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Español12TH (EASTERN) DIVISION (UNITED KINGDOM)
(Redirected from British 12th (Eastern) Division)
The '12th (Eastern) Division', was one of the Kitchener's Army divisions raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener. It fought on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War. One of its most notable actions was the Battle of Epehy.
In World War I the division's insignia was the "Ace of Spades".
The Division was reformed as a second line Territorial Army formation just before the start of the Second World War, a duplicate of the 44th Home Counties Division.
As such it contained mostly half trained units, some of whom had not even fired their rifles. In April 1940 the 12th Infantry, along with the 23rd Infantry and 46th Infantry Divisions , were sent as pioneer units to France. They were all under-equipped and did not have their signal, Royal Artillery or administrative units with them.
When the German attacks began on May 10 1940 only every third battalion had done a week's training. As a result the 12th Infantry suffered heavy casualties during the Battle of France and the subsequent retreat to and evacuation from Dunkirk .
As a result of its high proportion of casualties (the 36th Infantry Brigade having been over run and destroyed on May 20 1940) the 12th Infantry Division was disbanded on July 11 1940.
; '35th Brigade' :
★ 7th Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment
★ 7th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment
★ 9th Battalion, The Essex Regiment
★ 5th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment)
★ 1/1st Battalion, The Cambridge Regiment
; '36th Brigade' :
★ 8th Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
★ 9th Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
★ 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment
★ 11th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)
; '37th Brigade' :
★ 6th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
★ 6th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
★ 7th Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment
★ 6th Battalion, The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
; 'Pioneers' :
★ 12th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment
(In France 1940)
★ 2/5th Bn, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
★ 2/6th Bn, The Queen's Royal Regiment
★ 2/7th Bn, The queen's Royal Regiment
★ 5th Bn, The Buffs
★ 6th Bn, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
★ 7th Bn, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
★ 6th Bn, The Royal Sussex Regiment
★ 2/6th Bn, The East Surrey Regiment
★ 7th Bn, The Royal Sussex Regiment
★ List of British divisions in WWI
★ The British Army in the Great War: The 12th (Eastern) Division
★ Source for level of Training of 12th Inf.Div.
★
| Contents |
| Unit history |
| Second World War |
| Structure World War I |
| Structure World War II |
| 35th Infantry Brigade |
| 36th Infantry Brigade |
| 37th Infantry Brigade |
| See also |
| External links |
Unit history
The '12th (Eastern) Division', was one of the Kitchener's Army divisions raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener. It fought on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War. One of its most notable actions was the Battle of Epehy.
In World War I the division's insignia was the "Ace of Spades".
Second World War
The Division was reformed as a second line Territorial Army formation just before the start of the Second World War, a duplicate of the 44th Home Counties Division.
As such it contained mostly half trained units, some of whom had not even fired their rifles. In April 1940 the 12th Infantry, along with the 23rd Infantry and 46th Infantry Divisions , were sent as pioneer units to France. They were all under-equipped and did not have their signal, Royal Artillery or administrative units with them.
When the German attacks began on May 10 1940 only every third battalion had done a week's training. As a result the 12th Infantry suffered heavy casualties during the Battle of France and the subsequent retreat to and evacuation from Dunkirk .
As a result of its high proportion of casualties (the 36th Infantry Brigade having been over run and destroyed on May 20 1940) the 12th Infantry Division was disbanded on July 11 1940.
Structure World War I
; '35th Brigade' :
★ 7th Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment
★ 7th Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment
★ 9th Battalion, The Essex Regiment
★ 5th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment)
★ 1/1st Battalion, The Cambridge Regiment
; '36th Brigade' :
★ 8th Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
★ 9th Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
★ 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment
★ 11th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)
; '37th Brigade' :
★ 6th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
★ 6th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
★ 7th Battalion, The East Surrey Regiment
★ 6th Battalion, The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
; 'Pioneers' :
★ 12th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment
Structure World War II
(In France 1940)
35th Infantry Brigade
★ 2/5th Bn, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
★ 2/6th Bn, The Queen's Royal Regiment
★ 2/7th Bn, The queen's Royal Regiment
36th Infantry Brigade
★ 5th Bn, The Buffs
★ 6th Bn, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
★ 7th Bn, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
37th Infantry Brigade
★ 6th Bn, The Royal Sussex Regiment
★ 2/6th Bn, The East Surrey Regiment
★ 7th Bn, The Royal Sussex Regiment
See also
★ List of British divisions in WWI
External links
★ The British Army in the Great War: The 12th (Eastern) Division
★ Source for level of Training of 12th Inf.Div.
★
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