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28th Division (United Kingdom)

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name= 28th Division

| image=28th Division sign WW1.svg

| image_size = 100

|caption=Formation sign of the 28th Division, a strip of red cloth on the shoulder strap.Chappell p. 17

|dates= 1914 – 1923

|country={{flag|United Kingdom}}

|allegiance=

|branch={{army|United Kingdom}}

|type= Infantry

|role=

|size= Division

|command_structure=

|garrison=

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|current_commander=

|ceremonial_chief=

|colonel_of_the_regiment=

|notable_commanders=Edward Bulfin

|identification_symbol=

|identification_symbol_2=

|nickname=

|patron=

|motto=

|colors=

|march=

|mascot=

|battles={{Tree list}}

{{tree list/end}}

|anniversaries=

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}}

The 28th Division was an infantry division of the British Army raised for service in World War I.

History

File:Royal Fusiliers in trench Macedonia 1917 IWM Q 32896.jpg manning a trench near Bairakli Jum'a in Macedonia, May 1917.]]

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 Second Battle of Ypres, where they suffered massive casualties, and in the Battle of Loos. In October 1915 the 28th Division embarked from Marseilles for Egypt and in November 1915 travelled 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 in Turkey on peacekeeping duties until October 1923.Becke, pp. 112–6.Wakefield & Moody, pp. 225–32.

Order of battle

The division was composed of the following units during World War I:Becke, pp. 106–111.{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=28th Division |url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/28th-division/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=17 November 2018}}

=[[83rd Brigade (United Kingdom)|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.

=[[84th Brigade (United Kingdom)|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.

=[[85th Brigade (United Kingdom)|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.

=[[228th Brigade (United Kingdom)|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){{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=King's (Liverpool Regiment) |url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/kings-liverpool-regiment/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=17 November 2018}}
  • 2/5th (T.F.) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (joined March 1917){{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=Durham Light Infantry|url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/durham-light-infantry/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=17 November 2018}}
  • 1st Garrison Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (joined March 1917){{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=Seaforth Highlanders |url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/seaforth-highlanders-ross-shire-buffs-the-duke-of-albanys/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=17 November 2018}}
  • 2nd Garrison Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (joined March 1917, left August 1917)){{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=Royal Irish Fusiliers|url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/princess-victorias-royal-irish-fusiliers/ |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=17 November 2018}}
  • 22nd (Wessex & Welsh) Battalion, Rifle Brigade (joined November 1916){{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |title=Royal Irish Fusiliers|url=http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/the-rifle-brigade-1914-1918// |website=The Long, Long Trail |access-date=17 November 2018}}
  • 228th Machine Gun Company (formed 11 September 1917, became 277th Company)
  • 228th Trench Mortar Company (formed 18 September 1917)
  • 228th Signal Section, Royal Engineers (formed 15 March 1917)
  • 143rd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (formed 19 March 1917)

=Division Troops=

  • 23rd (Service) Battalion (Welsh Pioneers), Welsh Regiment (joined August 1916)
  • 28th Divisional Train Army Service Corps
  • 120th, 121st, 122nd and 123rd Companies (joined from 13th (Western) Division in November 1915)
  • 17th Mobile Veterinary Section Army Veterinary Corps
  • 819th Divisional Employment Company (formed 14 September 1917)
  • 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 Army Cyclist Corps (joined 29 December 1914, left to join XVI Corps on 8 December 1916){{cite web|url=https://salonikacampaignsociety.org.uk/2016/12/09/16-corps-cyclists/ |title=One hundred years ago: the formation of 16th Corps Cyclist Battalion |last=Hutt|first=Andy|publisher=The Salonika Campaign Society |date=9 December 2016 |access-date=21 March 2024}}

=[[Royal Artillery]]=

  • III Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (R.F.A)
  • XXXI Brigade, R.F.A.
  • CLXLVI Brigade R.F.A. (left August 1917)
  • LIV Brigade, R.F.A. (joined August 1917)
  • VIII (Howitzer Brigade R.F.A. (attached from 5th Division between 21 February and 23 June 1915)
  • 71st and 121st Heavy Batteries, Royal Garrison Artillery (R.G.A.) (joined 18 January 1915, left 6 April 1915)
  • 61st Howitzer Battery, R.F.A. (attached between 21 February and June 1915)
  • CXXX (Howitzer) Brigade, R.F.A. (joined September 1915)
  • 13 Heavy Battery, R.G.A. (joined 23 October 1915 from 13th (Western) Division, left 26 February 1916, for XXXVII Heavy Brigade)
  • 7th Mountain Battery, R.G.A. (attached between 30 December 1915 and 18 June 1916)
  • IV Highland (Mountain) Brigade, R.G.A. (joined December 1916, left 10 September 1918)
  • III Mountain Brigade, R.G.A. (joined 16 September 1918)
  • 28th Divisional Ammunition Column (formed by Territorials from the Wessex (Hampshire) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery)

=[[Royal Engineers]]=

=[[Royal Army Medical Corps]]=

  • 84th (1/2nd London) Field Ambulance
  • 85th (1/3rd London) Field Ambulance
  • 86th (2nd Northumbrian) Field Ambulance
  • 15th (London) Sanitary Section

Commanders

:*Acting: Brigadier-General H. S. L. Ravenshaw (18 May 1916)

  • Major-General H. L. Croker (21 May 1916)

:*Acting: Brigadier-General E. M. Morris (27 January 1917)

  • Major-General H. L. Croker (8 March 1917)
  • Major-General T. O. Marden (8 November 1920)
  • Colonel-Commandant A. S. Cotton (19 March 1923)

See also

{{Portal|United Kingdom}}

Notes

{{reflist}}

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}}.
  • {{cite book|last1=Chappell|first1=Mike|title=British Battle Insignia (1). 1914–18|date=1986|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=Oxford|ISBN=9780850457278|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/britishbattleins00mike}}
  • 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

  • [http://www.1914-1918.net/28div.htm 28th Division History – British Army in the Great War]
  • [http://www.ordersofbattle.darkscape.net/site/warpath/divs/28_div.htm Order of Battles World War I] (link fails)
  • (https://web.archive.org/web/20081224025737/http://www.ordersofbattle.com/)

{{British Army Divisions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:28 Infantry Division}}

Category:Infantry divisions of the British Army in World War I

Category:Military units and formations established in 1914

Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1923

Category:1914 establishments in the United Kingdom