12th (EASTERN) DIVISION

Formed at Colchester in August 1914 as part of the First New Army. Arrived in France in May 1915. Served in France and Flanders until the Armistice.

Battles and Engagements.

France and Flanders.

Battle of Loos. 25 Sep-8 Oct 1915.
Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. 13-19 Oct 1915.

Battle of Albert. 1-13 Jul 1916, including the capture of Montauban, Mametz, Fricourt, Contalmaison and La Boisselle.
Battle of Pozieres. 23 Jul 1916, including the fighting for Mouquet Farm.
Battle of Le Transloy. 1-18 Oct 1916, including the capture of Eaucourt l’Abbaye, Le Sars and the attacks on Butte de Warlencourt.

First Battle of the Scarpe. 9-14 Apr 1917, including the capture Monchy le Preux and the Wancourt Ridge.
Battle of Arleux. 28-29 Apr 1917.
Third Battle of the Scarpe. 3-4 May 1917, including the capture of Fresnoy.
Capture of Roeux. 13-14 May 1917.
The tank attack. 20-21 Nov 1917.
Capture of Bourlon Wood. 23-28 Nov 1917.
German counter attacks. 30 Nov-3 Dec 1917.

First Battle of Bapaume. 24-25 Mar 1918.
First Battle of Arras. 28 Mar 1918.
Battle of the Ancre. 5 Apr 1918.
Battle of Amiens. 8-11 Aug 1918.
Battle of Albert. 21-23 Aug 1918, including the capture of Chuignes.
Battle of Epehy. 18 Sep 1918.
Battle of the St. Quentin Canal. 29 Sep-2 Oct 1918, including the passage at Bellenglise and the capture of the Bellicourt tunnel defences.
The final advance to Artois. 2 Oct-11 Nov 1918, including the capture of Douai.

Infantry Units

35th Brigade.

7th Bn Norfolk Regt. Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
7th Bn Suffolk Regt. 20 Aug 1914 - 24 May 1918. Reduced to Cadre 19 May 1918. Surplus personnel (11 officers, 408 men) to the 1/1st Bn Cambridgeshire Regt.
9th Bn Essex Regt. Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
5th Bn Royal Berkshire Regt. 25 Aug 1914 - 06 Feb 1918. To the 36th Brigade.
1/1st Bn Cambridgeshire Regt. 10 May 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.

36th Brigade.

8th Bn Royal Fusiliers. 21 Aug 1914 - 06 Feb 1918. Disbanded.
9th Bn Royal Fusiliers. 21 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
7th Bn Royal Sussex Regt. 12 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
5th Bn Royal Berkshire Regt. 06 Feb 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
11th Bn Middlesex Regt. Aug 1914 - 27 Feb 1918. Disbanded.

37th Brigade.

6th Bn Queen’s. Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
6th Bn Buffs. Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
7th Bn East Surrey Regt. Aug 1914 - 05 Feb 1918. Disbanded.
6th Bn Queen’s Own. Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.

Pioneers.

5th Bn Northamptonshire Regt. Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.

Attached Troops.

3/4th Bn Queen’s. 25 - 30 Jun 1917. To the 21st Division.
5th Bn Northamptonshire Regt. Aug 1914 - Jan 1915. Became the Pioneer Bn.

 

Back to Divisions Page