British 48th (South Midland) Division
Encyclopedia
The British 48th Division was a Territorial Force
division
. Originally called the 'South Midland Division', it was redesignated as the 48th Division in 1915.
during the First World War. It took part in the Battle of the Somme (1916)
, the Battle of Pozières
and the Third Battle of Ypres.
In 1940 the division was sent to France
to join the British Expeditionary Force
. It was involved in the short battle and the retreat from Dunkirk.
After returning from France the division did not serve outside the United Kingdom for the duration of the war. It was reduced to a Reserve Division in 1944.
It does not appear to have been reformed in the Territorial Army after the Second World War.
(Warwickshire) :
144th Brigade (Gloucester and Worcester) :
145th Brigade
(South Midland) :
Pioneers :
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
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...
. Originally called the 'South Midland Division', it was redesignated as the 48th Division in 1915.
1914 - 1918
The division was sent to France in March 1915 and served on the Western Front and in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
during the First World War. It took part in the Battle of the Somme (1916)
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...
, the Battle of Pozières
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
and the Third Battle of Ypres.
1939 - 1945
The Division was still a 1st Line Territorial Army division of the British Army during the Second World War .In 1940 the division was sent to France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
to join the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
. It was involved in the short battle and the retreat from Dunkirk.
After returning from France the division did not serve outside the United Kingdom for the duration of the war. It was reduced to a Reserve Division in 1944.
It does not appear to have been reformed in the Territorial Army after the Second World War.
World War I formation
143rd BrigadeBritish 143 Brigade
- History :The 143rd Infantry Brigade was originally formed in World War I as a part of the Territorial Army's 48th Division, and served with that Division in both world wars...
(Warwickshire) :
- 1/5th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 1/6th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 1/7th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 1/8th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment (until September 1918)
144th Brigade (Gloucester and Worcester) :
- 1/4th (City of Bristol) Battalion, The Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Nicknamed "The Glorious Glosters", the regiment carried more battle honours on their regimental colours than any other British Army line regiment.-Origins and early history:...
- 1/6th Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment
- 1/7th Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment
- 1/8th Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment (until September 1918)
145th Brigade
British 145th Infantry Brigade
- History :First formed in 1908 as the 145th Infantry Brigade, the brigade, together with 143 Brigade and 144 Brigade eventually formed the 48th Division in Second Army during World War I. The brigade was in continuous service in France until the Armistice in 1918 when it was disbanded...
(South Midland) :
- 1/5th Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment (until September 1918)
- 1/4th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 1/1st BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry - 1/4th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment)
Pioneers :
- 1/5th (Cinque PortsCinque PortsThe Confederation of Cinque Ports is a historic series of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex. It was originally formed for military and trade purposes, but is now entirely ceremonial. It lies at the eastern end of the English Channel, where the crossing to the continent is narrowest...
) Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment
Infantry
- 143rd Infantry BrigadeBritish 143 Brigade- History :The 143rd Infantry Brigade was originally formed in World War I as a part of the Territorial Army's 48th Division, and served with that Division in both world wars...
- 1st Bn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryOxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryThe Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army.The regiment was formed as a consequence of Childers reforms, a continuation of the Cardwell reforms, by the amalgamation of the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 52nd Regiment of Foot , forming the 1st...
- 5th Bn. The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 1/7th Bn. The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 1st Bn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 144th Infantry Brigade
- 5th Bn. The Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Nicknamed "The Glorious Glosters", the regiment carried more battle honours on their regimental colours than any other British Army line regiment.-Origins and early history:...
- 2nd Bn. The Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 8th Bn. The Worcestershire Regiment
- 5th Bn. The Gloucestershire Regiment
- 145th Infantry BrigadeBritish 145th Infantry Brigade- History :First formed in 1908 as the 145th Infantry Brigade, the brigade, together with 143 Brigade and 144 Brigade eventually formed the 48th Division in Second Army during World War I. The brigade was in continuous service in France until the Armistice in 1918 when it was disbanded...
- 4th Bn. The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 4th Bn. The Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire RegimentThe Gloucestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Nicknamed "The Glorious Glosters", the regiment carried more battle honours on their regimental colours than any other British Army line regiment.-Origins and early history:...
- 1st Bn. Buckinghamshire Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Support Units
- 48th Reconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured CorpsRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
(Later 43rd Recon Regt. RAC) - 1st Lothian and Border HorseLothian and Border HorseThe Lothians and Border Horse was a Yeomanry regiment, part of the British Territorial Army. It was ranked 36th in the Yeomanry order of precedence, and based in the Scottish Lowland area, recruiting in the Lothian and along the border with England.-Origins:...
- 67th Field Regiment RARoyal 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:...
- 68 Field Regiment RA
- 99 Field Regiment RA
- 53 Anti-Tank Regiment RA
- 48th(South Midlands)Division Royal Signals TA
- 224 Field Company RERoyal 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....
- 225 Field Company RE
- 226 Field Company RE
- 227 Field Park Company RE
- 48th(South Midlands) Divisional Royal Army Service Corps Territorial Army
- Headquarters - CRASC (Commander Royal Army Service Corps)
- 515 Ammunition Company RASC TA
- 517 Petrol Company RASC TA
- 518 Supply Company RASC TA
Commanders
- October 1941 Major-General Arthur GrassettArthur Edward GrassettLieutenant-General Sir Arthur Edward Grassett KBE CB DSO MC was a Canadian born and educated soldier who served with the British Army in Canada, England, India and China.-Education:...
- December 1941 Major-General Hayman Hayman-JoyceHayman Hayman-JoyceMajor-General Hayman John Hayman-Joyce CBE DSO was a British Army officer who commanded 4th Division during World War II.-Military career:...
- February 1961 Major-General John WorsleyJohn WorsleyLieutenant General Sir John Worsley KBE CB MC was Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong.-Military career:Worsley was commissioned into the 3rd Bn 2nd Punjab Regiment of the Indian Army in 1934 and served on the North West Frontier in India from 1935.He served in World War II and fought at the...
See also
- List of British divisions in WWI
- British Divisions in World War IIBritish Divisions in World War IIThis page is a list of British Army divisions that fought in World War II.-Armoured:*Guards Armoured Division*1st Armoured Division*2nd Armoured Division - Formed 15 December 1939 in the UK. Served in Egypt from January 1941 until March 1941 and from April 1941 until May 1941, and in Libya from...
- British Army Order of Battle - September 1939