The Territorial Divisions, 1914-1918Stirling, John
History
The Territorial Divisions, 1914-1918
Stirling, John
World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
Since the foregoing notes were put together there has been published
“The Official Names of the Battles and other Engagements fought by
the Military Forces of the British Empire during the Great War,
1914-1919, and Third Afghan War, 1919, being the Report of the
Battles Nomenclature Committee, as approved by the Army Council.”
A list of the battles in which a division has been present affords
some idea of its services to the Empire, but opportunities varied
according to the theatre, and while the work of those troops which
went early to the East was of inestimable importance and while
very many of their battalions fought in Mesopotamia, Palestine
and elsewhere, they had no chance of employment as divisions in
the field, hence, through no fault of their own, their honours as
divisions are _nil_. In the case of some which operated in France the
urgency of affairs, in the early years of the War, was such as to
necessitate their employment as reinforcements in single battalions
to Regular brigades, and it must not be forgotten that the component
parts of some divisions, such as the 55th and 56th, were nearly a
year, more in the case of some battalions, in France before they were
concentrated as divisions. In their case again a mere list of battle
honours in that formation is inadequate as a token of their value.
Some of those so placed seem to have made up lost time splendidly.
It would be presumption to say that the following table is complete.
There will be many claims which will require very careful scrutiny,
and only the Authorities, with all the material of the Historical
Section of the War Office at their disposal, will be competent to
adjudicate upon them. On the other hand the despatches do mention
certain units, and other works of a semi-official character, already
published, supplement the reports of the various Commanders; from
such sources a fairly complete list can be made up.
In this Appendix, where a division has been mentioned in despatches
or works such as the “Story of the Fourth Army,” as taking part in a
battle, or is shown in the maps appended to these, the Battle is in
ordinary type; but where the information is derived from sources not
so strictly official, the name of the Battle is printed in italics.
In compiling this appendix it has been thought better not to ask
information from units as to their own doings.
The geographical or boundary limits give trouble as regards divisions
in support. Sometimes these seem to have been partly within and
partly outside the limits. Where there is a probable claim this has
been noted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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