Obvious printer's errors have been corrected.
The original spelling has been retained.
Page 76: Two instances of AAA left by the printer have been replaced by dots.
Explanations of British/Canadian military abbreviations can be found at http://www.1914-1918.net/abbrev.htm and http://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/military%20abbrevations.shtml
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE 6th DIVISION
Aug. 1914-March 1919
Edited by
MAJOR-GEN. T. O. MARDEN C.B., C.M.G.
London Hugh Rees, Ltd. 5 & 7 Regent Street, S.W.1 1920
PREFACE
This short history has been compiled mainly from the War Diaries.
My reason for undertaking the task is that there was no one else to do it, the units composing the Division being scattered far and wide, and there being no Divisional habitat with local historians as in the case of Territorial and New Army Divisions. My object is that all who served with the Division for any period between 1914-1919 may have a record to show that they belonged to a Division which played no inconspicuous part in the Great War.
I regret that it has been impossible to tabulate the honours (except V.C.s) won by officers and men of the Division, and it is also inevitable that the names of many individuals to whom the success of the Division in many operations was largely due should go unrecorded. The Infantry naturally bulk large in the picture, but they would be the first to admit that their success could not have been obtained without the splendid co-operation of the Artillery, who are sometimes not even mentioned in the narrative; and this theme might be elaborated considerably.
My particular thanks are due to Lt.-Col. T. T. Grove, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.E., to whom the credit belongs for the form taken by the history and the more personal portions of the history itself. I also wish to thank Lt.-Gen. Sir J. Keir, K.C.B., D.S.O., and Major-Gen. C. Ross, C.B., D.S.O., as well as several Brigadiers and C.O.s, for so kindly reviewing the periods of which they had personal knowledge.
In conclusion, I wish to add that every copy sold helps towards the erection of Battlefield Memorials to be placed in France and Flanders.
T. O. MARDEN, _Major-General._ _April 1920._
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. MOBILIZATION AND MOVE TO FRANCE 1
II. BATTLE OF THE AISNE 3
III. MOVE TO THE NORTH AND FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES 6
IV. ARMENTIERES 10
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Short History of the 6th Division
- 2: And had reached the heights on the line Craonne Troyon
- 3: The 16th Infantry Brigade Brig
- 4: On the right captured Radinghem without much opposition
- 5: When the 19th Infantry Brigade lost some trenches
- 6: The second in the Houtkerque Wormhoudt area
- 7: The 16th Infantry Brigade Brig
- 8: From the 18th Infantry Brigade
- 9: The 38th Brigade later became an Army Brigade
- 10: Called by us the Quadrilateral
- 11: And that it was Flers which had been captured
- 12: 000 yards to within half a mile of Morval and Lesboeufs
- 13: Where for about a month it covered the 56th Division
- 14: On the 13th April the withdrawal commenced
- 15: Had exhausted the 16th Infantry Brigade
- 16: Raids and counter raids were numerous
- 17: Held on the Monchy Breton Range
- 18: With the 71st Infantry Brigade Brig
- 19: Willoughby with the 71st Infantry Brigade
- 20: Aided by some tanks which were at Beaucamps
- 21: The Divisional Artillery remained in action
- 22: Supported the 18th Infantry Brigade
- 23: Noreuil Valley on our extreme left
- 24: The 18th and 71st Infantry Brigades
- 25: The 18th Infantry Brigade suffered particularly heavily
- 26: Assembled about Achiet le Grand and Bihucourt
- 27: The two battalions of the Chasseurs were
- 28: Ridgewood and Elzenwalle retaken
- 29: On the 4th the Divisional Artillery followed
- 30: On the right the West Yorks had to secure Holnon Village
- 31: 000 shells on the Quadrilateral in one day
- 32: The 1st Leicestershire Regiment
- 33: 139th Infantry Brigade Brig Gen
- 34: The French announced that they had captured Bellicourt Farm
- 35: Relieved the 71st Infantry Brigade
- 36: Commanding 71st Infantry Brigade
- 37: 4th and 5th Australian Divisions
- 38: Perhaps the two most notable were Lt
- 39: And had driven the enemy back towards Avesnes
- 40: Divisional Headquarters arriving at Bruhl
- 41: 1918 Bohain Ors 4th 29th Oct
- 42: 2 Lieutenant FRANK BERNARD WEARNE
- 43: 16th Infantry Brigade entrained for Cassel
- 44: 16th Infantry Brigade moved up to Vlamertinghe
- 45: Relieved from line to Houtkerque
- 46: Into line relieving 20th Division
- 47: 9th Suffolks raid D Company under Capt
- 48: 46th Division took over portion of Southern Brigade area
- 49: Division relieved by 46th Division D
- 50: Supporting cavalry in advance to Cantaing
- 51: 71st Infantry Brigade returned to Division
- 52: Attack by 18th Infantry Brigade on Ridgewood
- 53: 71st Infantry Brigade relieved 18th Infantry Brigade
- 54: To area Francorchamps Stoumont
- 55: To area Mechernich Kommern Zulpich
- 56: Divisional Ammunition Column O
- 57: Divisional Gas Officer Capt
- 58: Horsemaster Capt
- 59: 71st Trench Mortar Battery Capt
- 60: Rifle Brigade Mobn
- 61: Lenox Conyngham 6
- 62: Tablenote b Signifies date of disbandment of unit
- 63: 15 a 6th Machine Gun Battalion Lt
- 64: Buchannan Dunlop 25
- 65: Delme Radcliffe 12
- 66: Moulton Barrett 12
