24th Division (United Kingdom)

The 24th Division was an infantry division of the British Army, raised in September 1914 from men volunteering for Lord Kitchener's New Armies during the First World War. After almost a year spent training in England the division was sent to the Western Front between August and September 1915. It served in Belgium and France in the trenches of the Western Front for the duration of the war.

Unit History

The division was one of the six created for the Third New Army on 13 September 1914. It moved to France in August 1915 and it saw action at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917 and the Final Advance in Picardy in 1918. Shortly after its arrival in France to May 1917, it was commanded by Major-General John Capper.
It was disbanded by March 1919.

Order of Battle

The 24th Division was constituted as follows during the war:
71st Brigade

9th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment
9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment
11th Battalion, Essex Regiment

The brigade moved to the 6th Division in 11 October 1915, swapping with the 17th Brigade.
72nd Brigade

8th Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) '
8th Battalion, Buffs (East Kent Regiment) '
9th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
8th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) '
72nd Machine Gun Company M.G.C. '
72nd Trench Mortar Battery '

12th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) '
9th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
7th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
13th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)
2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) '
73rd Machine Gun Company M.G.C. '
73rd Trench Mortar Battery '

1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's '
2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment '
3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
12th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers '
8th Battalion, Buffs '
8th Battalion, Queen's '
1/2nd (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) '
17th Machine Gun Company '
17th Trench Mortar Battery '

The brigade transferred from the division from the 6th Division on 18 October 1915, swapping with the 71st Brigade.
Divisional Troops

11th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment '
13th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers '
12th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters '
No 3 Motor Machine Gun Battery '
191st Machine Gun Company '
24th Machine Gun Battalion '
Divisional Mounted Troops
* A Sqn, 1st Royal Glasgow Yeomanry '
* 24th Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps '
24th Divisional Train A.S.C.
* 194th, 195th, 196th and 197th Companies A.S.C.
36th Mobile Veterinary Section A.V.C. '
223rd Divisional Employment Company '

Royal Artillery

CVI Brigade, R.F.A.
CVII Brigade, R.F.A.

CVIII Brigade, R.F.A. '
CIX Brigade, R.F.A.
24th Heavy Battery, R.G.A.
24th Divisional Ammunition Column
13th Divisional Ammunition Column
V.24 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery R.F.A.
X.24, Y.24 and Z,24 Medium Trench Mortar Batteries R.F.A.

Royal Engineers

91st Field Company
92nd Field Company
103rd Field Company
104th Field Company
129th Field Company
24th Divisional Signals Company

Royal Army Medical Corps

72nd Field Ambulance
73rd Field Ambulance
74th Field Ambulance
41st Sanitary Section

General Officer Commanding

The following commanded the division:

Maj-Gen. Sir J. G. Ramsay: 19 September 1914 – 3 October 1915
Maj-Gen. John Capper: 3 October 1915 – 12 May 1917
Brig-Gen. H. C. Sheppard: 12 May 1917 – 18 May 1917
Maj-Gen. Louis Bols: 18 May 1917 – 12 September 1917
Brig-Gen. E. S. Hoare Nairne: 12 September 1917 – 15 September 1917
Maj-Gen. Arthur Daly: 15 September 1917 – 31 December 1918