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- 61st (2nd South Midland) Division during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

61st (2nd South Midland) Division



   61st (2nd South Midland) Division was formed in 1914. On 31st of August 1914 the War Office issued instructions for all units of the Territorial Force to form a reserve unit. The men who had agreed to serve overseas were separated from the rest. Those left as 'home service only' were formed into 'second line' units, which would be this reserve. They were joined by many new recruits from September 1914 onward. The 'first line' 48th (South Midland) Division went to France in March 1915. The units of the 'second line', the 2nd South Midland Division, remained at home for some time. Along with other 'second line' Divisions suffered it greatly from lack of equipment of all sorts, and training was inevitably affected

In early January 1915 the units moved and concentrated in the Northampton area. Drafts began to leave for the 'first line' units, and their places taken by new recruits. In April 1915 the Division moved to Chelmsford and soon afterward the number 61 was issued and the full title became 61st (2nd South Midland Division). The units were inspected by Lord Kitchener on 6 August 1915. In February and early March 1916 the Division moved to Salisbury Plain. King George V inspected the Division at Bulford on 5 May 1916. The Division was warned in May that it would go on overseas service and entrainment began on the 21st. By 28 May the Division, less the Ammunition Column (which was still at Le Havre), had concentrated in the area of Merville - Gonnehem - Busnes - Thiennes. The Division then remained in France and Flanders and took part in the following engagements:

1916

  • The Attack at Fromelles

1917

  • The Operations on the Ancre
  • The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line
  • The Battle of Langemarck - Third Battles of Ypres
  • The German counter attacks at Cambrai

1918

  • The Battle of St Quentin
  • The Actions at the Somme Crossings
  • The Battle of Estaires
  • The Battle of Hazebrouck
  • The Battle of Bethune
  • The Battle of the Selle
  • The Battle of Valenciennes

The Division was relieved on 3rd of November and was south of Valenciennes, along the River Ecaillon, at the Armistice. It withdrew west, being near Cambrai by 17th of November and west of Dullens from 28 November. The Division began to demobilise in January 1919 and for a time men were leaving for home at a rate of 1,000 per week. Two battalions were detached for duties at the Base Ports, otherwise the Division was chiefly employed on guard duty and working parties. A battalion was sent to restore order when trouble broke out between the British West Indies Regiment and the Chinese Labour Corps at Abancourt. In July drafts were sent to Egypt and the Black Sea, and Divisional HQ in France closed on 30 July 1919.

Order of Battle of the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division

182nd (2nd Warwickshire) Brigade

  • 2/5th Battalion, Warwickshire Regiment disbanded February 1918
  • 2/6th Battalion, Warwickshire Regiment
  • 2/7th Battalion, Warwickshire Regiment
  • 2/8th Battalion, Warwickshire Regiment disbanded February 1918
  • 182nd Machine Gun Company joined 19 June 1916, moved to 61st Battalion, MGC 1 March 1918
  • 182nd Trench Mortar Battery formed 13 June 1916
  • 2/8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment joined from 183rd Brigade February 1918

183rd (2nd Gloucester & Worcester) Brigade

  • 2/4th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment disbanded February 1918
  • 2/6th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment disbanded February 1918
  • 2/7th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment disbanded February 1918
  • 2/8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment left for 182nd Brigade February 1918
  • 183rd Machine Gun Company joined 19 June 1916, moved to 61st Battalion, MGC 1 March 1918
  • 183rd Trench Mortar Battery formed 27 June 1916
  • 1/9th Battalion, Royal Scots joined February 1918, left June 1918
  • 1/5th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders joined February 1918, left June 1918
  • 1/8th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders joined February 1918, left June 1918
  • 9th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers joined June 1918
  • 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment joined June 1918
  • 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment joined June 1918

184th (2nd South Midland) Brigade

  • 2/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
  • 2/4th Battalion, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry
  • 2/1st Battalion, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry disbanded February 1918
  • 2/4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment
  • 184th Machine Gun Company joined 20 June 1916, moved to 61st Battalion, MGC 1 March 1918
  • 184th Trench Mortar Battery formed 27 June 1916

Divisional Troops

  • 1/5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry joined as Divisional Pioneer Bn April 1916
  • 267th Machine Gun Company joined 18 January 1918, moved to 61st Battalion, MGC 1 March 1918
  • 61st Battalion MGC formed 1 March 1918

Divisional Mounted Troops

  • 2/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry joined October 1915, left February 1916
  • 2/2nd County of London Yeomanry joined 24 January 1916, left February 1916
  • C Sqn, 1/1st Hampshire Yeomanry joined 18 March 1916, left 7 June 1916
  • 2nd South Midland Divisional Cyclist Company left June 1916

Divisional Artillery Note: the artillery of 59th Division was also attached between 8 and 26 August 1918

  • CCCV (2/I South Midland) Brigade, RFA broken up 17 September 1916
  • CCCVI (2/II South Midland) Brigade, RFA
  • CCCVII (2/III South Midland) Brigade, RFA
  • CCCVIII (2/IV S.M.) (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA broken up 27 January 1917
  • 2/1st South Midland (Warwicks) Heavy Battery, RGA left 3 February 1916
  • 2/2nd London Heavy Battery RGA joined 24 January 1916, left 3 February 1916
  • 1/1st Wessex Heavy Battery RGA attached 24 January to February 1916
  • 2/1st Wessex Heavy Battery RGA attached 24 January to February 1916
  • 61st Divisional Ammunition Column RFA
  • V.61 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, RFA formed by 16 August 1916; left 7 February 1918
  • X.61, Y.61 and Z.61 Medium Mortar Batteries, RFA formed June 1916; on 7 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each

Royal Engineers

  • 477th (2/1st South Midland) Field Company moved independently to France and joined 48th Division June 1915
  • 478th (2/2nd South Midland) Field Company
  • 479th (3/1st South Midland) Field Company
  • 476th (1/3rd South Midland) Field Company joined by May 1916
  • 61st Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

  • 2/1st South Midland Field Ambulance
  • 2/2nd South Midland Ambulance
  • 2/3rd South Midland Field Ambulance
  • 61st Sanitary Section left for IV Corps 12 April 1917

Other Divisional Troops

  • 61st Divisional Train ASC 521, 522, 523 and 524 Companies ASC
  • 2/1st South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
  • 251st Divisional Employment Company joined 7 June 1917


2nd Aug 1915 Inspection

17th May 1916 Officers Transferred

18th May 1916 A Chance of Action

19th May 1916 Compulsory Transfer

23rd May 1916 On the Move

23rd May 1916 On the Move

24th May 1916 On the Move

25th May 1916 On the Move

26th May 1916 On the Move

29th May 1916 Inspection

30th May 1916 Orders  location map

31st May 1916 On the March  location map

11th Jun 1916 Into the Trenches  location map

5th Jul 1916 1st Bty RFA on the move

16th Jul 1916 HQ Moves

17th Jul 1916 Quiet

18th Jul 1916 Quiet

19th Jul 1916 Attack Fails

19th Jul 1916 Attack Made  location map

19th Jul 1916 In Action

20th Jul 1916 Relief Completed

21st Jul 1916 In Billets

6th Sep 1916 Patrols  location map

7th Sep 1916 Reliefs Completed  location map

8th Sep 1916 Working Parties

11th Sep 1916 Reliefs  At 09.15. 18th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, less details moved into front line in Neuve Chapelle Sector. A, B and D Coys in Front Line C in reserve. Battalion on right is 15th West Yorks. Battalion on left 2/1st Bucks Battalion, Ox & Bucks of 184th Brigade, 61st Division. Details moved to Transport Lines South West of Lestrem. 18th DLI relieved 13th York & Lancasters. Very quiet night.

18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1


3rd of October 1916 MG Coys into the Line  location map

8th of October 1916  Front Changed  location map

9th of October 1916  Batteries Transferred  location map

11th of October 1916 5th Div's Artillery Area  location map

14th of October 1916 Patrols Out  location map

17th of October 1916 Patrols Out  location map

18th of February 1917 

28th of February 1917 

3rd of March 1917 

11th May 1917 Practice Scheme

16th of August 1917 Division Falls Back  location map

17th of August 1917  A Relief

30th of September 1917 Battle Narrative  location map

3rd Dec 1917 Orders  location map

3rd of December 1917 Move at Short Notice  location map

3rd December 1917 Be ready to move to Villers Plouich

5th of December 1917 A Relief

24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation

21st Jan 1918 Course

5th Feb 1918 Course Ends

13th Feb 1918 Personnel

20th of February 1918 Line Movements

21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation

21st Mar 1918 Bombardment

21st Mar 1918 Gas

21st Mar 1918 In Defence

21st Mar 1918 Attack

22nd Mar 1918 Aerial Battles

23nd Mar 1918 In Defence

24th Mar 1918 Holding the Line

25th Mar 1918 Enemy Attacks

28th Mar 1918 Move

28th of March 1918 Orders  location map

29th Mar 1918 Orders

12th Apr 1918 In Action

12th of April 1918 Attack Ordered  location map

17th of April 1918  A Relief and a Barrage  location map

30th of April 1918 Artillery Very Active  location map

3rd of May 1918 Enemy Artillery Active   location map

28th of June 1918 Successful Attack  location map

3rd of August 1918  Orders Issued  location map

4th of August 1918 Divisional Relief Ordered  location map

7th of August 1918 Divisional Move

23rd of October 1918 Relieved

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



Want to know more about 61st (2nd South Midland) Division?


There are:70 items tagged 61st (2nd South Midland) 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

61st (2nd South Midland) Division

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Adams Herbert. L/Sgt. 1st Btn.
  • Ames Henry Richard Thomas. Pte.
  • Clutterbuck Alfred Charles. Pte. 2nd/4th Btn. (d.27th Aug 1917)
  • Smith Herbert Maurice. Pte. 2/4th Btn. (d.29th May 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


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1206277

L/Sgt. Herbert Adams MM & Bar. 1st Btn. East Lancashire Regiment

Herbert Adams served with the 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment during WW1.

Ernie




220453

Pte. Herbert Maurice Smith 2/4th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.29th May 1918)

Herbert Smith served with the 2nd/4th Battalion, Berkshire Regiment during WW1 and died on the 29th May 1918. He is buried in St Venant Robecq Road British Cemetery, Robecq. He was the son of Mr W Smith of 57 Sunderland Road, Forest Hill, London.

Sharon King




217673

Pte. Alfred Charles Clutterbuck 2nd/4th Btn. Gloucestershire Regiment (d.27th Aug 1917)

Alfred Charles Clutterbuck served with the 2/4th Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment and died on the 27th August 1917. Alfred was born in Cinderford in 1891, Son of Jonah and Alice Clutterbuck (nee Brain). In the 1911 census was working as a Hodder in the Colliery.

He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial Zonnebeke, West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen), Belgium.

Martyn Rundle




213781

Pte. Henry Richard Thomas Ames Gloucestershire Regiment

Henry Richard Thomas Ames was the grandfather I never knew, having died in 1963 when I was only 2 years of age. From my father I was able to obtain some insights into Harry's war, including being gassed and buried alive twice, eventually surviving the war and emigrating to Australia in 1921.

From my research I have been able to obtain his medal card and medal roll details and also find out a lot of extra information including Harry's older brother William, who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and I was able to obtain his (William's) full service record from the Canadian Archives. Harry went on to become one of the first life members of the Campsie RSL in Sydney and I believe one of the only British Army members to become a member of the Australian RSL. Harry's wife, Vera, was also actively involved with the RSL until her death in 1958. I hope someone who reads this maybe able to fill in some of the "blanks" regarding The Royal engineers, The 2nd South Midlands etc.

Editor's Note: His medal record does mention the Gloucester Regiment twice with different Regimental Numbers 1718 and 240173 also Royal Engineers Regimental Number 497926. He was discharged on the 15th April 1919. It is not obvious which Battalion(s) of the Gloucesters he served in. The mention of 2nd South Midlands is more likely to refer to : 61st (2nd South Midland) Division. Within this Division Battalions of the Gloucesters served in two of the Brigades; 183rd (2nd Gloucester and Worcester) Brigade had 2/4th and 2/6th Battalions Gloucesters and 184th (2nd South Midland) Brigade had the 2/5th Battalion Gloucesters. The Royal engineers item may refer to an attachment to an RE Company in the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division.

Wayne Ames








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