33rd Division (United Kingdom)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 33rd Division


caption=
dates= World War I
July 1915 -30 June 1919
country= United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch= British Army, raised as part of the New Army
type= Infantry
role=
size=
command_structure= K4 Army Group
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Battle of the Somme (1916)
o Battle of Bazentin Ridge
o Battle of High Wood
Battle of Arras
Third Battle of Ypres
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The British 33rd Division was a New Army division initially formed in 1914 as the 40th Division in the K5 Army group, but subsequently renumbered in April 1915 as part of the new K4 Army Group.

A 33rd Division had been formed as part of the reserve K4 Army in October 1914, but was dissolved in April 1915 at which point the 40th division of the K5 Army became the 33rd of the K4.

The division landed in France in November 1915 and spent the duration of the First World War in action on the Western Front.

The division's insignia was the "double-three" from a set of dominoes.

Unit history

Formation

; 98th Brigade :

The brigade originally comprised four battalions of the Royal Fusiliers.

*18th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers ("to 19 Bde November 1915")
*19th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
*20th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers ("to 19 Bde November 1915")
*21st (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

From February 1916, the brigade comprised the following battalions:

*4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
*1/4th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment ("until February 1918")
*1st Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment ("from 19 Bde November 1915")
*2nd Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders ("from 19 Bde November 1915")

; 99th Brigade :

The brigade transferred to the 2nd Division in November 1915, swapping with the 19th Brigade.

*17th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
*22nd (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
*23rd (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
*24th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

; 100th Brigade :

*16th (Service) Battalion (Public Schools), The Middlesex Regiment ("until February 1916")
*16th (Service) Battalion (Church Lads Brigade), King's Royal Rifle Corps
*1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) ("to 19 Bde February 1918")
*2nd Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment
*1/9th Battalion (Glasgow Highlanders), Highland Light Infantry ("from May 1916")

; 19th Brigade :

The brigade joined from the 2nd Division in November 1915, swapping with the 99th Brigade.

*18th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers ("from 98 Bde November 1915 until February 1916")
*20th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers ("from 98 Bde November 1915 disbanded February 1918")
*2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers ("to 115 Bde 38th Division February 1918")
*1st Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
*1/5th Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) ("merged with 1/6th Battalion in May 1916 becoming 5th/6th Battalion")
*1st Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) ("from 100 Bde February 1918")

Battles

*Battle of the Somme (1916)
**Battle of Bazentin Ridge and High Wood
*Battle of Arras
*Third Battle of Ypres

ee also

*List of British divisions in WWI

External links

* [http://www.1914-1918.net/33div.htm The British Army in the Great War: The 33rd Division]