7th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 7th Division


caption=
dates= September 1914-1918/19, ?-1939
country= United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch= Regular Army
type= Infantry
role=
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=Peninsula War
Battle of Fuentes de Onoro
Battle of Vitoria
Battle of the Pyrenees
Battle of Nivelle
Battle of the Nive
Battle of Orthez
World War I
First Battle of Ypres
Battle of Neuve Chapelle
Battle of Aubers Ridge
Battle of Festubert
Battle of Loos
Battle of the Somme (1916)
Third Battle of Ypres
Battle of Vittorio Veneto
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The 7th Infantry Division was established by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War and was active for most of the period since, including World War I and World War II.

Peninsula War

The 7th Division was formed during the Peninsula War by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington it was present at the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro the Battle of Vitoria the Battle of the Pyrenees the Battle of Nivelle the Battle of the Nive and the Battle of Orthez.

Formation During the Peninsula War

*Commanding General Major General Hope.
*1st Brigade: commanded by Colonel Colin Halkett
**1st Light Battalion King's German Legion
**2nd Light Battalion King's, German Legion
**7 Coy's Brunswick Oels.

*2nd Brigade: commanded by Major General von Bernewitz
**51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment of Foot
**68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)
**Chasseurs Britanniques

*Portuguese Brigade: commanded by Colonel Collins
**1/7th Portuguese Line
**2/7th Portuguese Line
**1/19th Portuguese Line
**2/19th Portuguese Line
**2nd Cacadores

World War I

The 7th Division was a Regular Army division that was formed by combining battalions returning from outposts in the British Empire at the outbreak of the First World War. The division began moving to France on 6 October, 1914. The division fought in most of the major battles on the Western Front through to 1917 before being sent to Italy for the remainder of the war. At the battle of Loos in 1915, the Division's GOC, Major-General Thompson Capper, was killed in action ata the height of the fighting.

The Division was also active during the interwar period, and the first two months of World War II in Egypt before being re-designated the 6th Infantry Division on 3 November 1939, in order to avoid confusion with the 7th Armoured Division.

Formation During World War I

; 20th Brigade :

*2nd Battalion, The Border Regiment
*2nd Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders
*1st Battalion, the Grenadier Guards ("to 3rd Guards Bde. August 1915")
*2nd Battalion, the Scots Guards ("to 3rd Guards Bde. August 1915")
*1/6th (Banff and Donside) Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders ("until January 1916")
*8th (Service) Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment ("from May 1915")
*9th (Service) Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment ("from August 1915")

The Guards battalions departed in August 1915 when the British Guards Division was formed.

; 21st Brigade :

*2nd Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment
*2nd Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)
*2nd Battalion, the Royal Scots Fusiliers
*2nd Battalion, The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment)
*1/4th Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders ("from April 1915, to 91st Bde. December 1915")

The brigade transferred to the 30th Division on December 19, 1915, swapping with the 91st Brigade.

; 22nd Brigade :

*1st Battalion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers
*2nd Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
*1/8th Battalion, The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment) ("until August 1915")
*1/7th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) ("from November 1915 until January 1916")
*2nd Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) ("to 91st Bde. December 1915")
*1st Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment ("to 91st Bde. December 1915")
*20th (Service) Battalion (5th City), The Manchester Regiment ("from December 1915")
*24th (Service) Battalion (Oldham), The Manchester Regiment ("from December 1915 until May 1916")
*2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment ("from May 1916 until October 1916")
*2/1st Battalion, the Honourable Artillery Company ("from October 1916")

; 91st Brigade :
*2nd Battalion, the Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) ("from 22nd Bde. December 1915")
*1st Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment ("from 22nd Bde. December 1915")
*21st (Service) Battalion (6th City), The Manchester Regiment
*22nd (Service) Battalion (7th City), The Manchester Regiment
*1/4th Battalion, The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders ("from 21st Bde. December 1915 until January 1916")

The brigade joined from the 30th Division in December 1915, swapping with the 21st Brigade. A number of battalions swapped to the brigade from other 7th Division brigades during the transition.

Battles During World War I

*First Battle of Ypres
*Battle of Neuve Chapelle
*Battle of Aubers Ridge
*Battle of Festubert
*Battle of Loos
*Battle of the Somme (1916)
*Third Battle of Ypres
*Battle of Vittorio Veneto

ee also

*List of British divisions in WWI

External links

* [http://www.1914-1918.net/7div.htm The British Army in the Great War: The 7th Division]