British 21st Division
Encyclopedia
The British 21st Division was a New Army division
raised in September 1914. The division moved to France
in September 1915 and served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War
.
The division's insignia was the "triple-seven".
63rd Brigade:
In July 1916 the brigade moved to the 37th Division, swapping with the 110th Brigade.
64th Brigade:
110th Brigade:
In July 1916 the brigade joined from the 37th Division, swapping with the 63rd Brigade.
Pioneers:
The Battle of Albert (first phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Bazentin (second phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette (sixth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Morval (seventh phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
(Here the Division captured Gueudecourt)
The Battle of Le Transloy (eighth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line
The First Battle of the Scarpe (first phase of the Arras Offensive)
The Third Battle of the Scarpe (fourth phase of the Arras Offensive)
Flanking Operations Round Bullecourt
The Battle of the Polygon Wood (fourth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)
The Battle of Broodseinde (fifth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)
The Second Battle of Passchendaele (eighth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)
The Battle of Cambrai
The Battle of St Quentin (first phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)
The First Battle of Bapaume (second phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)
The Battle of Messines, 1918 (second phase of the Battles of the Lys) (62nd Brigade)
The Second Battle of Kemmel (seventh phase of the Battles of the Lys)
The Battle of the Aisne 1918
The Battle of Albert (first phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)
The Battle of Bapaume (second phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)
The Battle of Epehy (second phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
The Battle of the St Quentin Canal (fourth phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
The Battle of Cambrai 1918 (sixth phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
The Battle of the Selle
The Division ceased to exist on 19 May 1919
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
raised in September 1914. The division moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in September 1915 and served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The division's insignia was the "triple-seven".
Formation
62nd Brigade:- 12th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
- 13th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
- 8th (Service) Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment (until November 1915)
- 1st Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment (from November 1915)
- 10th (Service) Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) (disbanded February 1918)
- 2nd Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment (from February 1918)
- 3/4th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) (from August 1917)
63rd Brigade:
In July 1916 the brigade moved to the 37th Division, swapping with the 110th Brigade.
- 8th (Service) Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment
- 8th (Service) Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
- 12th (Service) Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) (until November 1915)
- 4th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) (from November 1915)
- 10th (Service) Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment
64th Brigade:
- 9th (Service) Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light InfantryKing's Own Yorkshire Light InfantryThe King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. The regiment's traditions and history are now maintained by The Rifles.-The 51st Foot:...
- 10th (Service) Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (disbanded February 1918)
- 14th (Service) Battalion, Durham Light InfantryDurham Light InfantryThe Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...
(until November 1915) - 15th (Service) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
- 1st Battalion, The East Yorkshire Regiment (from November 1915)
110th Brigade:
In July 1916 the brigade joined from the 37th Division, swapping with the 63rd Brigade.
- 6th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment
- 7th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment
- 8th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment (until June 1918)
- 9th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
- 1st Battalion, The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment) (from June 1918)
Pioneers:
- 14th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
Battles
The Battle of LoosThe Battle of Albert (first phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Bazentin (second phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette (sixth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The Battle of Morval (seventh phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
(Here the Division captured Gueudecourt)
The Battle of Le Transloy (eighth phase of the Battle of the Somme 1916)
The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line
The First Battle of the Scarpe (first phase of the Arras Offensive)
The Third Battle of the Scarpe (fourth phase of the Arras Offensive)
Flanking Operations Round Bullecourt
The Battle of the Polygon Wood (fourth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)
The Battle of Broodseinde (fifth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)
The Second Battle of Passchendaele (eighth phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)
The Battle of Cambrai
The Battle of St Quentin (first phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)
The First Battle of Bapaume (second phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918)
The Battle of Messines, 1918 (second phase of the Battles of the Lys) (62nd Brigade)
The Second Battle of Kemmel (seventh phase of the Battles of the Lys)
The Battle of the Aisne 1918
The Battle of Albert (first phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)
The Battle of Bapaume (second phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)
The Battle of Epehy (second phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
The Battle of the St Quentin Canal (fourth phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
The Battle of Cambrai 1918 (sixth phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
The Battle of the Selle
The Division ceased to exist on 19 May 1919