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7th Division    7th Division was formed during September and very early October 1914, by the bringing together of regular army units from various points around the British Empire. They were assembled in the New Forest in Hampshire before initially moving to Belgium. The Division landed at Zeebrugge in the first week of October 1914, ordered to assist in the defence of Antwerp. However, by the time they arrived the city was already falling and the 7th was instead ordered to hold certain important bridges and other places that would help the westward evacuation of the Belgian army. Once the Belgians were through, the Division was moved westwards, where the infantry entrenched in front of Ypres, the first British troops to occupy that fateful place. 1914 The First Battle of Ypres: the Division fought the advancing German army to a standstill at "Wipers". All units suffered grievous losses and it was not until the following January - February that it was once more in a complete enough condition to be considered as being at full fighting strength. After First Ypres, it was often known as the "Immortal Seventh". 1915 The Battle of Neuve Chapelle The Battle of Aubers The Battle of Festubert The second action of Givenchy The Battle of Loos The Division took part in the initial assault north of the Vermelles-Hulluch road, facing the Quarries and a series of strongpoints. Suffering badly from British cloud gas - which was not moved sufficiently by the gentle breeze - and badly cut up by German machine gun fire and artillery, the Division nonetheless seized the Quarries and only failed to penetrate the third German line due to the relative weakness of the numbers of men that got through. The Divisional Commander, Major-General Thompson Capper, died of wounds received during this action. 1916 The Battle of Albert - Somme in which the Division captured Mametz The Battle of Bazentin and the attacks on High Wood - Somme The Battle of Delville Wood - Somme The Battle of Guillemont - Somme Operations on the Ancre 1917 The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line The Arras offensive in which the Division fought in the flanking operations round Bullecourt - Third Battle of Ypres The Battle of Polygon Wood - Third Battle of Ypres The Battle of Broodseinde - Third Battle of Ypres The Battle of Poelcapelle - Third Battle of Ypres The Second Battle of Passchendaele - Third Battle of Ypres 1918 Italy 7th Division wasone of five British formations selected to be moved to Italy. This was a strategic and political move agreed by the British Government at the request of the Allied Supreme War Council, in an effort to stiffen Italian resistance to enemy attack after a recent disaster at Caporetto. Many diaries at this time, by men who had witnessed the slaughter in the floods of Passchendaele, talk of the move and Italy as being "like another world". Much work was done preparing to move into the mountainous area of the Brenta, but eventually the Division was instead moved to the line along the River Piave, taking up positions in late January 1918. In October 1918 the Division played a central role in crossing the Piave, the Battle of Vittoria Veneto and the eventual defeat of Austria-Hungary. 14 Victoria Crosses were awarded to men of the 7th Division, which from October 1914 to the Armistice suffered a total of approximately 68,000 of all ranks killed, wounded or missing in action. Order of Battle of the 7th Division 20th Brigade 1st Btn, Grenadier Guards left August 1915 2nd Btn, Scots Guards left August 1915 2nd Btn, Border Regiment 2nd Btn, Gordon Highlanders 1/6th Btn, Gordon Highlanders joined December 1914, left January 1916 8th Btn, Devonshire Regiment joined August 1915 9th Btn, Devonshire Regiment left September 1918 1/6th Btn, Cheshire Regiment joined January 1916, left February 1916 20th Machine Gun Company formed 10 February 1916, left to move into 7th MG Battalion 1 April 1918 20th Trench Mortar Battery formed 14 February 1916 21st Brigade 21st Brigade transferred to 30th Division in exchange for 91st Brigade on 19 December 1915 2nd Btn, Bedfordshire Regiment 2nd Btn, Yorkshire Regiment 2nd Btn, Royal Scots Fusiliers 2nd Btn, Wiltshire Regiment 1/4th Btn, Cameron Highlanders joined April 1915 22nd Brigade 2nd Btn, Queen's left December 1915 2nd Btn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1st Btn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers 1st Btn, South Staffordshire Regiment left December 1915 1/8th Btn, Royal Scots joined November 1914, left August 1915 1/7th Btn, King's (Liverpool Regiment ) joined November 1915. left January 1916 20th Btn, Manchester Regiment joined December 1915, left September 1918 24th Btn, Manchester Regiment joined December 1915, left May 1916 2nd Btn, Royal Irish Regiment joined May 1916, left October 1916 2/1st Btn, Honourable Artillery Company joined October 1916 22nd Brigade Machine Gun Company formed 24 February 1916, left to move into 7th MG Battalion 1 April 1918 22nd Trench Mortar Battery formed 14 April 1916 91st Brigade 91st Brigade transferred from 30th Division in exchange for 21st Brigade on 20 December 1915 21st Btn, Manchester Regiment left September 1918 22nd Btn, Manchester Regiment 1/4th Btn, Cameron Highlanders left January 1916 2nd Btn, Queen's joined December 1915 1st Btn, South Staffordshire Regiment joined December 1915 91st Machine Gun Company formed 14 March 1916, left to move into 7th MG Battalion 1 April 1918 91st Trench Mortar Battery formed May 1916 Divisional Troops 24th Btn, Manchester Regiment joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion in May 1916 220th Company, the Machine Gun Corps joined 25 March 1917, left to move into 7th MG Battalion 1 April 191 8 No 7 Battalion, the Machine Gun Corps formed 1 April 1918 Divisional Mounted Troops 1/1st Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry B and C Sqns left 12 April 1915, remainder left 13 May 1916 7th Company, Army Cyclist Corps left June 1916 Divisional Artillery XIV Brigade, RFA left January 1917 XXII Brigade, RFA XXXV Brigade, RFA XXXVII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA joined June 1915, left may 1916 7th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA III Heavy Brigade RGA left March 1915 No 7 Pom-Pom Section RGA attached 25 September 1914 to 20 December 1914 No 5 Mountain Battery RGA attached 26 March to 20 April 1915 V.7 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA formed June 1916, disbanded 12 November 1917 X.7, Y.7 and Z.7 Medium Mortar Batteries RFA joined by March 1916; on 22 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each Royal Engineers 54th Field Company 55th Field Company left September 1915 2nd (Highland) Field Company joined January 1915, left January 1916 3rd (Durham) Field Company joined January 1916, later renamed 528th Field Company RE 7th Divisional Signals Company Royal Army Medical Corps 21st Field Ambulance 22nd Field Ambulance 23rd Field Ambulance 10th Sanitary Section joined 9 January 1915, left 8 August 1917 Other Divisional Troops 7th Divisional Train ASC 39, 40, 42 and 86 Companies 12th Mobile Veterinary Section AVC 210th Divisional Employment Company joined 21 May 1917 at which time it was 12th Divisional Employment Company; renamed in June 1917 7th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop joined 20 June 1915, transferred to Divisional Train 9 April 1916 7th Sep 1914 New CO 13th Sep 1914 Arrivals 19th Sep 1914 Arrivals 20th Sep 1914 22nd Infantry Brigade organising 20th Sep 1914 Mobilisation 21st Sep 1914 Mobilised 23rd Sep 1914 Mobilisation Continues 2nd Queens War Diary Mobilisation Continues Sep 1914 Reorganisation 27th Sep 1914 Mobilisation Continues 4th October 1914 On the Move 4th Oct 1914 On the March 4th Oct 1914 On the Move 4th Oct 1914 Orders Received 5th Oct 1914 Embarkation 5th Oct 1914 On the Move 5th Oct 1914 On the Move 5th Oct 1914 On the Move 6th October 1914 On the Move 6th Oct 1914 7th Division Embark for Belgium 6th Oct 1914 On the Move 6th Oct 1914 On the Move 6th Oct 1914 On the Move 7th Oct 1914 On the Move 7th Oct 1914 On the Move 7th Oct 1914 On the Move 7th Oct 1914 In Billets 8th October 1914 On the march 8th Oct 1914 On the March 8th Oct 1914 On the March 8th Oct 1914 On the Move 9th Oct 1914 Orders 9th Oct 1914 On the March 9th Oct 1914 Orders 9th Oct 1914 On the Move 9th Oct 1914 Anxiety 10th Oct 1914 On the Move 10th Oct 1914 Outposts 10th Oct 1914 Roads Covered 10th Oct 1914 Outposts 10th Oct 1914 Withdrawal 11th October 1914 Heavy Firing 11th Oct 1914 Troops and Refugees 11th Oct 1914 Holding the Line 11th Oct 1914 Hostile Forces 11th Oct 1914 Orders 12th Oct 1914 Route March 12th Oct 1914 Guard Duty 12th Oct 1914 On the March 12th Oct 1914 On the March 13th October 1914 On the March 13th Oct 1914 On the Move 13th Oct 1914 Docks 13th Oct 1914 On the March 13th Oct 1914 Enemy Closes 14th October 1914 Footsore 14th Oct 1914 On the March   14th Oct 1914 On the March 14th Oct 1914 On the March 14th Oct 1914 On the March   15th October 1914 On the March 15th Oct 1914 Digging in   15th Oct 1914 Defensive Positions   15th Oct 1914 Patrols 15th Oct 1914 Hostile Column   16th Oct 1914 Into Position 16th Oct 1914 Enemy Patrol   16th Oct 1914 On the March   16th Oct 1914 Into the Line   16th Oct 1914 Line Advanced   17th Oct 1914 In the Trenches 17th Oct 1914 Enemy Patrol   17th Oct 1914 Patrols   17th Oct 1914 Holding the Line   17th Oct 1914 Enemy Active   18th October 1914 Hard Fighting   18th Oct 1914 Under Fire   18th Oct 1914 In Reserve   18th Oct 1914 Planning   19th October 1914 Defences Improved   19th Oct 1914 Advance   19th Oct 1914 In Action   19th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting   20th October 1914 Entrenched   20th October 1914 Continued Action   20th Oct 1914 Enemy Attack   20th Oct 1914 In Action   20th Oct 1914 Defensive Line 21st October 1914 Under fire   21st Oct 1914 Heavy Shelling   21st Oct 1914 In Action   21st Oct 1914 Hard Fighting 22nd October 1914 Entrenched 22nd Oct 1914 Enemy Attack   22nd Oct 1914 New Line Occupied   22nd Oct 1914 Bombardment 23rd October 1914 Dead Buried 23rd Oct 1914 Heavy Shelling   23rd Oct 1914 Heavy Shelling   23rd Oct 1914 Under Fire 24th October 1914 At the Front 24th Oct 1914 Enemy Attacks   24th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting   24th Oct 1914 Enemy Break Through 25th October 1914 Ready to Move 25th Oct 1914 Stragglers 25th Oct 1914 In Reserve   25th Oct 1914 Enemy Break Through 26th October 1914 The Queens take prisoners 26th Oct 1914 Reorganisation 26th Oct 1914 Pressure   26th Oct 1914 Forced Back 27th October 1914 Fighting 27th Oct 1914 Reorganisation 27th Oct 1914 Shelling 27th Oct 1914 Orders Received 28th October 1914 The Queens fighting on 28th Oct 1914 Reliefs 28th Oct 1914 Artillery Active 29th October 1914 The Queens move on at the front 29th Oct 1914 Reliefs 29th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting 30th October 1914 Fighting hard 30th Oct 1914 Attack 30th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting 31st October 1914 The Queens in the trenches 31st Oct 1914 Hard Fighting   31st Oct 1914 Hard Fighting   1st November 1914 22nd Infantry Brigade Reforms 2nd November 1914 Reorganisation 2nd Nov 1914 Shelling 3rd November 1914 Battalions on the move 3rd Nov 1914 Orders   4th November 1914 Reinforcements 4th Nov 1914 In Support   5th November 1914 Billets 5th Nov 1914 In Reserve   6th November 1914 On the Move 6th Nov 1914 On the March   6th of November 1914  Around Ypres 7th November 1914 Attack Made 7th Nov 1914 Refitting in Billets   7th Nov 1914 Training   8th November 1914 Hard Fighting 8th Nov 1914 Into Support   8th Nov 1914 Training   9th November 1914 Move 9th Nov 1914 In Support 9th Nov 1914 Training   10th Nov 1914 Training   11th November 1914 Inspection 11th Nov 1914 Company Training   12th November 1914 Reorganisation 12th Nov 1914 Promotions   12th Nov 1914 Working Parties   13th November 1914 Reorganisation 13th Nov 1914 Working Parties   14th November 1914 On the Move 14th Nov 1914 Courts Martial   15th November 1914 Defences 15th Nov 1914 Route March   16th November 1914 Improvements 16th of November 1914 Reorganisation   16th Nov 1914 Route March   17th November 1914 In the trenches 17th Nov 1914 Reliefs   18th November 1914 Divisional Reserve 19th November 1914 At Rest 20th November 1914 Reorganisation 20th Nov 1914 Relief   21st November 1914 In the trenches 22nd November 1914 Snipers 23rd November 1914 Reliefs 23rd Nov 1914 Relief Completed   24th November 1914 At Rest 25th November 1914 Inspection 26th November 1914 Reinforcements 26th Nov 1914 Reliefs   27th November 1914 Wet Weather 27th Nov 1914 Vist   28th November 1914 Improvements 28th Nov 1914 Reliefs   29th November 1914 Into billets 30th November 1914 In Reserve 30th Nov 1914 Holding the Line   1st December 1914 Shelling 2nd December 1914 Reliefs 2nd Dec 1914 Reliefs   3rd December 1914 Patrols 4th December 1914 Reliefs 5th December 1914 The Queens resting 5th Dec 1914 Baths   6th December 1914 The Queens resting 6th Dec 1914 Reliefs   7th December 1914 Divisional Reserve 8th December 1914 Reliefs 9th December 1914 Communication Trenches 10th December 1914 Snipers Active 11th December 1914 Enemy Sighted 11th Dec 1914 Reliefs   12th December 1914 Snipers 12th Dec 1914 Orders   13th December 1914 The Queens under fire 13th Dec 1914 Reliefs   14th December 1914 2nd Queens ready to attack 14th Dec 1914 Messages 14th Dec 1914 On the March   15th December 1914 The Queens captured a prisoner 16th December 1914 Reserve 17th December 1914 In Reserve 18th December 1914 In Action 18th Dec 1914 Attack   19th Dec 1914 Losses 19th Dec 1914 Reliefs 20th December 1914 Reliefs 21st December 1914 In Reserve 21st Dec 1914 Reliefs   22nd December 1914 Divisional Reserve 22nd Dec 1914 Shelling   23rd December 1914 Reliefs 24th December 1914 Quiet 24th Dec 1914 Shelling   25th December 1914 Armistice 25th Dec 1914 A Merry Christmas   26th December 1914 Xmas Armistice 26th Dec 1914 Officers Meet   27th December 1914 Wet Weather 27th Dec 1914 Reliefs   28th December 1914 Reliefs 29th December 1914 At Rest  2nd Queens are at Rue de Delpierre as No.2 Reserve. Resting and cleaning. 2nd Queens War Diary 30th December 1914 At Rest   30th Dec 1914 Poor Conditions   31st December 1914 New Year's Eve   31st Dec 1914 In the Trenches   1st Jan 1915 Change of Billets for 2nd Queens 2nd Jan 1915 2nd Queens in Reserve 2nd Jan 1915 Reliefs   3rd Jan 1915 2nd Queens in reserve 4th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in reserve 5th January 1915 Back into trenches 6th Jan 1915 2nd Queens Hq moves 6th Jan 1915 2nd Queens Hq moves 6th Jan 1915 Terrible Conditions   7th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 8th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 9th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 9th Jan 1915 Reliefs   10th January 1915 2nd Queens at rest 10th Jan 1915 In Billets   11th Jan 1915 2nd Queens inspected   12th Jan 1915 2nd Queens inspected   12th Jan 1915 Very Wet   13th Jan 1915 2nd Queens on the move 13th Jan 1915 Flooding   14th January 1915 Appointments and replacements 14th Jan 1915 Flooding   15th Jan 1915 Working Parties 15th Jan 1915 Reliefs   16th Jan 1915 Billets shelled 16th Jan 1915 In Billets   17th Jan 1915 2nd Queens to trenches 17th Jan 1915 Football League   18th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 18th Jan 1915 Reliefs   19th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 19th Jan 1915 Trench Work   20th January 1915 New Billets 21st Jan 1915 2nd Queens under fire 21st Jan 1915 Reliefs   22nd Jan 1915 2nd Queens take baths 22nd Jan 1915 In Reserve   23rd Jan 1915 2nd Queens inspected   23rd Jan 1915 In Reserve   24th Jan 1915 2nd Queens church parade   24th Jan 1915 Reliefs   25th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in billets 26th Jan 1915 2nd Queens parade   26th Jan 1915 Holding the Line   27th Jan 1915 Ongoing defensive adjustments 27th Jan 1915 Leave   28th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in billets 28th Jan 1915 Football   29th Jan 1915 2nd Queens leave billets 30th Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 30th Jan 1915 Reliefs   31st Jan 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 1st Feb 1915 Good works at Support Farm 5th February 1915 General Cappers football cup.  2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) played a Football match versus Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Rue du Bataille. Result Welsh Fusiliers won 6-0. 2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) are in in billets at La Toulette, transport inspected and a concert was held for the men at Fleurbaix. Officers 28 and men 874, 3 from hospital. 2nd Lieutenants AN Heller and WJ Dew both from the Queens joined the Battalion. war diaries 7th Feb 1915 Ongoing Actions in Trenches 9th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 8th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 10th Feb 1915 2nd Queens to billets 11th Feb 1915 New Co for 2nd Queens 12th Feb 1915 2nd Queens parade 13th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in reserve 14th Feb 1915 2nd Queens ready 15th Feb 1915 2nd Queens relieve 1st South Staffs 16th Feb 1915 General visits trenches 17th Feb 1915 Quiet day for 2nd Queens 18th Feb 1915 2nd Queens under fire 19th Feb 1915 South Staffs relieve 2nd Queens 20th Feb 1915 2nd Queens inspected 21st Feb 1915 2nd Battalion Queens in billets 22nd Feb 1915 2nd Queens relieve 1st South Staffs 23rd Feb 1915 2nd Queens releive South Staffs 24th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 25th Feb 1915 Very Quiet 26th Feb 1915 Reliefs 27th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in billets 28th Feb 1915 2nd Queens in billets 1st March 1915 Relocation and back into Action   2nd Mar 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 3rd March 1915 Capture of enemy patrol members 6th March 1915 2nd Queens in billets 8th Mar 1915 Orders   10th March 1915 In Action   11th March 1915 In Action 11th Mar 1915 13th Londons in Action 12th March 1915 Misty Morning 12th Mar 1915 Advance Made   13th Mar 1915 2nd Queens in trenches 14th Mar 1915 2nd Queens holding line Mar 1915 Reorganisation 15th Mar 1915 Quiet day for 2nd Queens 18th March 1915 Reliefs 19th Mar 1915 2nd Queens in billets 20th Mar 1915 2nd Queens receive draft 21st Mar 1915 2nd Queens train 22nd Mar 1915 2nd Queens train 23rd Mar 1915 2nd Queens train 24th Mar 1915 2nd Queens train 25th March 1915 On the move 26th Mar 1915 2nd Queens train 27th Mar 1915 2nd Queens train 28th Mar 1915 2nd Queens receive draft 29th Mar 1915 2nd Queens in billets 30th Mar 1915 2nd Queens train 22nd Apr 1915 On the March   23rd Apr 1915 In Billets   24th Apr 1915 In Billets   25th Apr 1915 Instruction   26th Apr 1915 Instruction   27th Apr 1915 Instruction   28th Apr 1915 Instruction   29th Apr 1915 Instruction   30th Apr 1915 Heavy Shelling   1st May 1915 Stand To   2nd May 1915 On the March   3rd May 1915 Relocation   3rd May 1915 In Billets   4th May 1915 In Billets   5th May 1915 Further Action   5th May 1915 Relief Completed   6th May 1915 Registration   6th May 1915 Holding the Line   7th May 1915 In Action   7th May 1915 In the Line   8th May 1915 In Action   8th May 1915 Reliefs   9th May 1915 Attack Supported   9th May 1915 The Battle of Aubers Ridge: The Northern pincer  2.30am: all units in the North report that they are in position, having assembled at night. 4.06am: sunrise and all very quiet on this front. 5.00am: British bombardment opens with field guns firing shrapnel at the German wire and howitzers firing High Explosive shells onto front line. Many reports are received that British 4.7-inch shells are falling short, and even on and behind the British front line (Later it is agreed that this is due to faulty ammunition, as well as excessive wear to gun barrels). 5.30am: British bombardment intensifies, field guns switch to HE and also fire at breastworks. Two guns of 104th Battery, XXII Brigade RFA had been brought up into the 24th Brigade front and they now opened fire at point blank range against the enemy breastworks; they blow several gaps, although one of the guns is inaccurate due to the unstable ground on which it is located. The lead battalions of the two assaulting Brigades of 8th Division (24th Brigade has 2/Northants and 2/East Lancashire in front; 25th Brigade has 2/Rifle Brigade, 1/Royal Irish Rifles and 1/13 London Regiment (Kensingtons)) move out into the narrow No Man's Land (in this area it is only 100-200 yards across). German bayonets can be seen behind their parapet. 5.40am: On the further advance the 2nd East Lancs are hit by heavy machine-gun and rifle fire by the time they had progressed thirty yards from their own trench; the 2nd Northants, coming up ten minutes later, were similarly hit, but a party got through one of the gaps blown by the field guns, and into the German front trench. The attack of 25th Brigade is much more successful: the wire on the left had been well-cut and the infantry poured through, crossing the almost-undamaged breastworks and into the German fire trenches. They moved onto the first objective (a bend in the Fromelles road), and the Rifle Brigade bombers extended the trench system they occupied to 250 yards broad. On the blowing of the two mines at 5.40am, the lead companies of the Kensingtons rushed to occupy the craters, moved forward to capture Delangre Farm, and then formed a defensive flank as ordered. 6.10am: Brig.Gen. Oxley (24th Brigade) orders the support battalion, 1st Notts & Derbys, to support the attack of the Lancashires, but they are also held up with high losses, at almost unbroken wire. The front and communication trenches are by now very crowded and chaotic; German shelling adds to confusion. By now, the fire across No Man's Land was so intense that forward movement was all but impossible. The support battalion of the 25th Brigade, the 2nd Lincolns, was ordered forward, to cross by the craters; they did so, despite losing many men on the way. Men of the Brigade were at this time seen to be retiring to their front line, having apparently received a shouted order. German prisoners, making their way to the British lines, were mistaken for a counterattack and there was a great deal of confusion. Brig.Gen Lowry Cole, CO 25th Brigade, was mortally wounded when standing on the British parapet in an attempt to restore order. 8.30am: the attack had established three small lodgements in the enemy positions, but they were not in contact with each other and were under tremendous pressure. Otherwise the attack had come to a standstill and all movement into or out of the trench system had become impossible. The men in the German positions were cut off. 8.45am and again at 11.45am: Haig orders Rawlinson (CO, IV Corps) to vigorously press home the attack. 1.30pm: A renewed attack with 2nd Queens of 22nd Brigade in support, did not take place as the troops were heavily shelled in the assembly areas and many casualties were suffered even before the original support lines had been reached. Major-General Gough (CO, 7th Division, whose 21st Brigade had now also been ordered forward by Haig) reported that after a personal reconnaissance he was certain that forward movement was at the present time impossible. 5.00pm: General Haig, hearing of the continued failure of the Southern attack and the hold-up after initial success of the Northern attack, orders a bayonet attack at dusk, 8.00pm. 2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) 9th May 1915 The Battle of Aubers Ridge: Evening and Night  2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) 6.00pm: such chaos in the trench system and on the roads and tracks leading to it that it becomes clear that fresh units will not be ready for the 8pm attack. Haig cancels the attack and rides to Indian Corps HQ at Lestrem, to meet with all Corps commanders to consider the next moves. 7.30pm: the meeting breaks up having decided to renew the attack next day, taking advantage of night to reorganise. Efforts were made throughout the evening to reinforce the small garrisons of the lodgements in the enemy trenches. 26 men of the 2/Northants, of which 10 were wounded, returned to the British front. 2.30am 10 May: the 200 or so surviving Rifle Brigade and Royal Irish Rifles were withdrawn from their position, all efforts to reinforce them having been repulsed. 3.00am 10 May: the last few Kensingtons also returned from their position; all British troops were now out of the German lines. Around this time, First Army HQ, having by now got a good picture of the losses, failures and general conditions, called a Commanders conference for 9.00am, to take place at I Corps HQ on the Locon road, some 1.5 miles from Bethune. 9.00am 10 May: the Army and Corps commanders and staffs in attendance learned that there was insufficient artillery ammunition to continue two attacks. (The Secretary of State for War, Kitchener, had also just ordered a considerable portion of existing stocks to be sent to the Dardanelles); for example there were only some 3,000 18-lbr rounds left, and some of that was way behind the firing positions. They also heard that the 4.7-inch ammunition that had caused problems on IV Corps front was too defective for further use and that the fuzes on 15-inch heavy rounds were also defective and the shells simply did not burst on hitting the wet ground. All further orders for renewing the attack were cancelled at 1.20pm; the views of the conference were transmitted to GHQ. 7th Division was ordered to move from it's position north of Neuve Chapelle to the south of it, with a view to strengthening a future offensive there. British casualties from the 9 May attacks continued to move through the Field Ambulances for at least three days after the attack. More than 11,000 British casualties were sustained on 9 May 1915, the vast majority within yards of their own front-line trench. Mile for mile, Division for Division, this was one of the highest rates of loss during the entire war. There is no memorial to the attack at Aubers Ridge. 9th May 1915 Attack Made   10th May 1915 Orders   10th May 1915 Gas Alert   10th May 1915 Rounds Fired   11th May 1915 No Man's Land   11th May 1915 Rounds Fired   12th May 1915 Orders 12th May 1915 Rations   12th May 1915 Rounds Fired   13th May 1915 Quiet   13th May 1915 Rounds Fired   14th May 1915 Demonstration   14th May 1915 Rounds Fired   15th May 1915 Fighting continues   15th May 1915 Orders 15th May 1915 Relief   16th May 1915 Attack Made   17th May 1915 Battle of Festubert 17th May 1915 Assault 17th May 1915 Orders Issued   18th May 1915 Orders 18th May 1915 Attacks Made 19th May 1915 Battle of Festubert 19th May 1915 Quiet   20th May 1915 In Action   24th May 1915 Quiet   25th May 1915 Few Rounds Fired   29th May 1915 Instructions   30th May 1915 Quiet   30th May 1915 Order Received   31st May 1915 Recce 31st May 1915 Orders   1st Jun 1915 Reliefs 15th Jun 1915 Attack Made   16th Jun 1915 Attack Made   16th Jun 1915 Orders   18th Jun 1915 Orders Received   19th Jun 1915 Artillery in Action   26th Jun 1915 Reorganisation 27th Jun 1915 On the Move 31st Aug 1915 Artillery 1st Sep 1915 Orders 4th September 1915 Digging Gun Pits at Vermelles 21st Sep 1915 Orders   24th Sep 1915 On the March   25th Sep 1915 Assualt Launched  At 6.30 on the morning of 25th of September 1915, the four-day artillery bombardment paused, gas and smoke was released and the infantry assault was launched. The gas released on I Corps front hung between the lines or blew back into British positions, notably on the northern flank around the Brickstacks. To the northern edge of the battlefield, advancing infantry emerging from the cloud suffered high losses as they were met with devastating machine gun fire. The second wave advanced once the gas at cleared, only this time to be cut down by a hail of machine gun fire and a shower of bombs. Gas was far more effective on IV Corps front south of the Grenay Ridge, in front of 15 & 47 Division sector the gas drifted towards the German trenches and the advance more successful. On some divisional fronts the gas was supplemented with smoke candles, as gas was not available in sufficient quantity. Even though it would not cause casualties, the smoke looked the same as gas and so forced the defenders to continue taking all the inconvenient anti-gas precautions. It had been estimated that to clear the German positions would require two hours of gas: but there was only enough for forty minutes, which even then, had to be supplemented with smoke. Many of the British units achieved their first objectives, but the reserve troops urgently needed to exploit these initial successes were a long way back and after a long exhausting march did not go into action until the following day. By which time the German reinforcements were counter-attacking and the British were driven back. By the end of the day the Allies had lost 13 Battalion commanders, over 400 officers and 8,500 men of other ranks. 25th Sep 1915 Over the Top   26th Sep 1915 Reorganisation 26th Sep 1915 Counter Attack   27th Sep 1915 Attack 27th Sep 1915 Reliefs   28th Sep 1915 In Action 28th Sep 1915 Working Parties   29th Sep 1915 Orders Received   30th Sep 1915 Reliefs   5th of November 1915 Relief Completed 24th Nov 1915 Recce 25th Nov 1915 Trench Work   26th Nov 1915 Trench Work   27th Nov 1915 Trench Work   28th Nov 1915 Defences   30th November 1915 Very bad arrangements 2nd Dec 1915 Poor Conditions   1st of January 1916  Artillery active 29th of January 1916  2nd of February 1916 A Brigade Relief 4th Feb 1916 Reliefs  7th Buffs are relieved by 7th Queens from D 3. they were on our right. 7th Div taking over D s/sectors. Returned to billets in Buire. Billets fairly comfortable but need lot of improvements. 7th Buffs war diary WO95/2049 21st May 1916 Orders 2nd Jul 1916 Attack and Counter Attack 3rd Jul 1916 Stratigic Wood 5th Jul 1916 Attack Made 17th of July 1916  On the Move   19th of July 1916 Relief Carried Out   20th of July 1916 Positions of Units   21st of August 1916  Training   3rd Sep 1916 In Action   3rd Sep 1916 Attacks Made 4th September 1916 Misfire causes Injury 4th of September 1916 Units Mixed Up   3rd Oct 1916 Reliefs 2nd Nov 1916 Reliefs   3rd of November 1916  Ploegsteert Wood Trenches   26th of February 1917 An Attack   27th of February 1917 Pushing Forward   28th of February 1917 Relieved   1st Mar 1917 On the March 17th May 1917 Bullecourt Taken 1st Sep 1917 On the March 2nd Sep 1917 On the March 3rd Sep 1917 On the March 4th Sep 1917 In Billets 6th Sep 1917 On the March 7th Sep 1917 Wet Day 9th of October 1917 Hostile Guns Active   8th Sep 1917 In Billets 9th Sep 1917 Training 13th Sep 1917 On the March   14th Sep 1917 Training   15th Sep 1917 On the March   16th Sep 1917 Training 18th Sep 1917 Exercise 19th Sep 1917 On the Range   20th Sep 1917 Exercise   21st Sep 1917 Exercise   22nd Sep 1917 Musketry   23rd Sep 1917 Musketry   24th Sep 1917 Exercise 25th Sep 1917 Musketry   26th Sep 1917 Demonstration 27th Sep 1917 Training 28th Sep 1917 On the March 29th Sep 1917 On the Move 30th Sep 1917 In Camp 1st of October 1917 Orders to Attack   2nd of October 1917   Heavy Shelling   3rd of October 1917 More Heavy Shelling    7th of October 1917 Enemy Driven Off   21st of October 1917 Offensive to be Resumed   24th Oct 1917 Attack Made   26th of October 1917 Intermittent Shelling   27th of October 1917  Quiet Time   26th Nov 1917 Artillery Transfer 6th Dec 1917 Reorganisation 24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation 21st Jan 1918 Course 5th Feb 1918 Course Ends 13th Feb 1918 Personnel 21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 7th Division? There are:490 items tagged 7th Division available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War. Those known to have served with 7th Division during the Great War 1914-1918. Burke George. Gnr. 58th Battery, 35th Brigade Clay Reuben. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.26th Oct 1917) Cook Thomas Oswald. Pte. 220th Company Davies Richard John. Sgt. 1st Btn. (d.28th Aug 1916) Hughes William Owen. Pte. 1st Battalion (d.2nd October 1917) Joyner Thomas. L/Cpl. 2nd Btn. McKenna Thomas Patrick. Cpl. 528 Field. Coy. (d.10th Nov 1917) McKenna William. Gnr. 22nd Bde. (d.29th Sep 1918) Phillips Charles Edgar. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.9th Oct 1917) Ross William Houston. Spr. 528 Field Coy. (d.14th Oct 1917) Willetts Thomas Henry. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.7th Nov 1914) All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. 1st of September 2023 marks 24 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Looking for help with Family History Research?    Please see Family History FAQ's Please note: We are unable to provide individual research. Can you help? The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation. Announcements 22nd April 2024     Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 263973 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit. Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to the Great War. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. We are now on Facebook. Like this page to receive our updates, add a comment or ask a question. If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations. 263696 L/Cpl. Thomas Joyner D.C.M. 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment Thomas Joyner was born in 1889 at Hidcote Bartrim near Shipston on Stour He joined 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he enlisted 30th of August 1914 at Warwick. Hi sembarkation for France was on 4th of May 1915. He was wounded on 24th of October 1915 at the Battle of Loos. He then transferred into 22nd Coy. Machine Gun Corps which was formed on 24th of February 1916 from men of 22nd Infantry Brigade of 7th Division. Thomas Joyner was awarded the D.C.M. on 11th of December 1916. Whilst Thomas's other friends and soldiers were being killed or wounded, he continually manned his machine gun for 14 hours until he was shot himself in the left eye. He continued to fire his gun until relieved by other troops. For this he received the D.C.M. Anthony Bond Add to this record. 263546 Pte. Thomas Oswald Cook 220th Company Machine Gun Corps Thomas Oswald Cook was born 2nd Oct 1893. He enlisted under the Derby Scheme in Birmingham on 11th Dec 1915. He was mobilized on 9 Nov 1916 and on 8 Jan 1917 he joined the 22nd Training Reserve Battalion which was part of the 5th Reserve Brigade stationed at Shoreham. He transferred into the Machine Gun Corps on 24th February 1917. His service records lists the following: MGC 12th Coy - posted 8 May 1917 MGC 207th Coy - posted 29 Sep 1917 MGC 220th Coy - posted 11 Oct 1917 MGC B? - posted 8 Dec 1917 MGC 220th - posted 20 Feb 1918 Home - Posted 26 Mar 1919 Discharged 22 Apr 1919 - no longer physically fit for War Service. Add to this record. 255602 Pte. William Owen Hughes 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.2nd October 1917) William Hughes, aged 26 years and 5 months, was enlisted into the 1/6th (Territorial) Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Caernarfon on the 16th of October 1914. On the 3rd of July 1915 William was diagnosed as suffering with appendicitis and admitted into the Divisional Reception Hospital in Bedford, seven days later he was transferred to the 1st Southern General Hospital in the Selly Oak suburb of Birmingham. On the 19th of July 1915, whilst William was still convalescing from his operation, the 1/6th Battalion became part of the 158th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division and sailed from Devonport for Gallipoli without him. Following his discharge from hospital on the 2nd of September 1915, William was transferred to the 2/6th (Territorial) Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who had moved from Northampton to Bedford in July 1915. At some point in 1916 William was then posted from Bedford to an Agricultural Company based at the RWF Depot in Wrexham (possibly to help with the harvest); during this time his Regimental service number was changed from 2395 to 265802. William remained at the RWF Depot for the rest of 1916 until warned early in 1917 that he was to be posted once again. On the 1st May 1917 William embarked for France to join the 1st Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (part of the 7th Division). On the 30th September the Battalion relieved the 56th Australian Infantry Battalion, who occupied Jetty Trench to the east of the northern part of Polygon Wood. At 5.15am on the morning of the 1st October 1917, the Germans launched a counter attack consisting of 3 Battalions and 3 Sturm-truppe of the 46th Reserve Battalion. The attack fell on the area of Polygon Wood covered by the 1st Battalion RWF and the 8th Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment. The Regimental diary of the 1st Battalion RWF states that a message had been received from B Company, reporting that by 7.20am all was clear apart from heavy sniping. Sadly, it was probably during this action that William was shot, the round entered his back and penetrated through his chest. This may have occurred as elements of the RWF advanced forward to finish off the attack, only to have isolated pockets of the enemy pop from shell holes and snipe at them from behind. William would have first been taken to a field dressing station just behind the front line where morphine would have been administered and his wound dressed, from there he was evacuated to No. 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Poperinge where he finally succumbed to his wounds on the 2nd of October 1917. There was some confusion following his death regarding his identity, the telegram that the War Office received from No. 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station informing them of his death, gave his Regimental Number as 68366. This highlighted the fact that a mistake had been made during Williams's time at the RWF Depot in Wrexham in 1916. This mistake had been noticed quickly at the time and he was then allocated his correct number of 265802. William Owen Hughes obituary was published in the November 1917 issue of the Llandudno and District Advertiser, :The deceased was the first of the Llanrhos young men to join up, and is, we understand, the first to fall". There was a poem quite possibly written by one of the family also in the article: "We do not know what pains he bore; we did not see him die, all we know is that he has gone, and never said good-bye". Tegid Hughes Add to this record. 255501 Gnr. George Burke 58th Battery, 35th Brigade Royal Field Artillery George Burke was my grandfather. He joined up in April 1916 and served on the Somme, at the Ypres Salient, before being sent with the rest of the 7th Division to Italy in autumn 1917. George was stationed on the Asiago Plateau. On 15th of June 1918 his battery was in advance of the lines, near Pelly Cross, digging new positions for the artillery. This was the day the Austrians launched a big assault, and the area George was in got overrun. The men had been sent out with no rifles, but managed to snatch some from another unit nearby. George was shot and gassed and ended up in an Austrian POW camp. Vera Brittains brother Edward was killed 3 miles from George Burkes position on 15th of June. Stephen Burke Add to this record. 253650 Sgt. Richard John Davies 1st Btn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.28th Aug 1916) Richard Davies was my father's eldest brother. In the census of 1901 he was eleven years old and was some 27 years old when he died. Taking his date of death as the main clue, then the 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers were part of 22nd Brigade, 7th Division during the attacks on Delville Wood during the Somme Battles, and to quote "An attack on the evening of 28th of August 1916, by a battalion on the right flank and a battalion of the 7th Division to the right, from the east end of the wood, against Ale Alley to the junction with Beer Trench failed." Of the 5,500 allied soldiers interred at Delville Wood Cemetery some 3,500 were unidentified and hopefully he rests there. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. John Davies Add to this record. 221952 Pte. Thomas Henry Willetts 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.7th Nov 1914) Thomas Willetts was a professional soldier, joining the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment aged 18 in 1908. He was part of the British Expeditionary Force and mobilised for war in October 1914. According to the available official documentation he was killed in action on 7th November 1914, aged 24, during the First Battle Ypres. Unfortunately, most of his personal records were destroyed by fire, during the blitz in 1940. He is buried in the Ypres Reservoir Cemetery. At the time of his death, his Battalion were part of the 7th Division which were engaged in the first Battle of Ypres. They fought the Germans to a standstill at Ypres and became known as the 'Immortal Seventh'. However, their casualties were so high that it was the following January or February before they were considered back up to full fighting strength. He left a wife, Sarah, and a young child. Lee Cotterill Add to this record. 220401 Pte. Reuben Clay 2nd Btn. Border Regiment (d.26th Oct 1917) Reuben Clay served with the 2nd Battalion, Border Regiment during WW1 and died on the 26th October 1917. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. Robert Sheppard Add to this record. 217716 Pte. Charles Edgar Phillips 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.9th Oct 1917) Charles Edgar Phillips served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and died on the 9th October 1917. He was awarded the British War and Victory Medal. He is remembered on the Tynecot Memorial, Zonnebeke West- Vlaanderen, Belgium. My father never spoke of Charles, it was when I was doing the family tree that I found he lived next door to his father also Charles. They also worked with each other. Nick S Phillips Add to this record. 216513 Cpl. Thomas Patrick McKenna 528 Field. Coy. Royal Engineers (d.10th Nov 1917) Thomas Patrick McKenna served with 528th Field Company, Royal Engineers and died of wounds on the 10th November 1917. He is remembered at St. Paul's Church and is buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery. His medal card shows the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals. His younger brother William of 22nd Brigade RFA was also among the fallen. Thomas was born in Jarrow. son of William and Elizabeth McKenna nee Watson of 48 Charles Street, Jarrow. He was married to Minnie McKenna nee Storey of 15 Frederick Street, Jarrow. In the 1911 census Thomas(24) a ships plate rivetter is living at 9 Gibson Street Jarrow with his wife of 2 years Minnie(23) and they have a son Thomas Edward who is two years old. Vin Mullen Add to this record. 216510 Gnr. William McKenna 22nd Bde. Royal Field Artillery (d.29th Sep 1918) William McKenna served in 22nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery and died on the 29th September 1918. He is remembered at St. Paul's Church and us buried in Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery. His medal card shows the award of the 1914 Star, War and Victory Medals. His older brother Thomas Patrick, 528 Field Company, Royal Engineers was also among the fallen. William was born in Jarrow 1890, son of William and Elizabeth McKenna nee Watson of 48 Charles Street, Jarrow. In the 1911 census William is listed on the rolls of the his RFA unit. Vin Mullen Add to this record. 215725 Spr. William Houston Ross 528 Field Coy. Royal Engineers (d.14th Oct 1917) William Houston Ross enlisted in Jarrow and served in 528 field Company, Royal Engineers. He is remembered at Palmer Cenotaph and is buried in Railway Dugouts Burial ground. His medal card shows the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals also that he was killed in action on the 14th October 1917. William was born in South Shields 1894, son of William and Frances Ross nee Edwards. In the 1911 census the family are living at 25 Rosa Street, South Shields with William(55), a special railway porter for North Eastern Railways and Fraces(54), his wife of 33 years having 12 children of whom 10 survived. Seven, all single, are living here, George(26) assistant clerk to Justice, Walter(22) solicitors clerk, Harold(20) gasfitters shop assistant, Helen(18) Drapers shop assistant, William Houston(16)Grocers shop assistant, Gladys(15) and Norman(13) at school. There is also an adopted daughter Amy Ross who is 4 years old. Vin Mullen Add to this record.

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