52nd(Lowland) Division in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

52nd(Lowland) Division

   The 52nd (Lowland) Division was a formation of the Territorial Force, formed as the Lowland Division as a result of the reforms of the army carried out in 1908 under the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane and was one of 14 Divisions of the peacetime TF.
1914
The units of the Division had just departed for annual summer camp when emergency orders recalled them to the home base. All units were mobilised for full time war service on 5 August 1914 and moved to their allotted positions on the Scottish coastal defences by mid August 1914. Several of the Division's units left in the period November 1914 - March 1915
1915
On 5th of April the Division was warned that it would go on overseas service; on 7th of May this was confirmed, with the destination being Gallipoli. The units embarked at Liverpool and Devonport between 18th of May and 8th of June. On 22nd of May when a train carrying the battalion HQ and two Companies of the 1/7th Royal Scots crashed in an accident at Quntinshill near Gretna. 3 officers and 207 men died, 5 officers and 219 were injured. Fewer than 70 men survived this crash unscathed. Two of the field artillery brigades and the heavy battery remained on the Forth defences. The first units landed on Gallipoli (Cape Helles) on 6th of June. The Division was then involved in the following moves and engagements:

Gully Ravine
Achi Baba Nullah
Krithia Nullahs
The evacuation of Helles

1916
The Division moved to Egypt after being evacuated from Gallipoli and concentrated at Abbassia near Cairo. It subsequently moved to El Kantara and on 2 March took over No 3 Section of the Suez Canal defences.

Dueidar - Palestine
The Battle of Romani - Palestine

1917
The following actions took place in the ongoing Palestine campaign.

The First Battle of Gaza
The Second Battle of Gaza
The Third Battle of Gaza
Wadi el Hesi
Burqa (156th Brigade)
El Maghar (155th Brigade)
The capture of Junction Station
The Battle of Nabi Samweil
The Battle of Jaffa, including the passage of the Nahr-el-Auja

1918
52nd Division remained in the line near Arsuf until March 1918. Orders were received on 24th of March that the Division would be relieved by the 7th (Meerut) Division and that it would then proceed to France. The Divisional artillery was exchanged with that of the Indian Division and all units sailed from Alexandria between 4 and 11 April. The Division went via Marseilles and concentrated near Abbeville by 23 April. The ship Kingstonian, carring IX Brigade RFA, 413 Company RE and a section of the Divisional Ammunition Column) was torpedoed on 11th of April. On 29th of April the Division moved to Aire and took over a sector of front line near Vimy on 6 May. It was withdrawn into reserve on 23 July and eight days later once again went into the line north east of Arras:

The Battle of Albert
The Battle of the Scarpe
The Battle of the Drocourt-Queant Line
The Battle of the Canal du Nord
The Final Advance in Artois

The Division was in the front line north of the Mons Canal and was engaged on clearing Herchies on 11th of November 1918. The demobilisation of the Division began in December and the service of the Division came to an end on 31 May when the final cadres left for home. The Division reformed as part of the Territorial Army in April 1920.
Order of Battle of the 52nd (Lowland) Division
155th (South Scottish) Brigade

1/4th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers
1/5th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers
1/4th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers
1/5th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers left 28 June 1918
155th Machine Gun Company formed 23 March 1916, moved to 52nd Battalion, MGC 28 April 1918
155th Trench Mortar Battery formed 24 May 1917

156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade

1/5th Battalion, Cameronians left November 1914
1/6th Battalion, Cameronians left March 1915
1/7th Battalion, Cameronians
1/8th Battalion, Cameronians left 28 June 1918
1/4th Battalion, Royal Scots joined April 1915
1/7th Battalion, Royal Scots joined April 1915
156th Machine Gun Company formed 16 March 1916, moved to 52nd Battalion, MGC 28 April 1918
156th Trench Mortar Battery formed 27 June 1917

157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade

1/5th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
1/6th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
1/7th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
1/9th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry until November 1914
1/5th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders joined April 1915, until 28 June 1918
157th Machine Gun Company formed 14 March 1916, moved to 52nd Battalion, MGC 28 April 1918
157th Trench Mortar Battery formed 11 June 1917

Divisional Troops

5th Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment - Divisional Pioneer Battalion 3 April 1918 - 31 May 1918
17th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers - Divisional Pioneer Btn from 31 May 1918
211th Machine Gun Company formed before 15 September 1917 in XXI Corps, joined Division 1st of April 1918, became 52nd Battalion, MGC 28 April 1918
52nd Battalion MGC formed 28 April 1918
1st Dismounted Brigade (Ayrshire and Lanarkshire Yeomanry, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Scottish Horse, 1 Signals Coy, 1 MG Coy, 1 Field Ambulance) was also attached to the Division 8 February 1916 to 28 June 1916 on the Suez Canal defences

Divisional Mounted Troops

Lowland Divisional Cyclist Company broken up 1 August 1915, reformed in Egypt 27 March 1916, left for XXI Corps 8 December 1917
RHQ and C Sqn, 1/1st Royal Glasgow Yeomanry joined 10 October 1915, left for XXI Corps Cavalary regiment on 21 August 1917
Lowland Mounted Brigade (Ayrshire and Lanarkshire Yeomanry) was also attached to the Division between 11 October and 31 December 1915
A troop, 4th Hussars and a detachment of VIII Corps Cyclist Battalion were attached to the Division 30 October to 11 November 1918

Divisional Artillery
From 1 August 1918, the Divisional Artillery served variously under the command of 18th, 58th, 47th, 3rd Australian and 11th Divisions, and did not return to 52nd Division until 20 October 1918

CCLXI (II Lowland) Brigade, RFA remained in Egypt when Division went to Gallipoli, left 3 April 1918
CCLXIII (IV Lowland) (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA remained in Egypt when Division went to Gallipoli, broken up 30 December 1916
CCLXII (III Lowland) Brigade, RFA rejoined 17 March 1916, left 3 April 1918
CCLXIV (V Lowland) Brigade, RFA rejoined 17 March 1916, left 3 April 1918
Lowland (Edinburgh) Heavy Battery, RGA did not sail with the Division; moved independently to France 16 february 1916 and joined XVII HA Brigade
52nd Pom-Pom Battery, RFA attached during June 1917
IX Battery, RFA joined 1 April 1918
LVI Battery, RFA joined 1 April 1918
52nd Divisional Ammunition Column RFA remained in Egypt when Division went to Gallipoli, broken up 17 March 1916, reformed 1 january 1917, excahnged for the DAC of 7th (Meerut) Div on 1 April 1918
X.52, Y.52 and Z.52 Medium Mortar Batteries, RFA joined 30 October 1917, all left for 7th (Meerut) Division 3 April 1918, replaced by two batteries (X and Y) from TM School on 8 May 1918

Royal Engineers

1st Lowland Field Company until December 1914
410th (2nd Lowland) Field Company until March 1915, rejoined 24 February 1916
412th (2/1st Lowland) Field Company from March 1915
413th (2/2nd Lowland) Field Company from March 1915
52nd Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

1st Lowland Field Ambulance
2nd Lowland Field Ambulance
3rd Lowland Field Ambulance
52nd Sanitary Section until October 1915, rejoined October 1917, until 4 May 1918

Other Divisional Troops

52nd Divisional Train ASC (Lowland Divisional Transport and Supply Column) consisting of 471, 472, 473 and 474 Companies ASC. until October 1915. Replaced by 217, 218, 219 and 220 Companies ASC from March 1916.
1st Lowland Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
52nd Divisional Ambulance Workshop from 21 April 1916, absorbed into Divisional Supply Column in June 1917
984th Divisional Employment Company from April 1918

25th Apr 1915 Training

4th Jun 1915 On the Move

5th Jun 1915 Heavy Work

8th Jun 1915 On the Move

9th Jun 1915 On the Move

11th Jun 1915 On the Move

12th Jun 1915 Transport

13th Jun 1915 Transport

14th Jun 1915 Equipment

15th Jun 1915 Water Supplies

16th Jun 1915 Working Parties

17th Jun 1915 Working Parties

18th Jun 1915 Lack of Medical Support

22nd Jun 1915 Reliefs

27th Jun 1915 Reliefs

28th Jun 1915 In Action

12th Jul 1915 Attack Made

12th Jul 1915 In Action

13th Jul 1915 In the Line

13th Jul 1915 Counter Attack

15th Nov 1915 Storm

16th Nov 1915 Counter Attack

1st June 1916 Order No.17 received

2nd June 1916 G.O.C. 52nd Division inspects

7th June 1916 Patrol captured 24 Goats and 7 Sheep

9th June 1916 B.M.874

11th June 1916 B.M.888 to 52nd Division

12th June 1916 G.O.C. and G.S.O.1 visit B.G.C.

15th June 1916 B.M. 1001 issued

16th June 1916 Disposition return to 52nd Division.

17th June 1916 G.R.193/128 received

23rd June 1916 Disposition issued

2nd July 1916 G.R.8 received

4th July 1916 Conference of C.O's at Bde.H.Q.

7th July 1916 7th H.L.I. arrived

8th July 1916 157th Inf. Bde. take over area

9th July 1916 Sentries sleeping

12th July 1916 Major General W.E. Smith C.H.G. takes over Command

15th July 1916 B.M.1170

17th July 1916 reinforcements

18th July 1916 use of Barbed Wire.

19th July 1916 G.R.15/8 received

20th July 1916 B.M.2008

21st July 1916 B.G.C. returned from Alexandria

22nd July 1916 52nd Division Order No.4

27th Oct 1916 Reliefs

20th Nov 1915 On the Move

21st Nov 1915 Back to Work

22nd Nov 1915 Construction Work

23rd Nov 1915 Construction Work

24th Nov 1915 Instruction

25th Nov 1915 Instruction

26th Nov 1915 Construction Work

30th Nov 1915 Construction Work

14th Dec 1916 Exercise

19th Apr 1917 In Reserve

20th Apr 1917 Attack Made

2nd May 1917 Supplement

5th May 1917 Orders

5th May 1917 Ref. Operational Order No.60

6th May 1917 For Communication

14th May 1917 Report

15th May 1917 G.R.13/5/13

28th May 1917 G.R. 13/5/1

30th May 1917 G.R. 13/5/1

30th May 1917 H.Q. 52nd Division. B.M. 30/11

2nd June 1917 52nd Divisional Order No. 61

5th June 1917 G.R.24/2/1

8th June 1917 52nd Division Order No.61.

8th June 1917 52nd Division Order No.61.

14th June 1917 Corps. Reserve.

5th July 1917 52nd Division Order No.62.

6th July 1917 Information

7th July 1917 Training continues

12th July 1917 Ref G.R.2/1/25

12th July 1917 Visited Brentwood Redoubt

17th July 1917 Ref GR2/1/25

19th July 1917 Special Warning received from 52nd Division

20th July 1917 Letter GR 2/1/25

25th July 1917 Received from 52nd Division

27th July 1917 Posts and localities

31st July 1917 52nd Division Order. No. 64.

31st July 1917 52nd Division Operational Order No.64

1st August 1917 Relief of the 156th Inf. Brigade

1st August 1917 Operation Order No.12.

2nd August 1917 Operational Order No.13 issued.

2nd August 1917 Reference 52nd Division Order No. 65

2nd August 1917 52nd Division Order No. 65.

4th August 1917 52nd Division Order No.66

4th August 1917 52nd Divinion Order No.66.

7th August 1917 1/7th Scot. Rifles wired

7th August 1917 52nd Divisional Orders No.67.

7th August 1917 G.R. 17/2/15

10th August 1917 Amendment to Operational Order No.67.

20th August 1917 52nd Division Order No.70.

8th of November 1917 Orders

24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation

19th January 1918 Brigade Bombing School

21st Jan 1918 Course

1st February 1918 B.G.C. accompanied by Brigade Major visited the left Sub-Section

5th Feb 1918 Course Ends

7th February 1918 H.Q. 52nd Division. B.M.460.

13th Feb 1918 Personnel

16th February 1918 Bombing School visited by B.G.C.

17th February 1918 Trenches nearly dry

21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation

23rd February 1918 Capt. H. Sayer M.C. to Staff Course

24th February 1918 Reference to Q.3421

26th February 1918 Memo from Division

1st March 1918 Defence Scheme.

8th April 1918 Usual Parades

11th Apr 1918 On the Move

11th April 1918 Practice Alarm at 0820 hours.

24th Apr 1918 Orders

28th of April 1918 Artillery Quieter

29th Apr 1918 On the Move

8th June 1918 Operational Order No.21.

5th July 1918 l56th Infantry Brigade Order No.42

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.

Want to know more about 52nd(Lowland) Division?

There are:124 items tagged 52nd(Lowland) 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
52nd(Lowland) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Boughey Stanley Henry Parry. 2nd.Lt. 1st/4th Btn. (d.4th Dec 1917)
Cross Harry. Pte. 1/8th Btn. (d.19th Apr 1917)
Jackson Arthur. Pte. 1/4th Btn. (d.19th Apr 1917)
Morton John. Pte. 17th (N.E.R.) Btn (d.18th June 1918)
Murray John Richardson . Cpl. 1/4th Btn. (d.12th Jul 1915)

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

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261550

Cpl. John Richardson Murray 1/4th Btn. Kings Own Scottish Borderers (d.12th Jul 1915)

John Murray was the son of a baker and confectioner, James Murray, and Jane McClure McMichan and lived at 24 Horsemarket, Kelso, Roxburghshire. He was an apprentice joiner when he volunteered to join the King's Own Scottish Borderers before WW1. Military service was in the family blood from the late 1700s and early 1800s.
His unit, the 1/4th KOSB, was sent to Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula as part of the 52nd Division, and he died in one of the four landing waves on the first day, 12th July 1915. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
Yvonne Hardwick

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218328

Pte. Harry Cross 1/8th Btn. The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (d.19th Apr 1917)

Harry Cross served with the 1/8th Battalion, Scottish Rifles durig WW1 and was killed in action on the 19th April 1917 in Mesopotamia, aged 20. He is commemorated on Panel 25 in the Jerusalem War Cemetery. He was the son of Matthew and Ellen Cross, of 13, Cotton St., Burnley.
S Flynn

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218323

Pte. Arthur Jackson 1/4th Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.19th Apr 1917)

Arthut Jackson served with the 1/4th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers during WW1. He was formerly with the East Lancs (11056) and Liverpools (28796). He was killed in action on the 19th April 1917 and is buried in the Gaza War Cemetery in Gaza. He was probably killed at the Second Battle of Gaza.
S Flynn

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218321

2nd.Lt. Stanley Henry Parry Boughey VC. 1st/4th Btn. Royal Scots Fusiliers (d.4th Dec 1917)

2nd Lieutenant Stanley Henry Parry Boughey served with the 1/4th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers during WW1 and was killed in action on the 4th December 1917, age 21. He is buried in the Gaza War Cemetery in Gaza. He was the son of Mrs. Lucy Boughey, of Yew Tree Farm, Hurleston, Nantwich, Cheshire.
An extract from the London Gazette, dated 12th February, 1918, records the following:-
For most conspicuous bravery. When the enemy in large numbers had managed to crawl up to within 30 yards of our firing line, and with bombs and automatic rifles were keeping down the fire of our machine guns, he rushed forward alone with bombs right up to the enemy, doing great execution and causing the surrender of a party of 30. As he turned to go back for more bombs he was mortally wounded at the moment when the enemy were surrendering.
S Flynn

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216405

Pte. John Morton 17th (N.E.R.) Btn Northumberland Fusiliers (d.18th June 1918)

John Morton enlisted at York and served with 17th Battalion (N.E.R. Pioneers) Northumberland Fusiliers. He died on the 18th June 1918. He is buried at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension. His medal card records the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals. John was born in Jarrow but unable to trace family in census returns.
Vin Mullen

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- 52nd(Lowland) Division during the Great War -

52nd(Lowland) Division

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52nd(Lowland) Division

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Those known to have served with52nd(Lowland) Divisionduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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- 52nd(Lowland) Division during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
52nd(Lowland) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.