58th (2/1st London) Division

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58th (2/1st London) Division
Second World War:
Operation Fortitude
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Maj-Gen H.D. Fanshawe
Maj-Gen A.B.E. Cator
Maj-Gen N.M. Smyth, VC
French and British soldiers of the 58th Division playing cards at Bernagousse, near Barisis on the extreme of the newly extended British line, 16 March 1918

The 58th (2/1st London) Division was an

56th (1/1st London) Division. After training in Britain, the division joined the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front in 1917. It saw action at the battles of Arras and Passchedaele in 1917 and the German spring offensive in 1918. It then took part in the Battle of Amiens and the final Allied Hundred Days Offensive of the war. The division was recreated during the Second World War
, as an imaginary deception formation.

Origin

The formation of reserve or 2nd Line TF units was authorised by the War Office on 31 August 1914. At first they comprised those members of the pre-war parent unit who had not volunteered for or were unfit for overseas service, who trained the flood of volunteers who came forward. Later, the 2nd Line formations were also prepared for overseas service and 3rd Line units were formed to provide replacements. In the case of the 2/1st London Division, this process began early, when the 2/1st London Brigade went to Malta in December 1914 to relieve its 1st Line counterpart that had been despatched there on the outbreak of war. It was replaced in the 2/1st London Division by its 3rd Line (the battalions were renumbered when the original 2nd Line battalions were disbanded in 1916). The artillery, engineers and two infantry battalions of the 1/1st London Division had not gone overseas, and these were attached to the 2/1st Division for the first year of its existence.[1][2][3]

Training

In August 1915, the division concentrated around

.303 Lee-Enfield service rifle in place of the .256-in Japanese Ariska rifles with which they had done their early training.[1][4][5]

The division began embarking for France on 20 January 1917 and had concentrated by 8 February. It then served for the remainder of the war on the Western Front.[1][6]

Order of battle

The division had the following composition during the war:[1][7]

2/1st London Brigade

Main article: 2/1st London Brigade

Brigade left to relieve 1/1st London Brigade at Malta between December 1914 and February 1915

173rd (3/1st London) Brigade

Main article: 173rd (3/1st London) Brigade

Formed in April 1915

174th (2/2nd London) Brigade

Main article: 174th (2/2nd London) Brigade

175th (2/3rd London) Brigade

Main article: 175th (2/3rd London) Brigade

Support Troops

Mounted Troops

Artillery

58th Divisional Engineers

Pioneers

Machine Guns

Medical

  • 2/1st London Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) – rejoined 56th (1st London) Division February 1916
  • 2/2nd London Field Ambulance, RAMC – rejoined 56th (1st London) Division February 1916
  • 2/3rd London Field Ambulance, RAMC – rejoined 56th (1st London) Division February 1916
  • 2/1st Home Counties Field Ambulance, RAMC – joined from 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division February 1916
  • 2/2nd Home Counties Field Ambulance, RAMC – joined from 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division February 1916
  • 2/3rd Home Counties Field Ambulance, RAMC – joined from 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division February 1916
  • 58th Sanitary Section – left to take over No 8 Sanitary Area, VIII Corps, 30 March 1917

Veterinary

Labour

  • 249th Divisional Employment Co, Labour Corps – formed June 1917

Supply

  • 58th (2/1st London) Divisional Train, Army Service Corps (ASC)
    • 509th Horse Transport Co, ASC
    • 510th Horse Transport Co, ASC
    • 511th Horse Transport Co, ASC
    • 512th Horse Transport Co, ASC

Attached

Actions

The division was engaged in the following actions:[1]

1917

1918

Demobilisation

King George V with Edward, Prince of Wales, Prince Albert, and General Sir Henry Horne walking through Stambruges, 5 December 1918. Here the 175th Brigade was drawn up, under temporary command of Lieutenant Colonel Evelyn George Powell of the Grenadier Guards.

After the

Peruwelz in Belgium. Skilled tradesmen and 'pivotal' men began to be demobilised during December 1918, and by March 1919 the division had dwindled to a brigade group concentrated around Leuze as units were reduced to cadres. The artillery left for the UK on 4 April, and the last units left France at the end of June, when 58th Division ceased to exist.[1]

General Officers Commanding

The following officers commanded the division:[1]

  • Brig-Gen E.J. Cooper, appointed 4 May 1915
  • Maj-Gen H.D. Fanshawe, appointed 5 September 1916
  • Maj-Gen A.B.E. Cator, appointed 6 October 1916; sick 10 May 1918
  • Brig-Gen C.G. Higgins, acting 10–21 May, 10–13 June 1918
  • Maj-Gen N.M. Smyth, VC, appointed 21 May; sick 10 June 1918
  • Maj-Gen F. W. Ramsay, appointed 13 June 1918

Second World War

The division was 'reformed' as a 'phantom division' created as part of '

3rd Infantry Division which was going south to take part in a D-Day rehearsal. Unlike other 'phantom divisions' the 58th's number was chosen on the basis of Ultra reports that showed the Germans believed a 58th Infantry Division existed in the vicinity of Windsor. This misidentification was then supported by simulated radio traffic and by fictitious reports from double agents working for the British Security Service, MI5.[8][9][10]

As part of the Fourth Army's II Corps, the division took the role of a mountain trained assault formation in 'Fortitude North' (HQ: Aberlour) and the role of follow up unit in 'Fortitude South' (HQ: Gravesend). It was disposed of by announcing that the division had moved to Hertfordshire and been disbanded in April 1945.[8][9][11][12]

The formation's insignia, a stag's face full on a black square was chosen to support the division's fictional back-story, that it had been formed in the Scottish Highlands around cadres from combat experienced Highland regiments.[8][9][11]

Imaginary formations assigned to the division included the 173rd Infantry Brigade, 174th Infantry Brigade, 175th Infantry Brigade, and support units.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Becke, pp. 9–15.
  2. ^ Grey, pp. 86–97.
  3. ^ Grimwade, pp. 115–6.
  4. ^ Grimwade, pp. 117–22.
  5. ^ Keeson, pp. 278-9.
  6. ^ Keeson, pp. 280–1.
  7. ^ 58 Div at Long, Long Trail
  8. ^ a b c Hesketh.
  9. ^ a b c Martin, pp. 185-8.
  10. ^ Levine.
  11. ^ a b Holt.
  12. ^ Levine, pp. 217, 223.

Bibliography

External links
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