XI Corps (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
XI Corps was an army corps of the British Army
in World War I
that served on the Western Front
and in Italy
. It was recreated as part of Home Forces defending the United Kingdom during World War II
.
. Its first serious engagement (as part of Sir Charles Monro's First Army) was the Battle of Fromelles
(19 July 1916), a diversion to the Somme offensive in which two untried divisions were launched into an ill-planned subsidiary attack in Flanders. It achieved nothing but cost thousands of casualties, and caused great resentment in Australia.
Order of Battle at Fromelles
General Officer Commanding
Lt-Gen R. Haking
in November 1917.
Order of Battle in Italy 1 December 1917
GOC
Lt-Gen Sir Richard Haking
Corps Troops:
(the Battle of the Lys) and the final battles of the war as part of Sir William Birdwood's Fifth Army.
Order of Battle 27 September 1918
GOC
Lt-Gen Sir Richard Haking
Brigadier-General, General Staff: Brig-Gen J.E.S. Brind
Deputy Adjutant & Quartermaster-General: Brig.-Gen A.F.U. Green
Commander, Royal Artillery: Brig-Gen S.F. Metcalfe
Commander, Heavy Artillery: Brig-Gen F.A. Twiss
Commander, Engineers: Brig-Gen H.J.M. Marshall
Order of Battle Autumn 1940
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...
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...
that served 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...
and in Italy
Italian Campaign (World War I)
The Italian campaign refers to a series of battles fought between the armies of Austria-Hungary and Italy, along with their allies, in northern Italy between 1915 and 1918. Italy hoped that by joining the countries of the Triple Entente against the Central Powers it would gain Cisalpine Tyrol , the...
. It was recreated as part of Home Forces defending the United Kingdom during 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...
.
Western Front
XI Corps was formed in France on 29 August 1915 under Lt-Gen Richard HakingRichard Haking
General Sir Richard Cyril Byrne Haking, GBE, KCB, KCMG was a British general in the First World War. He is remembered chiefly for the high casualties suffered by his forces at the second Battle of Fromelles, although at least one British historian has sought to defend his reputation, regarding...
. Its first serious engagement (as part of Sir Charles Monro's First Army) was the Battle of Fromelles
Battle of Fromelles
The Battle of Fromelles, sometimes known as the Action at Fromelles or the Battle of Fleurbaix , occurred in France between 19 July and 20 July 1916, during World War I...
(19 July 1916), a diversion to the Somme offensive in which two untried divisions were launched into an ill-planned subsidiary attack in Flanders. It achieved nothing but cost thousands of casualties, and caused great resentment in Australia.
Order of Battle at Fromelles
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
Lt-Gen R. Haking
- 61st (2nd South Midland) DivisionBritish 61st (2nd South Midland) DivisionThe British 61st Division was a second-line Territorial Force division raised in 1915 as a reserve for the first-line battalions of the 48th Division...
- 5th Australian Division
Italian Front
XI Corps was one of two corps HQs moved to the Italian FrontItalian Campaign (World War I)
The Italian campaign refers to a series of battles fought between the armies of Austria-Hungary and Italy, along with their allies, in northern Italy between 1915 and 1918. Italy hoped that by joining the countries of the Triple Entente against the Central Powers it would gain Cisalpine Tyrol , the...
in November 1917.
Order of Battle in Italy 1 December 1917
GOC
GOC
GOC may refer to:*Gareth O'Callaghan, Irish author and presenter*General Officer Commanding, a general officer who holds a military command appointment*General Optical Council, an organisation in the United Kingdom that regulates opticians and optometrists...
Lt-Gen Sir Richard Haking
Corps Troops:
- 1/1st King Edward's HorseKing Edward's HorseKing Edward's Horse was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1901, which saw service in the Boer War and the First World War.-Early history:...
- HQ Corps Heavy Artillery Royal Garrison ArtilleryRoyal Garrison ArtilleryThe Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
(RGA) - 11th Cyclist Battalion Army Cyclist CorpsArmy Cyclist CorpsThe Army Cyclist Corps was a corps of the British Army active during the First World War, and controlling the Army's bicycle infantry.Volunteer cyclist units had been formed as early as the 1880s, with the first complete bicycle unit being raised in 1888...
- Corps Topographical Section Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
(RE) - Signal Troops RE (L Corps Signal Company; 27 (Motor) Airline Section; R and LC Cable Sections, *Corps Heavy Artillery Signal Section RGA)
- Corps Siege Park Army Service Corps (ASC)
- Corps Ammunition Park (345 (MT) Company (25 Ammunition Sub-Park) ASC)
- 491 (MT) Company ASC, attached Corps Heavy Artillery
- 5th (Light) Mobile Workshop Army Ordnance Corps (AOC)
- Area Employment Company
- Corps School
Return to the Western Front
XI Corps returned to the Western Front in March 1918 in time to take part in the defence against the German Spring OffensiveSpring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
(the Battle of the Lys) and the final battles of the war as part of Sir William Birdwood's Fifth Army.
Order of Battle 27 September 1918
GOC
GOC
GOC may refer to:*Gareth O'Callaghan, Irish author and presenter*General Officer Commanding, a general officer who holds a military command appointment*General Optical Council, an organisation in the United Kingdom that regulates opticians and optometrists...
Lt-Gen Sir Richard Haking
Richard Haking
General Sir Richard Cyril Byrne Haking, GBE, KCB, KCMG was a British general in the First World War. He is remembered chiefly for the high casualties suffered by his forces at the second Battle of Fromelles, although at least one British historian has sought to defend his reputation, regarding...
Brigadier-General, General Staff: Brig-Gen J.E.S. Brind
John Brind
General Sir John Edward Spencer Brind KCB KBE CMG DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 4th Division.-Military career:Brind was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1897...
Deputy Adjutant & Quartermaster-General: Brig.-Gen A.F.U. Green
Commander, Royal Artillery: Brig-Gen S.F. Metcalfe
Commander, Heavy Artillery: Brig-Gen F.A. Twiss
Commander, Engineers: Brig-Gen H.J.M. Marshall
- 19th (Western) Division (to Third Army 4 October)
- 47th (1/2nd London) DivisionBritish 47th (1/2nd London) DivisionThe British 47th Division was a first-line Territorial Force division. Originally called the "2nd London Division" it was designated the 47th Division in 1915 and referred to as the "1/2nd London Division" after the raising of the second-line 60th Division...
(to III Corps 13 October) - 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division (from Third Army 11 October)
- 59th (2nd North Midland) Division
- 61st (2nd South Midland) DivisionBritish 61st (2nd South Midland) DivisionThe British 61st Division was a second-line Territorial Force division raised in 1915 as a reserve for the first-line battalions of the 48th Division...
(to Third Army 5 October) - 74th (Yeomanry) Division (from Fourth Army 2 October; to III Corps 8 October)
World War II
XI Corps was reformed in the United Kingdom early in World War II.Order of Battle Autumn 1940
- 15th (Scottish) Division
- 55th (West Lancashire) Division
- Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- 147th (Essex YeomanryEssex YeomanryThe Essex Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army raised in 1797. The regiment recruited volunteers from the county of Essex in the East of England.-Origins:...
) Army Field Regiment - 72nd Medium Regiment
- 147th (Essex Yeomanry
General Officers Commanding
Commanders included:- 1915-1918 Lieutenant-General Richard HakingRichard HakingGeneral Sir Richard Cyril Byrne Haking, GBE, KCB, KCMG was a British general in the First World War. He is remembered chiefly for the high casualties suffered by his forces at the second Battle of Fromelles, although at least one British historian has sought to defend his reputation, regarding...
- Jul 1940-Nov 1941 Lieutenant-General Hugh MassyHugh MassyLieutenant General Hugh Royds Stokes Massy CB DSO MC was a British Army General during World War II.-Military career:...
- Nov 1941-Mar 1942 Lieutenant-General Noel IrwinNoel IrwinLieutenant General Noel Mackintosh Stuart Irwin CB, DSO & Two Bars, MC was a British soldier, who played a prominent role in the British Army after the Dunkirk evacuation, and in the Burma Campaign...
- Mar 1942-Sep 1942 Lieutenant-General John CrockerJohn CrockerGeneral Sir John Tredinnick Crocker GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer and corps commander during the Second World War.- First World War :...
- Sep 1942-Apr 1943 Lieutenant-General Gerard BucknallGerard BucknallLieutenant General Gerard Corfield Bucknall, CB, MC was a British Army officer and corps commander during World War II.-Military career:...
- Apr 1943-Jul 1943 Lieutenant-General Gerald TemplerGerald TemplerField Marshal Sir Gerald Walter Robert Templer KG, GCB, GCMG, KBE was a British military commander. He is best known for his defeat of the guerrilla rebels in Malaya between 1952 and 1954...