21st Division (United Kingdom)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 21st Division


caption=
dates= World War I
1914 - May 1919
country= United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch= New Army
type= Infantry
role=
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=Battle of Loos
Battle of the Somme (1916)
o Battle of Albert
Battle of Epehy
anniversaries=

The British 21st Division was a New Army division raised in September 1914. The division moved to France in September 1915 and served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War.

The division's insignia was the "triple-seven".

Unit history

See http://www.21stdivision1914-18.org

Formation

; 62nd Brigade:

*12th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
*13th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
*8th (Service) Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment ("until November 1915")
*1st Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment ("from November 1915")
*10th (Service) Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) ("disbanded February 1918")
*2nd Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment ("from February 1918")
*3/4th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) ("from August 1917")

; 63rd Brigade:

In July 1916 the brigade moved to the 37th Division, swapping with the 110th Brigade.

*8th (Service) Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment
*8th (Service) Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
*12th (Service) Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) ("until November 1915")
*4th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) ("from November 1915")
*10th (Service) Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment

; 64th Brigade:

*9th (Service) Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
*10th (Service) Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry ("disbanded February 1918")
*14th (Service) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry ("until November 1915")
*15th (Service) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
*1st Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment ("from November 1915")

; 110th Brigade:

In July 1916 the brigade joined from the 37th Division, swapping with the 63rd Brigade.

*6th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment
*7th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment
*8th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment ("until June 1918")
*9th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment ("disbanded February 1918")
*1st Battalion, The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment) ("from June 1918")

; Pioneers:

*14th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers

Battles

The Battle of Loos

The Battle of Albert (first phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)

The Battle of Bazentin (second phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)

The Battle of Flers-Courcelette (sixth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)

The Battle of Morval (seventh phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)

(Here the Division captured Gueudecourt)

The Battle of Le Transloy (eighth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)

The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line

The First Battle of the Scarpe (first phase of the Arras Offensive)

The Third Battle of the Scarpe (fourth phase of the Arras Offensive)

Flanking Operations Round Bullecourt

The Battle of the Polygon Wood (fourth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)

The Battle of Broodseinde (fifth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)

The Second Battle of Passchendaele (eighth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)

The Battle of Cambrai

The Battle of St Quentin (first phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)

The First Battle of Bapaume (second phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Battle of Messines, 1918 (second phase of the Battles of the Lys) (62nd Brigade)

The Second Battle of Kemmel (seventh phase of the Battles of the Lys)

The Battle of the Aisne 1918

The Battle of Albert (first phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Battle of Bapaume (second phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)

The Battle of Epehy (second phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)

The Battle of the St Quentin Canal (fourth phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)

The Battle of Cambrai 1918 (sixth phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)

The Battle of the Selle

The Division ceased to exist on 19 May 1919

ee also

*List of British divisions in WWI

External links

* [http://www.1914-1918.net/21div.htm The British Army in the Great War: The 21st Division]
* [http://www.21stdivision1914-18.org 21st division 1914-18]