The history of the Twentieth (Light) DivisionInglefield, Valentine Erskine
History
The history of the Twentieth (Light) Division
Inglefield, Valentine Erskine
Great Britain. Army. Division, 20th (Light); World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
Originally the 12th King’s did not belong to the Division, but were an
attached battalion of army troops; the 11th D.L.I. then formed part of
the 61st Brigade. Towards the end of 1914 a pioneer battalion was added
to each division. Being composed largely of miners, the 11th D.L.I.
became the pioneer battalion of the 20th Division, and the 12th King’s
then took their place in the 61st Brigade.
The Division was formed at Blackdown in September 1914. The first
officer of the Divisional Staff to join was Major J. E. B. Martin,
M.V.O., who at first had charge of the musketry, and who served with
the Division in France as A.P.M. until September 1918. Within a few
weeks Major-General R. H. Davies, C.B., a New Zealander, who had
commanded the 6th Brigade in France through the critical fighting of
August and September, was given command of the Division. Major-General
Davies applied himself whole-heartedly to the work of training his
new command, and by his personality won the complete confidence of his
officers and men. It is largely due to him that the 20th on arrival in
France was a thoroughly efficient division. He was ably assisted by his
two senior staff officers, Lieut.-Colonel W. R. N. Madocks, G.S.O. 1,
and Lieut.-Colonel F. C. Dundas, A.A. and Q.M.G., both of whom served
with the Division for over two years. At this time the 59th Brigade was
commanded by Colonel G. Leslie, the 60th by Colonel A. E. W. Colville,
C.B., and the 61st by Colonel O’D. C. Grattan, D.S.O. Brig.-General
John Hotham became the C.R.A. and Colonel E. R. Kenyon the C.R.E.
Early in 1915 the 20th Divisional Ammunition Column was formed under
Lieut.-Colonel J. R. Foster, who although over sixty years of age
commanded the column until the end of the war.
The whole of the Division was not concentrated in one area. The 59th
and 60th Brigades were at Blackdown, and the artillery near by at
Deepcut. The battalions of the 61st Brigade were at Aldershot and later
at Woking; the R.E. units were trained at Chatham. The field ambulances
remained at Aldershot, where they carried out nearly all their
training, joining the Division only in the following June, a little
over a month before embarkation for France.
[Illustration: MAJOR-GENERAL R. H. DAVIES, C.B.]
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