The history of 71st Division
This formation was created during the war. Late in 1916 orders were given for the formation of three additional home-service Divisions; they would have the dual role of carrying out training of men for overseas drafts, plus providing forces for home defence. 71st was one of the three Divisions formed, and was initially established in Hampshire and Surrey. Division HQ was set up at Gostrey House at Farnham but soon moved to nearby Elmer House. The entire Division moved in the first week of March 1917 to Suffolk and Essex, concentrating in the Colchester area. The Division came under command of Southern Army, Home Forces, and was responsible for East Coast defences from Mersey Island to Walton on the Naze. On 21 December 1917 orders were received that the Division should be broken up. Disbandment began in January 1918 and the final elements disappeared on 8 April 1918.
On 1 January 1917 the Provisional units were all retitled, as shown in the Order of Battle below.
A number of non-regimentally-affiliated Graduated Battalions joined in July 1917. They were affiliated and retitled on 27 October 1917.
In October 1917, 214th Brigade was formed into a special brigade for operations at Murmansk in North Russia. It was transferred to 67th Division on 12 February 1918.
The order of battle of the 71st Division
| 212th Brigade | the three battalions comprising this Bde had previously been with 6th Provisional Brigade, which was not under a Division; broken up 7 March 1918 |
| 61st Provisional Battalion | became 11th Norfolk Regiment, left by 29 October 1917 |
| 100th Provisional Battalion | became 29th London Regiment, to 226 Mixed Brigade |
| 101st Provisional Battalion | became 30th London Regiment, to 226 Mixed Brigade 5 February 1918 |
| 249th Graduated Battalion | joined by 9 July 1917; became 51st (Graduated) Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment on 27 October 1917, left 19 February 1918 |
| 250th Graduated Battalion | joined by 9 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment on 27 October 1917, left 26 February 1918 |
| 213th Brigade | broken up 11 March 1918 |
| 16th Bn, the Queen’s | formed at Farnham 11 November 1916, to 214th Bde 12 November 1917 |
| 25th Bn, the Middlesex Regiment | joined 3 November 1916, left 22 December 1916 |
| 66th Provisional Battalion | from 6th Provisional Bde; became 16th Essex Regiment; left by 24 December 1917 |
| 18th Bn, the Hampshire Regiment | formed at Alton 22 December 1916; left by 24 December 1917 |
| 252nd Graduated Battalion | joined by 9 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment on 27 October 1917; left by 25 February 1918 |
| 253rd Graduated Battalion | joined by 17 September 1917; became 51st (Graduated) Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment on 27 October 1917; left by 25 February 1918 |
| 52nd (Graduated) Bn, the Queen’s | joined from 214th Bde 12 November 1917; left by 18 February 1918 |
| 214th Brigade | October 1917, formed into a special brigade for operations at Murmansk in North Russia; left for 67th Division 12 February 1918 |
| 2/6th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry | joined 29 November 1916, to 226 Mixed Brigade |
| 2/7th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry | joined 29 November 1916 |
| 2/8th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry | joined 29 November 1916, left by 9 July 1917 |
| 255th Graduated Battalion | joined by 9 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Queen’s on 27 October 1917; to 213th Bde 12 November 1917 |
| 256th Graduated Battalion | joined by 17 September 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment on 27 October 1917; left by 18 February 1918 |
| XLIX Brigade, RFA | formed 22 October 1917 |
| 2/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry TF | joined 26 October 1917, left with Bde |
| 2/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry TF | joined 26 October 1917, left with Bde |
| 252 Company, MGC | joined 9 November 1917, left with Bde |
| 253 Company, MGC | joined 9 November 1917, left with Bde |
| 16th Bn, the Queen’s | joined from 213th Bde 12 November 1917 |
| 226th Mixed Brigade | joined 13 April 1917, left for 67th Division 12 February 1918 |
| 2/6th Bn, the Durham Light Infantry | joined from 214th Bde |
| 29th Bn, the London Regiment | joined from 212th Bde |
| 30th Bn, the London Regiment | joined from 212th Bde 5 February 1918 |
| 2/1st London Heavy Battery, RGA | |
| 2/2nd London Heavy Battery, RGA | |
| Divisional Mounted Troops | |
| 71st Divisional Cyclist Company, ACC | joined 11 January 1917, disbanded 3 February 1918 |
| C Sqn, 2/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry TF | jpoined 6 March 1917 |
| Divisional Artillery | broken up by 25 February 1918 |
| CCCL Brigade, RFA | formed 13 November 1916, disbanded 25 February 1918 |
| CCCLI Brigade, RFA | formed 13 November 1916, left 29 January 1918 |
| 71st Divisional Ammunition Column RFA | joined as 6th Provisional BAC 27 November 1916, disbanded 25 February 1918 |
| Royal Engineers | |
| 548th (2/1st Dundee) Field Company | joined as a Fortress Company 27 November 1916 and redesignated; left 30 March 1918 for service in North Russia |
| 549th (2/3rd Lancashire) Field Company | joined as a Fortress Company 12 December 1916 and redesignated; left 30 March 1918 for service in France |
| 645th (West Lancashire) Field Company | joined as 6th Provisional Field Company 14 November 1916, renumbered on 3 February 1917; left for 67th Division 26 October 1917 |
| 71st Divisional Signals Company | joined as 6th Provisional Signals Section and redesignated; left with 214th Special Brigade |
| 492nd Field Company | joined from 67th Division 26 October 1917; left 12 February 1918 for service in North Russia |
| Royal Army Medical Corps | the 6th Provisional Field Ambulance joined 4 December 1916 and formed the three FAs for 72nd Division |
| 301st (Welsh) Field Ambulance | disbanded by 31 January 1918 |
| 302nd (Welsh) Field Ambulance | left with 214th Special Brigade |
| 303rd (Welsh) Field Ambulance | disbanded by 31 January 1918 |
| 104th Sanitary Section | |
| Other Divisional Troops | |
| 71st Divisional Train ASC | 821, 822, 823 and 824 Companies ASC. 821 had previously been 6th Provisional Company ASC; the others were new and formed for the Division in December 1916; disbanded by 23 February 1918 |
| 56th Mobile Veterinary Section AVC | joined 8 January 1917, left 7 March 1918 |
There is no memorial or published history of 71st Division.