50th
(NORTHUMBRIAN) DIVISION
The Northumbrian
Division was a Territorial Force Division already in existence at the
outbreak of the war. The Division and Brigades were not numbered until
April 1915 previously just named. Arrived in France in April 1915. In
June 1918 the Division was so under manned that the Brigades were reformed
into Battalions and designated 149th, 150th and 151st Brigade Battalions.
These Battalions formed the 50th Division Composite Brigade. The Division
was reduced to Cadre in June 1918 and reconstituted in July 1918. Served
in France and Flanders until the Armistice.
Battles
and Engagements.
France
and Flanders.
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 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.
Second Battle of the Scarpe. 23-24 Apr 1917,
including the capture of Guemappe and Gavrelle.
Second Battle of Passchendaele. 26 Oct-10
Nov 1917.
Battle
of St. Quentin. 21-23 Mar 1918.
Actions of the Somme crossings. 24-25 Mar
1918.
Battle of Rosieres. 26-27 Mar 1918.
Battle of Estaires. 9-11 Apr 1918, including
the first defence of Givenchy.
Battle of Hazebrouck. 12-15 Apr 1918, including
the defence of the Hinges Ridge and the Nieppe Forest.
Battle of the Aisne. 27 May-7 Jun 1918, including
the attack on Bligny and Bois des Buttes.
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 Beaurevoir. 3-5 Oct 1918.
Battle of Cambrai. 8-9 Oct 1918, including
the capture of Villers Outreaux and Cambrai.
The pursuit to the Selle. 9-12 Oct 1918.
Battle of the Selle. 17-25 Oct 1918.
Battle of the Sambre. 4 Nov 1918, including
the passage of the Sambre-Oise canal and the capture of Le Quesnoy.
Infantry
Units
149th
(Northumberland) Brigade.
Prior to being reduced
to Cadre.
1/4th
Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. 04 Aug 1914 - 19 Jul 1918. Reduced
to Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the L
of C Troops.
1/5th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. 04 Aug
1914 - 19 Jul 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the
L of C Troops.
1/6th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. 04 Aug
1914 - 19 Jul 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the L
of C Troops.
1/7th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. 04 Aug
1914 - 10 Feb 1918. To the 42nd
Division.
1/5th Bn Border Regt. 05 May 1915 - 20 Dec
1915. To the 151st Brigade.
After
being reformed.
3rd
Bn Royal Fusiliers. 15 Jul 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
13th Bn Black Watch. 15 Jul 1918 - 11 Nov
1918.
2nd Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers. 15 Jul 1918
- 11 Nov 1918.
150th
(York and Durham) Brigade.
Prior to being reduced
to Cadre.
1/4th
Bn East Yorkshire Regt. 04 Aug 1914 - 19 Jul 1918. Reduced to
Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the
L of C Troops.
1/4th Bn Yorkshire Regt. 04 Aug 1914 - 16
Jul 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the
L of C Troops.
1/5th Bn Yorkshire Regt. 04 Aug 1914 - 15
Jul 1918. Reduced to Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the
L of C Troops.
1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 04 Aug 1914
- 12 Feb 1918. To the 151st Brigade.
After
being reformed.
2nd
Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. 16 Jul 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
7th Bn Wiltshire Regt. 15 Jul 1918 - 11 Nov
1918.
2nd Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers. 15 Jul 1918
- 11 Nov 1918.
151st
(Durham Light Infantry) Brigade.
Prior to being reduced
to Cadre.
1/5th
Bn Border Regt. 20 Dec 1915 - 12 Feb 1918. To the 66th
Division.
1/5th Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regt. 11 Jun
1915 -21 Dec 1915. To the 9th Division.
1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 12 Feb 1918
- 19 Jul 1918. Reduced to Training Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the
L of C Troops.
1/6th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 04 Aug 1914
- 19 Jul 1918. Reduced to Training Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the
L of C Troops. Amalgamated
with the 1/8th Bn to form the 6/8th Bn on 03 Jun 1915 until 11 Aug 1915
when both Battalions resumed their identities.
1/7th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 04 Aug 1914
- 16 Nov 1915. Became the Pioneer Bn.
1/8th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 04 Aug 1914
- 19 Jul 1918. Reduced to Training Cadre on 15 Jul 1918. Cadre to the
L of C Troops. Amalgamated with the 1/6th Bn to form the 6/8th Bn
on 03 Jun 1915 until 11 Aug 1915.
1/9th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 04 Aug 1914
- 12 Feb 1918. To the 62nd Division.
After
being reformed.
6th
Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. 16 Jul 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
1st Bn King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
15 Jul 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
4th Bn King’s Royal Rifle Corps. 16 Jul 1918
- 11 Nov 1918.
Pioneers.
5th
Bn Royal Irish Regt. 14 Jul 1918 - 11 Nov 1918.
6th Bn South Wales Borderers. 20 Jun 1918
- 01 Jul 1918. To the 30th Division.
1/7th Bn Durham Light Infantry. 16 Nov 1915
- 20 Jun 1918. To the 8th Division.
25th Division Composite
Brigade. (Broken up 07 Jul 1918.)
No
1 Bn.
11th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers. 25 Jun 1918 - 07 Jul 1918. (Disbanded
12 Aug 1918.)
4th Bn South Staffordshire Regt. 22 Jun 1918 - 11 Jul 1918. Reduced
to Training Cadre on 11 Jul 1918. Cadre remained attached to the Division
until Aug 1918 when it went to the 39th
Division.
No
2 Bn.
8th Bn Border Regt. 22 Jun 1918 - 07 Jul 1918. Disbanded.
9th Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regt. 22 Jun 1918 - 07 Jul 1918. Disbanded.
No
3 Bn.
1/6th Bn Cheshire Regt. 25 Jun 1918 - 07 Jul 1918. To the 30th
Division.
50th Division Composite
Brigade. (Joined with the 25th Division Composite Brigade 25 Jun 1918
- 07 Jul 1918.)
149th Brigade Bn.
150th Brigade Bn.
151st Brigade Bn.
The composite Battalions
were made up from the men remaining in each of the Brigades.
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