“One of the greatest fighting formations Britain ever put into the field“: eminent Great War historian, Cyril Falls
“Few Divisions can have equalled the strong Divisional spirit which inspired the Seventh Division, making it work as a team, working together towards the same end. It has been described as a very happy Division, and therein lies no small part of the explanation of the wonderful record which these pages have sought to outline” : Divisional History, C.T.Atkinson, 1926.
The history of 7th Division
The 7th Division was formed during September and very early October 1914, by the bringing together of regular army units from various garrison stations around the British Empire. They were assembled in the New Forest in Hampshire before initially moving to Belgium. The division landed at Zeebrugge in the first week of October 1914, ordered to assist in the defence of Antwerp. By the time they arrived the city was already falling and the 7th was instead ordered to hold certain important bridges and other places that would help the westward evacuation of the Belgian army. Once the Belgians were through, the division was moved westwards, where the infantry entrenched in front of Ypres, the first British troops to occupy that fateful place. It is recognised as particpating in the following battles and engagements, initially under command of IV Corps:
Under command of Major-General T. Capper
1914
- The First Battle of Ypres (throughout 19 October – 22 November) but notably in its phases:
- Battle of Langemarck (21-24 October)
- Battle of Gheluvelt (29-31 October)
All infantry units of the division suffered grievous losses in this battle and it was not until the following January/February that it was once more in a complete enough condition to be considered at full fighting strength. After First Ypres, it was often known as the “Immortal Seventh”.
1915
- The Battle of Neuve Chapelle (1-13 March)
Major-General T. Capper was wounded on 1 April and invalided five days later. He was temporaruly relaced by Brigadier-General S. T. B. Lawford from 2nd Infantry Brigade and on 19 April 1915 by Major-General H. de la P. Gough.
- The Battle of Aubers (9 May)
- The Battle of Festubert (now under I Corps, 15-25 May)
- The second action of Givenchy (IV Corps, 15-16 June)
Major-General T. Capper returned 19 July 1915, replacing Gough who had been promoted to command I Corps.
- The Battle of Loos (I Corps, 25 September – 8 October)
- The division took part in the initial assault north of the Vermelles-Hulluch road, facing the Hulluch quarries and a series of strongpoints. Suffering badly from British poison gas – which was not moved sufficiently by the gentle breeze – and badly cut up by German machine gun fire and artillery, the division nonethless seized the quarries and only failed to penetrate the third German line due to the relative weakness of the numbers of men that got through. The Divisional Commander, Major-General Thompson Capper, died of wounds received during this action, on 27 September 1915.
Command of the divisional passed temporarily to Brigadier-General H. E. Watts from 21st Infantry Brigade. He was then promoted and given permanent command.
1916
- The Battles of the Somme 1916 in phases:
- The Battle of Albert (now XV Corps, 1 -13 July) in which the division captured Mametz
- The Battle of Bazentin (14-17 July)
- The attacks on High Wood (20-25 July)
- The Battle of Delville Wood (15 July – 3 September)
- The Battle of Guillemont (3-6 September)
1917
Major-General G. de S. Barrow took command on 7 January 1917, replacing Watts who had been promoted to command XIX Corps.
- Operations on the Ancre (now V Corps, 11 January – 13 March)
- The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line (14 March – 5 April)
Major-General T. H. Shoubridge took command on 1 April 1917, replacing Barrow who had been moved to command the Yeomanry Mounted Division in Egypt and Palestine.
- The Battles of Arras offensive in the flanking operations round Bullecourt (11 April – 16 June) specificallyThe Battle of Bullecourt (3-17 May)
- The actions on the Hindeburg Line (20 May-16 June)
- The Third Battles of Ypres 1917 in phases:The Battle of Polygon Wood (now in X Corps, 26 September – 3 October)
- The Battle of Broodseinde (4 October)
- The Battle of Poelcapelle (9 october)
- The Second Battle of Passchendaele (26 October – 10 November)
A major change now occurred with 7th Division being one of five British formations selected to be moved to Italy. This was a strategic and political move agreed by the British Government at the request of the Allied Supreme War Council, as an effort to stiffen Italian resistance to enemy attack after a recent disaster at Caporetto. Many diaries at this time, by men who had witnessed slaughter in the floods of Passchendaele, talk of the move and Italy as being “like another world”. Much work was done preparing to move into the mountainous area of the Brenta, but eventually the Division was instead moved to the line along the River Piave, taking up positions in late January 1918. In October 1918 the Division played a central role in crossing the Piave, the Battle of Vittoria Veneto and the eventual defeat of Austria-Hungary.
1918
Major-General Shoubridge was evacuated sick on 9 February 1918 and was temporarily replaced by Brigadier-General J. McN. Steele. Shoubridge returned oin 22 March.
Italy
14 Victoria Crosses were awarded to men of the 7th Division, which from October 1914 to the Armistice suffered a total of approximately 68,000 of all ranks killed, wounded or missing in action.
Order of battle of the 7th Division
| Units and sub-formations | Dates |
|---|---|
| Divisional Headquarters | |
| 20th Infantry Brigade | |
| 1st Bn, Grenadier Guards | From start, left for Guards Division 8 August 1915 |
| 2nd Bn, Scots Guards | From start, left for Guards Division 8 August 1915 |
| 2nd Bn, Border Regiment | Throughout |
| 2nd Bn, Gordon Highlanders | Throughout |
| 1/6th Bn, Gordon Highlanders | Joined 5 December 1914, left 5 January 1916 |
| 8th Bn, Devonshire Regiment | Joined 4 August 1915 |
| 9th Bn, Devonshire Regiment | Joined 8 August 1915, left for 25th Division 13 September 1918 |
| 1/6th Bn, Cheshire Regiment | Joined 9 January 1916, left for 39th Division 25 February 1916 |
| 20th Machine Gun Company | Formed 10 February 1916, left to move into 7th MG Battalion 1 April 1918 |
| 20th Trench Mortar Battery | Formed 14 February 1916 |
| 21st Infantry Brigade | Brigade transferred to 30th Division in exchange for 91st Infantry Brigade on 19 December 1915 |
| 2nd Bn, Bedfordshire Regiment | Throughout |
| 2nd Bn, Yorkshire Regiment | Throughout |
| 2nd Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers | Throughout |
| 2nd Bn, Wiltshire Regiment | Throughout |
| 1/4th Bn, Cameron Highlanders | Joined from 8th Division 8 April 1915, moved to 91st Infantry Brigade 20 December 1915 |
| 22nd Infantry Brigade | |
| 2nd Bn, Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) | From start, left for 91st Infantry Brigade 20 December 1915 |
| 2nd Bn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment | Throughout |
| 1st Bn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers | Throughout |
| 1st Bn, South Staffordshire Regiment | From start, left for 91st Infantry Brigade 20 December 1915 |
| 1/8th Bn, Royal Scots | Joined 12 November 1914, left fpr 51st (Highland) Division 19 August 1915 |
| 1/7th Bn, King’s (Liverpool Regiment) | Joined from 2nd Division 11 November 1915, left for 55th (West Lancashire) Division 7 January 1916 |
| 20th Bn, Manchester Regiment | Joined from 91st Infantry Brigade 20 December 1915, left for 25th Division 13 September 1918 |
| 24th Bn, Manchester Regiment | Joined from 91st Infantry Brigade 20 December 1915, left to become Divisional Pioneer Battalion 22 May 1916 |
| 2nd Bn, Royal Irish Regiment | Joined from 4th Division 22 May 1916, left for 16th (Irish) Division 14 October 1916 |
| 2/1st Bn, Honourable Artillery Company | Joined 6 October 1916 |
| 22nd Brigade Machine Gun Company | Formed 24 February 1916, left to move into 7th MG Battalion 1 April 1918 |
| 22nd Trench Mortar Battery | Formed 14 April 1916 |
| 91st Infantry Brigade | Brigade transferred from 30th Division in exchange for 21st Infantry Brigade on 20 December 1915 |
| 21st Bn, Manchester Regiment | Left for 25th Division 13 September 1918 |
| 22nd Bn, Manchester Regiment | |
| 1/4th Bn, Cameron Highlanders | Joined from 21st Infantry Brigade 20 December 1915, left for 51st (Highland) Division 7 January 1916 |
| 2nd Bn, Queen’s (Royal Wst Surrey Regiment) | Joined from 22nd Infantry Brigade 20 December 1915 |
| 1st Bn, South Staffordshire Regiment | Joined from 22nd Infantry Brigade 20 December 1915 |
| 91st Machine Gun Company | Formed 14 March 1916, left to move into 7th MG Battalion 1 April 1918 |
| 91st Trench Mortar Battery | Formed May 1916 |
| Divisional Troops | |
| 24th Bn, Manchester Regt | Joined as Divisional Pioneer Battalion from 22nd Infantry Brigade 22 May 1916 |
| 220th Machine Gun Company | Joined 25 March 1917, left to move into 7th MG Battalion 1 April 191 8 |
| 7 Bn, Machine Gun Corps | Formed 1 April 1918 |
| Divisional Mounted Troops | |
| 1/1st Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry | From start. B and C Sqns left 12 April 1915 for 1st and 8th Divisions respectively, A Sqn left for XIII Corps 13 May 1916 |
| 7th Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps | From start, left Jfor XV Corps 11 May 1916 |
| Divisional Artillery | |
| XIV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery | From start, left January 1917 |
| XXII Brigade, RFA | Throughout |
| XXXV Brigade, RFA | Throughout |
| XXXVII (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA | Joined from IV Corps 24 June 1915, broken up May 1916 |
| 7th Divisional Ammunition Column, RFA | Throughout |
| III Heavy Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery | From start, left 4 March 1915 |
| 7 Pom-Pom (Anti-Aircraft) Section, RGA | Attached 25 September 1914 to 20 December 1914 |
| No 5 Mountain Battery, RGA | Attached 26 March to 20 April 1915 |
| V.7 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery RFA | Formed June 1916, disbanded 12 November 1917 |
| X.7, Y.7 and Z.7 Medium Mortar Batteries RFA | Joined by March 1916; on 22 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each |
| Royal Engineers | |
| 54th Field Company | Throughout |
| 55th Field Company | From start, left for Guards Division 1 September 1915 |
| 1/2nd (Highland) Field Company | Joined 17 January 1915, left for 51st (Highland) Division 9 January 1916 |
| 1/3rd (Durham) Field Company | Joined from 51st (Highland) Division 30 January 1916, later renamed 528th Field Company RE |
| 7th Divisional Signals Company | Throughout |
| Royal Army Medical Corps | |
| 21st Field Ambulance | Throughout |
| 22nd Field Ambulance | Throughout |
| 23rd Field Ambulance | Throughout |
| 10th Sanitary Section | Joined 9 January 1915, left 8 August 1917 |
| Other Divisional Troops | |
| 7th Divisional Train, Army Service Corps | Comprised numbers 39, 40, 42 and 86 (Horse Transport) Companies |
| 12th Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps | Throughout |
| 210th Divisional Employment Company, Labour Corps | Joined 21 May 1917 at which time it was 12th Divisional Employment Company; renamed in June 1917 |
| 7th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop | joined 20 June 1915, transferred to Divisional Supply Column 9 April 1916 |
Divisional histories
“The Seventh Division 1914-1918” by C. T. Atkinson
Divisional memorials
There is also a memorial window at the Roman Catholic church in Lyndhurst in Hampshire, where the units of the division first assembled before going overseas: here