40th Division (United Kingdom)


The 40th Division was an infantry division of the British Army active during the First World War, where it served on the Western Front. It was a division of Lord Kitchener's New Army volunteers, mostly "bantam" recruits of below regulation height. It was later briefly reformed as a deception formation in the Second World War, and during the early years of the Cold War was recreated a third time to garrison Hong Kong.

History

First World War

The 40th Division was originally formed as a Kitchener's Army 'Bantam' division between September and December 1915 for service in the First World War. 'Bantam' personnel were those who were under the Army regulation height but otherwise fit for service. It comprised the 119th, 120th, and 121st Brigades. The 40th Division moved to the Western Front in June 1916 and served there throughout the First World War.
The most notable action of the division may be its participation in the Battle of Cambrai in late 1917. By 22 November the British were left exposed in a salient on the battlefield. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front, wanted Bourlon Ridge and the exhausted 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division was replaced by the 40th Division, commanded by Major-General John Ponsonby, on 23 November. Supported by almost a hundred tanks and 430 guns, the 40th attacked into the woods of Bourlon Ridge on the morning of the 23rd. They made little progress. The Germans had put two divisions of Gruppe Arras on the ridge with another two in reserve and Gruppe Caudry was reinforced. The 40th Division reached the crest of the ridge but were held there and suffered over 4,000 casualties for their efforts in three days. The division was subsequently driven back in the German counterattacks, suffering many more losses.
From July 1918 until March 1919, the division was led by General Sir William Peyton and took part in the Hundred Days advance through Flanders.

Order of Battle

The following units served with the division:
119th Brigade
'
120th Brigade
121st Brigade
Divisional Troops
Royal Artillery
  • CLXXVIII Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
  • CLXXXI Brigade, R.F.A.
  • CLXXXV Brigade, R.F.A.
  • CLXXXVIII Brigade, R.F.A.
  • 40th Divisional Ammunition Column R.F.A.
  • V.40 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, R.F.A.
  • X.40, Y.40 and Z.40 Medium Mortar Batteries, R.F.A.
Royal Engineers
  • 224th Field Company
  • 229th Field Company
  • 231st Field Company
  • 40th Divisional Signals Company
Royal Army Medical Corps'''
  • 135th Field Ambulance
  • 136th Field Ambulance
  • 137th Field Ambulance
  • 83rd Sanitary Section

Second World War

The 40th Infantry Division was notionally created on 9 November 1943 as part of Operation Foynes. Operation Foynes was a deception plan to "conceal from the Germans the weakening of the allied position in the Mediterranean". To aid in the build-up for Operation Overlord, eight veteran British and American divisions were withdrawn to the United Kingdom. They were replaced by three genuine divisions. To cover the shortfall, four phantom divisions were created in the theatre and a further two were "held in readiness to be "sent" but were never used".
To recreate the 40th Division, the 43rd [Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|43rd Infantry Brigade], formed for internal security duties in the Lines of Communication of AFHQ, was renamed as a division, for deception purposes, with the battalions playing the role of brigades.

Order of Battle

To keep up appearances, the battalion commanding officers flew brigadier pennants, and a divisional insignia adapted from the First World War's 40th Division was adopted and worn. The deception was played out until June 1944, when the formation was disbanded.

Post war

Following the increasing success of the Communists in the Chinese Civil War, the 40th Division was reformed to bolster the defences of Hong Kong in 1949 under the command of Major-General G.C. Evans. In Hong Kong the Division comprised the 26th Gurkha, 27th and 28th Infantry Brigades, and 3rd Royal Tank Regiment. However the 27th Brigade was soon dispatched to Korea in August 1950, and followed by other units of the division. The Division was later disbanded.

General Officer Commanding