55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division


caption=
dates= World War I
November 1914 - January 1919 [reorganized] 1939-45
country= United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch= Territorial Force
type=Infantry
role=
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
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battles= Battle of the Somme (1916)
Third Battle of Ypres
Battle of Cambrai
Battle of Estaires
notable_commanders=Sir William Morgan
Frederick Morgan
anniversaries=The British 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division was a Territorial Force division which served on the Western Front during the First World War.

History

World War I

Between November 1914 and April 1915 the division's brigades were detached as reinforcements with other divisions already in France. The 55th Division was reformed in January 1916.

The first Victoria Cross won by the reformed division occurred near Arras on the 17 April 1916 when 2nd Lt.E.F.Baxter won the award while on a raid by the 1/8th (Irish) Bn, The King's (Liverpool Regiment). The division moved to the Somme on the 25 July to take part in that battle . The division took part in the Battle of Guillemont and the Battle of Ginchy followed by a short rest period before being thrown back into the Battle of Morval . The 55th Infantry were then moved to the Ypres salient where they remained for up to a year.

In 1917 the division took part in the Battles of Ypres and Cambrai. At Cambrai they lost many men taken prisoner apparently due to a collapse during a German attack.

After a rest and period of retraining the division took part in the Battle of Estaires in 1918 where the Division successfully fought the "First Defence of Givenchy". It was to become the single most famous action that the Division fought. "It was afterwards publicly stated by an officer of the German General Staff that the stand made by the Division on April 9 and the days which followed marked the final ruination of the supreme German effort of 1918", says the Divisional history. Givenchy was eventually selected as the location of a fine memorial to the Division. By the Armistice the division had reached the Tournai area having advanced fifty miles in eighty days.

World War II

During World War II the Division was a 1st Line Territorial Army formation, but did not see active service outside Britain during the war.

Order of Battle

From January 1916, the division comprised the following units:

*164th (North Lancashire) Brigade
**1/4th The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
**1/4th The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
**1/8th (Irish) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) ("until January 1918")
**2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers
*165th (Liverpool) Brigade
**1/5th The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
**1/6th The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
**1/7th The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
**1/9th Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) ("until February 1918")
*166th (South Lancashire) Brigade
**1/5th The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
**1/10th (Scottish) Battalion The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
**1/5th The Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment)
**1/5th The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment ("until June 1918")
*Pioneers
**1/4th The Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment)

The 164th (North Lancashire) Brigade joined the 51st (Highland) Division in April 1915 (as the 154th Brigade) and returned to the 55th Division in January 1916.

Battles

*Battle of the Somme (1916)
**Battle of Guillemont
**Battle of Ginchy
**Battle of Morval
*Third Battle of Ypres
*Battle of Cambrai (1917)
*Battle of Estaires

See also

*List of British divisions in WWI

External links

* [http://www.1914-1918.net/55div.htm The British Army in the Great War: The 55th (West Lancashire) Division]