23rd (Northumbrian) Division

For the equivalent formation in World War I, see 23rd Division (United Kingdom).
23rd (Northumbrian) Division
Active 2 October 1939 – 30 June 1940
Country  United Kingdom
Allegiance British Crown
Branch  British Army
Type Motorised Infantry
Size Division (two Brigades)
Engagements

Second World War

Battle of France

The 23rd (Northumbrian) Division was a motorised infantry division of the British Army that saw active service in World War II in France in 1940, later being disbanded. The division was raised in the Territorial Army as a 2nd Line duplicate of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division.[lower-alpha 1]

History

Formation

The units that were to form the 23rd Division were first formed at cadre level (25 officers and men) in their parent formations in March 1939 on the doubling of the Territorial Army.[3] These units were embodied on 1 September but continued to be administered by their parent units until the Brigade and Division headquarters were formed on 2 October.[4] Although issued rifles, there was little training aside from drill parade, and most of the time was spent guarding locations in the North East of England.[5] On 22 April 1940 the Division was shipped to France.[6]

France 1940

Along with two other divisions, the 12th (Eastern) and 46th Infantry Division, it joined the British Expeditionary Force as a labour and training division.[7] The division travelled to France without any of its artillery, a much reduced signals detachment without radios, few administration units and a reduced rear echelon (R.A.S.C. and R.A.M.C.).[8] The infantry had only its rifles and 14 Bren light machine guns and less than 10 Boys anti tank rifles and a few 2" mortars per battalion, there were no carriers and a limited amount of impressed civilian transport. Few had been trained in the use of the Bren gun and some had not been trained in the use of their rifles. The division was moved to the region around St Pol to build airstrips, this was to be inter-spaced with continued military training.[9]

The German advance until noon, 16 May 1940

After the threat from the German breakthrough became apparent to the British, and on 17 May the partly trained division was ordered up to defend a 16 miles (26 km) front along the Canal du Nord 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Cambrai, forming the right of the British line.[10] The canal was dry and there were no tools with which to prepare further defences. in addition its right flank was open.[11] Outflanked, and faced with five German Panzer divisions, the infantry and engineers fell back towards Arras, doing what they could to hold up the enemy and suffering heavy casualties in the process, and by 27 May had retreated into the Dunkirk perimeter, by which time it was incapable of further action.[6][12][13][14][15][16][17]

Disbandment

On its return to Britain, after the Dunkirk evacuation, the 23rd Division was disbanded due to the heavy losses it had suffered. Its component units, however, would go on to see further action; the 69th Infantry Brigade (with 233 Field Company, Royal Engineers) was assigned to the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, the division's 1st-Line counterpart, and the 70th Infantry Brigade was assigned to the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division.[6]

Its Machine Gun and Motorcycle battalions, the 8th and 9th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, would also survive with the 9th surviving until February 1942 as the Machine Gun Battalion for the 18th Infantry Division until its capture during the Battle of Singapore and the 8th would survive until the end of the war having been converted to the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps under the 3rd Infantry Division right up until the end of the war. The remaining engineer companies continued as part of Home Forces.[12]

Commanders

Order of Battle

From[6]
69th Infantry Brigade

70th Infantry Brigade

Divisional troops

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ In the First World War the 2nd line duplicate of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division was the 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division. This lead an undistinguished career in the Home forces before being disbanded in July 1916.[1] The number was reused by the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. The 23rd Division was a Kitchener's Army Division which served on the Western Front and Italy, its men winning nine V.C.s. Although not designated a 'Northern' division, it contained many of the same infantry regiments as the 50th, Northumberland Fusiliers, Durham Light Infantry and Green Howards (known as The Yorkshire Regiment pre 1920's) .[2]

Citations

  1. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division.". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  2. ↑ Barker, Chris. "23rd Division". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  3. ↑ Ward p. 460
  4. ↑ Joslen pps. 299, 301
  5. ↑ Cheall pp. 4-6
  6. 1 2 3 4 Joslen p. 62
  7. ↑ Ellis, France & Flanders, p. 21.
  8. ↑ Niehorster, Leo. "23rd Division BEF". World War II Armed Forces. Orders of Battle and Organizations. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  9. ↑ Rissik pp. 8-9
  10. ↑ Rissik p. 36
  11. ↑ Ellis p. 78
  12. 1 2 Richard A. Rinaldi, Royal Engineers, World War II at Orbat.com Archived 4 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ Ellis, France & Flanders, p. 65.
  14. ↑ Ellis, France & Flanders, pp. 76–81.
  15. ↑ Ellis, France & Flanders, p. 89.
  16. ↑ Ellis, France & Flanders, p. 188.
  17. ↑ Ellis, France & Flanders, p. 225.

References

External links

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