66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division in the Great War

66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division

Divisional History  The 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division in 1914-1918
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 (Imperial Service) were separated from the rest. Those left as 'home service only' were formed into 'second line' units, their battalion names prefixed with 2/ which would be this reserve.

With the Imperial Service territorials in the 'first line' battalions of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division ordered to prepare to depart for Egypt in September 1914. The units of the 'second line', the 2nd East Lancashire Division, were joined by many new recruits from September onwards. The Division was to remaine at home for quite some time. Along with other 'second line' Divisions it suffered greatly from lack of equipment of all sorts, and training was inevitably affected. The Division also continually supplied drafts of men to the 'first line'.
In 1916 the Division moved to the south of England and took responsibility for the defence of part of the east Coast. Most units were based in Suffolk.
1917
The Division received orders on 11 February 1917 for embarkation for France. Entrainment began on 25th of February and by 16th of March all units had arrived and the Division concentrated under XI Corps. The Division then remained in France and Flanders and took part in the following engagements:

The Operations on the Flanders Coast (Operation Hush) (26 June to 25 September 1917)
The Battle of Poelcapelle 1917 - Third Battles of the Ypres (6th to 10th of October 1917)

1918

The Battle of St Quentin (21-23 March 1918)
The Actions at the Somme Crossings (24-25 March 1918)
The Battle of Rosieres (26-27 March 1918)

The Divisional Artillery and 541 Company ASC of the Divisional Train remained in action when the rest of the Division was withdrawn from action, and did not rejoin until 8 November.
As a result of the losses it had suffered in this fighting, the Division was reduced to a training cadre and reformed and reconstituted. 197th Brigade left the Division and was retained in training drafts and reinforcements. It splace was taken by the South African Brigade. Many cadre units were attached to the Division for short periods between June and September 1918.

The Battle of Cambrai (8-9 October 1918)
The Pursuit to the Selle (9-12 October 19180)

The Battle of the Selle, a phase of the Final Advance in Picardy (17-20 October 1918)
On 20-21 October the Division was withdrawn and rested in the Serain area until 1 November. It advanced through Le Cateau from 2 November and had some sharp engagements over the next few days. On 9 November a number of units of the Division were placed under command of Bethell's Force (see below). At the Armistice the advanced units of this Force were on the line Pont de Republique - Grandrieu - east of Sivry - Montbliart.
The Division was selected to march through Belgium as part of the British force for occupying the Rhine bridgeheads. The move began on 18 November and took the Division through Philippeville, Dinant and Ciney. The units billeted in the area Dinant - Huy - Marche - Rochefort and there halted.
Demobilisation began here and at midnight 24-25 March 1919 the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division, the "Clickety Clicks", ceased to exist.
The Units forming the Divisional Order of Battle of the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division

2/5th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers left 18 April 1915
2/6th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers renamed 6th Bn 20 February 1918, left for 199th Brigade 22 July 1918
2/7th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers left June 1918
2/8th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers reduced to cadre 22 April 1918, disbanded 31 July 1918
3/5th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers joined April 1915, disbanded 13 February 1918
202nd Machine Gun Company moved to 66th Bn MGC 11 March 1918
197th Trench Mortar Battery
6th Bn, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers joined 21 July 1918, left for 198th Brigade 19 August 1918
9th Bn, the Gloucestershire Regiment joined 21 July 1918, left to become Divisional Pioneer Bn 22 September 1918
18th Bn, the King's (Liverpool Regiment) joined 66th Div as cadre on 19 June 1918, moved to 197th Brigade 8 August 1918, left for 199th Brigade 19 September 1918

198th (East Lancashire) Brigade

2/4th Bn, the East Lancashire Regiment renamed 4th Bn 19 February 1918, reduced to cadre April 1918, left August 1918
2/5th Bn, the East Lancashire Regiment reduced to cadre April 1918, left July 1918
2/9th Bn, the Manchester Regiment reduced to cadre April 1918, left for 199th Brigade 22 July 1918
2/10th Bn, the Manchester Regiment disbanded 15 February 1918
203rd Machine Gun Company moved to 66th Bn MGC 11 March 1918 198th Trench Mortar Battery
5th Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers joined at Abancourt 19 July 1918
6th Bn, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers joined from 197th Brigade 19 August 1918
6th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers joined from 199th Brigade 22 September 1918

199th (Manchester) Brigade

2/5th Bn, the Manchester Regiment reduced to cadre April 1918, disbanded 31 July 1918
2/6th Bn, the Manchester Regiment reduced to cadre April 1918, disbanded 31 July 1918
2/7th Bn, the Manchester Regiment reduced to cadre April 1918, disbanded 31 July 1918
2/8th Bn, the Manchester Regiment disbanded 13 February 1918
204th Machine Gun Company moved to 66th Bn MGC 11 March 1918 199th Trench Mortar Battery
6th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers joined from 197th Brigade 22 July 1918, left for 198th Brigade 22 September 1918
2/9th Bn, the Manchester Regiment joined as cadre from 198th Brigade 22 July 1918
5th Bn, the Connaught Rangers joined 25 August 1918
18th Bn, the King's (Liverpool Regiment) joined from 197th Brigade 19 September 1918

South African Brigade joined from 9th (Scottish) Division 13 September 1918.

1st Regt, the South African Infantry
2nd Regt, the South African Infantry
4th Regt, the South African Infantry
South African Trench Mortar Battery

Divisional Troops

10th Bn, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry attached as Divisional Pioneer Bn from 2nd Division 6 July to 7 November 1917
1/5th Bn, the Border Regiment joined as Divisional Pioneer Bn 13 February 1918, left 7 May 1918
9th Bn, the Gloucestershire Regiment joined as Divisional Pioneer Bn from 197th Brigade 22 September 1918
66th Battalion MGC formed 11 March 1918, broken up 15 April 1918
100th Battalion MGC joined 19 October 1918

Divisional Mounted Troops

B Sqn, 2/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry did not go to France
66th Divisional Cyclist Company did not go to France

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

CCCXXX (2/I East Lancs) Brigade, RFA
CCCXXXI (2/II East Lancs) Brigade, RFA
CCCXXXII (2/III East Lancs) Brigade, RFA broken up April 1917
2/IV East Lancs (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA broken up May 1916
1/2nd Lancashire Heavy Battery, RGA left 5 January 1916
2/1st Lancashire Heavy Battery, RGA left July 1916
2/2nd Lancashire Heavy Battery, RGA left when the Division moved to France
2/1st Wessex Heavy Battery RGA attached 24 January to February 1916
66th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA
V.66 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, RFA joined February 1917; left 3 February 1918
X.66, Y.66 and Z.66 Medium Mortar Batteries, RFA joined February 1917; on 3 February 1918, Y broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each, Z then renamed Y

Royal Engineers

430th (2/1st East Lancs) Field Company moved independently to France and joined 48th Division June 1915
431st (2/2nd East Lancs) Field Company
432nd (2/3rd East Lancs) Field Company
66th Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

2/1st East Lancashire Field Ambulance left for 27th (American) Division 22 June 1918
2/2nd East Lancashire Field Ambulance
2/3rd East Lancashire Field Ambulance
South African Field Ambulance joined 23 September 1918
3/1st London Sanitary Section left before Division went to France
66th Sanitary Section joined near St Venant 5 March 1917, left for XI Corps 8-9 April 1917

Other Divisional Troops

66th Divisional Train ASC 541, 542, 543 and 544 Companies ASC
1/1st East Lancashire Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
254th Divisional Employment Company formed by 14 July 1917

Attached Troops
A number of units were attached to the Division in the period June to September 1918, while it was being rebuilt and reconstituted. Most stayed for short periods and most had already been reduced to cadres. Others were disbanded or absorbed into other units while under the command of the Division. The rest were eventually transferred to other Divisions or the Lines of Communication:

18th, 23rd and 25th Bns, the Northumberland Fusiliers;
14th, 17th and 19th Bns, the King's (Liverpool Regiment);
2/5th and 10th Bns, the Lincolnshire Regiment;
7th Bn, the Suffolk Regiment;
7th Bn, the Bedfordshire Regiment;
6th Bn, the Yorkshire Regiment;
12th Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers;
13th Bn, the Gloucestershire Regiment;
11th Bn, the Border Regiment;
2/6th Bn, the South Staffordshire Regiment;
11th Bn, the South Lancashire Regiment;
10th Bn, the Black Watch;
7th and 16th Bns, the Sherwood Foresters;
17th Bn, the King's Royal Rifle Corps;
13th and 17th Bns, the Manchester Regiment;
2/6th Bn, the North Staffordshire Regiment;
14th Bn, the Highland Light Infantry;
5th Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers;
16th Bn, the Rifle Brigade;
6th Bn, the Leinster Regiment;
2/20th and 2/24th Bns, the London Regiment.

Bethell's Force
Formed on 9 November 1918, Bethell's Force included a number of units from this Division: the South African Brigade and Field Ambulance, three Field and Signals Companies RE, one Company of the 9th Bn, the Gloucestershire Regiment, one Company of the 100th Battalion MGC and detachments from 2/2nd and 2/3rd East Lancashire Field Ambulance.
The Force was dissolved after the Armistice and the units returned to the Division.

Mar 1916

11th Feb 1917 Advance Party

22nd Feb 1917 Inspection

28th Feb 1917 Advance Party

1st of March 1917 POWs Taken

3rd Mar 1917 Transport

4th Mar 1917 On the Move

5th Mar 1917 On the Move

6th of March 1917 Brigades Attached

8th Mar 1917 On the Move

8th of March 1917 Divisional Relief

9th Mar 1917 Transport

10th Mar 1917 Instruction

11th Mar 1917 Instruction

12th Mar 1917 Instruction

14th Mar 1917 Instruction

15th of March 1917 Brigade Relief

17th Mar 1917 Reliefs

17th of March 1917 Relief Completed

18th Mar 1917 On the Move

18th of March 1917 Front Handed Over

19th Mar 1917 Reliefs

19th of March 1917 Reliefs

21st Mar 1917 Midday Relief

22nd Mar 1917 Attack Expected

22nd Mar 1917 In Reserve

22nd March 1917 Brigade is in Reserve to 66th Division

25th Mar 1917 Relief Complete

27th Mar 1917 Reliefs

31st Mar 1917 Casualties

6th Apr 1917 Reorganisation

9th Apr 1917 Reliefs

11th Apr 1917 In Billets

13th Apr 1917 In Billets

15th Apr 1917 In Billets

16th Apr 1917 Reliefs

20th Apr 1917 Reliefs

24th Apr 1917 Reliefs

27th of June 1917 Successful Raid

12th Nov 1917 Reliefs

21st Nov 1917 Orders

23rd Nov 1917 Quiet

24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation

21st Jan 1918 Course

28th of January 1918

3rd of February 1918 Orders

5th Feb 1918 Course Ends

8th of February 1918 Orders

10th of February 1918 Orders

10th of February 1918

13th Feb 1918 Personnel

21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation

22nd Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal

22nd of March 1918

23rd of March 1918 Orders

23rd of March 1918

24th of March 1918

24th of March 1918 Message

25th of March 1918 Orders

25th of March 1918 Orders

26th of March 1918 Orders

27th of March 1918 Message

28th of March 1918 Orders

1st of April 1918 Operations

12th May 1918 On the Move

13th May 1918 On the March

19th May 1918 Preparations

20th May 1918 Reorganisation

15th of July 1918 Slight Shelling

21st Jul 1918 On the Move

22nd Jul 1918 In Camp

30th of September 1918 Orders

30th of September 1918 Orders

2nd of October 1918

2nd of October 1918

6th of October 1918 Orders

6th of October 1918 Orders

6th of October 1918

7th of October 1918 Orders

7th of October 1918

8th of October 1918

9th of October 1918

10th of October 1918

10th of October 1918

12th of October 1918

13th of October 1918

13th of October 1918

14th of October 1918

14th of October 1918

15th of October 1918

15th of October 1918

16th of October 1918

16th of October 1918

16th of October 1918

16th of October 1918

16th of October 1918

16th of October 1918

17th of October

17th of October 1918

17th of October 1918

17th of October 1918

19th of October 1918

19th of October 1918

20th of October 1918

21st of October 1918

21st of October 1918

24th of October 1918

5th of November 1918

10th of November 1918

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

Want to know more about 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division?

There are:109 items tagged 66th (2nd East Lancashire) 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
66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Barry Joseph. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.17th Oct 1918)
Green Godfrey Eli. Pte. 2nd East Lancashire Brigade
Keeble Frederick William. CSM 7th Btn.
McKenna John. Bdr. 332 Bde. (d.22nd Jun 1916)
Waister John James. Pte. 2nd/6th Btn. (d.26th Mar 1918)
Woodcock David Alexander. Pte. 3rd/5th Btn. (d.15th Nov 1917)

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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1206623

CSM Frederick William Keeble MM 7th Btn. Suffolk Regiment

CSM Frederick Keeble MM was my Grandfather, the only thing he told me about the trenches was they had to eat candles when food was short. I'm told he was wounded 4 times and I know he had bullet holes in his legs that Dad said you could put your finger in and that on his death bed the doctor took off his shirt to reveal a lump of shrapnel visible under the skin on his chest, my Grandmother had never seen him without his shirt on so had no idea it was there.
I don't really know how he won the MM but the story is they were pinned down by a German machine gun nest and no-one could move, after a while Grandad said 'well I've had enough of this' he advanced on the nest, under fire, lobbed some grenades in and bayoneted the men who came out.
After the war Grandads unit were guarding supply trains bound for Germany he was instructed to shoot anyone caught stealing from the trains, an Australian troop train pulled up and the men on board promptly raided the trains which were full of bully beef and all sorts, Grandad is said to have stepped out and on seeing the Australians said 'best we go round the back and have another fag', he wouldn't give the order to open fire, as a result he left the Army without reference which made it hard to get a job.
Paul Keeble

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219859

Pte. David Alexander Woodcock 3rd/5th Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers (d.15th Nov 1917)

David Alexander Woodcock served with the 3rd/5th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers and died on the 15th November 1917.
David Woodcock

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216862

Pte. Joseph Barry MM. 6th Btn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers (d.17th Oct 1918)

Joseph Barry served with the 6th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers and was killed in action on the 17th October 1918.
S Flynn

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216516

Bdr. John McKenna 332 Bde. Royal Field Artillery (d.22nd Jun 1916)

John McKenna, served in 332nd Brigade Royal Field Artillery and died age 21 on the 22nd June 1916 He is remembered at Palmer Cenotaph and is buried in Jarrow Cemetery. His medal card records the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals.
John was born in Greenock Scotland 1895, son of John and Catherine McKenna of 59 High Street, Jarrow. In the 1911 census the family is living at Cliff Villa, Jarrow with John(41) a shipwright and Mary(39) his wife of 19 years. They have 9 children, all single and living at this address. John(17)a pit lad, Angus(15) general labourer in shipyard, Alex(13), Dorothy(11), Archie(9), Daniel and James(both 7) and Margaret(6) all at school. Joseph is one year old.
Vin Mullen

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215961

Pte. John James Waister 2nd/6th Btn. Manchester Regiment (d.26th Mar 1918)

John James Waister, Private 270182, enlisted in Jarrow and served in the 2nd/6th Battalion the Manchester Regiment with former service in the Durham Light Infantry (205026). He died from wounds age 31 on the 26th March 1918 and is remembered at St. Paul's Church is buried in Honnechy British Cemetery.
John was born in Jarrow 1886 son of William and Elizabeth Waister nee Gray of 16 Shakespeare Street, Jarrow. In the 1911 census the family are living at that address with William(65) a shipyard labourer and Elizabeth, his wife of 42 years who has borne 8 children of whom 4 survived. Two are living at home, Wllliam(38) single, also a shipyard labourer and John James(24) single a shipyard caulker. Also staying with the family is a granddaughter Evaline Jones aged 9. William later married Susan E Waister nee Meginnes in the quarter Jan-Mar 1913.
Vin Mullen

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210748

Pte. Godfrey Eli Green 2nd East Lancashire Brigade Royal Field Artillery

My Grandfather, Godfrey Eli Green was in the Territorial Army as a Gunner attached to the 2nd East Lancashire Brigade. He enlisted at Manchester on the 8th September 1914 and must have agreed to serve abroad because photos of him show the Imperial Service badge on his right breast. I know he went to Eygpt to fight the Turks. He did his training at Chesham Fold Camp at Bury and I have two photographs of his regiment at the training camp.
Andrew Green

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66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division

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66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division

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Those known to have served with66th (2nd East Lancashire) Divisionduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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The Wartime Memories Project
- 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.