17th (Northern) Division

Formed at Wareham in September 1914 as part of the Second New Army. Arrived in France in July 1915. Served in France and Flanders until the Armistice.

Battles and Engagements
France and Flanders

Actions of the Bluff. 14-15 Feb 1916.
Battle of Albert. 1-13 Jul 1916, including the capture of Montauban, Mametz, Fricourt, Contalmaison and La Boisselle.

 

  

First Battle of the Scarpe. 9-14 Apr 1917, including the capture Monchy le Preux and the Wancourt Ridge.
Second Battle of the Scarpe. 23-24 Apr 1917, including the capture of Guemappe and Gavrelle.
Capture of Roeux. 13-14 May 1917.
First Battle of Passchendaele. 12 Oct 1917.
Second Battle of Passchendaele. 26 Oct-10 Nov 1917.

 

Battle of St. Quentin. 21-23 Mar 1918.
First Battle of Bapaume. 24-25 Mar 1918.
Battle of Amiens. 8-11 Aug 1918.
Battle of Albert. 21-23 Aug 1918, including the capture of Chuignes.
Second Battle of Bapaume. 31 Aug-3 Sep 1918.
Battle of Havrincourt. 12 Sep 1918.
Battle of Epehy. 18 Sep 1918.
Battle of Cambrai. 8-9 Oct 1918, including the capture of Villers Outreaux and Cambrai.
The pursuit to the Selle. 9-12 Oct 1918.
Battle of the Selle. 17-25 Oct 1918.
Battle of the Sambre. 4 Nov 1918, including the passage of the Sambre-Oise canal and the capture of Le Quesnoy.

 

    

 

Infantry Units

 

50th Brigade.

10th Bn West Yorkshire Regt. 03 Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
7th Bn East Yorkshire Regt. 16 Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
7th Bn Yorkshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 19 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel (34 officers, 700 men) to the 6th, 12th and 13th Bns.
7th Bn York and Lancaster Regt. Aug 1914 - Mar 1915. Became the Pioneer Bn.
6th Bn Dorsetshire Regt. Mar 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

  

51st Brigade.

7th Bn Lincolnshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
7th Bn Border Regt. 07 Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
8th Bn South Staffordshire Regt. Sep 1914 - 23 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 2/6th and 7th Bns.
10th Bn Sherwood Foresters. 13 Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
3/4th Bn Queen’s Own. 22 Jun 1917 - 03 Aug 1917. To the 52nd Brigade. (The Battalion served as Pioneers 12 Jul 1917 - 03 Aug 1917).

52nd Brigade.

9th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers. Sep 1914 - 03 Aug 1917. To the 35th Division.
10th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
9th Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regt. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
12th Bn Manchester Regt. Sep 1914 - 11 Nov 1918.
3/4th Bn Queen’s Own. 03 Aug 1917 - 20 Feb 1918. Disbanded, personnel to the 6th, 7th and 8th Bns.

 

  

Pioneers.

7th Bn York and Lancaster Regt. Mar 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

Attached Troops.

6th Bn Dorsetshire Regt. 06 Sep 1914 - Mar 1915. To the 50th Brigade.

 

    

 

Artillery Units

 

LXXVIII Brigade.

244th Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became A Bty.
245th Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. became B Bty.
246th Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became C Bty.

 

  

LXXVIII Brigade. When the Brigade was reorganised a fourth Battery was formed.

A Bty. Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
B Bty. Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
C Bty. Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
D Bty. Jan 1915 - 20 May 1916. Went to the LXXXI Bde where it became A Bty.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 20 May 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

LXXIX Brigade.

247th Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became A Bty.
248th Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became B Bty.
249th Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became C Bty.

 

  

LXXIX Brigade. When the Brigade was reorganised a fourth Battery was formed.

A Bty. Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
B Bty. Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
C Bty. Jan 1915 - 11 Nov 1918.
D Bty. Jan 1915 - 20 May 1916. Went to the LXXXI Bde where it became B Bty.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 20 May 1916 - 11 Nov 1918.

 

LXXX Brigade.

250th Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became A Bty.
251st Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became B Bty.
252nd Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became C Bty.

 

  

LXXX Brigade. When the Brigade was reorganised a fourth Battery was formed. Broken up 31 Aug 1916.

A Bty. Jan 1915 - 31 Aug 1916. Broken up and divided between the Btys in LXXVIII Bde.
B Bty. Jan 1915 - 31 Aug 1916. Broken up and divided between LXXVIII and LXXIX Bdes.
C Bty. Jan 1915 - 31 Aug 1916. Broken up and divided between the Btys in LXXIX Bde.
D Bty. Jan 1915 - 20 May 1915. Went to LXXXI Bde where it became C Bty.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 20 May 1915 - 31 Aug 1916. Went to LXXXI Bde where it became D (Howitzer) Bty.

 

LXXXI (Howitzer) Brigade.

253rd (Howitzer) Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became A Bty.
254th (Howitzer) Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became B (Howitzer) Bty.
255th (Howitzer) Bty. Sep 1914 - Jan 1915. Became C (Howitzer) Bty.

 

 

LXXXI (Howitzer) Brigade. When the Brigade was reorganised a fourth Battery was formed. Further reorganisation took place in May 1916 when the Brigade lost its Howitzer designation.

A (Howitzer) Bty. Jan 1915 - 12 Aug 1915. To the 1st (Canadian) Division.
B (Howitzer) Bty. Jan 1915 - 20 May 1916. Went to LXXVIII Bde where it became D (Howitzer) Bty.
C (Howitzer) Bty. Jan 1915 - 20 May 1916. Went to LXXIX Bde where it became D(Howitzer) Bty.
D (Howitzer) Bty. Jan 1915 - 20 May 1916. Went to LXXX Bde where it became D(Howitzer) Bty.

 

LXXXI Brigade. Broken up 19 Jan 1917.

A Bty. 20 May 1916 - 19 Jan 1917. Went to CXLVII Army Field Artillery Bde where it became A Bty.
B Bty. 20 May 1916 - 19 Jan 1917. Went to LXXVI Army Field Artillery Bde where it became C Bty.
C Bty. 20 May 1916 - 02 Sep 1916. Broken up and divided between A and B Btys.
D (Howitzer) Bty. 02 Sep 1916 - 11 Jan 1917. Broken up and divided between D (Howitzer) Bty, LXXVIII Bde and D (Howitzer) Bty, LXXIX Bde.

 

    

Back to the Home Page

Back to British Divisions Page