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32nd Division    32nd Division was one of six new divisions formed in December 1914 and was largely made up of Pals Battalions. It was a predominantly Northern Division. After commencing training near home (although the Glasgow battalions moved to camp at Gailes and the 11th Border at Blackhall), the units were moved in May 1915 to concentrate in Shropshire but Prees Heath was found to be too wet for training and the brigades instead moved to Yorkshire encamped at Wensley and Richmond, with use of the firing ranges at Strenshall. It was not until August that the Division moved for final training and firing practice at Codford on Salisbury Plain. In November 1915 the Division received a warning order to prepare to sail for France. It remained on the Western Front for the remainder of the war and took part in the following engagements: 1916 The Battle of Albert - Somme The Battle of Bazentin - Somme The Battle of the Ancre - Somme 1917 Operations on the Ancre The pursuit of the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line 1918 The First Battle of Arras - Somme The Battle of Amiens The Battle of Albert - Somme The Battle of Bapaume - Somme The Battle of the St Quentin Canal - Hindenburg Line The Battle of Beaurevoir - Hindenburg Line The Battle of the Sambre, including the passage of the Oise-Sambre Canal, a phase of the Final Advance in Picardy The Units forming the Divisional Order of Battle of the 32nd Division 95th Brigade This brigade left the Division and was transferred to 5th Division on 26 December 1915 . 14th Btn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (1st Birmingham City) 15th Btn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (2nd Birmingham City) 16th Btn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (3rd Birmingham City) 12th Btn, Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own) 96th Brigade 16th Btn, Northumberland Fusiliers (Newcastle) 15th Btn, Lancashire Fusiliers (1st Salford Pals) 16th Btn, Lancashire Fusiliers (2nd Salford Pals) 19th Btn, Lancashire Fusiliers left January 1916 (3rd Salford Pals) 2nd Btn, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers joined January 1916, left February 1918 96th Machine Gun Company joined 15 March 1916, moved to 32nd Bn MGC 21 Feb 1918 96th Trench Mortar Battery joined March 1916 2nd Btn, Manchester Regiment joined February 1918 97th Brigade 11th Btn, Border Regiment left as a cadre May 1918 (Lonsdale) 15th Btn, Highland Light Infantry left January 1916 (Glasgow Tramways) 16th Btn, Highland Light Infantry left February 1918 (Glasgow Boys Brigade) 17th Btn, Highland Light Infantry disbanded February 1918 (3rd Glasgow) 2nd Btn, King's Own Yorkshire LI joined December 1915 97th Machine Gun Company joined 15 March 1916, moved to 32nd Bn MGC 21 Feb 1918 97th Trench Mortar Battery joined March 1916 10th Btn, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders joined February 1918 1/5th Btn, Border Regiment joined May 1918 14th Brigade Brigade joined from 5th Division on 30 December 1915 1/9th Btn, Royal Scots left January 1916 1st Btn, Devonshire Regiment left January 1916 1st Btn, East Surrey Regiment left January 1916 1st Btn, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry left January 1916 2nd Btn, Manchester Regiment joined December 1915, left February 1918 1st Btn, Dorsetshire Regiment joined 7 January 1916 19th Btn, Lancashire Fusiliers joined January 1916, left July 1916 15th Btn, Highland Light Infantry joined January 1916 14th Machine Gun Company joined February 1916, moved to 32nd Bn MGC 21 Feb 1918 14th Trench Mortar Battery joined March 1916 1/5th Btn, Royal Scots joined 29 July 1916 Divisional Troops 17th Btn, Northumberland Fusiliers joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion June 1915, left October 1916, returned September 1917, finally left November 1917 (North Eastern Railway Pioneers) 1/12th Btn, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion November 1916, left January 1917 16th Btn, Highland Light Infantry joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion February 1918 (Glasgow Boys Brigade) 219th Machine Gun Company joined 25 March 1917, moved to 32nd Bn MGC 21 Feb 1918 32nd Battalion MGC formed 21 February 1918 Divisional Mounted Troops F Sqn, North Irish Horse briefly, between April and June 1916 32nd Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps left 31 May 1916 Divisional Artillery The original Divisional Artillery remained in England and on 2 December 1915 joined the 31st Division CLXV Brigade, RFA CLXIX Brigade, RFA CLXX Brigade, RFA CLXXI (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA The original Divisional Artillery of the 31st Division joined to replace them between 30 December 1915 and 3 January 1916 CLV Brigade, RFA left 20 January 1917 CLXI Brigade, RFA CLXIV (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA broken up September 1916 CLXVIII Brigade, RFA War diary click here 32nd Divisional Ammunition Column RFA V.32, W.32 Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, RFA formed by June 1916; W Bty broken up 28 December 1916; V redesignated X on 12 February 1918 X.32, Y.32 and Z.32 Medium Mortar Batteries, RFA formed May 1916; by 12 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each Royal Engineers 206th (Glasgow) Field Company 218th (Glasgow) Field Company 219th (Glasgow) Field Company 32nd Divisional Signals Company Royal Army Medical Corps 96th Field Ambulance left November 1915 97th Field Ambulance left November 1915 98th Field Ambulance left November 1915 90th Field Ambulance joined November 1915 91st Field Ambulance joined November 1915 92nd Field Ambulance joined November 1915 72nd Sanitary Section left 17 April 1917 Other Divisional Troops 32nd Divisional Train ASC originally 221, 222, 223 and 224 Companies ASC. This Train remained behind when the Division sailed in November 1915 and was replaced by 202, 203, 204 and 205 Companies. The original train later joined 31st Division 42nd Mobile Veterinary Section AVC 229th Divisional Employment Company joined 25 March 1917 32nd Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop disbanded 6 April 1916 23rd Nov 1915 On the Move 24th Nov 1915 On the Move 25th Nov 1915 On the Move 26th Nov 1915 In Billets 27th Nov 1915 On the March 28th Nov 1915 On the March 29th Nov 1915 In Billets 29th Nov 1915 Orders 30th Nov 1915 Orders Received 1st Dec 1915 Units Move 3rd Dec 1915 Instruction 4th Dec 1915 Instruction 5th Dec 1915 Instruction 6th Dec 1915 Instruction 7th Dec 1915 Orders Received 8th Dec 1915 Instruction 9th Dec 1915 Instruction 10th Dec 1915 Instruction 11th Dec 1915 Instruction 12th Dec 1915 Reliefs 13th Dec 1915 Instruction 14th Dec 1915 Instruction 15th Dec 1915 Instruction 16th Dec 1915 Instruction 17th Dec 1915 Instruction 18th Dec 1915 Instruction 19th Dec 1915 Instruction 20th of December 1915 Deserter Taken 20th Dec 1915 Instruction 21st Dec 1915 Instruction 22nd Dec 1915 Orders Issued   23rd Dec 1915 Reliefs Complete   24th Dec 1915 In the Line   25th of December 1915 Patrols 25th Dec 1915 Shelling   26th Dec 1915 Quiet   27th Dec 1915 Reliefs   28th of December 1915 Retaliatory Firing   28th Dec 1915 Holding the Line   29th Dec 1915 Holding the Line   30th Dec 1915 Holding the Line   31st Dec 1915 Reliefs   4th of March 1916 Heavy Snow   17th of March 1916 A Combined Bombardment 22nd of April 1916 Shrapnel Casualties 13th of May 1916 Our Patrol Inflicts Casualties   14th of May 1916 Hamel and Thipeval Targetted   22nd May 1916 Reorganisation 1st of June 1916 Lively Shelling   8th Jun 1916 Exercise   12th Jun 1916 Exercise 15th Jun 1916 Exercise 16th of June 1916 A Drying Day and a Plan   20th of June 1916 Boche Working Feverishly   21st Jun 1916 Exercise 21st of June 1916 Artillery Fire Exchanged 22nd Jun 1916 Into Billets 23rd Jun 1916 Reliefs   24th Jun 1916 Artillery in Action   25th Jun 1916 Artillery in Action   26th Jun 1916 Artillery in Action   27th Jun 1916 Bombardment 28th Jun 1916 Bombardment 29th Jun 1916 Bombardment 30th Jun 1916 Into Position 1st Jul 1916 Attack Made 1st July 1916 Terrible Losses   1st July 1916 In Action 1st July 1916 In Action   2nd Jul 1916 Holding the Line 2nd of July 1916 A Gallant Plan   2nd July 1916 Reliefs   3rd July 1916 Moves   4th July 1916 In Reserve 17th Jul 1916 Address 28th Jul 1916 Inspection 29th Aug 1916 Bombardment   30th August 1916 Reorganisation 30th Aug 1916 Recce 31st Aug 1916 Reliefs 8th of October 1916  Front Changed   11th of October 1916 5th Div's Artillery Area   2nd Nov 1916 Exercise 6th Nov 1916 Exercise 17th Nov 1916 Shelling   18th Nov 1916 In Action   19th Nov 1916 Reliefs   20th November 1916 Reorganisation 21st Nov 1916 Holding out   22nd Nov 1916 Holding out   23rd Nov 1916 Orders   16th Dec 1916 On the March 15th Feb 1917 Reliefs 28th Feb 1917 Inspection 1st Mar 1917 Reliefs 2nd Mar 1917 Working Parties 17th Mar 1917 On the March 18th Mar 1917 Bridging Trenches 19th Mar 1917 Destruction 20th Mar 1917 On the March 21st Mar 1917 Craters 22nd Mar 1917 Working Parties 23rd Mar 1917 Defence Work 1st Apr 1917 Attack Made   14th Apr 1917 Assault   15th Apr 1917 Reliefs   16th Apr 1917 On the March   20th April 1917 Reliefs 26th Apr 1917 Training   30th Apr 1917 Inspection   2nd May 1917 Inspection   12th May 1917 Training   23rd of May 1917 German Front Stiffened   27th May 1917 More Brigades Drafted 1st of June 1917 Instructions for the Offensive   5th July 1917 Bridges 6th July 1917 Roads and Bridges 14th Aug 1917 On the March 20th August 1917 German Measles 20th August 1917 52nd Division Order No.70.   25th Aug 1917 Sports Meeting 28th Aug 1917 In Reserve 15th Sep 1917 Reliefs 26th Sep 1917 Shelling   27th Sep 1917 Hostile Attack   28th Sep 1917 Reliefs 29th Sep 1917 Working Parties 24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation 21st Jan 1918 Course 5th Feb 1918 Course Ends 13th Feb 1918 Personnel 15th Feb 1918 Reorganisation 21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation 10th Mar 1918 Reliefs   25th Apr 1918 Relief Completed 27th Apr 1918 Training 28th Apr 1918 Football 12th May 1918 On the Move If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 32nd Division? There are:138 items tagged 32nd 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 32nd Division during the Great War 1914-1918. Lauder George Herbert. L/Cpl. 2nd Btn. (d.25th Nov 1917) McLauchlan John Hall. L/Cpl. 218th (Glasgow) Field Company McNair John Alexander. Pte. 16th (Service) Battalion (d.22nd Aug 1916) Melvin Robert. Spr. 102nd Field Coy. (d.31st Oct 1918) Metcalfe Edgar Seaton. Spr. 218 Field Coy. (d.24th Jun 1917) Toole Francis. Pte. 16th (2nd Salford) Btn. (d.4th Nov 1918) 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. 1206603 L/Cpl. George Herbert Lauder 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.25th Nov 1917) My Dad's Uncle George Lauder was always a favorite topic of his. He has photos of George in France from 1914 to 1917. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial. My dad was a Wilks, George was my grans elder brother. George played cricket for the same team as my grandad and possibly this is how my granddad Lance met Beatrice. George will be remembered this year and each year to 2017 with far moire poignancy than ever before. George served with the 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry during WW1 and was killed, aged 22, on the 25th November 1917. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, near Ypres, Belgium. He was the Son of John Lauder, of 190 Wales Rd., Sheffield. Glenn Wilks Add to this record. 260559 Pte. Francis Toole 16th (2nd Salford) Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers (d.4th Nov 1918) Francis Toole served with the 16th Lancashire Fusiliers, part of the 96th Infantry Brigade, 32nd Division. Add to this record. 250814 L/Cpl. John Hall McLauchlan 218th (Glasgow) Field Company Royal Engineers JohnMcLauchlan enlisted in the 218th (Glasgow) Field Company, Royal Engineers on 2 April 1915 and served the duration of the war. He entered the theatre of war in Flanders on 23rd November 1915. He participated in the conflicts at Ypres, the Somme (where he was shot in the leg), Operation Strandfest (where he was gassed), Passchendaele, and Amiens. He was a member of the Army of Occupation and finally returned home to Scotland in March 1919. he was discharged in 1920 with the rank of Lance Corporal. Josh Horton Add to this record. 216455 Pte. John Alexander McNair 16th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (d.22nd Aug 1916) John Alexander McNair enlisted Newcastle and served with the 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action age 24 on the 22nd August 1916 and is buried in Cambrin Churchyard Extension. His medal card records the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals and that he was killed in action. John was born in Jarrow 1892, son of John Alexander and Margaret McNair nee Nesbitt of 23 South Eldon Street, South Shields. Vin Mullen Add to this record. 216427 Spr. Robert Melvin 102nd Field Coy. Royal Engineers (d.31st Oct 1918) Robert Melvin served in 102nd Field Company, Royal Engineers and died on the 31st October 1918. He is remembered at St. Paul's Church and is buried in Giavera British Cemetery Arcade. His medal card records the award of the 1915 Star,War and Victory Medals. He was also awarded the Military Medal for Gallantry. Robert was born in Jarrow 1892, son of Robert and Annie Melville nee Dunleavy of 11 Dunn Street, Jarrow. In the 1911 census the family is living at that address with Robert(63) a dock labourer - shipbuilding and his wife of 23 years Annie(43). They had 10 children, 9 survived and all are single and living at home. James(22)a fruit merchants clerk, Robert(18) ships painter and Thomas(16) a rivetter heater. The remaining children are at or below school age, Mary Ann(11), Annie(8), Catherine(5), Julia(3) and Marie is 10 months old. His younger brother Thomas was also one of the fallen. Vin Mullen Add to this record. 216419 Spr. Edgar Seaton Metcalfe 218 Field Coy. Royal Engineers (d.24th Jun 1917) Edgar Seaton Metcalfe enlisted at Jarrow and served in 218th (Glasgow)Field Company, Royal Engineers. He died from wounds age 26 on the 24th June 1917 and is remembered at St. Paul's Church, He is buried in Coxyde Military Cemetery. His medal card records the award of the 1914 Star, War and Victory Medals also that he died from wounds. Edgar was born in Jarrow 1891, son of Edgar Seaton and Rosine Metcalfe nee Slevin of 29 Donkin Terrace, North Shields. In the 1911 census Edgar(19) is lodging with the Schmeiter family at 34 Hugh Street, London working as a Pantryman at a hotel. Vin Mullen Add to this record.

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