- 35th Division during the Great War -
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About
35th Division
35th Division was authorised by the War Officer in December 1914 as a formation of the Fifth New Army. The Division was largely comprised of Bantam Battalions, manned by troops who were under the normal regulation minimum height of 5 feet 3 inches. After early training near home, the units concentrated in June 1915 in North Yorkshire. Divisional HQ was at Masham and units were at Roomer Common, Marfield, Fearby and Masham. In August 1915 the Division moved to Salisbury Plain, HQ being set up at Marlborough. Over the next few weeks moves were made to Chiseldon and Cholderton. In late 1915 orders were received to kit for a move to Egypt but this was soon rescinded. On 28th of January 1916 the Division began to cross the English Channel and by early on 6th of February all units were concentrated east of St Omer.The Division then remained on the Western Front for the remainder of the war and took part in the following engagements:
1916
- The Battle of Bazentin Ridge - Somme
- The fighting for Arrow Head Copse and Maltz Horn Farm - Somme
- The fighting for Falfemont Farm - Somme
On 8th of December the Divisional commanding officer Major General H. J. S. Landon, submitted a report complaining that replacement drafts he had received were not of the same tough physical standard as the original bantams but were undeveloped, unfit men from the towns. A medical inspection was duly carried out and 1439 men rejected from the ranks. A second inspection removed another batch, bringing the total to 2784. These men were in the main transferred to the Labour Corps. Their places were filled with men transferred from disbanded yeomanry regiments; they had to be quickly trained in infantry methods and a Divisional depot was formed for the purpose. Brigades were then ordered that no more bantams were to be accepted. Original bantams who passed the medical inspection remained in place.
1917
- The pursuit of the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line
- The fighting in Houthulst Forest - Third Battles of Ypres
- The Second Battle of Passchendaele - Third Battles of Ypres
1918
- The First Battle of Bapaume, a phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918
- The Battle of Ypres - Final Advance in Flanders
- The Battle of Courtrai - Final Advance in Flanders
- The action of Tieghem - Final Advance in Flanders
On 9th of November the Division established a bridgehead across the River Scheldt near Berchem. two days later the Division was ordered to push on to the line of the River Dender and before 11am had entered Grammont; by the time of the Armistice posts had been established across the river and at the sluice. The Division was ordered to move west on 12th of November and continued to do so over the next few days, passing through Ypres on 28th of November. By 2nd of December Divisional HQ had been established at Eperlecques. Many miners were demobilised during the month and demobilisation happened apace. In January 1919, units of the Division was called upon to quell rioting in the transit camps at Calais. The Division ceased to exist by the end of April 1919.
The Great War cost 35th Division 23915 men killed, wounded or missing.
Order of Battle of the 35th Division
104th Brigade
- 17th Btn, Lancashire Fusiliers
- 18th Btn, Lancashire Fusiliers
- 20th Btn, Lancashire Fusiliers disbanded February 1918
- 23rd Btn, Manchester Regiment disbanded February 1918
- 104th Machine Gun Company joined April 1916, moved to 35th Bn MGC February 1918
- 104th Trench Mortar Battery joined February 1916
- 9th Btn, Northumberland Fusiliers joined August 1917, left May 1918
- 19th Btn, Durham Light Infantry joined February 1918
105th Brigade
- 15th Btn, Cheshire Regiment (1st Birkenhead)
- 16th Btn, Cheshire Regiment (2nd Birkenhead) disbanded February 1918
- 14th Btn, Gloucestershire Regiment (West of England) disbanded February 1918
- 15th Btn, Sherwood Foresters
- 105th Machine Gun Company joined April 1916, moved to 35th Bn MGC February 1918
- 105th Trench Mortar Battery joined February 1916
- 4th Btn, North Staffordshire Regiment joined February 1918
- 1/7th Btn, Cheshire Regiment joined July 1918
106th Brigade
- 17th Btn, Royal Scots (Rosebery)
- 17th Btn, West Yorkshire Regiment (2nd Leeds) left November 1917
- 19th Btn, Durham Light Infantry (2nd County) left February 1918
- 18th Btn, Highland Light Infantry (4th Glasgow) disbanded February 1918
- 106th Machine Gun Company joined April 1916, moved to 35th Bn MGC February 1918
- 106th Trench Mortar Battery joined April 1916
- 4th Btn, North Staffordshire Regiment joined November 1917, to 105th Brigade February 1918
- 12th Btn, Highland Light Infantry joined February 1918
Divisional Troops
- 19th Btn, Northumberland Fusiliers Divisional Pioneer Battalion
- 241st Machine Gun Company joined 18 July 1917, moved to 35th Btn MGC February 1918
- 35th Battalion MGC formed 2 March 1918
Divisional Mounted Troops
- F Sqn, Lancashire Hussars left 9 May 1916
- 35th Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps left 10 May 1916
Divisional Artillery
- CLVII Brigade, RFA (Aberdeen)
- CLVIII Brigade, RFA (Accrington and Burnley) broken up 28 February 1917
- CLVIX Brigade, RFA (Glasgow)
- CLXIII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA (West Ham) broken up 9 September 1916
- 131 Heavy Battery RGA raised in Lewisham for 26th Division on 22 January 1915, but did not sail with that Division and was then attached to 35th. Left Division and moved independently to France, joining XXIII HA Group in March 1916
- 35th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA (British Empire League)
- V.35 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, RFA formed by 16 August 1916; left for VI Corps 6 March 1918
- X.35, Y.35 and Z.35 Medium Mortar Batteries, RFA formed by 28 June 1916; on 8 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each
Royal Engineers
- 203rd (Cambridge) Field Company
- 204th (Cambridge) Field Company
- 205th (Cambridge) Field Company
- 35th Divisional Signals Company
Royal Army Medical Corps
- 105th Field Ambulance
- 106th Field Ambulance
- 107th Field Ambulance
- 75th Sanitary Section left 9 April 1917
Other Divisional Troops
- 35th Divisional Train ASC 233, 234, 235 and 236 Companies.
- 45th Mobile Veterinary Section AVC
- 232nd Divisional Employment Company joined 9 June 1917
- 35th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop absorbed into Divisional Supply Column 31 March 1916
Jul 1915 Training Instruction
Jul 1915 Billets
24th Aug 1915 QMS Charged
12th Oct 1915 Result of Lark
31st Jan 1916 On the Move
1st Feb 1916 On the Move
2nd Feb 1916 On the Move
3rd Feb 1916 On the March
6th Feb 1916 Lectures
7th Feb 1916 Lectures
11th Feb 1916 Inspection
18th Feb 1916 Very Wet
19th Feb 1916 On the March
20th Feb 1916 Instruction
21st Feb 1916 Instruction
22nd Feb 1916 Instruction
24th Feb 1916 Instruction
26th Feb 1916 Instruction
27th Feb 1916 Instruction
28th Feb 1916 Instruction
29th Feb 1916 Baths
27th Apr 1916 Selection
31st May 1916 On the March
25th Jun 1916 Training
26th Jun 1916 Training
2nd Jul 1916 Orders Received
3rd Jul 1916 On the Move
4th Jul 1916 In Billets
5th Jul 1916 Posting
6th Jul 1916 On the March
7th Jul 1916 In Camp
10th Jul 1916 Orders
11th Jul 1916 In Billets
12th Jul 1916 On the March
13th Jul 1916 On the March
14th Jul 1916 Working Party
17th Jul 1916 Recce
19th Jul 1916 Bivouac
20th Jul 1916 Working Parties
23rd Jul 1916 Advance
24th Jul 1916 Trench Work
25th Jul 1916 Reliefs Complete
26th Jul 1916 In the Line
27th Jul 1916 Bivouac
28th Jul 1916 Orders
30th Jul 1916 Attack Made
25th of August 1916 Warning Order Issued
26th August 1916 At 0930 hours we marched to bivouac N.W. of Bronfay Farm, relieving 15th Sherwood Foresters ( 35th Div. )
27th of August 1916 Divisional Dispositions
23rd of October 1917 Orders
24th of October 1917 Divisional HQ Moves
24th of October 1917 Orders
26th Oct 1917 Reliefs
28th Oct 1917 Reliefs Complete
29th of October 1917 Orders
31st of October 1917 Attack Made
1st of November 1917 Warning
3rd of November 1917 Gas
24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation
1st Jan 1918 Training
2nd Jan 1918 Exercise
3rd Jan 1918 Exercise
4th Jan 1918 Exercise
8th Jan 1918 On the Move
9th Jan 1918 Working Parties
10th Jan 1918 Working Parties
11th Jan 1918 Working Parties
12th Jan 1918 Working Parties
13th Jan 1918 Working Parties
14th Jan 1918 Working Parties
15th Jan 1918 Working Parties
16th Jan 1918 Reliefs
17th Jan 1918 In Reserve
21st Jan 1918 Course
21st Jan 1918 Reliefs
22nd Jan 1918 Working Parties
23rd Jan 1918 Working Parties
24th Jan 1918 Working Parties
25th Jan 1918 Reliefs
26th Jan 1918 Patrols
27th Jan 1918 Patrols
28th Jan 1918 Defence Work
29th Jan 1918 Reliefs
30th Jan 1918 Working Parties
31st Jan 1918 Working Parties
5th Feb 1918 Course Ends
13th Feb 1918 Personnel
21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation
1st Mar 1918 Holding the Line
2nd Mar 1918 Reliefs
3rd Mar 1918 Holding the Line
4th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
5th Mar 1918 Trench Raid
6th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
7th Mar 1918 Trench Raid
8th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
9th Mar 1918 Reliefs
9th Mar 1918 Holding the Line
9th Mar 1918 Enemy Aircraft
10th Mar 1918 Reliefs
11th Mar 1918 Into Reserve
12th Mar 1918 Comoany Training
20th Mar 1918 Company Training
22nd Mar 1918 Training
23rd Mar 1918 On the Move
24th Mar 1918 In Defence
25th Mar 1918 Hard Fighting
26th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
27th Mar 1918 In Defence
27th Mar 1918 In Defence
28th Mar 1918 In Defence
29th Mar 1918 In Defence
30th Mar 1918 Reliefs
31st Mar 1918 Reliefs
30th of August 1918 Enemy Withdraws
21st of September 1918 Guns Into Action
4th October 1918 Reports
14th of October 1918 A Busy Day
15th of October 1918 Attack Continues
16th of October 1918 Across the Lys
26th October 1918 Patrols
10th November 1918 AdvanceIf you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
Want to know more about 35th Division?
There are:122 items tagged 35th 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
35th Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.
- Charlton William C.. 19th Btn (d.29th Nov 1916)
- Clayton Walter Charles. Sgt. 4th Btn.
- Elphinstone Robert. Cpl. 203rd Field Company
- Gibson Malcolm. Pte. 18th Btn.(4th Glasgow) (d.18th Jul 1916)
- Heywood James Robert . Pte. 20th Btn. (d.21st Aug 1916)
- Prentice James Millar. Cpl. 18th (4th Glasgow) Battalion (d.22nd July 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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259704Cpl. James Millar Prentice 18th (4th Glasgow) Battalion Highland Light Infantry (d.22nd July 1916)
James Prentice, born in Leeds England, descendant of a long line of Prentices from Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, was the son of William Prentice and Jane Dempster, the brother of Georgina Prentice and Jane Mclauchalan Prentice. Prior to enlistment in the Highland Light Infantry he was an iron-moulder living in Milton, Glasgow. Here, he married Margaret Calander Burt (previously Grey) on 17th July 1913. They have one child, William, born May 1915. James was killed in action in France on 22nd of July 1916 while with the 18th HLI. His son William died from the measels April 1917. Wife Margaret re-married Dec 1918. James Millar Prentice is the older brother of my paternal grandmother, Jane Mclauchlan Prentice.James McMillan
244311Cpl. Robert Elphinstone 203rd Field Company Royal Engineers
As a child I remember my grandfather, Robert Elphinstone telling me stories of his time in the trenches, I believe in northern France. I recall one funny story of the crossing of a river on a felled tree when the bagpiper slipped off and my grandfather saw his kilt floating on top of the water as he walked above him, looking down and laughing, he looked like a mushroom! Another story was of being terrified on guard duty in a wet and muddy trench late one evening. He heard slow footsteps in water at the trench bottom coming towards him. After what seemed like forever, a mangy, skinny, scared German Shepherd dog appeared.I also recall that he was proud of the fact that, as a Royal Engineer, he built more things than he destroyed during the war. He was wounded near Shrapnel Corner on 20th of September 1918 and returned to duty. He was wounded much more seriously on 28th of September 1918 during Final Advance on Flanders. I just begun researching his service and was surprised to learn he was wounded twice. As a child I recalled him telling me about him getting wounded in thigh. I believe he told me he was assisting artillery when he started feeling dizzy and looked down to see shell casing or something in his leg. At that point he knew he'd been hit. On that day he was one of 7 who were wounded and 3 were killed or died of wounds.
He emigrated to the U.S. in 1923 and worked at GE. His best friend there was a German who, after years of knowing each other, found out they were in same general area opposing each other during the war!
I would love to learn more about his unit's involvement after 1916.
David Delamotte
241243Sgt. Walter Charles Clayton 4th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment
Walter Clayton was born on 12th March 1898 at 61 Little Street, Rushden, Northamptonshire. He attested on 7th June 1916, and was called up for service on 24th October 1916 to the 25th Training Reserve Btn. He was transferred to 51st (G) Bedfordshire Regiment as Cpl Clayton W.C. He qualified as a battalion (1st class) instructor in anti gas, whilst attached to 212th Infantry Brigade.During 1918, he was transferred to 4th North Staffordshire Regt. Sergeant Clayton Walter Charles and on 21st August 1918, 4th North Staffs 35 Division, was at the X Corps Gas School on Course 23 with the following remarks: V. Good, suitable for Battalion Gas NCO.
On 10th April 1919 Walter was attached to 239 POW Coy., and on 14th May 1919 Walter was attached to 113 Labour Coy. Walter's length of service was 3 years 3 months, service in the field was 1 year 8 months.
Brian Clayton
219658Pte. James Robert Heywood 20th Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers (d.21st Aug 1916)
James Heywood is a distant cousin but sadly he was just 17 when he died at France and Flanders and he needs to not be forgotten for giving his life He served with the 20th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers and died on the 21st August 1916.Linda Henderson
218660Pte. Malcolm Gibson 18th Btn.(4th Glasgow) Highland Light Infantry (d.18th Jul 1916)
Private Malcolm Gibson No 5287, 18th Battalion Highland Light Infantry [4th Glasgow] was my great grandfather, born 18th July 1887 in Camlachie Glasgow, Lanarkshire. His parents were David Gibson and Janet Gibson Nee Allan, Malcolm was the middle child of Six children. His siblings are:
- David Darling Gibson born 1873
- Janet Gibson born 1886
- William Allan Gibson born 1890
- Georgina Gibson born 1898
- Christian Gibson born 1901
Before Malcolm went to war, Malcolm married Jessie Fyfe on 29th October 1909, at Greenhead Court Hall Glasgow. When Malcolm first married he was working for the council lighting department as a street lamp lighter in the days of gas lighting. Then he did various labouring jobs until about 1913 when he was then working as an Engineer’s machinist.
Malcolm and his wife Jessie had at least 4 children
- Marion Gibson Born 1910
- Mary Gibson Born 1912
- Jane H Gibson Born 1913
- David Gibson Born 1914 –
{David was my grandfather who later joined the Highland Light Infantry as a cook and survived the D Day landings in WW2}
The last address that Malcolm and Jessie lived in before the war was 24 Kirkpatrick Street, Camlachie, Glasgow.
Malcolm went off to war and never returned because he died in action in on the 18 July 1916, this saddened me because the day he was killed was his 29th birthday. Malcolm Gibson is remembered with honour at the Thiepval Memorial, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France. I think this means his body was not located to be buried in a grave. The medals he had earned included the Victory and British medals. Roll D104 B4 249
When my grandfather was 4 years old the family moved to Liverpool. We grew up hearing stories of my great grandfather dying a hero in WW1 we had been told his name was on a memorial in St Cyprian’s church, Edge Lane, Liverpool. Now its derelict. We asked about what happened to the memorial stones in October 2013 and my dad’s cousin Jimmy Powell asked a minister who used to be vicar at St Cyprian’s he remembered it and tracked it down to Liverpool cathedral vaults my cousin took a photo of the relevant stone to my great grandfather Malcolm Gibson.
It appears family nominated their relatives and the church had these names put on their memorial stones. I cannot be certain this is the case but my family adopted the stone with M Gibson on it. This kept his memory alive and I started my family tree with Malcolm Gibson. There are 5 memorial stones. A new home is now being sought for these memorial stones.
I am proud to share my great grandfather’s story, another brave man who died for his country and our freedom. He was never forgot him but much his history was lost now I have found him again I want to share him to be remembered for all time, with gratitude and love from his family.
Unfortunately we don't have a photo of Malcolm or the 18th Battalion of Highland Light Infantry [4th Glasgow ] I did have one of his father so I wonder did they look alike. If anyone has photo's of his colleagues please share them we would all get joy from them.
Marie Rowan
215083William C. Charlton 19th Btn Durham Light Infantry (d.29th Nov 1916)
William Charlton served with the 19th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and died age 27 on the 29th November 1916. He is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow and is buried at Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery Arras. He was the son of William and S Charlton and husband of Emily Charlton of 24 Bladen Street, Jarrow.Vin Mullen
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