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Infantry division of the British Army during the First and Second World Wars From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 8th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was active in both the First and Second World Wars. The division was first formed in October 1914 during the First World War, initially consisting mainly of soldiers of the Regular Army and served on the Western Front throughout the war, sustaining many casualties, before disbandment in 1919. The division was reactivated in Palestine, under the command of Major-General Bernard Montgomery, in the late 1930s in the years running up to the Second World War before being disbanded in late February 1940. It was briefly reformed in Syria in an administrative role during 1942-3.
8th Division 8th Infantry Division | |
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Active | 1914–19 1938–40 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Infantry |
Size | Division |
Engagements | Battle of Neuve Chapelle Battle of Aubers Ridge Battle of the Somme Battle of Passchendaele |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Bernard Montgomery Reade Godwin-Austen William Heneker |
During the Second Boer War, an 8th division was active in South Africa from early 1900 until the war ended in 1902.[2] It was under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Leslie Rundle, and included a brigade division of Royal Artillery, one squadron of cavalry, one company of Royal Engineers, one company of Army Service Corps, a field hospital, and the following infantry brigades and battalions:[3]
The 8th Division was a Regular Army division that was formed by combining battalions returning from outposts in the British Empire at the outbreak of the First World War. Major-General Francis Davies took command on 19 September 1914. The division moved to France in November, 1914, following the First Battle of Ypres. The division fought on the Western Front for the duration of the war, taking part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, the Battle of Aubers Ridge, both in 1915, the Battle of the Somme, in 1916, and the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917.[4]
The division had the following organisation:[5]
Between October 1915 and July 1916, the 24th Brigade swapped with the 70th Brigade from the 23rd Division.
The 70th Brigade was from the 23rd Division and was attached to the 8th Division between 18 October 1915, and 15 July 1916, swapping with the 24th Brigade.
The 8th Infantry Division was never a full-strength formation during the Second World War. In 1939 it was based in Palestine and consisted of two infantry brigades (14th and 16th Brigades). Due to the needs of defence against German and Italian forces these units were sent to places of need and reformed as different formations. Although it had infantry it had no divisional troops due to the shortage of artillery and engineers in the Middle East. Its units were dispersed and the division was disbanded on 28 February 1940.[7]
On 2 June 1942, the division headquarters was reformed as the 8th Division (Syria) following the redesignation of the 5th Cavalry Brigade. The division, in name only, was composed of administration units and intended to provide internal security within Syria, under the command of the Ninth Army. On 3 September the divisional headquarters role was taken by the headquarters of 89 Sub-Area, Ninth Army (Lines of Communications). In this second incarnation R.A.C. units from Ninth Army were attached. The division Headquarters were disbanded on 31 October 1943.[7]
The division had the following order of battle in 1939:[7][8]
Commanders included:[9]
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