69th (2nd East Anglian) Division

History of the division

This division was formed in late 1914 as one of the “second line” Territorial Force divisions authorised on 31 August 1914. It was the duplicate of the 1st East Anglian Division, later known as the 54th (East Anglian) Division. Intended for home defence and for training men for the “first line”, the division suffered from severe shortages of arms and equipment for a considerable time, and there was continual disruption as men were drafted from its units to their “first line” equivalents.

By early 1915 the various units of the division had assembled in a wide area around Thetford in Norfolk. The three infantry brigades were at Thetford, Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds / Stowlangtoft; the mounted units were at Huntingdon and Ingham; the artillery was at Cambridge, Tuddenham and Brandon; and the engineers at Norwich an Attleborough. The division soon came under command of the First Army of the central Force.

On 17 August 1917, 206th Infantry Brigade moved to carry out work on the London area defences in Essex; it was relieved on this work by 208th Infantry Brigade on 7 September 1915; and that brigade returned to the division three weeks later.

In June 1916 the division relocated and came under orders of Northern Command. The infantry assembled at Harrogate; mounted units were at Mablethorpe; artillery at Harogate and Laceby; engineers at Thirklebridge, Millington, Saltfleetby and Sutton-on-Sea. During October 1916 the units at Harrogate moved out of bivouc camps and went into winter quarters at Harrogate, Catterick and Doncaster.

In late April and early May 1917 the division moved again, with headquarters being established at Retford. 206th Infantry Brigade and the artillery went to Welbeck Camp; 207th Infantry Brigade to nearby Carburton Camp; 208th Infantry Brigade at Thoresby Camp (all of these being in the Worksop/Ollerton area of Nottinghamshire; the engineers also went to these locations); mounted troops went to Scarborough and Skipsea.

During October 1917 the units moved to winter quarters: 206th to Middlesbrough, Barnard Castle, Durham and Stockton; 207th to Clipstone Camp; 208th to Doncaster and redmires. The artillery moved to Doncaster and Darlington (at least one brigade was headquartered at Leadenhall Street); the engineers went to Doncaster, Mablethorpe and Darlington.

When the infantry brigades were reorganised in late 1917 the division lost most of its connection to the Territorial Force. On 1 January 1918 it was renamed as just the 69th Division.

The 51st KOYLI at Welbeck Camp. This postcard was uploaded to the “Our Nottinghamshire” website in 2014 by Pauline Marples. With thanks for its use. The battalion was at Welbeck Camp from April 1918 onwards.

In spring 1918 most of the division moved once again. 206th went to Guisborough; 207th to Thoresby Camp (it later moved to Clipstone Camp); 208th to Welbeck Camp; the artillery went to Middlesbrough and Doncaster but only later in the year.

The division ceased to exist in March 1919.

Composition of the division

Division Headquarters

206th (2/1st Essex) Infantry Brigade

  • 2/4th Battalion, the Essex Regiment (broken up 6 December 1915)
  • 2/5th Battalion, the Essex Regiment (disbanded March 1918)
  • 2/6th Battalion, the Essex Regiment (disbanded January 1918)
  • 2/7th Battalion, the Essex Regiment (left to be broken up 10 October 1917)
  • 4/1st Battalion, the Hertfordshire Regiment (joined 8 December 1915. Disbanded August 1917)
  • 237th Infantry Battalion (joined from Training Reserve between 21 July and 11 October 1917. On 27 October 1917 became 51st (Graduated) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. Left for 67th Div in February 1918)
  • 238th Infantry Battalion (joined from Training Reserve between 21 July and 11 October 1917. On 27 October 1917 became the 51st (Graduated) Battalion, the Northumberland Fusiliers)
  • 51st (Graduated) Battalion, the Durham Light Infantry (joined from 72nd Division 15 January 1918)
  • 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, the Durham Light Infantry (joined from 73rd Division 15 January 1918)
  • 52nd(Graduated) Battalion, the Northumberland Fusiliers (joined from 67th Division 5 March 1918)

207th (2/1st East Midland) Infantry Brigade

  • 2/5th Battalion, the Bedfordshire Regiment (disbanded 18 March 1918)
  • 2/4th Battalion, the Northamptonshire Regiment (disbanded 14 March 1918)
  • 2/1st Battalion, the Hertfordshire Regiment (disbanded 20 September 1917)
  • 2/1st Battalion, the Cambridgeshire Regiment (left to be broken up 8 October 1917)
  • 241st Infantry Battalion (joined from Training Reserve between 21 July and 11 October 1917. On 27 October 1917 became 552nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. Left for 67th Div in February 1918)
  • 242nd Infantry Battalion (joined from Training Reserve between 21 July and 11 October 1917. On 27 October 1917 became 51st (Graduated) Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment)
  • 51st (Graduated) Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment (joined from 72nd Division 15 January 1918. Later to 208th Bde)
  • 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment (joined from 72nd Division 17 January 1918. Later to 208th Bde)
  • 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, the West Yorkshire Regiment (joined 23 February 1918)
  • 51st (Graduated) Battalion, the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (joined from 208th Bde between April and October 1918)
  • 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (joined from 208th Bde between April and October 1918)

208th (2/1st Norfolk & Suffolk) Infantry Brigade

  • 2/4th Battalion, the Norfolk Regiment
  • 2/5th Battalion, the Norfolk Regiment
  • 2/4th Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment (broken up 2 December 1915)
  • 2/5th Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment (left to be broken up 28 September 1917)
  • 4/1st Battalion, the Cambridgeshire Regiment (joined 12 December 1915. Broken up between July 1917 and 8 October 1917)
  • 245th Infantry Battalion (joined from Training Reserve between 21 July and 11 October 1917. On 27 October 1917 became 51st (Graduated) Battalion of the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). Left for 64th Division 20 April 1918)
  • 246th Infantry Battalion (joined from Training Reserve between 21 July and 11 October 1917. On 27 October 1917 became 51st (Graduated) Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment))
  • 51st (Graduated) Battalion, the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (joined from 72nd Division 15 January 1918. Left for 207th Bde between April and October 1918)
  • 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (joined from 72nd Division in January 1918. Left for 207th Bde between April and October 1918)
  • 51st (Graduated) Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment (joined from 207th Bde)
  • 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment (joined from 207th Bde)

Divisional Mounted Troops

  • 2/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry (left 28 April 1916)
  • 69th (2/1st East Anglian) Divisional Cyclist Company (later became a unit of the Army Cyclist Corps)
  • 2/1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry (only HQ, “A” Squadron and Machine Gun Section; joined 17 April 1916, left 15 June 1917)

Divisional Royal Artillery

  • 2/1st East Anglian Brigade RFA (renamed as 345th Brigade in May 1916. Broken up 26 December 1916)
  • 2/2nd East Anglian Brigade RFA (renamed as 346th Brigade in May 1916)
  • 2/3rd (Howitzer) East Anglian Brigade RFA (renamed as 347th Brigade in May 1916. Broken up during the year)
  • 2/4th East Anglian Brigade RFA (renamed as 348th Brigade in May 1916)
  • 1/1st East Anglian (Essex) Heavy Battery RGA (joined July 1915, left 1 March 1916)
  • 2/1st East Anglian (Essex) Heavy Battery RGA (joined 6 November 1915, left April 1916)
  • 69th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA (formed by merger of the Brigade Ammunition Columns in May 1916)
  • 2/1st Shropshire Battery RHA(attached 14 March to 2 April 1917)

Divisional Royal Engineers

  • 2/1st East Anglian Field Company RE (left for 54th (East Anglian) Division in July 1915)
  • 3/1st East Anglian Field Company RE (later renamed as 485th Field Company)
  • 2/2nd East Anglian Field Company RE (later renamed as 487th Field Company)
  • 1/3rd East Anglian Field Company RE (joined 4 October 1915 and later renamed as 488th Field Company)
  • 69th (2/1st East Anglian) Divisional Signal Company RE

Divisional Royal Army Medical Corps

  • 2/1st East Anglian Field Ambulance (left for 54th (East Anglian) Division in July 1915)
  • 2/2nd East Anglian Field Ambulance (later renamed as 323rd Field Ambulance)
  • 2/3rd East Anglian Field Ambulance (later renamed as 324th Field Ambulance)
  • 1/1st City of Edinburgh Field Company RE (joined 16 November 1915, left 19 December 1915)
  • 1/1st Renfrewshire Field Company RE (joined 16 November 1915, left 19 December 1915)
  • 3/1st East Anglian Field Ambulance (joined 6 March 1916 and later renamed as 322nd Field Ambulance)
  • 1/1st London Sanitary Section (joined 15 June 1916)

Divisional Army Veterinary Corps

  • 1/1st East Anglian) Mobile Veterinary Section (jattached between July 1915 and March 1916)
  • 69th (2/1st East Anglian) Mobile Veterinary Section (joined 22 December 1915)

Divisional Army Service Corps

  • 69th Divisional Train (made up of 553, 554, 555 and 556 (Horse Transport) Companies ASC

Links

54th (East Anglian) Division

Other divisions

The Training Reserve

Books

There is no published history of this division.