British 38th (Welsh) Division
Encyclopedia
The 38th Infantry Division was a British Army
division
. A 38th Division was in existence in both the First and Second World Wars, but not between the wars and there is no direct link between the two formations.
The division's insignia was The Red Dragon
of Wales.
During the Second World War the insignia was changed to the cross of Saint David (yellow, on a black background).
formed in December 1914 comprising battalion
s from Wales
which were raised by public subscription and private patronage. It was intended to be half of a Welsh Army Corps. Authorisation to create these new divisions, part of Kitchener's Army
, was given on 10 October 1914. In the event, only the 38th Division was created, and the Welsh Army Corps, which had the support of David Lloyd George, never formed.
The division began moving to France in November 1915 and was in action by December 1915. It spent the duration of the First World War in action on the Western Front
until the Armistice of 1918. The division's single action of 1916 was the capture of Mametz Wood during the Battle of the Somme
— it was so badly mauled that it did not return to major action for over a year, when it successfully captured the Pilckem Ridge on 31 July 1917. There is now a memorial at Mametz Wood in honour of the division (see second link below). It was later involved in the
Third Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Epehy
.
The division was, for a fifth line Kitchener formation, relatively successful and well regarded. The division was disbanded between 1918 and 1920.
The division remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war. From 1943 the division was placed on the lower establishment, meaning that it had fewer men and less equipment than first line formations. In January 1944 it became a reserve training division and its brigades were detached. While reformed on paper in September 1944, this was simply a deception exercise and the original 38th division was disbanded. Its number was assumed by the 80th Division, a training formation which provided men for the British forces in North-West Europe. This new 38th division was again disbanded at the end of the war.
114th Brigade :
115th Brigade :
Pioneers :
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
division
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...
. A 38th Division was in existence in both the First and Second World Wars, but not between the wars and there is no direct link between the two formations.
The division's insignia was The Red Dragon
Flag of Wales
The Flag of Wales consists of a red dragon passant on a green and white field. As with many heraldic charges, the exact representation of the dragon is not standardised and many renderings exist....
of Wales.
During the Second World War the insignia was changed to the cross of Saint David (yellow, on a black background).
First World War
The 38th (Welsh) Division (originally numbered 43rd), was a New Army divisionDivision (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...
formed in December 1914 comprising battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
which were raised by public subscription and private patronage. It was intended to be half of a Welsh Army Corps. Authorisation to create these new divisions, part of Kitchener's Army
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
, was given on 10 October 1914. In the event, only the 38th Division was created, and the Welsh Army Corps, which had the support of David Lloyd George, never formed.
The division began moving to France in November 1915 and was in action by December 1915. It spent the duration of the First World War in action on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
until the Armistice of 1918. The division's single action of 1916 was the capture of Mametz Wood during the Battle of the Somme
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
— it was so badly mauled that it did not return to major action for over a year, when it successfully captured the Pilckem Ridge on 31 July 1917. There is now a memorial at Mametz Wood in honour of the division (see second link below). It was later involved in the
Third Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Epehy
Battle of Epéhy
The Battle of Épehy was a World War I battle fought on 18 September 1918, involving the British Fourth Army against German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line.- Prelude :...
.
The division was, for a fifth line Kitchener formation, relatively successful and well regarded. The division was disbanded between 1918 and 1920.
Second World War
In 1939, the British government ordered the expansion of the Territorial Army, including the creation of a second line of infantry divisions. The 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division provided officers and men, but little equipment for the new 38th (Welsh) Infantry Division. The second line Welsh territorial division had not seen service in France during the First World War, so that the 38th Division had a much more prestigious record. The division again included the 113th, 114th and 115th Infantry Brigades , although the battalions which they commanded had no relation to those of the First World War division.The division remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war. From 1943 the division was placed on the lower establishment, meaning that it had fewer men and less equipment than first line formations. In January 1944 it became a reserve training division and its brigades were detached. While reformed on paper in September 1944, this was simply a deception exercise and the original 38th division was disbanded. Its number was assumed by the 80th Division, a training formation which provided men for the British forces in North-West Europe. This new 38th division was again disbanded at the end of the war.
First World War Structure
113th Brigade :- 13th (Service) Battalion (1st North Wales), Royal Welch FusiliersRoyal Welch FusiliersThe Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
- 14th (Service) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers
- 15th (Service) Battalion (1st London Welsh), Royal Welch Fusiliers (disbanded February 1918)
- 16th (Service) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers
- 17th (Service) Battalion (2nd North Wales), Royal Welch Fusiliers (from February 1915 to 115 Bde July 1915)
114th Brigade :
- 10th (Service) Battalion (1st Rhondda), The Welch Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
- 13th (Service) Battalion (2nd Rhondda), The Welch Regiment
- 14th (Service) Battalion (Swansea), The Welch Regiment
- 15th (Service) Battalion (Carmarthenshire County Committee), The Welch Regiment
115th Brigade :
- 17th (Service) Battalion (2nd North Wales), Royal Welch Fusiliers (from 113 Bde July 1915)
- 10th (Service) Battalion (1st Gwent), South Wales Borderers
- 11th (Service) Battalion (2nd Gwent), South Wales Borderers (disbanded February 1918)
- 16th (Service) Battalion (Cardiff City), The Welch Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers (from 19 Bde 33rd DivisionBritish 33rd DivisionThe British 33rd Division was a New Army division formed in 1914 as the 40th Division in the K5 Army group then renumbered in April 1915 as part of the new K4 Army Group....
February 1918)
Pioneers :
- 19th (Service) Battalion (Glamorgan Pioneers), The Welsh Regiment
Commanders
- 1915-16 Major-General Ivor PhilippsIvor PhilippsMajor-General Sir Ivor Philipps KCB, DSO was an English officer in the British Indian Army and a Liberal Party politician. He held a seat in the House of Commons from 1906 to 1922.- Early life :...
- 1916-18 Major-General Charles BlackaderCharles BlackaderMajor-General Charles Guinand Blackader CB, DSO was a British Army officer of the First World War. He commanded an Indian brigade on the Western Front in 1915, and a Territorial brigade in Dublin during the Easter Rising of 1916, before being appointed to command the 38th Division on the Western...
- May 1918-1919 Major-General Thomas CubittThomas Cubitt (British Army officer)General Sir Thomas Astley Cubitt KCB CMG DSO was a British Army officer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, who commanded a division in the First World War and in retirement served as Governor of Bermuda....
- 1942 Major-General Arthur DowlerArthur DowlerLieutenant General Sir Arthur Dowler KCB KBE was General Officer Commanding the East Africa Command of the British Army.-Military career:...
See also
- List of British divisions in WWI
- British Army Order of Battle - September 1939