British Fourth Army
Encyclopedia
The Fourth Army was a field army
that formed part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War
. The Fourth Army was formed on 5 February 1916 under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson
to carry out the main British
contribution to the Battle of the Somme
.
. On the first day on the Somme
, eleven Fourth Army divisions
(including XIII Corps
, XV Corps
, III Corps, X Corps
, and VIII Corps) attacked astride the Albert-Bapaume road. The attack was completely defeated on the northern sector so subsequent Fourth Army operations concentrated on the southern sector, handing control of the northern sector to the Reserve Army
.
The plan for the Fourth Army during the 1917 Flanders
offensive (that became the Third Battle of Ypres) was to mount an amphibious
invasion of the Belgian
coast once a breakthrough had been achieved. As the Ypres fighting became bogged down, the Fourth Army divisions were drawn off as reinforcements until the army was effectively disbanded.
The Fourth Army was reformed in early 1918 — once again under Rawlinson — following the virtual destruction and subsequent disbanding of the Fifth Army
during the German offensive known as Operation Michael
.
The Fourth Army spear
headed the British Hundred Days offensive that began with the Battle of Amiens and ended with the Armistice in November, 1918.
The 27th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army
in World War I
and World War II
. The Division traces its history from the 6th Division, made up of New York units and formed in May 1917. The 6th Division designation was changed to the 27th Division in July 1917.
, no British Fourth Army actually took the field, but as part of the deception
plans Operation Cockade
and the later Operation Fortitude
North, the Germans
were encouraged to believe that a Fourth Army had been established with its headquarters in Edinburgh Castle
, and was preparing to invade Norway
. This successfully drew and kept German units away from the real invasion zone in Normandy
. In the subsequent 'Fortitude South' the Fourth Army with different units was presented as part of the fictitious First United States Army Group (FUSAG) in its threat to the Pas de Calais.
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
that formed part of the British Expeditionary Force during 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 Fourth Army was formed on 5 February 1916 under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson
Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson
General Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB, GCSI, GCVO, KCMG , known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, was a British First World War general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.-Military career:Rawlinson was...
to carry out the main British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
contribution to 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...
.
History
The Fourth Army was formed in France on 5 February 1916, under the command of Sir Henry RawlinsonHenry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson
General Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB, GCSI, GCVO, KCMG , known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, was a British First World War general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.-Military career:Rawlinson was...
. On the first day on the Somme
First day on the Somme
The first day on the Somme, 1 July 1916, was the opening day of the Battle of Albert, which was the first phase of the British and French offensive that became known as the Battle of the Somme...
, eleven Fourth Army divisions
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...
(including XIII Corps
XIII Corps (United Kingdom)
XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day on...
, XV Corps
XV Corps (United Kingdom)
XV Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I.-World War I:XV Corps was formed in Egypt on 9 December 1915 and then reformed in France on 22 April 1916 under Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Horne...
, III Corps, X Corps
X Corps (United Kingdom)
The X Corps was a British Army formation in the First World War and was later reformed in 1942 during the North African campaign of the Second World War as part of the Eighth Army.- First World War :...
, and VIII Corps) attacked astride the Albert-Bapaume road. The attack was completely defeated on the northern sector so subsequent Fourth Army operations concentrated on the southern sector, handing control of the northern sector to the Reserve Army
British Reserve Army
The Reserve Army was a field army of the British Army during World War I and part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War...
.
The plan for the Fourth Army during the 1917 Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
offensive (that became the Third Battle of Ypres) was to mount an amphibious
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
invasion of the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
coast once a breakthrough had been achieved. As the Ypres fighting became bogged down, the Fourth Army divisions were drawn off as reinforcements until the army was effectively disbanded.
The Fourth Army was reformed in early 1918 — once again under Rawlinson — following the virtual destruction and subsequent disbanding of the Fifth Army
British Fifth Army
The Fifth Army was a field army of the British Army during World War I and part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War.-History:...
during the German offensive known as Operation Michael
Operation Michael
Operation Michael was a First World War German military operation that began the Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France...
.
The Fourth Army spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
headed the British Hundred Days offensive that began with the Battle of Amiens and ended with the Armistice in November, 1918.
Composition
The 4th Army BEF was the only British force with major American (AEF) units subordinate to it:- II Corps, American Expeditionary Force
- 27th Infantry Division AEF
- 30th Infantry Division AEF
The 27th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in World War I
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...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Division traces its history from the 6th Division, made up of New York units and formed in May 1917. The 6th Division designation was changed to the 27th Division in July 1917.
- Designated: July 20, 1917 as the 27th Division of the New York National Guard.
- Deployed designation: 27th Division, American Expeditionary Force
- Activated: July 1917 (National Guard Division from New York).
- Initial strength: 991 officers and 27,114 enlisted men.
- Shipped out: April 20, 1918.
- Casualties: Total 8,334 (KIAKilled in actionKilled in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
: 1,442; WIAWounded in actionWounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
: 6,892). - Inactivated: April 1919.
- Major operations: Meuse-ArgonneMeuse-Argonne OffensiveThe Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
, Ypres-Lys, Somme offensiveSecond Battle of the Somme (1918)During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River...
. - Initially stationed in the East Poperinghe Line.
- Battle of Dickebusche Lake, Summer 1918
- Battle of Vierstratt Ridge, Summer 1918
- German defensive Hindenburg Line, September 1918.
- Somme Offensive, September 25, 1918
- Le Selle River, Winter 1918
- The 27th did break the Hindenburg line during the Battle of the Somme, initiating a German retreat from their defensive line and forcing the Germans to a final confrontation at the Le Selle River before Armistice was signed in February 1919.
Commanders
- Feb 1916–Nov 1916 General Sir Henry RawlinsonHenry Rawlinson, 1st Baron RawlinsonGeneral Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB, GCSI, GCVO, KCMG , known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, was a British First World War general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.-Military career:Rawlinson was...
- Jul 1918–Nov 1918 General Sir Henry RawlinsonHenry Rawlinson, 1st Baron RawlinsonGeneral Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB, GCSI, GCVO, KCMG , known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, was a British First World War general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.-Military career:Rawlinson was...
Second World War
In World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, no British Fourth Army actually took the field, but as part of the deception
Deception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
plans Operation Cockade
Operation Cockade
Operation Cockade was a series of deception operations designed to alleviate German pressure on Allied operations in Sicily and on the Soviets on the eastern front by feinting various attacks into Western Europe...
and the later Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude was the codename for a World War II military deception employed by the Allied nations as part of an overall deception strategy during the build up to the 1944 Normandy Landings...
North, the Germans
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
were encouraged to believe that a Fourth Army had been established with its headquarters in Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
, and was preparing to invade Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. This successfully drew and kept German units away from the real invasion zone in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. In the subsequent 'Fortitude South' the Fourth Army with different units was presented as part of the fictitious First United States Army Group (FUSAG) in its threat to the Pas de Calais.
Fortitude North
HQ at Edinburgh- British II Corps (fictional - HQ Stirling)
- British 55th Infantry Division (Northern Ireland)
- British 58th Infantry Division (fictional, Aberlour)
- British 113th Independent Infantry Brigade (garrison for Orkney and Shetland Islands)
- British VII Corps (fictional - HQ Dundee)
- British 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division (Dundee)
- US 55th Infantry Division55th Infantry Division (United States)The US 55th Infantry Division was a 'phantom division' created in October of 1943 to cover the departure of the US 5th Infantry Division from Iceland.-World War II:...
(fictional, Iceland) - 7th, 9th & 10th US Ranger battalionsUnited States Army RangersUnited States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
(fictional, Iceland)
- United States XV Corps (Northern Ireland)
- US 2nd Infantry Division
- US 5th Infantry Division
- US 8th Infantry Division
Fortitude South
HQ at Hathfield- British 2nd Airborne Division2nd Airborne DivisionThe 2nd Airborne Division was a British Army deception unit of World War II. It comprised a small amount of personnel and equipment, especially radio communications, which aimed to mimic the activities of a real, 10,000 strong plus, division....
(fictional, Bulford)
- British II Corps (fictional - HQ Tunbridge Wells)
- British 35th Armoured Brigade (Maresfield)
- British 55th Infantry Division (Three Bridges)
- British 58th Infantry Division (fictional, Gravesend)
- British VII Corps (fictional - HQ Folkstone)
- British 61st Infantry Division - (Wye)
- British 80th Infantry Division - (fictional, Canterbury)
- British 5th Armoured Division - (fictional, Newmarket)