32nd Division (United Kingdom)

The 32nd Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was raised in 1914, during the First World War. The division was raised from volunteers for Lord Kitchener's New Armies, that was originally made up of infantry battalions raised by public subscription or private patronage. The division was taken over by the War Office in September 1915. It served in France and Belgium in the trenches of the Western Front for the duration of the war.

32nd Division
Active1915–1919
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
EngagementsWorld War I
Battle of the Somme (1916)
Battle of Albert (1916)
Battle of Amiens (1918)
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Reginald Barnes

The division's insignia was four 'eights' arranged in an 'X' shape.

Unit history

The Division was one of the six created for the Fourth New Army on 10 December 1914. It landed in France in November 1915.[1] Major-General Reginald Barnes took command of the division in July 1917.[2] It saw action at the Battle of the Somme in autumn 1917 and the Battle of Amiens in August 1918.[1]

Order of Battle

The following units served with the division:[1]

14th Brigade

The brigade joined from the 5th Division in December 1915, swapping with the 95th Brigade.

95th Brigade

The brigade transferred to the 5th Division on 26 December 1915, swapping with the 14th Brigade.

96th Brigade
  • 16th (Service) Battalion, (Newcastle), Northumberland Fusiliers (disbanded February 1916)[3]
  • 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers
  • 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers
  • 19th (Service) Battalion (3rd Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers (transferred to 14th Brigade 5 January 1916)
  • 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (joined January 1916 left February 1918)
  • 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment (transferred from 14th Brigade February 1918)
  • 96th Machine Gun Company (joined 15 March 1916, moved to 32nd Battalion M.G.C. 21 February 1918)
  • 96th Trench Mortar Battery (joined March 1916)
97th Brigade
  • 11th (Service) Battalion (Lonsdale), Border Regiment (left May 1918)
  • 15th (Service) Battalion (1st Glasgow), Highland Light Infantry (transferred to 14th Brigade January 1916)
  • 16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Glasgow), Highland Light Infantry (transferred to Divisional Pioneers February 1918)
  • 17th (Service) Battalion (3rd Glasgow), Highland Light Infantry (disbanded February 1918)
  • 2nd Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (joined December 1915)
  • 10th (Service) Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (joined February 1918)
  • 1/5th (Cumberland) Battalion, Border Regiment (joined May 1918)
  • 97th Machine Gun Company (joined 15 March 1916, moved to 32nd Battalion M.G.C. 21 February 1918)
  • 97th Trench Mortar Battery (joined March 1916)
Divisional Troops
  • 17th (Service) Battalion (North Eastern Railway Pioneers), Northumberland Fusiliers (joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion June 1915, left October 1916, returned September 1917, finally left November 1917 )
  • 1/12th T.F. Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion November 1916, left January 1917)
  • 16th (Service) Battalion (Glasgow Boys Brigade), Highland Light Infantry (joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion February 1918 )
  • 219th Machine Gun Company (joined 25 March 1917, moved to 32nd Battalion M.G.C. 21 February 1918)
  • 32nd Battalion M.G.C. (formed 21 February 1918 absorbing brigade MG companies)
  • Divisional Mounted Troops
  • 32nd Divisional Train Army Service Corps (A.S.C.)
    • 221st, 222nd, 223rd and 224th Companies A.S.C. (remained in England in November 1915)
    • 202nd, 203rd, 204th and 205th Companies A.S.C. (joined in France)
  • 42nd Mobile Veterinary Section Army Veterinary Corps
  • 229th Divisional Employment Company (joined 25 March 1917)

Royal Artillery

The original Divisional Artillery remained in England and on 2 December 1915 joined the 31st Division

  • CLXV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (R.F.A.)
  • CLXIX Brigade, R.F.A.
  • CLXX Brigade, R.F.A.
  • CLXXI (Howitzer) Brigade, R.F.A.

The original Divisional Artillery of the 31st Division joined the division between 30 December 1915 and 3 January 1916

  • CLV Brigade, R.F.A. (left 20 January 1917)
  • CLXI Brigade, R.F.A.
  • CLXIV (Howitzer) Brigade, R.F.A. (broken up September 1916)
  • CLXVIII Brigade, R.F.A.
  • 32nd Divisional Ammunition Column R.F.A.
  • V.32, W.32 Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, R.F.A. (formed by June 1916; W Bty broken up 28 December 1916; V redesignated X on 12 February 1918)
  • X.32, Y.32 and Z.32 Medium Mortar Batteries, R.F.A. (formed May 1916; by 12 February 1918, Z broken up and distributed among X and Y batteries)

Royal Engineers

  • 206th (Glasgow) Field Company
  • 218th (Glasgow) Field Company
  • 219th (Glasgow) Field Company
  • 32nd Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

  • 96th Field Ambulance (left November 1915)
  • 97th Field Ambulance (left November 1915)
  • 98th Field Ambulance (left November 1915)
  • 90th Field Ambulance (joined November 1915)
  • 91st Field Ambulance (joined November 1915)
  • 92nd Field Ambulance (joined November 1915)
  • 72nd Sanitary Section (left 17 April 1917)

General Officier commanding
  • Major-General William Henry Rycroft September 1915 – May 1918
  • Major-General Thomas Stanton Lambert 31 May 1918 – 1919

See also

References
  1. Baker, Chris. "32nd Division". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  2. "Reginald Walter Ralph Barnes". Anglo-Boer War. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
  3. Baker, Chris. "Northumberland Fusiliers". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
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