochdale). The personnel were asked to volunteer for overseas service, and the overwhelming majority did so, the deficiences made up of men from the National Reserve and other re-enlistments. The 'home service' men formed the cadre of duplicate units, intended to train the rush of volunteers at the drill halls. These would form the divisional reserve, and later become the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division.
In 1914 the East Lancashire Division was one of 14 infantry divisions and 55 mounted regiments called the Yeomanry which made up the Territorial Force. Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, described these divisions and regiments of mainly white–collar workers as "a town clerk's army." Their junior officers were trained at the Officer Training Corps set up at the universities and large public schools such as Eton and Harrow and Kitchener sent these forces to the peripheral campaigns; to the Sudan, Mesopotamia, Egypt, to the Caucasus to release Regular British Army soldiers for duty on the Western Front because he thought these amateur soldiers 'might not be able to hold their own with the German Army.'
Egypt
The East Lancashire Division arrived in Egypt on 25 September 1914 and served in the interior, around Cairo (with some elements stationed in Cyprus and the Sudan) together with some Yeomanry units, and the Australian and New Zealand contingents before going to Gallipoli.
The division was sent to Egypt to defend the Suez Canal against anticipated Turkish attacks. The 15 pounder gun batteries were deployed at key points on the west bank in support of Indian Army and New Zealand troops manning guardposts. The 20th Battery (Bolton Artillery) fired the Division's first artillery rounds of the Great War, and the first of the Territorial Force of the campaign, near El Ferdan on 2 February 1915. The 19th Battery (Bolton Artillery) was in action in support of Indian and New Zealand troops between Tussum and Serapeum on the night and morning of 3–4 February 1915, against the attempted crossing of the canal by the 74th Regiment, Turkish 25th Division.
Gallipoli
Beginning in early May 1915 the division joined the British Army Corps, from June known as VIII Corps, at Cape Helles following the failure of the Allies to achieve the anticipated swift success at Gallipoli during April. On 26 May 1915 the division received its number, becoming the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, and the brigades were also numbered, becoming 125th (1/1st Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade, 126th (1/1st East Lancashire) Brigade and 127th (1/1st Manchester) Brigade.
The 4th (Blackburn) battery, 1 section of the 6th (Burnley) battery, and 19th and 20th (Bolton) batteries did not join the division on Gallipoli until 23/24 September, and the 1st/2nd East Lancs Brigade RFA (Manchester Artillery) arrived in Egypt in May from Britain and remained in Egypt.
The 125th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade landed in time to participate in the Second Battle of Krithia on 6 May. The 126th Brigade arrived on 11 May. The entire division was involved in the Third Battle of Krithia on 4 June.
The division carried out the Helles diversion at the start of the Battle of Sari Bair in what became known as the Battle of Krithia Vineyard. Captain William Thomas Forshaw of the 1/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in this battle from 7 to 9 August.
2nd Lieutenant Alfred Victor Smith of the 1/5th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his action at Helles on 23 December.
The division remained at Gallipoli until the final evacuation of Helles in January 1916 but was severely depleted by casualties and illness.
42nd Division's casualties at Gallipoli were 395 officers and 8152 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.
Egypt and the Sinai Campaign
After the evacuation of Gallipoli, the division returned to Egypt, and was renamed the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. As such the participated in the Battle of Romani and the advance from Romani to Katia.
The 42nd Division served at Kantara on the Suez Canal in No. 3 Section of the Suez Canal Defences under General Lawrence until they were entrained for railhead at Pelusium on the first day of the Battle of Romani 4 August 1916.
On arrival late in the day, the 127th Brigade of the 42nd Division took over outpost duties at 1930 hours while the New Zealand Mounted Rifle and 5th Mounted Yeomanry Brigades, which had been heavily involved in fighting during the day, withdrew to water and rest at Pelusium.
On the second day of battle, 5 August 1916, the 42nd Division along with the 52nd (Lowland) Division which had fought the previous day from their entrenched position, were ordered to move out to support the Australian Light Horse and New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigades in a pursuit of the enemy. The 42nd Division was not prepared for the conditions they found in the Sinai desert. They had not been trained to operate in heavy sand in mid summer heat, and with insufficient water, extreme distress and tragedy followed. The mounted troops alone, were unable to stop the enemy making a disciplined withdrawal to water at Katia and to fall back in good order, the following day.
The 127th Brigade, 42nd Division eventually reached Katia the next day, 6 August; 800 men had died in the two-day march from Pelusium Station. The 125th Brigade of the 42nd Division and the 155th, and 157th brigades of the 52nd Division also had many men fall victim to thirst and the blazing sun; the infantry pursuit could not go on.
Robert Bethel, Army Service Corps, and McPherson, an officer in the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps, worked to transport provisions and water to the 125th and 127th brigades. They recorded what they saw of these terrible days. Nearly fifty years after serving with the 42nd Division in the Sinai, one veteran, gunner J. Thompson, confessed that the "sight of a leaking tap" made him "squirm."
By December 1916, the 42nd Division was furnishing units to protect the lines of communication at Salmana, Abu Tilul and the railway station Maadan and took part in a practice attack on 13 December. On 21 December 42nd and 52nd Divisions marched from Kilo 128 to Bardawil and continued to move eastwards towards Masaid.
On 17 January 1917, the 42nd Division was no longer in the Sinai Campaign, having been among the first of the Territorial Force to receive orders for the Western Front. The division was replaced in Desert Column by another Territorial Division, the 53rd (Welsh) Division commanded by Dallas. The two other Territorial infantry divisions; the 52nd at Rafa and the 54th (East Anglian) Division ordered out to Romani from the Suez Canal, were put directly under General Dobell commander of Eastern Force. The 42nd Division departed Egypt early in February 1917.
Western Front
In March 1917 the division moved to France and joined 3 Corps in Fourth Army.
Divisional artillery remained in the line in support of 58th and then 9th (Scottish) Division at Havrincourt Wood.
Divisional artillery entered line immediately in support of 15th (Scottish) Division near Potijze Chateau.
Divisional artillery remained in the Line until 29 September, participated in heavy fighting from 20 September and advanced to exposed positions on Frezenberg Ridge on 25 September. (Battle of the Menin Road Ridge)
Private Walter Mills of C Company, the 1/10th Manchesters, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for actions at Red Dragon Crater, Givenchy on the night of 10 December 1917.
Their opponent was the German 183rd Division.
Lance-Sergeant Edward Smith of the 1/5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions in the capture of The Lozenge (Hill 140, a German machine-gun nest) on 21 August and enemy counterattacks on 22 August.
Divisional artillery went into action under heavy fire in support of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division on outskirts of Loupart Wood.
Divisional artillery remained in action in support of the New Zealand Division in the Pursuit to the Selle
Private Alfred Robert Wilkinson of the 1/5th Manchesters was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions on 20 October at Marou. The Division's opponent in these actions was the German 25th Division.
First World War battles
First World War composition
The infantry were equipped with the obsolescent Long Magazine Lee–Enfield (MLE) rifle from embarkation in 1914 until arrival in France in March 1917, when they were re-equipped with the standard modern Short Magazine Lee–Enfield (SMLE).
Infantry
The division comprised three infantry brigades:
125th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade
126th (East Lancashire) Brigade
127th (Manchester) Brigade
Pioneers and Cavalry
Divisional Artillery
Originally each of the field gun batteries was equipped with four obsolescent BLC 15 pounder field guns (referred to somewhat inaccurately by Ian Hamilton as "relics of South Africa"). They were replaced on 29 February 1916 with modern QF 18 pounder guns handed over by 29th Division in Egypt.
Renamed 210 Brigade 6 May 1916
Arrived Egypt May 1915, did not go to Gallipoli.
Renamed 211 Brigade 29 May 1916
Renamed 212 Brigade 29 May 1916
Originally each of the 2 batteries was equipped with 4 obsolescent BL 5 inch Howitzers ("some of them Omdurman veterans").
Joined Division on Gallipoli in July 1915 from Egypt. However, only limited supplies of the new 40 pound 5-inch shells were sent from Mudros (older shells were 50 pounds). No range tables for the lighter and hence longer-range shell were available, and they had a new pattern fuse for which no fuse keys were available. Hence use of these howitzers on Gallipoli became very limited.
Renamed 213 Brigade in May 1916.
Re-equipped in June 1916 with modern QF 4.5 inch Howitzers.
1917 field artillery reorganization
In February 1917 the Cumberland Artillery / 213 Brigade was disbanded and its two howitzer batteries merged into the 18-pounder brigades in accordance with the new artillery brigade philosophy. Existing four-gun, 18-pounder batteries in each of 210, 211 and 212 Brigades were merged into six-gun batteries, and the four brigades replaced by new 210 and 211 Brigades each with 3 six-gun, 18-pounder batteries and one howitzer battery.
Gibbon's divisional history states that the above occurred on paper on Christmas Day 1916, when the division was on manoeuvres at Al Mazar, and the reorganization actually occurred in February 1917 on return to the canal zone.
Hence from February 1917 to 11 November 1918 the divisional artillery consisted of 210 and 211 Brigades, each with 3 six-gun batteries of 18-pounders (A,B,C) and one battery of four 4.5-inch howitzers (D).
Trench mortar batteries
Equipped with 4 9.45 inch Heavy Mortars. Part of Divisional Artillery until 15 February 1918 when it remained in La Bassée sector under Corps command when the Division departed.
Initially 3 batteries, each equipped with 4 Newton 6 inch Mortars, and 2 batteries of 6 from February 1918, following the disbanding of Z Battery. Part of Divisional Artillery
42 Battalion Machine Gun Corps
Formed 23 February 1918 from the previous four separate companies. One company was attached to each of the three infantry brigades and one company in Divisional Reserve.
Royal Engineers
Combat Service Support
Between the wars
The division was disbanded after the war, along with the rest of the Territorial Force. However, it was later reformed in the 1920s as the Territorial Army and the 42nd Division was reconstituted.
Second World War
In the early stages of the Second World War, the 42nd Division was deployed as part of the British Expeditionary Force during the Battle of France. After the Dunkirk evacuation the division was regrouped and spent most of its time training and preparing for a German invasion of England. In 1941, due to a shortage of armoured troops in the British Army, the division was converted to the 42nd Armoured Division on 1 November. It was later disbanded on 17 October 1943 without seeing action as an armoured formation and many of its units were sent elsewhere. The name of the division was later used for the purpose of military deception. The 42nd Division was awarded its first and only Victoria Cross of the Second World War, belonging to Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews of the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, during the Battle of Dunkirk. He was also the first of eight Irishmen to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the Second World War.
Order of Battle World War II
125th Infantry Brigade
126th Infantry Brigade
127th Infantry Brigade
Divisional Troops
Post 1945
In 1947, the 42nd and 55th (West Lancashire) Divisions were amalgamated to form the 42nd (Lancashire) Division as part of the post-war Territorial Army but this was disbanded by 1968 with changes to the Territorial Army structure.
In the modern British Army the 42 North West Brigade has adopted the former 42nd (Lancashire) Division badge.
Commanders
Memorials and Monuments
The 42nd Division Memorial stands on the north edge of Trescault village (Multimap external link) on the left of the road to Havrincourt. It was unveiled by Major-General Solly-Flood on Easter Sunday, 1922.
The inscription reads: "In memory of all ranks of the 42nd East Lancashire Territorial Division who gave their lives for King and Country during the Great War and in commemoration of the attack and capture of the Hindenburg line at Trescault by the Division on 28 September 1918"
On the north-east side of Trescault, 274 metres to the east of the monument, is Ribecourt Road Cemetery, which the 42nd Division called the Divisional Cemetery, Trescault.
Further details and photographs can be found on the World War One Battlefields: Cambrai page (external link).
There is also a memorial at Bucquoy, France.