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20th (Light) Division    20th (Light) Division was established in September 1914 as part of the Army Orders authorising Kitchener's Second New Army, K2. Early days were somewhat chaotic, the new volunteers having very few trained officers and NCOs to command them, no organised billets or equipment. The units of the Division first assembled in the Aldershot area with brigades at Blackdown, Deepcut and Cowshott. Artillery was particularly hard to come by; 12 old guns arrived from India in February 1915. When in the same month the Division moved to Witley, Godalming and Guildford, the artillery had to go by train as there was insufficient harness for the horses. Another move was made, to Salisbury Plain, in April 1915. The Division was inspected by King George V at Knighton Down on 24 June 1915, by which time all equipment had arrived and the Division was judged ready for war. On 26th of July 1915 the Division completed concentration in the Saint-Omer area, all units having crossed to France during the preceding few days. Early trench familiarisation and training took place in the Fleurbaix area. The Division served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war, taking part in many of the significant actions: 1916 The Battle of Mount Sorrel The Battle of Delville Wood - Somme The Battle of Guillemont - Somme The Battle of Flers-Courcelette - Somme The Battle of Morval - Somme The Battle of Le Transloy - Somme 1917 The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line The Battle of Langemarck - Third Battles of Ypres The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge - Third Battles of Ypres The Battle of Polygon Wood - Third Battles of Ypres The Cambrai Operations 1918 The Battle of St Quentin - Somme The actions at the Somme crossings - Somme The Battle of Rosieres - Somme The Division was withdrawn after the heavy fighting of the Somme battles, moving on 20th of April 1918 to an area south west of Amiens. During the summer months it received many new drafts of men. The Battle of the Selle - Final Advance in Picardy The Battle of Valenciennes - Final Advance in Picardy The Battle of the Sambre - Final Advance in Picardy and the passage of the Grand Honelle The Division was in the area between Bavay and Maubeuge when the Armistice came into effect at 1100 on 11th of November. Late in the month the units moved to the Toutencourt-Marieux area. demobilisation began on 7 January 1919 and the final cadres crossed to England on 28 May.. In all the 20th (Light) Division had suffered the loss of 35470 killed, wounded and missing. Order of Battle of the 20th (Light) Division 59th Brigade 10th Btn, King's Royal Rifle Corps disbanded February 1918 11th Btn, King's Royal Rifle Corps 10th Btn, Rifle Brigade disbanded February 1918 11th Btn, Rifle Brigade 59th Machine Gun Company joined 3 March 1916, left to move into 20th MG Battalion 15 March 1918 59th Trench Mortar Battery formed by 16 July 1916 2nd Btn, Cameronians joined February 1918 60th Brigade 6th Btn, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry left February 1918 6th Btn, King's Shropshire Light Infantry 12th Btn, King's Royal Rifle Corps 12th Btn, Rifle Brigade 60th Machine Gun Company joined 3 March 1916, left to move into 20th MG Battalion 15 March 1918 60th Trench Mortar Battery formed by 16 July 1916 61st Brigade 7th Btn, Somerset Light Infantry 7th Btn, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry 7th Btn, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry left February 1918 11th Btn, Durham Light Infantry left January 1915 12th Btn, King's (Liverpool Regiment) joined January 1915 61st Machine Gun Company joined 3 March 1916, left to move into 20th MG Battalion 15 March 1918 61st Trench Mortar Battery formed by 16 July 1916 Divisional Troops 12th Btn, King's (Liverpool Regiment) left January 1915 9th Btn, Devonshire Regiment left April 1915 11th Btn, Durham Light Infantry joined as Pioneer Bn January 1915 14th Motor Machine Gun Battery joined 26 January 1915, left 22 April 1916 217th Company, MGC joined March 1917, moved into 20 MG Bn 15 March 1918 20th Battalion Machine Gun Corps formed 15 March 1918 Divisional Mounted Troops HQ, D Sqn and MG Section, the Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry joined 24 June 1915, left 29 April 1916 20th Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps formed 22 December 1914, left 17 May 1916 Divisional Artillery XC Brigade, RFA broken up 30 August 1916 XCI Brigade, RFA XCII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA left 8 January 1917 XCIII Brigade, RFA broken up 8-9 September 1916 20th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA 20th Heavy Battery, RGA raised with the Division but moved independently to France in August 1915 V.20 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA formed by 24 May 1916, broken up 2 February 1918 X.20, Y.20 and Z.20 Medium Mortar Batteries RFA formed by 24 May 1916; on 2 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each Royal Engineers 83rd Field Company 84th Field Company 96th Field Company joined from 26th Division in January 1915 20th Divisional Signals Company Royal Army Medical Corps 60th Field Ambulance 61st Field Ambulance 62nd Field Ambulance 33rd Sanitary Section left 24 April 1917 Other Divisional Troops 20th Divisional Train ASC 158, 159, 160 and 161 Companies 32nd Mobile Veterinary Section AVC 221st Divisional Employment Company joined 30 June 1917 20th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop disbanded 31 March 1916 3rd of May 1915 Orders 13th of July 1915  20th Jul 1915 On the Move   21st Jul 1915 On the Move 22nd Jul 1915 On the Move 22nd Jul 1915 On the Move   23rd Jul 1915 In Billets 23rd Jul 1915 On the Move   24th July 1915 On the Move 24th Jul 1915 Route March 24th Jul 1915 On the Move   25th Jul 1915 Church Parade 25th Jul 1915 On the Move   26th Jul 1915 Route March 26th Jul 1915 Training   26th Jul 1915 Orders Issued   26th Jul 1915 Vist   27th Jul 1915 Route March 28th Jul 1915 On the March 29th Jul 1915 On the March   30th Jul 1915 On the March   31st Jul 1915 Enemy Aircraft   29th Aug 1915 Attack Expected 30th Aug 1915 Reliefs 31st Aug 1915 Trench Work 1st Sep 1915 Trench Work 4th Sep 1915 Quiet 5th Sep 1915 Reliefs 6th Sep 1915 Working Parties 7th Sep 1915 Working Parties 8th Sep 1915 Working Parties 9th Sep 1915 Attachment 10th Sep 1915 Shelling 11th Sep 1915 Baths 13th Sep 1915 Reliefs 14th Sep 1915 Artillery in Action 15th Sep 1915 Trench Work 16th Sep 1915 Patrols 17th Sep 1915 Patrols 18th Sep 1915 Very Quiet 19th Sep 1915 Effigy 20th Sep 1915 Reliefs 21st Sep 1915 Bombardment 22nd Sep 1915 Bombardment 23rd Sep 1915 Bombardment 24th Sep 1915 Bombardment 3rd Feb 1916 Reorganisation 11th Feb 1916 Artillery Active   12th Feb 1916 Heavy Shelling   19th of July 1916    21st of July 1916 Orders   21st of July 1916 Reliefs   21st of July 1916    22nd of July 1916    30th Jul 1916 Trench Work 31st Jul 1916 Trench Work 1st Aug 1916 Some Shelling 2nd Aug 1916 Alert 3rd Aug 1916 Relief Complete   4th Aug 1916 Working Parties   5th Aug 1916 Instruction   6th Aug 1916 Demonstraion   7th Aug 1916 On the March   8th Aug 1916 Training 9th Aug 1916 Training 10th Aug 1916 Dugouts Constructed 10th Aug 1916 Training 11th Aug 1916 Training 12th Aug 1916 Training 13th Aug 1916 Training 14th Aug 1916 Reliefs   15th Aug 1916 Exhange of Fire   16th Aug 1916 Reliefs   17th Aug 1916 On the March 18th Aug 1916 On the March 19th Aug 1916 In Billets 20th Aug 1916 On the Move   21st Aug 1916 On the March   22nd Aug 1916 On the March   23rd Aug 1916 Carrying Party   24th Aug 1916 Training   25th of August 1916 Warning Order Issued   25th Aug 1916 Reliefs Complete   26th Aug 1916 Front Line 27th of August 1916 Divisional Dispositions   27th Aug 1916 Reliefs 28th of August 1916 Hostile Fire   28th Aug 1916 Working Parties 29th Aug 1916 Recce   30th Aug 1916 SOS 31st of August 1916  Warning Order Issued   1st of September 1916 Enemy SOS   1st Sep 1916 Preparations 2nd September 1916 Orders   2nd Sep 1916 Reliefs 3rd Sep 1916 Wounded Treated  On the 3rd of September 1916, the 62nd Field Ambulance RAMC was involved in the Battle of Guillemont retrieving and treating wounded soldiers from the battlefield very close to where the enemy were firing an incessant hail of bullets and shells. This was during the decisive Allied attack on the German-held strong hold of Guillemont. 62nd Field Ambulance were operating under the command of British 20th (Light) Division which operated in unison with the 47 Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division and together other forces they succeeded in capturing Guillemont on that day. 62nd Field Ambulance had been involved in this battle for many months prior the victory on 3rd September, operating in the so-called 'Valley of Death' which the Germans sprayed with machine-gun fire, bombs and gas-shells from their vantage point with great loss of life to Allied forces. 3rd Sep 1916 In Action 4th of September 1916 Units Mixed Up   4th Sep 1916 Orders   5th Sep 1916 Reliefs   16th Sep 1916 On the March   16th of September 1916 Prepare to Move   17th Sep 1916 Wet Weather   17th of September 1916 Warning Order Received   18th Sep 1916 Reliefs   18th of September 1916  Brigade Dispositions   19th of September 1916 In the Front Line   26th of September 1916 Reliefs   27th of September 1916 Division Moves   1st Jan 1917 Reliefs   4th Jan 1917 Relief   8th Jan 1917 Adjustment   10th Jan 1917 Prisoner   11th Jan 1917 Leave   14th Jan 1917 Course   17th Jan 1917 Trench Raid   18th Jan 1917 Course   22nd Jan 1917 Trench Raid   23rd Jan 1917 Orders Received   25th Jan 1917 Relief Completed   25th Jan 1917 Boundary   26th Jan 1917 Orders   27th Jan 1917 Attack Made   28th Jan 1917 Reliefs Complete   29th Jan 1917 In Reserve 27th Jan 1917 In Action 1st Feb 1917 Training 2nd Feb 1917 Training 3rd Feb 1917 Training 4th Feb 1917 Training 5th Feb 1917 Training 5th Feb 1917 Orders   6th Feb 1917 Training 7th Feb 1917 In Reserve 8th Feb 1917 Moves 9th Feb 1917 Reliefs   11th Feb 1917 Leave   14th Feb 1917 Prisoner   16th Feb 1917 Reliefs Complete   19th Feb 1917 Post Captured   19th Feb 1917 Report   24th Feb 1917 New Trench   24th Feb 1917 Bombardment   28th Feb 1917 Trench Raid   28th Feb 1917 Prisoner   1st Mar 1917 Explosions and Fires   3rd Mar 1917 Reorganisation   4th Mar 1917 Reorganisation   5th Mar 1917 Instructions   7th Mar 1917 Reorganisation   8th Mar 1917 Outposts   10th Mar 1917 Orders   11th Mar 1917 Defence Scheme   12th Mar 1917 Reliefs   13th Mar 1917 Instructions   14th Mar 1917 Orders   15th Mar 1917 Evacuation   16th Mar 1917 Quiet   17th Mar 1917 Withdrawal   18th Mar 1917 Withdrawal   19th Mar 1917 Outposts   19th Mar 1917 Orders Received   20th Mar 1917 Orders 20th Mar 1917 Orders   21st Mar 1917 Line Occupied 22nd Mar 1917 Reliefs 23rd Mar 1917 Reliefs 24th Mar 1917 Inspection   24th Mar 1917 Patrol 25th Mar 1917 Training   25th Mar 1917 Reorganisation   26th Mar 1917 Ground Gained   27th Mar 1917 Measles   27th Mar 1917 Advance   28th Mar 1917 Attack   29th Mar 1917 Instruction   29th Mar 1917 Advance   30th Mar 1917 Advance   31st Mar 1917 Orders   1st Apr 1917 Instruction   2nd Apr 1917 Move   3rd Apr 1917 Reliefs   4th Apr 1917 Anti Aircraft Duty   5th Apr 1917 In Defence   6th Apr 1917 Instruction   8th Apr 1917 Defence Line   10th Apr 1917 Reliefs   11th Apr 1917 Reliefs   12th Apr 1917 HQ Moves   13th Apr 1917 Casualty   16th Apr 1917 Reliefs 20th Apr 1917 Reinforcements 24th Apr 1917 Reinforcements 25th Apr 1917 New Positions   27th Apr 1917 HQ Moves 28th Apr 1917 Reliefs   29th Apr 1917 Reliefs Complete 10th May 1917 Barrage   12th May 1917 Reliefs   13th May 1917 Reliefs   14th May 1917 Anti Aircraft Defence   20th May 1917 Accident 21st May 1917 Anti Aircraft Defences 22nd May 1917 Withdrawal   23rd May 1917 On the March   24th May 1917 On the March   25th May 1917 Reliefs 26th May 1917 Relief   27th May 1917 New Positions   7th Oct 1917 Reliefs   12th of December 1917 Transfer to Metz Front 24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation 21st Jan 1918 Course 5th Feb 1918 Course Ends 9th of February 1918  13th Feb 1918 Personnel 21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation 21st of March 1918 "Man Battle Stations"   22nd of March 1918 Three Brigades Withdrawn   22nd of March 1918 Message 23rd of March 1918 A Serious Gap   24th Mar 1918 Cavalry in Support 24th Mar 1918 Holding the Line 25th Mar 1918 Enemy Attacks 28th of March 1918 Orders   31st of March 1918 Account of Operations   1st Apr 1918 In the Line If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 20th (Light) Division? There are:227 items tagged 20th (Light) 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 20th (Light) Division during the Great War 1914-1918. Aplin A. C.. Pte. 61st Field Ambulance Boswell David. Pte. 10th Btn. (d.29th Feb 1916) Halsall Henry Edward. L/Cpl. 12th Btn. (d.16th Sep 1916) Jackson James Henry. Pte. 7th Btn. Legg Edward John. L/Cpl. 12th Btn. (d.7th Oct 1916) Reade Herbert Cecil. 6th Btn. Timbury Frederick John. Pte. 12th Btn. C Coy. Wilson John. Pte. 11 Btn. C Coy. (d.2nd Sep 1916) 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. 1206150 L/Cpl. Henry Edward Halsall 12th Btn. Kings (Liverpool) Regiment (d.16th Sep 1916) My great uncle, Henry Halsall was the elder brother of my grandma Mary Pearson nee Halsall who both grew up at Lordsgate Farm in Burscough, which is down the road from the Bull and Dog in Burscough run by their cousins the Edges. Henry joined at the outbreak of the war and prior to enlisting was head gardener at Sefton House Lathom. He was the son of John and Ellen Halsall ne Reynolds and husband of Sarah Ellen Halsall and father of two children. I believe he was killed on 16th September 1916 at Fleurs-Coulette. If any body knows any more information or a near relative it would be great to hear from them. John Nicholls Add to this record. 1206112 Herbert Cecil Reade 6th Btn. Kings Shropshire Light Infantry Herbert Cecil Reade joined the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry 6th Battalion (Pals) in Shrewsbury in 1914. In 1916 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an observer in No.1 Squadron. He was invalided back to the UK in 1917. Richard Reade Add to this record. 1205762 Pte. John "Baity" Wilson 11 Btn. C Coy. Durham Light Infantry (d.2nd Sep 1916) John Wilson (Baity) was an ex minor from the Adventure pit, who joined the Army in 1914, 11th Batt; DLI 3-10828, was killed at the Battle of the Somme on 2nd September 1916. His name appears on the war memorial in West Rainton and also on a brass plaque in the porch of St Michael’s RC church in Houghton-le-Spring along with other fallen lads. John was a also Hawker, (selling fish from a horse and cart) but all the brothers did this for their mum at one time or another. He was also a collier and worked at the Adventure pit West Rainton. He was nicknamed Baity for the amount of sandwiches - bait - he took to work down the pit. John joined the 11th Battalion Durham Light Infantry after war was declared. In 1915 the battalion spent time in the front line in France, following which John was allowed home leave. When the time came to go back to France, he caught the correct train from Durham station but, unfortunately, the engine broke down somewhere and he had to be found a place on another train. This delay caused him to miss his ship back to France and his connections there. By the time he returned two days late, the battalion had gone back into the front line. He was brought before an officer, who told him he could be tried for desertion from the front, punishable by death or accept field punishment number one there and then without representation. He chose this punishment, which involved him doing hard labour and being tied to the wheel of a field gun for up to two hours a day – but for how many days I do not know. John was killed on 2nd September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. I recall being told that my Great Gran was devastated at the news of his death and she always wanted to know what had happened to him since his body was never found after a trench burial. When she went shopping in Sunderland she would ask ex-DLI soldiers if they had met him and how he died. One day, by chance, someone said “yes, I was there; he was shot in the stomach, and died slowly without any medical help, and was crying for his mother when he died”. Although this caused her distress at least it gave some closure. John Wilson’s name is on the monument at Thiepval, on the war memorial in West Rainton and also on a brass plaque in the porch of St Michael’s RC church in Houghton-le-Spring along with other fallen lads. There are some inaccuracies in his service record: John was most certainly Not, C of E, His mum would have had a fit to hear this. She was strong Catholic, as were All of her children. But if you put down Catholic when you were enlisted,you were meant to attend services every Sunday. If you were not strong catholic, you put down C of E and then life was easier. He was most certainly late from leave as they say, but they miss the most important bit. His train was delayed when on leave from the front, and he arrived back 3 days late, no fault of his. But the regiment had gone back to the front line. He was given the choice of a court marshal,and firing squad, or accept field punishment No 1 tied cruciform to a field gun wheel for three days. This he accepted. From this he developed pneumonia, was sent to hospital, for a few days, and returned to the front line. From someone with him, we were told he was shot in the stomach, and died after 3 days without any medical help. What can you say. John Harvey Add to this record. 1205747 Pte. David Boswell 10th Btn. Kings Royal Rifles Corps (d.29th Feb 1916) David Boswell served with B Company, 10th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps during WW1 and died on the 29th February 1916, aged 21. He is buried in La Belle Alliance Cemetery in Belgium. He was the son of Thomas and Sarah Boswell, of 75, Sharp St., Warrington. Steve Add to this record. 261748 Pte. A. C. Aplin MM. 61st Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps My great-grandfather A.C. Aplin served during WWI with the 61st Field Ambulance. We know little to nothing about him as yet, he died the year before my father was born. The only records I have been able to find so far are his medal cards and the page from the London Gazette where it announced his Military Medal award. We have only recently been able to collect all his medals from around the family and have them cleaned and mounted. My father was able to wear them for the first time on Remembrance Sunday, 2019 to honour his grandfather. Lee Jeal Add to this record. 258201 L/Cpl. Edward John Legg 12th Btn. Rifle Brigade (d.7th Oct 1916) Edward Legg was born 29th of December 1889 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. He was a Seaman from Williamstown, Victoria, Australia, he had landed in England and was waiting for a ship, when war broke out. On the 8th of September he enlisted at the Admiralty Recruiting Office in London, went directly to Rifle Depot, Winchester. On the 10th her was posted to the 9th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, 14th (Light) Division but on the 1st of October was transferred 12th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, 20th (Light) Division. He landed in France with 12th Rifle Brigade on the 21st of July 1915. On the 6th of June 1916 he was wounded, a gun shot in right eye and forehead while in the Potijze sector of the Ypres Salient. He was admitted to 17th Casualty Clearing Station the next day and evacuated via No 6 Ambulance Train to No 1 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples where he was admitted on the 8th of June. On the 10th he was transferred No 26 General Hospital and on the 27th to No 20 Infantry Base Depot, Etaples for convalescence. Edward rejoined the 12th Rifle Brigade on teh 7th of July 1916 near Ypres. from the 15th to 19th he was treated at a Local Field Ambulance for scabies. He was wounded, gun shot to face a second time on the 13th of August 1916 and admitted to No.29 Casualty Clearing Station and evacuated via No 21 Ambulance Train the next day. On the 16th he was admitted No 25 General Hospital at Hardelot his injuries recorded as GSW and he was also noted as suffering from urticaria. He was transferred No 47 Infantry Base Depot, Hardelot for convalescence on the 6th of September and on the 8th was appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid) rejoining 12th Rifle Brigade at Corbie two days later. Edward was recorded as missing in action on the 7th of October 1916 and officially presumed to have died on or since that date on the 9th of November 1918. Pam Henderson Add to this record. 246433 Pte. James Henry Jackson 7th Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry James Jackson was in the 7th and 8th Battalions, Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry, 20th Division He was wounded and spent time in hospital of which I have his medical report. I am trying to trace my mum's family tree and that of her fathers side, any help in advising where do I begin to search for records of any kind would be much appreciated. Sharon Add to this record. 218727 Pte. Frederick John Timbury 12th Btn. C Coy. Kings Liverpool Regiment Fred Timbury was my grandfather who never talked much about his experiences during the Great War. I understand that he went over to France in 1915 with the 12th Btn Kings Liverpool Regiment. He originally came from Battersea in London and had four sisters, Lizzie, Emma, Rose and Bett. After a family disagreement, he moved up to Wakefield in Yorkshire to work in the coal mines. In 1915 he joined the army and was sent to Bisley training camp. I have a photograph of him there. He was then sent to France. At a place called Lesboeufs in 1916, Fred had a lucky escape when his prayer book, which he was carrying in his breast pocket, was struck by a bullet. My mother told me that Fred had a wound in his arm, undoubtedly caused by the deflected bullet. I attach photos of the book, along with a picture of the first pages with a comment written by Fred as to where and when it happened. At some point later in the conflict, Fred was captured by the Germans and became a prisoner of war for the remainder of the War. I have several photographs of his sisters taken at Boyd's Photographic Studios in Battersea which were sent to him in the prison camp. The reverse side clearly shows the purple coloured camp stamp. Roger Beasley Add to this record.

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