61st (2nd South Midland) Division
The 61st (2nd South Midland) Division was an infantry division of the British Army raised in 1915 during the Great War as a second-line reserve for the first-line battalions of the 48th (South Midland) Division. The division was sent to the Western Front in May 1916 and served there for the duration of the First World War.
| 61st (2nd South Midland) Division | |
|---|---|
 Division insignia | |
| Active | January 1915 – January 1919 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Engagements | First World War |
Unit history
The division landed in France in May 1916.[1] On 19 July 1916, together with the 5th Australian Division, the 61st Division fought the Battle of Fromelles, designed as a feint attack as part of the Somme Offensive.[1] The attack, against well prepared German positions based on a ridge, was a disaster and responsible for the subsequent poor reputation of the Division.[2] The division later took part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line and the Third Battle of Ypres.[1]
Order of Battle
The order of battle was as follows:[1]
- 2/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
- 2/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 2/7th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 2/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
- 2/8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (from 183rd Bde. February 1918)
The brigade contained the following battalions until February 1918 when most of them were disbanded.
- 2/4th (City of Bristol) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
- 2/6th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
- 2/7th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
- 2/8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (to 182nd Bde. February 1918)
Between February and June 1918 the 183rd Brigade contained the following battalions.
- 1/9th (Highlanders) Battalion, Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
- 1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
- 1/8th (Argyllshire) Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
From May 1918 the following battalions joined the Brigade.
- 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment
- 9th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
- 11th (Service) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
- 2/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
- 2/4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 2/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (disbanded February 1918)
- 2/4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment
- Divisional Troops
- 1/5th Bn, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry joined as Divisional Pioneer Bn April 1916
- 267th Machine Gun Company joined 18 January 1918, moved to 61st Bn MGC 1 March 1918
- 61st Battalion MGC formed 1 March 1918
- Divisional Mounted Troops
- 2/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry joined October 1915, left February 1916
- 2/2nd County of London Yeomanry joined 24 January 1916, left February 1916
- C Sqn, 1/1st Hampshire Yeomanry joined 18 March 1916, left 7 June 1916
- 2nd South Midland Divisional Cyclist Company left June 1916
- 61st (2nd South Midland) Divisional Artillery
- (the artillery of 59th Division was also attached between 8 and 26 August 1918)
- CCCV (2/I South Midland) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA) broken up 17 September 1916
- CCCVI (2/II South Midland) Brigade, RFA
- CCCVII (2/III South Midland) Brigade, RFA
- CCCVIII (2/IV S.M.) (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA broken up 27 January 1917
- 2/1st South Midland (Warwicks) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) left 3 February 1916
- 2/2nd London Heavy Battery RGA joined 24 January 1916, left 3 February 1916
- 1/1st Wessex Heavy Battery RGA attached 24 January to February 1916
- 2/1st Wessex Heavy Battery RGA attached 24 January to February 1916
- 61st Divisional Ammunition Column RFA
- V.61 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, RFA formed by 16 August 1916; left 7 February 1918
- X.61, Y.61 and Z.61 Medium Mortar Batteries, RFA formed June 1916; on 7 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each
- 477th (2/1st South Midland) Field Company moved independently to France and joined 48th Division June 1915
- 478th (2/2nd South Midland) Field Company
- 479th (3/1st South Midland) Field Company
- 476th (1/3rd South Midland) Field Company joined by May 1916
- 61st Divisional Signals Company
- Royal Army Medical Corps
- 2/1st South Midland Field Ambulance
- 2/2nd South Midland Ambulance
- 2/3rd South Midland Field Ambulance
- 61st Sanitary Section left for IV Corps 12 April 1917
- Other Divisional Troops
- 61st Divisional Train ASC 521, 522, 523 and 524 Companies ASC
- 2/1st South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
- 251st Divisional Employment Company joined 7 June 1917
Battles
General Officer Commanding
Commanding officers were:
- Major-General Richard Bannatine-Allason, September 1915 – February 1916[3]
- Major-General Sir Colin Mackenzie, KCB, February 1916 – May 1918[4]
- Major-General F. John Duncan, CB, CMG, DSO 1918[2]
References
- "61st (2nd South Midland) Division". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- The 61st Division had the Reputation of Being a poorly Performing Formation. How did it Acquire this Reputation and was it a Justified Description? (PDF) (MA) (online ed.). Birmingham: University of Birmingham. 984318. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- "Richard Bannatine-Allason". Centre for First World War Studies, University of Birmingham. Archived from the original on 16 February 2006. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- "British Divisional Commanders During the Great War - First Thoughts: Note 19". Western Front Association. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
External links
- The Long, Long, Trail: The British Army in the Great War, The 61st (2nd South Midland) Division
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