4th DIVISION

A Regular Division stationed at Woolwich, Shornecliffe, Dover and Colchester prior to the outbreak of the war. Arrived in France in August 1914. Served in France and Flanders until the Armistice.

Battles and Engagements.

France and Flanders.

Battle of Le Cateau. 26 Aug 1914.
Affair of Nery. 1 Sep 1914.
Battle of the Marne. 7-10 Sep 1914, including the passage of the Petit Morin and the passage of the Marne.
Battle of the Aisne. 12-15 Sep 1914, including the capture of the Aisne Heights including the Chemin des Dames.
Battle of Messines. 12 Oct-2 Nov 1914.
Battle of Armentieres. 13 Oct-2 Nov 1914, including the capture of Metern.

Battle of St. Julien. 24 Apr-5 May 1915.
Battle of Frezenberg. 8-13 May 1915.
Battle of Bellewaarde. 24-25 May 1915.

Battle of Albert. 1-13 Jul 1916, including the capture of Montauban, Mametz, Fricourt, Contalmaison and La Boisselle.
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.
Battle of Polygon Wood. 26 Sep-3 Oct 1917.
Battle of Broodside. 4 Oct 1917.
Battle of Poelcappelle. 9 Oct 1917.
First Battle of Passchendaele. 12 Oct 1917.

First Battle of Arras. 28 Mar 1918.
Battle of Hazebrouck. 12-15 Apr, including the defence of the Hinges Ridge and the Nieppe Forest.
Battle of Bethune. 18 Apr 1918, including the second defence of Givenchy.
Advance in Flanders. 18 Aug-6 Sep 1918.
Battle of the Scarpe. 26-30 Aug 1918, including the capture of Monchy le Preux.
Battle of Drocourt-Queant. 2-3 Sep 1918.
Battle of the Canal du Nord. 27 Sep-1 Oct 1918, including the capture of Bourlon Wood.
Battle of the Selle. 17-25 Oct 1918.
Battle of Valenciennes. 1-2 Nov 1918, including the capture of Mont Houy.

Infantry units

10th Brigade.

1st Bn Royal Warwickshire Regt. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
2nd Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regt. 10 Feb 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
3/10th Bn Middlesex Regt. 02 Aug 1917 - 20 Feb 1918. Disbanded.
2nd Bn Seaforth Highlanders. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers. 04 Aug 1914 - 02 Aug 1917. To the 36th Division.
1/7th Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 06 Jan 1915 - 01 Mar 1916. To the 51st Division.
1/9th Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 21 May 1915 - 22 Jul 1915. To the Corps Troops.
2nd Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers. 04 Aug 1914 - 15 Nov 1916. To the 16th Division.
Household Bn. 17 Nov 1916 - 10 Feb 1918. Disbanded.

11th Brigade.

1st Bn Somerset Light Infantry. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt. 26 Jul 1915 - 22 May 1916. To the 7th Division.
1st Bn East Lancashire Regt. 04 Aug 1914 - 01 Feb 1918. To the 34th Division.
1st Bn Hampshire Regt. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
1st Bn Rifle Brigade. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
1/5th Bn London Regt. 17 Nov 1914 - 19 May 1915. To the GHQ Troops.

12th Brigade. (Exchanged with the 107th Brigade, 36th Division from 05 Nov 1915 until 03 Feb 1916. All the Battalions that were serving with the Brigade at that time went to the 36th Division.)

1st Bn King’s Own. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers. 14 Mar 1915 - 26 Jul 1915. To the 11th Brigade.
2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
2nd Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. 04 Aug 1914 - 06 Dec 1914. To the GHQ Troops.
2nd Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regt. 03 Feb 1916 - 10 Feb 1918. To the 10th Brigade.
1/5th Bn South Lancashire Regt. 16 Feb 1915 - 05 Nov 1915. To the 36th Division.
2nd Bn Essex Regt. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918. Served with the 109th Brigade, 36th Division 05 Nov 1915 - 03 Feb 1916.)
1/2nd Bn Monmouthshire Regt. 20 Nov 1914 - 05 Nov 1915. To the 36th Division. (Amalgamated with the 1/1st and 1/3rd Bns in the 84th Brigade, 28th Division from 27 May 1915 until 24 Jul 1915.)

107th Brigade. (Served with the Division from 05 Nov 1915 until 03 Feb 1916.)

8th Bn Royal Irish Rifles. 05 Nov 1915 - 03 Feb 1916. To the 36th Division.
9th Bn Royal Irish Rifles. 05 Nov 1915 - 03 Feb 1916. To the 36th Division.
10th Bn Royal Irish Rifles. 05 Nov 1915 - 03 Feb 1916. To the 36th Division.
15th Bn Royal Irish Rifles. 05 Nov 1915 - 03 Feb 1916. To the 36th Division.

Pioneers.

21st Bn West Yorkshire Regt. 21 Jun 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.

Attached Troops.

3/4th Bn Queen’s. 19 - 25 Jun 1917. To the 12th Division.

Artillery Units

Royal Field Artillery

XIV Brigade. (Became an Army Field Artillery Brigade on 14 Jan 1917.)

39th Bty. 04 aug 1914 - 08 Feb 1915. To the XIX Brigade, 27th Division.
68th Bty. 04 aug 1914 - 14 Jan 1917. To the Army Field Artillery.
86th (Howitzer) Bty. 21 May 1916 - 14 Jan 1917. To the XXXII Brigade.
88th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 14 Jan 1917. To the Army Field Artillery.

XXIX Brigade.

125th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
126th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
127th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
128th (Howitzer) Bty. 21 May 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.

XXXII Brigade.

27th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
86th (Howitzer) Bty. 14 Jan 1917 - 11 Nov 1918.
134th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
135th Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 21 May 1916 - 14 Jan 1917. Broken up, sections rejoined their original batteries (86th and 128th (Howitzer) batteries).

XXXVII (Howitzer) Brigade. (Left the Division 17 Feb 1915 to the Corps Tropps).

31st (Howitzer) Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 17 Feb 1915. To the Corps Troops.
35th (Howitzer) Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 17 Feb 1915. To the Corps Troops.
55th(Howitzer) Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 28 Nov 1914. Attached to the 7th Division.

CXXVII (Howitzer) Brigade. (Formed 06 Aug 1915). Broken up 21 May 1916.

86th (Howitzer) Bty. 06 Aug 1915 - 21 May 1916. To the XIV Brigade.
128th (Howitzer) Bty. 06 Aug 1915 - 21 May 1916. To the XXIX Brigade.
When the Brigade was broken up one section from each battery went to form D Bty, XXXII Brigade.

Royal Garrison Artillery

31st Heavy Bty. 04 Aug 1914 - 29 Apr 1915. To the No 2 Group Heavy Artillery Reserve.

Attached Units

86th (Howitzer) Bty. 18 May 1915 - 06 Aug 1915. To the CXXVII Brigade.
128th (Howitzer) Bty. 25 Jun 1915 - 06 Aug 1915. to the CXXVII Brigade.
2nd Mountain Bty. 14 Dec 1914 - 21 Apr 1915. To the Corps Troops.

 

Back to Divisions Page