28th Division (United Kingdom)

28th Division
Active	1914–1923
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Engagements	World War I Western Front Battle of Gravenstafel Battle of St Julien Battle of Frezenberg Battle of Bellewaarde Battle of Loos Balkans Campaign Battle of Doiran
Commanders
Notable commanders	Edward Bulfin

The 28th Division was a regular British Army formation in World War I .

History

Formed in England in December 1914 - January 1915 from regular army battalions returning from India, Singapore and Egypt . In January 1915 the division moved to France and on to the Western Front.

The division took part in the 2nd Battle of Ypres where they suffered massive casualties and in the Battle of Loos . In October 1915 the 28th Division embarked from Marseilles to Egypt and in November 1915 on to Salonika where the division would remain for the rest of the war.

After the Armistice with Bulgaria came into effect on 30 September 1918, 28th Division advanced across the country towards Turkey. The Ottoman Empire also signed an Armistice on 30 October, after which 28th Division was sent to occupy the Dardanelles Forts. It remained inTurkey until 1923 on peacekeeping duties until October 1923.

Order of Battle

The division was composed of the following units during World War I:

83rd Brigade

This Brigade was temporarily under the command of 5th Division between 3 March and 7 April 1915, when it was replaced by 15th Brigade from that Division.

• 2nd Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
• 1/5th Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) (joined March 1915, left October 1915)
• 2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment (joined December 1914)
• 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (joined November 1914, left June 1918)
• 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment (joined December 1914)
• 1/3rd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment (joined March 1915, left September 1915. Absent May to August 1915 when amalgamated with its sister 1/1st and 1/2nd Bn following serious casualties at Ypres)

84th Brigade

This Brigade was temporarily under the command of 5th Division between 23 February and 7 April 1915, when it was replaced by 13th Brigade from that Division.

• 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (joined December 1914, left June 1918)
• 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (joined November 1914)
• 2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (joined December 1914)
• 1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment (joined December 1914)
• 1/6th (Glamorgan) Battalion, Welsh Regiment (joined July 1915, left October 1915)
• 1/1st Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment (joined February 1915, left September 1915)
• 1/12th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (joined February 1915, left May 1915)

85th Brigade

Brigade transferred temporarily to 3rd Division between 19 February 1915 and 6 April 1915. It was replaced by the 9th Brigade from that Division.

• 2nd Battalion, Buffs (East Kent Regiment) (joined December 1914)
• 3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (joined December 1914, left July 1918)
• 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment (joined December 1914)
• 3rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (joined December 1914)
• 1/8th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (joined March 1915, left June 1915)

228th Brigade

This Brigade was formed on 26 February 1917, as Army Troops, although it was always associated with this Division. It came under the command of the Greek Crete Division from 30 September 1918, and was broken up on 4 October 1918.

• 2nd (Garrison) Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment (joined August 1917)
• 2/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (joined March 1917)
• 1st Garrison Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (joined March 1917)
• 2nd Garrison Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (joined March 1917, left August 1917)
• 22nd (Wessex & Welsh) Battalion, Rifle Brigade (joined November 1916)

Pioneers

• 23rd (Service) Battalion (Welsh Pioneers), Welsh Regiment (joined August 1916)

Divisional Mounted Troops

• B Squadron, 1/1st Surrey Yeomanry (joined 22 December 1914, left to join XVI Corps on 27 December 1916)
• 28th Cyclist Company (joined 29 December 1914, left to join XVI Corps on 8 December 1916)

Artillery

On formation:

• III Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
• XXXI Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
• 28th Divisional Ammunition Column (formed by Territorials from the Wessex (Hampshire) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery)

Engineers

• 3rd London Field Company, Royal Engineers (joined 26 December 1914, left to rejoin 47th (2nd London) Division on 6 April 1915)
• 1/1st Northumbrian Field Company, Royal Engineers (joined 26 December 1914, left to rejoin 50th (Northumbrian) Division on 2 June 1915)
• 1/1st North Midland Field Company, Royal Engineers (joined 26 December 1914, left to rejoin 46th (North Midland) Division on 6 April 1915)
• 38th Field Company, Royal Engineers (joined from 6th Division 8 April 1915)
• 2/1st Northumbrian Field Company, Royal Engineers (joined 10 July 1915) – later renumbered 449th (Northumbrian)
• 1/7th Hampshire Field Company, Royal Engineers (joined 25 October 1915) – later renumbered 506th (Hampshire)

Commanders

• Maj-Gen. E. Bulfin (17/12/1914) Sick
• Maj-Gen. C. Briggs (12/10/1915)
• Maj-Gen. H. Croker (21/5/1916)
• Brig-Gen. E. Morris (Acting, 27/1/1917)
• Maj-Gen. H. Croker (8/3/1917)

See also

• List of British divisions in World War I

References

• Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 1: The Regular British Divisions, London: HM Stationery Office, 1934/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-38-X.
• Alan Wakefield and Simon Moody, Under the Devil's Eye: Britain's Forgotten Army at Salonika 1915–1918, Stroud: Sutton, 2004, ISBN 0-7509-3537-5.

External links

• 28th Division History - British Army in the Great War
• Order of Battles World War I