63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division

Divisional History  The 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division in 1914-1918
The history of 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division
On 31 August 1914 the War Office issued instructions for all units of the Territorial Force to form a reserve unit. The men who had agreed to serve overseas were separated from the rest. Those left as 'home service only' were formed into 'second line' units, which would be this reserve. They were joined by many new recruits from September 1914 onward.
The 'first line' 50th (Northumbrian) Division went to France in April 1915.
The units of the 'second line', the 2nd Northumbrian Division, remained at home. Along with other 'second line' Divisions suffered it greatly from lack of equipment of all sorts, and training was inevitably affected.
Divisional HQ was set up at Newcastle and took responsibility for coastal defences of the sector Seaham Harbour - Sunderland - Newcastle; 188th Brigade at Swallwell Camp; 189th Brigade at Cramlington Camp and 190th at Heworth. The artillery was at Newcastle, Gosforth Park and Gateshead; the RE at Newcastle. King George V inspected the Division at Newcastle on 20 May 1915.
On 26 July 1915 orders were received that 600 was the minimum strength for any 'second line' infantry battalion and any men in excess of that number could be taken for overseas service.
On 30 November 1915, HQ moved to Retford in Nottinghamshire. 188th Brigade went to York; 189th Brigade to Retford and 190th to Doncaster. The artillery moved to Retford, York and Doncaster, with the heavy battery RGA going to Hedon; the RE to Worksop. It then remained at these locations.
In late May 1916, the artillery left for service in France, going at first to Heytesbury and on 2 July 1916 sailing to join 63rd (Royal Naval) Division.
Orders were received to break up the Division and it ceased to exist on 21 July 1916, although the brigades remained a while longer (see below). 189th and 190th moved to Catterick on 22 July 1916.
The units forming the Divisional Order of Battle of the 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division
188th (2nd Northumbrian) Brigade broken up 14 November 1916

2/4th Bn, the Northumberland Fusiliers moved to 72nd Division in November 1916
2/5th Bn, the Northumberland Fusiliers moved to 72nd Division in November 1916
2/6th Bn, the Northumberland Fusiliers moved to 72nd Division 27 November 1916
2/7th Bn, the Northumberland Fusiliers sailed for Egypt 20 January 1917

189th (2nd York & Durham) Brigade broken up 11 November 1916

2/4th Bn, the East Yorkshire Regiment left 4 November 1916 for garrison duty at Bermuda
2/4th Bn, the Yorkshire Regiment moved to 73rd Division 9 November 1916
2/5th Bn, the Yorkshire Regiment moved to 73rd Division 9 November 1916
2/5th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry left 31 October 1916 for garrison duty at Salonika

190th (2nd Durham Light Infantry) Brigade broken up 4 December 1916

2/6th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry moved to 71st Division 29 November 1916
2/7th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry moved to 71st Division 29 November 1916
2/8th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry moved to 71st Division 29 November 1916
2/9th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry left 1 November 1916 for garrison duty at Salonika

Divisional Mounted Troops

1/1st Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade were under Divisional command to August 1915;
2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade to April 1916;
1/1st East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry until 21 May 1915
2nd Northumbrian Divisional Cyclist Company formed at Whitburn Hall between 13 February and 19 April 1915

Divisional Artillery left late May 1916

CCCXV (2/I Northumbrian) Brigade, RFA
CCCXVI (2/II Northumbrian) Brigade, RFA
CCCXVII (2/III Northumbrian) Brigade, RFA
CCCXVIII (2/IV Nthbrn) (How.) Brigade, RFA
2/1st Northumbrian (North Riding) Heavy Battery, RGA left 9 November 1915 for Tyne garrison

Royal Engineers

2/2nd Northumbrian Field Company joined 15th (Indian) Division in Mesopotamia by 1 December 1916. Numbered 448 Company 6 March 1917
3/1st Northumbrian Field Company joined 15th (Indian) Division in Mesopotamia by 10 March 1917. Numbered 450 Company 6 March 1917
1/3rd Northumbrian Field Company joined ny January 1916; moved on to
15th (Indian) Division in Mesopotamia by 10 January 1917. Numbered 451 Company 6 March 1917
2nd Northumbrian Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

2/1st Northumbrian Field Ambulance moved to Salonika as Army Troops September 1916
3/2nd Northumbrian Field Ambulance
2/3rd Northumbrian Field Ambulance moved to Salonika as XVI Corps Troops September 1916
2/1st Northumbrian Sanitary Section left for Fourth Army 3 April 1917

Other Divisional Troops

63rd Divisional Train ASC formed November 1914, the units were eventually titled 529, 530, 531 and 532 Companies ASC
2/1st Northumbrian Mobile Veterinary Section AVC left 11 August 1915
63rd Divisional Ambulance Workshop absorbed into Divisional Supply Column 1916

17th September 1916 Operational Orders received from Brigade

23rd April 1917 In Position of Assembly in Laurel Trench

23rd of May 1917 Enemy Withdrawal?

1st Aug 1917 Reliefs

2nd Aug 1917 Working Parties

3rd Aug 1917 Reliefs

3rd August 1917 Reliefs

4th Aug 1917 Working Parties

5th Aug 1917 Reliefs

6th Aug 1917 Working Parties

7th Aug 1917 Reliefs

8th Aug 1917 Training

9th Aug 1917 Training

16th Aug 1917 Reliefs

19th August 1918 Instructions No.2

27th August 1917 Reliefs

1st Sep 1917 Zone

4th Sep 1917 CO Returns

5th Sep 1917 Relief Complete

7th Sep 1917 Trench Raid

8th Sep 1917 Trench Raid

12th Sep 1917 Temporary Command

16th Sep 1917 Forward Position

16th Sep 1917 Trench Raid

23rd Sep 1917 Commemoration

26th Sep 1917 Postings

29th Sep 1917 Guns Handed Over

30th Sep 1917 Harassing Fire

4th Oct 1917 Harassing Fire

5th Oct 1917 Relief

6th Oct 1917 At Rest

7th Oct 1917 Training

8th Oct 1917 Orders

10th Oct 1917 On the Move

24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation

16th Jan 1918 Orders Issued

20th Jan 1918 Orders

21st Jan 1918 Shelling

21st Jan 1918 Course

22nd Jan 1918 Some Shelling

24th Jan 1918 Relief

5th Feb 1918 Course Ends

13th Feb 1918 Personnel

21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation

19th of August 1918 Advanced Brigades to Move

21st of August 1918 Division Advances

28th August 1918 Report on Operations with 4th Corps.

27th September 1918 Brigade conference

7th October 1918 Orders received from Brigade H.Q. giving details of attack and ordering the withdrawal of the Support Companies 2nd Royal Scots.

8th October 1918 0430 hours 2nd Division & 63rd Division attacked.

12th of October 1918 New Divisional Area

31st December 1918 The Final Battles.

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Want to know more about 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division?

There are:52 items tagged 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) 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
63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Aldous George Albert. Pte. 14th and 2/7th Btn.
Ascott Walter Henry. Drvr. 223rd Brigade, D (H) Bty. (d.18th Oct 1918)
Aspill William. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.26th Aug 1918)
Phillips George. AbleSea. (d.18th November 1918)

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1206242

Pte. George Albert Aldous 14th and 2/7th Btn. Durham Light Infantry

My Grandfather was George Albert Aldous, he served as a private No26729 in the Durham Light Infantry from 1915 to 1919. Initially he was in the 14th Battalion and served in France but later in the 2/7th. He went to Russia in operation ELOPE and it was there that a photograph was taken of his unit of 60 men. They are shown in conventional DLI uniform and in the same formation in Arctic wear. The photos are of good quality and almost all faces are recognisable. His British War and Victory Medals wrongly spell his name as Aldons but have his correct service number on. I still have the medals in their original registered packet that they came to him in. He was so disgusted with the miss- spelling of his name he never took them out of their wrapping. I also have his dog tags and 11 other photos of Archangel but none show identifiable personnel.
Ian Aldous

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249306

AbleSea. George Phillips Hood Battalion (d.18th November 1918)

George Phillips was born in 1898 in the small village of Criggion on the Montgomery Shropshire border. His parents were Lewis, a wheelwright, and Ann. Lewis and Ann had 5 children. Two girls and 3 boys. George was the youngest of the brothers and the third to die in the war.

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235016

Drvr. Walter Henry Ascott 223rd Brigade, D (H) Bty. Royal Field Artillery (d.18th Oct 1918)

Walter Ascott died on 18th October 1918 whilst serving attached to 63rd (RN) Division and is buried in Montigny Communal Cemetery, France. I have recently bought an item belonging to Walter and I am researching his history.
Graham Evans

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216759

Pte. William Aspill 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Regiment (d.26th Aug 1918)

William Aspill was born in St. Thomas, County Dublin, and later enlisted in Dublin. Before joining the Royal Irish Regiment he was a member of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. In April 1918 the 2nd Battalion were transferred to 188th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. William most likely fought in the Battle of Albert in August of that year, and it was a few days after this that he was killed in action in France.
William Aspill is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.
S Flynn

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63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division

Want to know more about 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division?

Those known to have served with
63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.

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The Wartime Memories Project - 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division during the Great War -

63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division

Want to know more about 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division?

Those known to have served with63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Divisionduring the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.