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20th (Light) Division
20th (Light) Division was established in September 1914 as part of the Army Orders authorising Kitchener's Second New Army, K2. Early days were somewhat chaotic, the new volunteers having very few trained officers and NCOs to command them, no organised billets or equipment. The units of the Division first assembled in the Aldershot area with brigades at Blackdown, Deepcut and Cowshott. Artillery was particularly hard to come by; 12 old guns arrived from India in February 1915. When in the same month the Division moved to Witley, Godalming and Guildford, the artillery had to go by train as there was insufficient harness for the horses. Another move was made, to Salisbury Plain, in April 1915. The Division was inspected by King George V at Knighton Down on 24 June 1915, by which time all equipment had arrived and the Division was judged ready for war. On 26th of July 1915 the Division completed concentration in the Saint-Omer area, all units having crossed to France during the preceding few days. Early trench familiarisation and training took place in the Fleurbaix area.The Division served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war, taking part in many of the significant actions:
1916
- The Battle of Mount Sorrel
- The Battle of Delville Wood - Somme
- The Battle of Guillemont - Somme
- The Battle of Flers-Courcelette - Somme
- The Battle of Morval - Somme
- The Battle of Le Transloy - Somme
1917
- The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line
- The Battle of Langemarck - Third Battles of Ypres
- The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge - Third Battles of Ypres
- The Battle of Polygon Wood - Third Battles of Ypres
- The Cambrai Operations
1918
The Battle of St Quentin - Somme The actions at the Somme crossings - Somme The Battle of Rosieres - Somme
The Division was withdrawn after the heavy fighting of the Somme battles, moving on 20th of April 1918 to an area south west of Amiens. During the summer months it received many new drafts of men.
- The Battle of the Selle - Final Advance in Picardy
- The Battle of Valenciennes - Final Advance in Picardy
- The Battle of the Sambre - Final Advance in Picardy and the passage of the Grand Honelle
The Division was in the area between Bavay and Maubeuge when the Armistice came into effect at 1100 on 11th of November. Late in the month the units moved to the Toutencourt-Marieux area. demobilisation began on 7 January 1919 and the final cadres crossed to England on 28 May..
In all the 20th (Light) Division had suffered the loss of 35470 killed, wounded and missing.
Order of Battle of the 20th (Light) Division
59th Brigade
- 10th Btn, King's Royal Rifle Corps disbanded February 1918
- 11th Btn, King's Royal Rifle Corps
- 10th Btn, Rifle Brigade disbanded February 1918
- 11th Btn, Rifle Brigade
- 59th Machine Gun Company joined 3 March 1916, left to move into 20th MG Battalion 15 March 1918
- 59th Trench Mortar Battery formed by 16 July 1916
- 2nd Btn, Cameronians joined February 1918
60th Brigade
- 6th Btn, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry left February 1918
- 6th Btn, King's Shropshire Light Infantry
- 12th Btn, King's Royal Rifle Corps
- 12th Btn, Rifle Brigade
- 60th Machine Gun Company joined 3 March 1916, left to move into 20th MG Battalion 15 March 1918
- 60th Trench Mortar Battery formed by 16 July 1916
61st Brigade
- 7th Btn, Somerset Light Infantry
- 7th Btn, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
- 7th Btn, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry left February 1918
- 11th Btn, Durham Light Infantry left January 1915
- 12th Btn, King's (Liverpool Regiment) joined January 1915
- 61st Machine Gun Company joined 3 March 1916, left to move into 20th MG Battalion 15 March 1918
- 61st Trench Mortar Battery formed by 16 July 1916
Divisional Troops
- 12th Btn, King's (Liverpool Regiment) left January 1915
- 9th Btn, Devonshire Regiment left April 1915
- 11th Btn, Durham Light Infantry joined as Pioneer Bn January 1915
- 14th Motor Machine Gun Battery joined 26 January 1915, left 22 April 1916
- 217th Company, MGC joined March 1917, moved into 20 MG Bn 15 March 1918
- 20th Battalion Machine Gun Corps formed 15 March 1918
Divisional Mounted Troops
- HQ, D Sqn and MG Section, the Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry joined 24 June 1915, left 29 April 1916
- 20th Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps formed 22 December 1914, left 17 May 1916
Divisional Artillery
- XC Brigade, RFA broken up 30 August 1916
- XCI Brigade, RFA
- XCII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA left 8 January 1917
- XCIII Brigade, RFA broken up 8-9 September 1916
- 20th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA
- 20th Heavy Battery, RGA raised with the Division but moved independently to France in August 1915
- V.20 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA formed by 24 May 1916, broken up 2 February 1918
- X.20, Y.20 and Z.20 Medium Mortar Batteries RFA formed by 24 May 1916; on 2 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each
Royal Engineers
- 83rd Field Company
- 84th Field Company
- 96th Field Company joined from 26th Division in January 1915
- 20th Divisional Signals Company
Royal Army Medical Corps
- 60th Field Ambulance
- 61st Field Ambulance
- 62nd Field Ambulance
- 33rd Sanitary Section left 24 April 1917
Other Divisional Troops
- 20th Divisional Train ASC 158, 159, 160 and 161 Companies
- 32nd Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
- 221st Divisional Employment Company joined 30 June 1917
- 20th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop disbanded 31 March 1916
3rd of May 1915 Orders
Jul 1915 Training Instruction
Jul 1915 Billets
13th of July 1915
20th Jul 1915 On the Move
21st Jul 1915 On the Move
22nd Jul 1915 On the Move
22nd Jul 1915 On the Move
23rd Jul 1915 In Billets
23rd Jul 1915 On the Move
24th July 1915 On the Move
24th Jul 1915 Route March
24th Jul 1915 On the Move
25th Jul 1915 Church Parade
25th Jul 1915 On the Move
26th Jul 1915 Route March
26th Jul 1915 Training
26th Jul 1915 Orders Issued
26th Jul 1915 Vist
27th Jul 1915 Route March
28th Jul 1915 On the March
29th Jul 1915 On the March
30th Jul 1915 On the March
31st Jul 1915 Enemy Aircraft
29th Aug 1915 Attack Expected
30th Aug 1915 Reliefs
31st Aug 1915 Trench Work
1st Sep 1915 Trench Work
4th Sep 1915 Quiet
5th Sep 1915 Reliefs
6th Sep 1915 Working Parties
7th Sep 1915 Working Parties
8th Sep 1915 Working Parties
9th Sep 1915 Attachment
10th Sep 1915 Shelling
11th Sep 1915 Baths
13th Sep 1915 Reliefs
14th Sep 1915 Artillery in Action
15th Sep 1915 Trench Work
16th Sep 1915 Patrols
17th Sep 1915 Patrols
18th Sep 1915 Very Quiet
19th Sep 1915 Effigy
20th Sep 1915 Reliefs
21st Sep 1915 Bombardment
22nd Sep 1915 Bombardment
23rd Sep 1915 Bombardment
24th Sep 1915 Bombardment
26th of September 1915 On the Move
29th of September 1915 Resting
1st of October 1915 In Reserve
3rd Feb 1916 Reorganisation
11th Feb 1916 Artillery Active
12th Feb 1916 Heavy Shelling
19th of July 1916
21st of July 1916 Orders
21st of July 1916 Reliefs
21st of July 1916
22nd of July 1916
30th Jul 1916 Trench Work
31st Jul 1916 Trench Work
1st Aug 1916 Some Shelling
2nd Aug 1916 Alert
3rd Aug 1916 Relief Complete
4th Aug 1916 Working Parties
5th Aug 1916 Instruction
6th Aug 1916 Demonstraion
7th Aug 1916 On the March
8th Aug 1916 Training
9th Aug 1916 Training
10th Aug 1916 Dugouts Constructed
10th Aug 1916 Training
11th Aug 1916 Training
12th Aug 1916 Training
13th Aug 1916 Training
14th Aug 1916 Reliefs
15th Aug 1916 Exhange of Fire
16th Aug 1916 Reliefs
17th Aug 1916 On the March
18th Aug 1916 On the March
19th Aug 1916 In Billets
20th Aug 1916 On the Move
21st Aug 1916 On the March
22nd Aug 1916 On the March
23rd Aug 1916 Carrying Party
24th Aug 1916 Training
25th of August 1916 Warning Order Issued
25th Aug 1916 Reliefs Complete
26th Aug 1916 Front Line
27th of August 1916 Divisional Dispositions
27th Aug 1916 Reliefs
28th of August 1916 Hostile Fire
28th Aug 1916 Working Parties
29th Aug 1916 Recce
30th Aug 1916 SOS
31st of August 1916 Warning Order Issued
1st of September 1916 Enemy SOS
1st Sep 1916 Preparations
2nd September 1916 Orders
2nd Sep 1916 Reliefs
3rd Sep 1916 Wounded Treated On the 3rd of September 1916, the 62nd Field Ambulance RAMC was involved in the Battle of Guillemont retrieving and treating wounded soldiers from the battlefield very close to where the enemy were firing an incessant hail of bullets and shells. This was during the decisive Allied attack on the German-held strong hold of Guillemont. 62nd Field Ambulance were operating under the command of British 20th (Light) Division which operated in unison with the 47 Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division and together other forces they succeeded in capturing Guillemont on that day. 62nd Field Ambulance had been involved in this battle for many months prior the victory on 3rd September, operating in the so-called 'Valley of Death' which the Germans sprayed with machine-gun fire, bombs and gas-shells from their vantage point with great loss of life to Allied forces.
3rd Sep 1916 In Action
4th of September 1916 Units Mixed Up
4th Sep 1916 Orders
5th Sep 1916 Reliefs
16th Sep 1916 On the March
16th of September 1916 Prepare to Move
17th Sep 1916 Wet Weather
17th of September 1916 Warning Order Received
18th Sep 1916 Reliefs
18th of September 1916 Brigade Dispositions
19th of September 1916 In the Front Line
26th of September 1916 Reliefs
27th of September 1916 Division Moves
1st Jan 1917 Reliefs
4th Jan 1917 Relief
8th Jan 1917 Adjustment
10th Jan 1917 Prisoner
11th Jan 1917 Leave
14th Jan 1917 Course
17th Jan 1917 Trench Raid
18th Jan 1917 Course
22nd Jan 1917 Trench Raid
23rd Jan 1917 Orders Received
25th Jan 1917 Relief Completed
25th Jan 1917 Boundary
26th Jan 1917 Orders
27th Jan 1917 Attack Made
28th Jan 1917 Reliefs Complete
29th Jan 1917 In Reserve
27th Jan 1917 In Action
1st Feb 1917 Training
2nd Feb 1917 Training
3rd Feb 1917 Training
4th Feb 1917 Training
5th Feb 1917 Training
5th Feb 1917 Orders
6th Feb 1917 Training
7th Feb 1917 In Reserve
8th Feb 1917 Moves
9th Feb 1917 Reliefs
11th Feb 1917 Leave
14th Feb 1917 Prisoner
16th Feb 1917 Reliefs Complete
19th Feb 1917 Post Captured
19th Feb 1917 Report
24th Feb 1917 New Trench
24th Feb 1917 Bombardment
28th Feb 1917 Trench Raid
28th Feb 1917 Prisoner
1st Mar 1917 Explosions and Fires
3rd Mar 1917 Reorganisation
4th Mar 1917 Reorganisation
5th Mar 1917 Instructions
7th Mar 1917 Reorganisation
8th Mar 1917 Outposts
10th Mar 1917 Orders
11th Mar 1917 Defence Scheme
12th Mar 1917 Reliefs
13th Mar 1917 Instructions
14th Mar 1917 Orders
15th Mar 1917 Evacuation
16th Mar 1917 Quiet
17th Mar 1917 Withdrawal
18th Mar 1917 Withdrawal
19th Mar 1917 Outposts
19th Mar 1917 Orders Received
20th Mar 1917 Orders
20th Mar 1917 Orders
21st Mar 1917 Line Occupied
22nd Mar 1917 Reliefs
23rd Mar 1917 Reliefs
24th Mar 1917 Inspection
24th Mar 1917 Patrol
25th Mar 1917 Training
25th Mar 1917 Reorganisation
26th Mar 1917 Ground Gained
27th Mar 1917 Measles
27th Mar 1917 Advance
28th Mar 1917 Attack
29th Mar 1917 Instruction
29th Mar 1917 Advance
30th Mar 1917 Advance
31st Mar 1917 Orders
1st Apr 1917 Instruction
2nd Apr 1917 Move
3rd Apr 1917 Reliefs
4th Apr 1917 Anti Aircraft Duty
5th Apr 1917 In Defence
6th Apr 1917 Instruction
8th Apr 1917 Defence Line
10th Apr 1917 Reliefs
11th Apr 1917 Reliefs
12th Apr 1917 HQ Moves
13th Apr 1917 Casualty
16th Apr 1917 Reliefs
20th Apr 1917 Reinforcements
24th Apr 1917 Reinforcements
25th Apr 1917 New Positions
27th Apr 1917 HQ Moves
28th Apr 1917 Reliefs
29th Apr 1917 Reliefs Complete
10th May 1917 Barrage
12th May 1917 Reliefs
13th May 1917 Reliefs
14th May 1917 Anti Aircraft Defence
20th May 1917 Accident
21st May 1917 Anti Aircraft Defences
22nd May 1917 Withdrawal
23rd May 1917 On the March
24th May 1917 On the March
25th May 1917 Reliefs
26th May 1917 Relief
27th May 1917 New Positions
7th Oct 1917 Reliefs
12th of December 1917 Transfer to Metz Front
24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation
21st Jan 1918 Course
5th Feb 1918 Course Ends
9th of February 1918
13th Feb 1918 Personnel
21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation
21st of March 1918 "Man Battle Stations"
22nd of March 1918 Three Brigades Withdrawn
22nd of March 1918 Message
23rd of March 1918 A Serious Gap
24th Mar 1918 Cavalry in Support
24th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
25th Mar 1918 Enemy Attacks
28th of March 1918 Orders
31st of March 1918 Account of Operations
1st Apr 1918 In the LineIf you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
Want to know more about 20th (Light) Division?
There are:232 items tagged 20th (Light) Division available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
Those known to have served with
20th (Light) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.
- Aplin A. C.. Pte. 61st Field Ambulance
- Boswell David. Pte. 10th Btn. (d.29th Feb 1916)
- Halsall Henry Edward. L/Cpl. 12th Btn. (d.16th Sep 1916)
- Jackson James Henry. Pte. 7th Btn.
- Legg Edward John. L/Cpl. 12th Btn. (d.7th Oct 1916)
- Reade Herbert Cecil. 6th Btn.
- Timbury Frederick John. Pte. 12th Btn. C Coy.
- Wilson John. Pte. 11 Btn. C Coy. (d.2nd Sep 1916)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List
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1206150L/Cpl. Henry Edward Halsall 12th Btn. Kings (Liverpool) Regiment (d.16th Sep 1916)
My great uncle, Henry Halsall was the elder brother of my grandma Mary Pearson nee Halsall who both grew up at Lordsgate Farm in Burscough, which is down the road from the Bull and Dog in Burscough run by their cousins the Edges. Henry joined at the outbreak of the war and prior to enlisting was head gardener at Sefton House Lathom. He was the son of John and Ellen Halsall ne Reynolds and husband of Sarah Ellen Halsall and father of two children.I believe he was killed on 16th September 1916 at Fleurs-Coulette. If any body knows any more information or a near relative it would be great to hear from them.
John Nicholls
1206112Herbert Cecil Reade 6th Btn. Kings Shropshire Light Infantry
Herbert Cecil Reade joined the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry 6th Battalion (Pals) in Shrewsbury in 1914. In 1916 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an observer in No.1 Squadron. He was invalided back to the UK in 1917.Richard Reade
1205762Pte. John "Baity" Wilson 11 Btn. C Coy. Durham Light Infantry (d.2nd Sep 1916)
John Wilson (Baity) was an ex minor from the Adventure pit, who joined the Army in 1914, 11th Batt; DLI 3-10828, was killed at the Battle of the Somme on 2nd September 1916. His name appears on the war memorial in West Rainton and also on a brass plaque in the porch of St Michael’s RC church in Houghton-le-Spring along with other fallen lads. John was a also Hawker, (selling fish from a horse and cart) but all the brothers did this for their mum at one time or another. He was also a collier and worked at the Adventure pit West Rainton. He was nicknamed Baity for the amount of sandwiches - bait - he took to work down the pit.John joined the 11th Battalion Durham Light Infantry after war was declared. In 1915 the battalion spent time in the front line in France, following which John was allowed home leave. When the time came to go back to France, he caught the correct train from Durham station but, unfortunately, the engine broke down somewhere and he had to be found a place on another train. This delay caused him to miss his ship back to France and his connections there. By the time he returned two days late, the battalion had gone back into the front line. He was brought before an officer, who told him he could be tried for desertion from the front, punishable by death or accept field punishment number one there and then without representation. He chose this punishment, which involved him doing hard labour and being tied to the wheel of a field gun for up to two hours a day – but for how many days I do not know.
John was killed on 2nd September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. I recall being told that my Great Gran was devastated at the news of his death and she always wanted to know what had happened to him since his body was never found after a trench burial. When she went shopping in Sunderland she would ask ex-DLI soldiers if they had met him and how he died. One day, by chance, someone said “yes, I was there; he was shot in the stomach, and died slowly without any medical help, and was crying for his mother when he diedâ€. Although this caused her distress at least it gave some closure. John Wilson’s name is on the monument at Thiepval, on the war memorial in West Rainton and also on a brass plaque in the porch of St Michael’s RC church in Houghton-le-Spring along with other fallen lads.
There are some inaccuracies in his service record: John was most certainly Not, C of E, His mum would have had a fit to hear this. She was strong Catholic, as were All of her children. But if you put down Catholic when you were enlisted,you were meant to attend services every Sunday. If you were not strong catholic, you put down C of E and then life was easier. He was most certainly late from leave as they say, but they miss the most important bit. His train was delayed when on leave from the front, and he arrived back 3 days late, no fault of his. But the regiment had gone back to the front line. He was given the choice of a court marshal,and firing squad, or accept field punishment No 1 tied cruciform to a field gun wheel for three days. This he accepted. From this he developed pneumonia, was sent to hospital, for a few days, and returned to the front line. From someone with him, we were told he was shot in the stomach, and died after 3 days without any medical help. What can you say.
John Harvey
1205747Pte. David Boswell 10th Btn. Kings Royal Rifles Corps (d.29th Feb 1916)
David Boswell served with B Company, 10th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps during WW1 and died on the 29th February 1916, aged 21. He is buried in La Belle Alliance Cemetery in Belgium. He was the son of Thomas and Sarah Boswell, of 75, Sharp St., Warrington.Steve
261748Pte. A. C. Aplin MM. 61st Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps
My great-grandfather A.C. Aplin served during WWI with the 61st Field Ambulance. We know little to nothing about him as yet, he died the year before my father was born. The only records I have been able to find so far are his medal cards and the page from the London Gazette where it announced his Military Medal award. We have only recently been able to collect all his medals from around the family and have them cleaned and mounted. My father was able to wear them for the first time on Remembrance Sunday, 2019 to honour his grandfather.Lee Jeal
258201L/Cpl. Edward John Legg 12th Btn. Rifle Brigade (d.7th Oct 1916)
Edward Legg was born 29th of December 1889 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. He was a Seaman from Williamstown, Victoria, Australia, he had landed in England and was waiting for a ship, when war broke out. On the 8th of September he enlisted at the Admiralty Recruiting Office in London, went directly to Rifle Depot, Winchester. On the 10th her was posted to the 9th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, 14th (Light) Division but on the 1st of October was transferred 12th Battalion, Rifle Brigade, 20th (Light) Division. He landed in France with 12th Rifle Brigade on the 21st of July 1915.On the 6th of June 1916 he was wounded, a gun shot in right eye and forehead while in the Potijze sector of the Ypres Salient. He was admitted to 17th Casualty Clearing Station the next day and evacuated via No 6 Ambulance Train to No 1 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples where he was admitted on the 8th of June. On the 10th he was transferred No 26 General Hospital and on the 27th to No 20 Infantry Base Depot, Etaples for convalescence.
Edward rejoined the 12th Rifle Brigade on teh 7th of July 1916 near Ypres. from the 15th to 19th he was treated at a Local Field Ambulance for scabies. He was wounded, gun shot to face a second time on the 13th of August 1916 and admitted to No.29 Casualty Clearing Station and evacuated via No 21 Ambulance Train the next day. On the 16th he was admitted No 25 General Hospital at Hardelot his injuries recorded as GSW and he was also noted as suffering from urticaria. He was transferred No 47 Infantry Base Depot, Hardelot for convalescence on the 6th of September and on the 8th was appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid) rejoining 12th Rifle Brigade at Corbie two days later.
Edward was recorded as missing in action on the 7th of October 1916 and officially presumed to have died on or since that date on the 9th of November 1918.
Pam Henderson
246433Pte. James Henry Jackson 7th Btn. Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry
James Jackson was in the 7th and 8th Battalions, Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry, 20th Division He was wounded and spent time in hospital of which I have his medical report. I am trying to trace my mum's family tree and that of her fathers side, any help in advising where do I begin to search for records of any kind would be much appreciated.Sharon
218727Pte. Frederick John Timbury 12th Btn. C Coy. Kings Liverpool Regiment
Fred Timbury was my grandfather who never talked much about his experiences during the Great War. I understand that he went over to France in 1915 with the 12th Btn Kings Liverpool Regiment. He originally came from Battersea in London and had four sisters, Lizzie, Emma, Rose and Bett. After a family disagreement, he moved up to Wakefield in Yorkshire to work in the coal mines. In 1915 he joined the army and was sent to Bisley training camp. I have a photograph of him there. He was then sent to France. At a place called Lesboeufs in 1916, Fred had a lucky escape when his prayer book, which he was carrying in his breast pocket, was struck by a bullet. My mother told me that Fred had a wound in his arm, undoubtedly caused by the deflected bullet. I attach photos of the book, along with a picture of the first pages with a comment written by Fred as to where and when it happened. At some point later in the conflict, Fred was captured by the Germans and became a prisoner of war for the remainder of the War. I have several photographs of his sisters taken at Boyd's Photographic Studios in Battersea which were sent to him in the prison camp. The reverse side clearly shows the purple coloured camp stamp.Roger Beasley
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