74th (Yeomanry) Division
| 74th (Yeomanry) Division | |
|---|---|
Division | |
| Engagements | |
The 74th (Yeomanry) Division was a
First World War, mostly as part of XX Corps. In May 1918 it was sent to the Western Front
where it remained until the end of the war.
The division's insignia was a broken spur to signify that its units were once mounted but now served as infantry.
History
Formation
On 14 January 1917,
4th Dismounted Brigades (then with the Suez Canal Defences) be reorganized as the 229th, 230th and 231st Brigades.[1]
On 23 February 1917,
General Officer Commanding EEF, sought permission from the War Office to form the 229th, 230th and 231st Brigades into a new division. On 25 February, the War Office granted permission and the new 74th (Yeomanry) Division started to form.[1] It was acknowledged that it would take some time for artillery, engineers and auxiliary services to complete the division.[2]
The division began to assemble from 4 March at
Deir el Balah. The other divisional units (cavalry squadron, engineer field companies, veterinary section, and the train), had joined by April. The artillery did not become a part of the division until July and August (after the division had already fought in the Second Battle of Gaza).[1]
| Formation / Organization | Units |
|---|---|
| 229th Brigade | 16th (Royal 1st Devon and Royal North Devon Yeomanry) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment |
| 12th (West Somerset Yeomanry) Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry | |
| 12th (Ayrshire and Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers | |
| 14th (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry) Battalion, Black Watch | |
| 4th Company, Machine Gun Corps | |
| 229th Trench Mortar Battery | |
| 229th Field Ambulance, RAMC | |
| 230th Brigade | 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) |
| 12th ( Norfolk Regiment
| |
| 15th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment | |
| 16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment | |
| 209th Company, Machine Gun Corps | |
| 230th Trench Mortar Battery | |
| 230th Field Ambulance, RAMC | |
| 231st Brigade | 24th (Denbighshire Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers
|
25th (Montgomery and Welsh Horse Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers
| |
24th (Pembroke and Glamorgan Yeomanry) Battalion, Welsh Regiment
| |
| 10th (Shropshire and Cheshire Yeomanry) Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry | |
| 210th Company, Machine Gun Corps | |
| 231st Trench Mortar Battery | |
| 231st Field Ambulance, RAMC | |
| Artillery | XLIV Brigade, RFA[a] (A and B Batteries) |
| CXVII Brigade, RFA[b] (A, B and C (H) Batteries) | |
| CCLXVIII Brigade, RFA[c] (A, B and C (H) Batteries) | |
| 74th Divisional Ammunition Column[d] | |
| Divisional Troops | A 1/2nd County of London Yeomanry[e]
|
| 5th Field Company, Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers[f] | |
| 5th Field Company, Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers[g] | |
| 74th Divisional Signal Company[h] | |
| 59th Mobile Veterinary Section[i] | |
| 74th Divisional Train[j] (447th, 448th, 449th and 450th Companies, ASC) |
Palestine 1917–18
The 74th Division took part in the invasion of
Palestine
in 1917 and 1918.
The division was not fully formed when it participated in the Second Battle of Gaza between 17 and 19 April 1917. It acted as reserve to the Eastern Force and was not engaged. Thereafter, the division was assigned to XX Corps where it remained for the rest of its time in Palestine.[1]
In October and November 1917, the division took part in the
Jerusalem and in March 1918 in the Battle of Tell 'Asur. On 3 April 1918, the division was warned that it would move to France and by 30 April 1918 had completed embarkation at Alexandria.[1]
Before departure for France, the 4th (of 229th Brigade), 209th (of 230th Brigade), 210th (of 231st Brigade) and 261st MG Companies formed 74th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps. It concentrated at Alexandria between 17 and 30 April and departed for France with the division on the latter date.[4]
The artillery was also restructured in March and April 1918 before departing for France. On 21 March, 'A' Battery of CCLXVIII Brigade, RFA (A/CCLXVIII) returned to 60th (2/2nd London) Division where it resumed its original identity as B/CCCI. It was replaced by 425 Battery which was redesignated A/CCLXVIII. Then, between 11 and 21 April, the artillery was reorganized as two brigades at Lydda:
| Old designation | New designation |
|---|---|
| XLIV Brigade, RFA | XLIV Brigade, RFA |
| A Battery | resumed identity as 340 Battery |
| B Battery | resumed identity as 382 Battery |
| former A/CCLXVIII resumed identity as 425 Battery | |
| former C (H)/CCLXVIII as D (H) Battery | |
| CXVII Brigade, RFA | CXVII Brigade, RFA |
| former B/CCLXVIII resumed identity as 366 Battery | |
| A Battery | A Battery |
| B Battery | B Battery |
| C (H) Battery | D (H) Battery |
| CCLXVIII Brigade, RFA | broken up |
| A Battery | transferred to XLIV Brigade as 425 Battery |
| B Battery | transferred to CXVII Brigade as 366 Battery |
| C (H) Battery | transferred to XLIV Brigade as D (H) Battery |
Each brigade now consisted of three batteries of six 18-pounders and a battery of four 4.5" howitzers. Each of the howitzer batteries were later made up to six 4.5" howitzers in France (on 21 May 1918 at Noulette).[4]
France and Flanders 1918
In May 1918, the 74th (Yeomanry) Division landed at
France and Flanders for the rest of the war. By 18 May, the division had concentrated around Rue in the Abbeville area. Here the dismounted Yeomanry underwent training for service on the Western Front, particularly gas defence.[5]
Due to a lack of replacements, BritishLoyal North Lancashire Regiment, was reduced from a 4-company to a 3-company organization.[8]
| Formation / Organization | Units |
|---|---|
| 229th Brigade | 16th (Royal 1st Devon and Royal North Devon Yeomanry) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment |
| 12th (West Somerset Yeomanry) Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry | |
| 14th (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry) Battalion, Black Watch | |
| 229th Trench Mortar Battery | |
| 229th Field Ambulance, RAMC | |
| 230th Brigade | 10th (Royal East Kent and West Kent Yeomanry) Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) |
| 15th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment | |
| 16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment | |
| 230th Trench Mortar Battery | |
| 230th Field Ambulance, RAMC | |
| 231st Brigade | 25th (Montgomery and Welsh Horse Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers |
| 24th (Pembroke and Glamorgan Yeomanry) Battalion, Welsh Regiment | |
| 10th (Shropshire and Cheshire Yeomanry) Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry | |
| 231st Trench Mortar Battery | |
| 231st Field Ambulance, RAMC | |
| Artillery | XLIV Brigade, RFA (340, 382, 425 and 'D' (H) Batteries) |
| CXVII Brigade, RFA (366, 'A', 'B' and 'D' (H) Batteries) | |
| X.74 Medium Trench Mortar Battery, RFA[l] | |
| Y.74 Medium Trench Mortar Battery, RFA | |
| 74th Divisional Ammunition Column | |
| Divisional Troops | 5th Field Company, Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers |
| 5th Field Company, Royal Anglesey Royal Engineers | |
| 439th (2/1st Cheshire) Field Company, Royal Engineers[m] | |
| 74th Divisional Signal Company | |
| 1/12th ( | |
| 74th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (4th, 209th, 210th and 261st Companies, MGC) | |
| 59th Mobile Veterinary Section | |
| 985th Divisional Employment Company[o] | |
| 74th Divisional Train (447th, 448th, 449th and 450th Companies, ASC) |
On 14 July 1918 the 74th (Yeomanry) Division went into the line for the first time, near
With the end of the war, the troops of 74th Division were engaged in railway repair work and education was undertaken while demobilisation began. The division and its subformations were disbanded on 10 July 1919.[5]
Commanders
74th (Yeomanry) Division was commanded throughout its existence by
Major General E.S. Girdwood.[9]
Battles
- Second Battle of Gaza
- Battle of Beersheba
- Third Battle of Gaza
- Battle of Jerusalem
- Battle of Tell 'Asur
- Second Battle of Bapaume
- Battle of Épehy
See also
- List of British divisions in World War I
- British yeomanry during the First World War
Notes
- 18-pounders (399 Battery was broken up to complete the other two). 340 Battery was renamed 'A' Battery and 382 renamed 'B'. The brigade joined the division at Rafahon 3 July.
- 18-pounders('C' Battery was broken up to complete 'A' and 'B' Batteries) and one battery of four 4.5" howitzers ('D' (H) Battery renamed 'C' (H) Battery). The brigade joined the division at Deir el Balah on 9 August.
- 4.5" howitzers).
- ^ Formed between 21 June and 10 July from parts of the ammunition columns of XLIV and CXVII Brigades, RFA.
- ^ Joined the division at Khan Yunis on 5 April. Left on 23 August for XX Corps Cavalry Regiment.
- ^ Joined the division at Deir el Balah by 19 April.
- ^ Joined the division at Deir el Balah on 14 April.
- ^ Formed from 2 March and joined the division at Rafah by 28 March.
- ^ Joined the division at Deir el Balah on 13 April.
- 53rd (Welsh) Divisionfrom 20 March for the Gaza operations. It was assigned to 74th Division on 1 April and redesignated 74th Divisional Train on 13 April.
- ^ As distinct from the Australian, Canadian and the New Zealand divisions which remained on a 12-battalion basis.
- Newton 6 inch Mortars.
- Ramleon 9 April 1918.
- ^ Joined the division from 60th (2/2nd London) Division at Sarafand (Sarafand al-Amar or possibly Sarafand al-Kharab) on 10 April 1918.
- ^ Formed in the division on 18 May 1918.
References
- ^ a b c d e Becke 1937, p. 121
- ^ Falls & Macmunn 1930, p. 273.
- ^ a b Becke 1937, p. 118
- ^ a b c Becke 1937, p. 119
- ^ a b c Becke 1937, p. 122
- ^ Haythornthwaite 1996, p. 217
- ^ Becke 1945, p. 16
- ^ Becke 1937, p. 120
- ^ Becke 1937, p. 117
External links
Bibliography
- Becke, Major A. F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56). London: ISBN 1-871167-12-4.
- Becke, Major A. F. (1937). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions. London: HMSO. ISBN 1-871167-00-0.
- Becke, Major A. F. (1945). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 3B. New Army Divisions (30–41) & 63rd (RN) Division. London: HMSO. ISBN 1-871167-08-6.
- Dudley Ward, C. H. (1922). The 74th (Yeomanry) Division in Syria and France. London: John Murray.
- Falls, Cyril; MacMunn, G. (1930). Military Operations Egypt & Palestine from the outbreak of war with Germany to June 1917. Official History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Vol. I. London: OCLC 610273484.}
- Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1996). The World War One Source Book. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-351-7.
- James, Brigadier E. A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.