75th Division in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

75th Division

Divisional History  75th Division was an infantry division of the British Army in World War I. It was raised in the field by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) in 1917 and uniquely it included British, Indian and South African troops. It served in the Middle East during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign being involved in the Battles of Megiddo.
Formation
On 16 March 1917 the War Office gave the EEF permission to raise a new British division from infantry battalions of the Territorial Force arriving in Egypt as reinforcements from India. These were primarily from the 43rd (Wessex) and 45th (2nd Wessex) divisions, which had sailed to India in 1914 to relieve Regular troops. The division was assigned the number 75, and its three infantry brigades the numbers 232, 233 and 234. Brigadier-General Philip Palin of 29th Indian Brigade was promoted to command the new division.
232nd Brigade began to form at Moascar on 14 April 1917, but on 24 May the War Office ordered that some Indian Army battalions should also be included in order to speed up the formation of the Division. The first of these came from Palin's 29th Indian Brigade. The War Office then decided on 11 June that the division should be 'Indianised', with an establishment of one British and three Indian battalions to each brigade. However, this conversion was not completed until the summer of 1918. The process of assembling the division was drawn out: 233rd Brigade began to assemble at Zeitun on 25 May 1917, but then took over the Rafa defences in Sinai and only joined 75th Division on 18 August. The division officially came into existence on 25 June when 234th Brigade started to assemble at el'Arish.
Finding the necessary artillery for the division was a real difficulty. A new CLXXII Field Brigade reached Alexandria from the United Kingdom on 23 July, and was immediately broken up to form the nucleus of two second-line Territorial brigades, CLXXII and XXXVII, taking the numbers of units that had been disbanded in France. The third field brigade came from South Africa in July, and joined 75th Division on 12 September after it had been reorganised and re-equipped with 18-pounder guns. However, due to the shortage of 4.5-inch howitzers it was not until October that the British brigades received their howitzer batteries, and the South African brigade's did not arrive until the following April.
Divisional Order of Battle for 75th Division
75th Division Staff

General Officer Commanding: Maj-Gen Sir Philip Palin
General Staff Officer Grade 1:
Lt-Col J. Spencer
Lt-Col S.H. Kershaw (from 6 December 1917)
Lt-Col G.B. Rowan-Hamilton (from 30 August 1918)
Lt-Col D. Ovey (from 29 October 1918)
Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General:
Lt-Col R.L. Macalpine-Leny

232nd Brigade

1/5th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
2/5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
1/4th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
2nd Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
2/3rd Gurkha Rifles
2/4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
1/4th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
72nd Punjabis
2/4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
3rd Battalion, Kashmir Rifles
229th Machine Gun Company
232nd Trench Mortar Battery

233rd Brigade

1/5th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (had gone to India with 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division in October 1914; joined 25 May 1917)
2/4th Battalion Hampshire Regiment (had gone to India with 45th (2nd Wessex) Infantry Division in December 1914; joined 25 May 1917; left for Western Front 2 May 1918 and joined 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division)
3rd Battalion 3rd Gurkha Rifles (joined 30 June 1917 from 29th Indian Brigade of 10th Indian Division)
230th Machine Gun Company (joined 15 July 1917; transferred to 75th Battalion Machine Gun Corps 3 May 1918)
233rd Trench Mortar Battery (joined 1 September 1917; disbanded 27 November 1918)
1/4th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment (had gone to India with 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division in October 1914; joined 15 October 1917; transferred to 232nd Brigade 3 May 1918)
2/4th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment (had gone to India with 45th (2nd Wessex) Division in December 1914; transferred from 234th Brigade 25 April 1918; disbanded by 10 August 1918)
29th Punjabis (joined from India 28 April 1918)
2nd Battalion 154th Infantry (a new battalion formed at Basra with one company each from:
102nd Grenadiers
108th Infantry
119th Infantry (The Mooltan Regiment)
122nd Rajputana Infantry
and joined from Mesopotamia 25 July 1918)

234th Brigade

2nd Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
1/4th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
123rd Outram's Rifles
58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)
2/4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
2/4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
1/152nd Infantry
231st Machine Gun Company
234th Trench Mortar Battery [1]

Divisional Artillery
Artillery Brigadier-General, Royal Artillery: Brig-Gen H.A. Boyce

XXXVII Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
389 Battery, RFA
390 Battery, RFA
405 (Howitzer) Battery, RFA

CLXXII Brigade, RFA
391 Battery, RFA
392 Battery, RFA
406 (Howitzer) Battery, RFA

I South African Field Brigade
A Battery
B Battery
C (Howitzer) Battery (from April 1918)

VIII Mountain Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery (25 March,15 September
1918) 11th Mountain Battery, RGA (3.7-inch mountain howitzers)
13th Mountain Battery, RGA (3.7-inch mountain howitzers)
17th Mountain Battery, RGA (2.75-inch mountain guns)

X.75, Y.75 and Z.75 Medium Trench Mortar Batteries (joined 3 October 1917; disbanded 22 February 1918)
75th Divisional Ammunition Column (formed 29 August 1917 from brigade ammunition columns)

Machine guns
75th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (formed 3 May 1918) 229th, 230th and 231st MG Companies (from 232, 233 and 234 Brigades respectively)

Royal Engineers

Engineers Commanding Royal Engineers:
Lt-Col G.S.C. Cooke
Lt-Col A.G. Turner (from 1 September 1918)
495th (1/Kent) Field Company, Royal Engineers (from 54th (East Anglian) Division 26 August 1917; returned to 54th 26 May 1918)
496th (2/Kent) Field Company, RE (from 53rd (Welsh) Division 4 July 1917)
10th Company, 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Sappers and Miners (from Palestine Lines of Communication 7 December 1917)
16th Company, 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Sappers and Miners (joined from India 23 May 1918)
75th Divisional Signal Company, RE

Pioneers
2nd Battalion, 32nd Sikh Pioneers (10 May,24 July 1918)

Medical

145th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (joined 14 August 1917; handed over personnel, equipment and transport to 123rd CFA and disbanded 19 May 1918)
146th Field Ambulance, RAMC (joined 14 August 1917; handed over to 127th CFA and disbanded 19 May 1918)
147th Field Ambulance, RAMC (joined 14 August 1917; handed over to 163rd CFA and disbanded 19 May 1918)
123rd Indian Field Ambulance (joined 30 June 1917; became 123rd Combined Field Ambulance 21 May 1918)
127th Combined Field Ambulance (originally from 7th (Meerut) Division, joined 14 May 1918)
163rd Combined Field Ambulance (joined from India 14 May 1918)
107th Sanitary Section (joined from France 14 July 1917)

Veterinary
60th Mobile Veterinary Section (joined 3 July 1917)
Transport
75th Divisional Train (originally formed as 'X' Divisional Train; joined 3 July 1918) 925, 926, 927 and 928 Horse Transport Companies, Army Service Corps
Active Service
75th Division joined XXI Corps and took part in the invasion of Palestine, beginning with the Third Battle of Gaza on 27 October 1917, leading to the capture of Gaza (6,7 November) and Junction Station (13,14 November), and the Battle of Nebi Samwil (20,24 November). In the Spring of 1918 the division was involved in the actions at Tell 'Asur (11,12 March) and Berukin (9,11 April).
Battle of Sharon
The Battle of Tabsor was fought on 19,20 September 1918 beginning the Battle of Sharon, which along with the Battle of Nablus formed the set piece Battle of Megiddo fought between 19 and 25 September in the last months of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. During the infantry phase of the Battle of Sharon the British Empire 60th Division, XXI Corps attacked and captured the section of the front line nearest the Mediterranean coast under cover of an intense artillery barrage including a creeping barrage and naval gunfire. This Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) victory over the entrenched Ottoman Eighth Army, composed of German and Ottoman soldiers, began the Final Offensive, ultimately resulting in the destruction of the equivalent of one Ottoman army, the retreat of what remained of two others, and the capture of many thousands of prisoners and many miles of territory from the Judean Hills to the border of modern-day Turkey. After the end of the battle of Megiddo, the Desert Mounted Corps pursued the retreating soldiers to Damascus, six days later. By the time the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire five weeks later, Aleppo had been captured.
During the Battle of Tabsor the 3rd (Lahore), 7th (Meerut) and 75th Divisions attacked the entrenched Ottoman Empire Eighth Army defending the Tabsor defences. These defences were located in the middle section of the front line, assigned to the XXI Corps. On their left the Battle of Tulkarm was being fought with the Battle of Arara fought on their right. Together with the cavalry phase, these battles make up the Battle of Sharon, which, with the Battle of Nablus, fought by the XX Corps and Chaytor's Force, have become known as the Battle of Megiddo. Megiddo developed into a major set piece offensive, when large formations of the Allied EEF, attacked and responded to the reactions of three Ottoman armies, each time following a predetermined plan. The offensive resulted in defeat for Ottoman forces in Palestine, Syria and the Transjordan.
These operations began the Final Offensive, ultimately resulting in the destruction of the equivalent of an Ottoman army and the retreat in disarray of what remained of two armies. The defeat of the Yildirim Army Group, commanded by Otto Liman von Sanders, resulted in the capture of many thousands of prisoners and many miles of territory stretching from the Judean Hills. After the battle of Megiddo, Desert Mounted Corps pursued the retreating German and Ottoman soldiers to Damascus, which was captured six days later, when the pursuit continued on to close to the border of modern-day Turkey. Five weeks after the Final Offensive began and with Aleppo captured, the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire ending the fighting in this theatre.
Following its reorganisation in the summer of 1918, 75th Division joined General Allenby's final offensive (the Battles of Megiddo). At the Battle of Sharon (19 September), 75th Division was given the task of taking Miske and the trench system around the village of Et Tire, held by the Turkish 49th Division. Palin had under his command 'A' Squadron (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) of the Composite Corps Cavalry Regiment and 2nd Light Armoured Motor Battery, Machine Gun Corps.
There was no preliminary bombardment: the advance began at 04:30 in moonlight behind a barrage fired by the field artillery, trench mortars and machine guns onto the enemy front line, while the howitzers and heavy artillery fired on specific targets behind. Once the attackers reached the front line, the 18-pounders laid a creeping barrage in front of them onto the subsequent objectives. 75th Division had 232nd Brigade on the right, while 234th Brigade was on the left with two companies of the 5/Somerset Light Infantry from 233rd Bde. The Somerset LI companies were to advance between 234th's left and right battalions to capture an isolated work while the others moved straight ahead. The rest of 233rd Brigade was in reserve.
232nd Brigade swept through the enemy's front line, meeting little opposition. The pack mules carrying the brigade signal equipment were stampeded by the bombardment, so no news got back, but the brigade captured Miske with the aid of the South African Field Artillery, which had moved forward quickly after completing its bombardment programme. Et Tire, surrounded by trenches and cactus edges, was more formidable, and the leading troops were exhausted. The Imperial Service Troops of the 3rd Kashmir Rifles had moved up to Brigade HQ on the initiative of their British liaison officer, and were sent in to reinforce the attack. Simultaneously the divisional GSO1 (Lt-Col Rowan-Hamilton) had been sent up by Palin with the cavalry squadron and armoured cars. With the renewed attack and with armoured cars outflanking the village, the Turks evacuated their positions, leaving behind all the papers of their XXII Corps HQ.
234th Brigade had an easier task. The creeping barrage was so accurate that the leading battalions and the Somerset LI companies were able to follow close behind it and gain their objectives with little opposition. In fact the barrage was too slow, and the enemy was able to get away, the only hard fighting being on the Turkish gun lines, which were taken at bayonet point by the 1/152nd Indian Infantry.
By 17:00, XXI Corps' attack had rolled up the whole Turkish right and allowed the Desert Mounted Corps to sweep forward to complete the envelopment of the Turkish army and begin the pursuit.
Postwar
After the end of the fighting on 19 September, 75th Division and the rest of XXI Corps were left on salvage work and road repair until the Armistice with the Turks was signed on 31 October. Demobilisation began early in 1919, but 75th Division was selected for the Army of Occupation of Palestine.
In March 1919 it returned to garrison duty in Egypt, becoming responsible for the Eastern Delta, which was renamed 75th Division Area. Many other units were attached for this work. After July 1919 the disturbances in Egypt began to die down and units began to disperse to their home countries. On 1 April 1920 the Division Area and remaining troops were handed over to 10th (Irish) Division and 75th Division ceased to exist.
The divisional number has never been reactivated.

5th of December 1916

26th August 1917 B.M.615. App. 16.

30th August 1917 G.O.C. Right Sub-Sector. G.R.6/1/13/

10th September 1917 52nd Division Order No. 73.

10th September 1917 Reference 52nd Divisional Order No.73

11th September 1917 Operational Order No.16

15th Sep 1917 On the Move

24th Sep 1917 On the Move

25th Sep 1917 Arrival

26th Sep 1917 On the Move

14th Oct 1917 On the Move

15th Oct 1917 On the Move

16th Oct 1917 Instruction

19th October 1917 Battalion Transport Officer

20th Oct 1917 Instruction

21st Oct 1917 Reliefs

26th Oct 1917 Reliefs

31st Oct 1917 Trench Raid

1st Nov 1917 Trench Raid

4th Nov 1917 Advance  Armoured cars of 75th Division occupy Junction Station.
75th Division HQ war diary

6th Nov 1917 Attack Made

7th Nov 1917 Advance

8th Nov 1917 Quiet

9th Nov 1917 Quiet

10th Nov 1917 On the March

11th Nov 1917 On the March

12th Nov 1917 On the March

13th Nov 1917 In Action

14th Nov 1917 Recce

15th Nov 1917 Quiet

16th Nov 1917 On the March

17th Nov 1917 Quiet

18th Nov 1917 Quiet

19th Nov 1917 Slow Progress

20th Nov 1917 Attack Made

20th Nov 1917 In Action

21st Nov 1917 On the March

22nd Nov 1917 Enemy Attacks

22nd Nov 1917 Strong Opposition

22nd November 1917 M.G.C. moved from Beit Likia to Biddu

22nd November 1917 Operations of 156th Infantry Brigade 18th November to 3rd Dec

23rd Nov 1917 Attack Made

23rd Nov 1917 In Action

23rd November 1917 Report on Operations of 155th Inf. Brigade

23rd November 1917 Part 2. Operations of 156th Infantry Brigade

24th Nov 1917 In Reserve

24th November 1917 Orders were received to march to Neby Samwil

24th November 1917 Nebe Samwil is a Mosque with tall Minaret

25th Nov 1917 On the March

26th Nov 1917 On the March

27th Nov 1917 On the March

28th Nov 1917 at Rest

29th Nov 1917 On the March

30th Nov 1917 Outposts

1st Dec 1917 Reliefs

9th Dec 1917 Reliefs

10th Dec 1917 In Reserve

18th Dec 1917 In Reserve

24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation

27th Dec 1917 Reliefs

28th Dec 1917 Reliefs

31st Dec 1917 Reliefs

1st Jan 1918 Reliefs

12th Jan 1918 Awards

14th Jan 1918 Line Reorganised

21st Jan 1918 Reliefs

21st Jan 1918 Course

24th Jan 1918 Refugees

25th Jan 1918 Battalion HQ Moves

28th Jan 1918 Orders Received

30th Jan 1918 Offensive Patrols

1st Feb 1918 Patrol

2nd Feb 1918 Patrols

4th Feb 1918 Reliefs

5th Feb 1918 Course Ends

8th Feb 1918 Heavy Rain

8th Feb 1918 Detachment

13th Feb 1918 Personnel

16th Feb 1918 Return

21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation

28th Feb 1918 Innoculations

4th Mar 1918 Working Parties

5th Mar 1918 On the Move

7th Mar 1918 Transport

11th Mar 1918 On the Move

12th Mar 1918 Working Parties

12th March 1918 The 54th and 75th Divisions today advanced.

13th Mar 1918 On the Move

14th Mar 1918 Working Parties

16th Mar 1918 Awards

17th Mar 1918 Wet Weather

18th Mar 1918 Reliefs

20th Mar 1918 Night Post

27th Mar 1918 Line Advanced

28th Mar 1918 Local Reserve

29th Mar 1918 Local Reserve

30th Mar 1918 In Support

31st Mar 1918 Moves

1st Apr 1918 Reliefs

2nd Apr 1918 Quiet

3rd Apr 1918 Patrol

4th Apr 1918 Quiet

5th Apr 1918 Exchange of Fire

6th Apr 1918 Enemy Raid

7th Apr 1918 Reliefs

8th Apr 1918 Quiet

9th April 1918 Attack Made

9th Apr 1918 Operations

10th Apr 1918 Heavy Shelling

11th Apr 1918 Reliefs

12th Apr 1918 Quiet

13th Apr 1918 Support

14th Apr 1918 Shelling

15th Apr 1918 Reliefs

16th Apr 1918 Reliefs

25th Apr 1918 Defensive Positions

25th Apr 1918 Reliefs

26th Apr 1918 Move

27th Apr 1918 Orders Cancelled

28th Apr 1918 In Reserve

29th Apr 1918 In Reserve

30th Apr 1918 In Reserve

19th September 1918 Smokescreens

2nd of November 1918

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Want to know more about 75th Division?

There are:129 items tagged 75th 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
75th Division
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Amor Arthur Stanley. Pte. 1/4th Btn. (d.8th Nov 1917)
Beamer Ellis. Pte. 229th Coy. (d.18th Nov 1917)
Lean William. Pte.
Skull Sidney William. Pte. 1st/4th Btn. B Coy. (d.10th Apr 1918)

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260243

Pte. William Lean Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry

William Lean signed up for service on 9th of Oct 1916 aged 27 (finishing in 1919). Whilst serving in Egypt he is recorded as being a driver. He also served with the Machine Gun Corps in 75th Division.
Joanne Wilson

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218965

Pte. Arthur Stanley Amor 1/4th Btn. Wiltshire Regiment (d.8th Nov 1917)

Stan Amor was my uncle who joined 1/4th. Battalion Wiltshire Regiment at Trowbridge, Wiltshire. He was born in Wiltshire and saw service in India before being posted to Palestine in 1917. He took part in the 3rd Battle of Gaza on the 6/7th November and died of his wounds on the 8th November. He is buried at Dehr el Belah cemetery. He was 19 years old.
I have tried to visit his grave during the last few years to pay our Family respects. However, this has not been possible due to the continuing problems and strife within Gaza etc. and the difficulties in obtaining a visa to this area.
Colin Reeves

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218458

Pte. Ellis Beamer 229th Coy. Machine Gun Corps (d.18th Nov 1917)

Ellis Beamer served with 229th Machine Gun Company, 232nd Brigade, 75th Division during WW1 and died of wounds on the 18th November 1917, aged 22. He is buried in the Kantara War Memorial Cemetery in Egypt. He was the son of James Ellis Beamer, of 14, Roebuck St., Burnley.
S Flynn

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218306

Pte. Sidney William Skull 1st/4th Btn. B Coy. Wiltshire Regt. (d.10th Apr 1918)

Picture courtesy of great niece, Caroline Gibson

Sidney William Skull served with B Company 1/4th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment during WW1 and was killed in action on the 10th April 1918, aged 20. He is buried in Ramleh War Cemetery in Israel. Son of Elijah and Mary Skull, of Bradenstoke, Chippenham, Wilts, Sid was serving alongside his brother Bert, who was present when he was shot.

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75th Division

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75th Division

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Those known to have served with
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