62nd (2nd West Riding) Division
Encyclopedia
History
During the First World WarWorld 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 fought 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...
at Bullecourt
Bullecourt
Bullecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in France.-Geography:Bullecourt lies on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume and east of the A1 motorway. This shows Bullecourt just north of centre. Quéant is the larger of the two...
in the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras
The name Battle of Arras refers to a number of battles which took place near the town of Arras in Artois, France:*Battle of Arras , a clash between the French and the Spanish...
and Havrincourt
Havrincourt
Havrincourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in Nord-Pas-de-Calais in France.-Situation:The village lies about 14 kilometres south-west of Cambrai near the Havrincourt service area on the Autoroute A2...
in the Battle of Cambrai. In the First Battle of the Somme (1918), they were in the line near Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
and in the Second Battle of the Marne
Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne , or Battle of Reims was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by France overwhelmed the Germans, inflicting severe casualties...
, in the Ardre Valley. At the opening of Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
Second 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...
, they fought the Battle of Havrincourt
Battle of Havrincourt
- Notes :# - a mistake on the part either of Byng or of Repington, as it was actually the 62nd Division....
and continued across the Saint Quentin Canal at Marcoing, before beginning the fighting advance to Maubeuge
Maubeuge
Maubeuge is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is situated on both banks of the Sambre , east of Valenciennes and about from the Belgian border.-History:...
on the Sambre
Sambre
The Sambre is a river in northern France and Wallonia, southern Belgium, left tributary of the Meuse River. The ancient Romans called the river Sabis.-Course:...
.
Component units
185th Brigade (2/1st West Riding)- 1/5th Bn, The Devonshire RegimentThe Devonshire RegimentThe Devonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which served under various titles from 1685 to 1958. Its lineage is continued today by The Rifles.-Origin and titles:...
(joined June 1918) - 1/8th Bn, The West Yorkshire Regiment (joined January 1918)
- 2/5th Bn, The West Yorkshires (joined March 1915, left August 1918)
- 2/6th Bn, The West Yorkshires (joined March 1915, left January 1918)
- 2/7th Bn, The West Yorkshires (joined March 1915, left June1918)
- 2/8th Bn, The West Yorkshires (joined March 1915, left February1918)
- 2/20th (County of London) Bn, The London Regiment (joined August 1918)
186th Brigade (2/2nd West Riding)
- 5th Bn, The Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
(joined January 1918) - 2/4th Bn, The Duke of Wellington's (joined March 1915)
- 2/5th Bn, The Duke of Wellington's (joined March 1915, left January 1918)
- 2/6th Bn, The Duke of Wellington's (joined March 1915, disbanded January 1918)
- 2/7th Bn, The Duke of Wellington's (joined March 1915, left as a cadre June 1918)
- 2/4th Bn, The Hampshire Regiment (joined June 1918)
187th Brigade (2/3rd West Riding)
- 5th Bn, The KOYLI (joined February 1918)
- 2/4th Bn, The KOYLI (joined March 1915)
- 2/5th Bn, The KOYLI (joined March 1915, absorbed February 1918)
- 2/4th (Hallamshire) Bn, The York and Lancaster RegimentYork and Lancaster Regiment-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
(joined March 1915) - 2/5th Bn, The York and Lancaster (joined March 1915, disbanded February 1918)