The history of 10th (Irish) Division
The 10th (Irish) Division came into existence as a result of Army Order 324, issued on 21 August 1914, which authorised the formation of the six new divisions of Lord Kitchener’s First New Army or K1. It was under the administration of Irish Command, which is why it has the word “Irish” in its title. All of its original contingent of infantry battalions were of Irish regiments.
After a brief period of assembly and training at the regimental depots, the infantry of the division moved in 1915 to the Curragh camp, Newbridge and Kildare, where training in brigade strength began.
In May 1915 the infantry of the division moved to England and was concentrated in the area around Basingstoke in Hampshire. It was inspected by Lord Kitchener at Hackwood Park on 28-29 May.
RFA Gunners of 10th (Irish) Division attend a church service at Basingstoke camp. Note the rows of tents on the hillside.
On 27 June, divisional headquarters received warning orders to prepare for service at Gallipoli. They were formalised on 1 July.
1915 and 1916
Divisional HQ embarked at Liverpool on 9 July, and by the end of the month most units had assembled on Lemnos and Lesbos. On 6-7 August 1915 the division landed at Suvla Bay, less its 29th Infantry Brigade which went to ANZAC Cove. The main body made an attack on Chocolate Hill 7-8 August. Parts of 29th Infantry Brigade took part in actions on Sari Bair 6-10 August and at Hill 60 later that month.
On 29 September 1915 the division withdrew from Gallipoli and moved to Mudros. On 4-5 October it went on to Salonika, landing there 5-10 October. Took part on 7 and 8 December 1915 in the action at Kosturino during the retreat from Serbia. Brigades of the division were in action at the Karajakois (30 September to 2 October 1916) and Yenikoi (3-4 October 1916).
1917 and 1918
On 18 August 1917, the Division was ordered to concentrate at the port of Salonika for embarakation. Early in September it moved to Egypt, completing assembly near Rafa by 16 October 1917. The Division was involved in the Palestine campaign thereafter. Between April and June 1918, a major reorganisation took place as many British units were replaced by Indian ones.
On 12 November 1918 the division concentrated at Sarafand, ready for moving back to Egypt. By 1 December it was at Cairo.
From 1915 to 1918 the division suffered a total of 9,363 officers and men killed, wounded or missing in action.
The order of battle of the 10th (Irish) Division
| Divisional headquarters | |
| 29th Infantry Brigade | |
| 5th Bn, the Royal Irish Regiment | from start, left June 1915 |
| 6th Bn, the Royal Irish Rifles | from start, disbanded 15 May 1918 |
| 5th Bn, the Connaught Rangers | from start, left 29 April 1918 |
| 6th Bn, the Leinster Regiment | from start, left 2 May 1918 |
| 10th Bn, the Hampshire Regiment | joined March 1915, left November 1916 |
| 1st Bn, the Leinster Regiment | joined November 1916 |
| 29th Machine Gun Company | formed 10 May 1916 left to move into 10th MG Battalion 7 May 1918 |
| 29th Trench Mortar Battery | joined 2 October 1916 (title up to 8 December 1916 was No 7 Stokes Mortar Battery). Merged into Divisional TMB 17 October 1917 |
| 1/54th Sikhs | joined 27 April 1918 |
| 1/101st Grenadiers | joined 30 April 1918 |
| 2/151st Infantry | joined 10 June1918 |
| 30th Infantry Brigade | |
| 6th Bn, the Royal Munster Fusiliers | from start, left 30 April 1918 |
| 7th Bn, the Royal Munster Fusiliers | from start, absorbed by 6th Bn, 3 November 1916 |
| 6th Bn, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers | from start, left 27 May 1918 |
| 7th Bn, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers | from start, left 30 April 1918 |
| 1st Bn, the Royal Irish Regiment | joined 3 November 1916 |
| 30th Machine Gun Company | formed 10 May 1916 left to move into 10th MG Battalion 7 May 1918 |
| 30th Trench Mortar Battery | joined 28 September 1916 (title up to 8 December 1916 was No 8 Stokes Mortar Battery). Merged into Divisional TMB 17 October 1917 |
| 38th Dogras | joined 29 April 1918 |
| 46th Punjabis | joined 25 May 1918 |
| 1st Kashmir Rifles | joined 30 April 1918 |
| 31st Infantry Brigade | |
| 5th Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers | from start, left 28 May 1918 |
| 6th Bn, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers | from start, left 2 May 1918 |
| 5th Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers | from start, left 30 April 1918 |
| 6th Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers | from start, absorbed by 5th Bn 2 November 1916 |
| 2nd Bn, the Royal Irish Fusiliers | joined 2 November 1916 |
| 31st Machine Gun Company | formed 11 May 1916 left to move into 10th MG Battalion 7 May 19188 |
| 31st Trench Mortar Battery | joined 17 October 1916 Merged into Divisional TMB 17 October 1917 |
| 38th Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | joined 11 June 1918, left 17 July 1918 |
| 2/42nd Deoli | joined 18 July 1918 |
| 74th Punjabis | joined 29 April 1918 |
| 2/101st Grenadiers | joined 1 May 1918 |
| Divisional Troops | |
| 5th Bn, the Royal Irish Regiment | joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion June 1915, left April 1918 |
| Divisional Trench Mortar Battery | formed 17 October 1917, broken up 9 June 1918 |
| Divisional Mounted Troops | |
| 10th Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps | from start, left 7 December 1916 |
| Divisional Artillery | |
| LIV Brigade, RFA | left for 28th Division 29 August 1917 |
| LV Brigade, RFA | left for 13th Division January 1916 |
| LVI Brigade, RFA | left for 13th Division January 1916 |
| LVII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA | left for XII Corps artillery 28 August 1917 |
| 10th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA | the original column did not go overseas with the division. The DAC that had been with 29th Division joined in Egypt in October 1915. Suffered losses when transport “Marquette” torpedoed off Salonika on 23 October. Numbers were made up by men, horses and equipment from 42nd Division Ammunition Column. Formally renumbered 10th DAC on 4 March 1916 |
| LXVII Brigade, RFA | joined from 13th Division October 1915 |
| LXVIII Brigade, RFA | joined from 13th Division October 1915 |
| 10th Heavy Battery RGA | joined March 1915, left by 10 August 1915 |
| 15th Heavy Battery RGA | joined 10 August 1915, left by 19 December 1915 |
| IV (Highland) Mountain Bde, RGA | joined 13 August 1915 |
| 2nd Mountain Battery RGA | joined 30 December 1915, left for 27th Division 27 February 1916 |
| CXXXII (Howitzer) Bde, RFA | joined 26 April 1916, broekn upo 25 January 1917 |
| Hong Kong & Singapore Mountain Battery RGA | joined 1 September 1918, left 26 October 1918 |
| Royal Engineers | |
| 65th Field Company | left 14 July 1918 |
| 66th Field Company | |
| 85th Field Company | joined January 1915 |
| 10th Divisional Signals Company | |
| 18/3 Sappers & Miners | joined by 17 July 1918 |
| Royal Army Medical Corps | |
| 30th Field Ambulance | |
| 31st Field Ambulance | |
| 32nd Field Ambulance | |
| When the Division was indianised, the three Field Ambulances above handed over all stores and equipment to the 154th, 166th and 165th Camel Field Ambulances and left on 20 May 1918, going to base | |
| 21st Sanitary Section | left 31 July 1915, rejoined October 1915, left again 22 October 1917 |
| 18th Sanitary Section | joined 22 October 1917 |
| Other Divisional Troops | |
| 10th Divisional Train ASC | Train was made up of numbers 108, 109, 110 and 111 Companies. Did not move overseas with the Irish Division and transferred to 22nd Division. Replaced by 52nd Divisional Train (471, 472, 473 and 474 Companies) in October 1915 |
| 25th Mobile Veterinary Section AVC | |
| 212th Divisional Employment Company | formed by 23 June 1917 |
| 10th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop | remained with original Divisional Train when it left |
Divisional histories
“The Tenth (Irish) Division in Gallipoli” by Major Bryan Cooper (free download copy)
“Neither Unionist nor Nationalist: The 10th (Irish) Division in the Great War” by Stephen Sandford
Divisional memorials
There is a memorial to the 10th (Irish) Division in Salonika, located at Rabrovo which is near the Kosturino Ridge. It is of the same celtic cross pattern as the two memorials to the 16th (Irish) Division in France and Flanders.
