21st DIVISION

Formed at Tring in September 1914 as part of the Third New Army. Arrived in France in September 1915. Served in France and Flanders until the Armistice.

Battles and Engagements.

France and Flanders.

Battle of Loos. 25 Sep-8 Oct 1915.

Battle of Albert. 1-13 Jul 1916, including the capture of Montauban, Mametz, Fricourt, Contalmaison and La Boisselle.
Battle of Bazentin. 14-17 Jul 1916, including the capture of Longueval, Trones Wood and Ovillers.
Battle of Flers-Courcelette. 15-22 Sep 1916, including the capture of Martinpuich.
Battle of Morval. 25-28 Sep 1916, including the capture of Combles, Lesboeufs and Gueudecourt.
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.
Third Battle of the Scarpe. 3-4 May 1917, including the capture of Fresnoy.
Actions on the Hindenburg line. 20 May-16 Jun 1917.
Battle of Polygon Wood. 26 Sep-3 Oct 1917.
Battle of Broodside. 4 Oct 1917.
Second Battle of Passchendaele. 26 Oct-10 Nov 1917.
German counter attacks. 30 Nov-3 Dec 1917.

Battle of St. Quentin. 21-23 Mar 1918.
First Battle of Bapaume. 24-25 Mar 1918.
Battle of Messines. 10-11 Apr 1918.
First Battle of Kemmel. 17-19 Apr 1918.
Second Battle of Kemmel. 25-26 Apr 1918.
Battle of the Scherpenberg. 29 Apr 1918.
Battle of the Aisne. 27 May-7 Jun 1918, including the attack on Bligny and Bois des Buttes.
Battle of Albert. 21-23 Aug 1918, including the capture of Chuignes.
Second Battle of Bapaume. 31 Aug-3 Sep 1918.
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.
Battle of Cambrai. 8-9 Oct 1918, including the capture of Villers Outreaux and Cambrai.
Battle of the Selle. 17-25 Oct 1918.

Infantry Units

62nd Brigade.

3/4th Bn Queen’s. 09 Aug 1917 - 11 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 1st, 6th 7th and 8th Bns.
12th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. Sep 1914 - 10 Aug 1917. Amalgamated with the 13th Bn to form the 12/13th Bn.
12/13th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. 10 Aug 1917 - 11 Nov 1918.
13th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. Sep 1914 - 10 Aug 1917. Amalgamated with the 12th Bn to form the 12/13th Bn.
1st Bn Lincolnshire Regt. 14 Nov 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
2nd Bn Lincolnshire Regt. 04 Feb 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
8th Bn East Yorkshire Regt. 22 Sep 1914 - 15 Nov 1915. To the 3rd Division.
10th Bn Yorkshire Regt. 30 Sep 1914 - 10 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 2nd, 1/4th and 1/5th Bns. A contingent of 127 all ranks from the Bermuda Rifle Volunteer Corps served with the Battalion from June 1915.

63rd Brigade. (Exchanged with the 110th Brigade, 37th Division on 08 July 1916.)

8th Bn Lincolnshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 08 Jul 1916. To the 37th Division.
8th Bn Somerset Light Infantry. 20 Oct 1914 - 08 Jul 1916. To the 37th Division.
12th Bn West Yorkshire Regt. 16 Sep 1914 - 15 Nov 1915. To the 3rd Division.
4th Bn Middlesex Regt. 14 Nov 1915 - 08 Jul 1916. To the 37th Division.
10th Bn York and Lancaster Regt. Sep 1914 - 08 Jul 1916. To the 37th Division.

64th Brigade.

1st Bn East Yorkshire Regt. 27 Nov 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
2nd Bn South Lancashire Regt. 21 Jun 1918 - 30 Jun 1918. To the 30th Division.
9th Bn King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
10th Bn King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Sep 1914 - 13 Feb 1918. Disbanded.
14th Bn Durham Light Infantry. Sep 1914 - 26 Nov 1915. To the 6th Division.
15th Bn Durham Light Infantry. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.

110th Brigade. (Arrived from the 37th Division on 07 Jul 1916.)

6th Bn Leicestershire Regt. 07 Jul 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.
7th Bn Leicestershire Regt. 07 Jul 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.
8th Bn Leicestershire Regt. 07 Jul 1916 - 29 Jun 1918. Reduced to Training Cadre on 28 Jun 1918. Surplus personnel (13 officers and 809 men) to the 7th Bn. Cadre to the 25th Division.
9th Bn Leicestershire Regt. 07 Jul 1916 - 20 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 6th, 7th, 8th and 11th Bns.
1st Bn Wiltshire Regt. 21 Jun 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.

Pioneers.

14th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.

Attached Troops.

14th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became the Pioneer Bn.
13th Bn King’s Royal Rifle Corps. 07 Oct 1914 - Apr 1915. To the 37th Division.
13th Bn Rifle Brigade. Oct 1914 - Apr 1915. To the 37th Division.

 

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