DELVILLE WOOD
LONGUEVAL - SOMME - FRANCE
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DELVILLE WOODLONGUEVAL - SOMME - FRANCE |
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The 66th (EAST LANCASHIRE) DIVISION
September-November 1918
Comprising battalions of the Lancashire Fusiliers, Manchester Regiment and East Lancashire Regiment, the Division landed in France in February 1917 and took part in the operations on the Flanders Coast (June-September 1917). It was the most junior division of the B.E.F. On the 9th October 1917, during the battle of Poelcappelle, the 66th Division "advanced one mile northwards along the ridge in the direction of Passchendaele, capturing all its objectives under the most trying and difficult circumstances with great determination and gallantry" (Despatch of Sir Douglas Haig).
On the 21st March 1918, near St Quentin, its forward posts were surrounded and eventually destroyed. Suffering heavily during the retreat which followed and owing to its losses, the 66th Division was reduced to Training Cadre (less its artillery) in April.
The South African Infantry Brigade, re-formed in England, joined the 66th Division on the 23rd September 1918.
The re-formed and reconstitued 66th Division was in front line early October 1918. It was composed as follows :
General Officer Commanding
Major-General H.K BETHELL
General Staff Officer
Lieutenant-Colonel F.P. NOSWORTHY
Assistant-Adjudant & Quarter-Master-General
Lieutenant-Colonel F.J. LEMON
Commanding Royal Engineers
Lieutenant Colonel O.S. DAVIES
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198th INFANTRY BRIGADE Brigadier General A.J. HUNTER |
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6th Lancashire Fusiliers
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5th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
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6th Royal Dublin Fusiliers
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198th Trench Mortar Battery |
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430th Field Coy, Royal Engineers
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2/2nd East Lancashire Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
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199th INFANTRY BRIGADE Brigadier General G.C. WILLIAMS |
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18th King's (Lancashire Hussars)
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9th Manchester
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5th Connaught Rangers
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199th Trench Mortar Battery |
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431st Field Coy, Royal Engineers
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2/3rd East Lancashire Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
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SOUTH AFRICAN INFANTRY BRIGADE Brigadier General W.E.C. TANNER |
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1st South African Infantry Regiment (Cape of Good Hope)
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2nd South African Infantry Regiment (Natal and Orange Free State)
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4th South African Infantry Regiment (South African Scottish)
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South African Trench Mortar Battery |
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432nd Field Coy, Royal Engineers
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1st South African Field Ambulance, South African Medical Corps
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PIONEERS 9th Gloucestershire
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MACHINE GUNS UNIT 100th (War. and S. Notts. Yeo) Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (joined the 66th Division on the 19th October 1918)
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ARTILLERY Brigadier-General A. BIRTWISTLE
The 66th DivisiOonal Artillery only rejoined the 66th Division on the 8th November 1918 Field Artillery Brigades CCCXXX (A, B, C Batteries : D Howitzer Battery) CCCXXXI (A, B, C Batteries : D Howitzer Battery) 9th Division Ammunitions Column |
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SIGNAL SERVICE 66th Division Signal Coy
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VETERINARY SERVICE 1/1st East Lancashire Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
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TRAIN 541st, 542nd, 543rd and 544th Transport Companies, Army Service Corps. The 541st Coy rejoined with the 66th Divisional Artillery on the 8th November 1918.
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