| Unit Name: | 39th Division |
| Dates: | 1915–1919 |
| Country: |  United Kingdom |
| Type: | Infantry |
| Size: | Division |
| Notable Commanders: | Gerald Cuthbert Neill Malcolm Cyril Blacklock |
The 39th Division was an infantry formation of the British Army, raised as part of Kitchener's New Armies during World War I. It did not have a regional title, but was composed primarily of recruits from the Midlands, London, and the south of England. Most of its original units had been raised by local communities, and bore the names of their towns or sponsors. After training and home service, it deployed to the Western Front in early 1916 and saw action at the Somme, at Ypres and against the German spring offensive of 1918. Following near-destruction at the Battle of the Lys, the division was reduced to a cadre, which spent the remainder of the war training newly arrived units of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). It was disbanded in July 1919 after the end of the war.
On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army. The newly-appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'.[1] [2] The K2, K3 and K4 battalions, brigades and divisions followed soon afterwards. But the flood of volunteers overwhelmed the ability of the Army to absorb them, and by the time the Fifth New Army (K5) was authorised, many of its constituent units were being organised as 'Pals battalions' under the auspices of mayors and corporations of towns up and down the country. On 10 December 1914 the War Office (WO) authorised the formation of another six divisions and their brigades to command these K5 units, including 39th Division consisting of 116th, 117th and 118th Brigades.[3]
However, on 10 April 1915 the WO decided to convert the K4 battalions into reserve units. The K4 divisions and brigades were broken up and the K5 formations took over their numbers, so that 39th Division became 32nd Division. A new 39th Division was authorised on 27 April and authorisation for three new infantry brigades – 116th, 117th and 118th – was issued on 12 July 1915, but in practice 116th Bde was created by renumbering 121st Bde from the original 40th Division, and only 117th and 118th were newly-formed.[3] [4] [5] [6]
The new 39th Division began to assemble around Winchester in Hampshire early in August 1915, but when it moved to Aldershot at the end of September it still consisted of little more than 117th Bde Headquarters (HQ) and three of its battalions. In November the division moved to Witley Camp in Surrey, where the remaining units joined and it completed its training. Mobilisation orders were received during February 1916, but it was considered that the Pals battalions of 118th Bde were not yet ready for active service. They were left behind and 118th Bde Headquarters (HQ) went to Le Havre in France on 23 February to take over command of five experienced Territorial Force battalions that had been sent as reinforcements to various formations on the Western Front earlier in the war. After some delays the rest of the division began entrainment for Southampton Docks on 2 March. Disembarkation at Le Havre was completed on 8 March and the division concentrated round Blaringhem in First Army's area by 11 March.[5] [6]
The Division took part in the following actions:[5] [6]
1916
1917
1918
The General Officer Commanding, Major-General Edward Feetham, was killed in action on 29 March 1918.[5] [7]
After its heavy casualties, including the loss of its commander, 39th Divisional HQ was withdrawn, but its infantry brigades were combined into a single composite brigade. This brigade as well as the divisional artillery, continued fighting:[5]
39th Division Composite Brigade:
39th Divisional Artillery:
On 6 May 1918 the remnants of the composite brigade rejoined divisional HQ at Eperlecques, near Saint-Omer where the infantry battalions were reduced to Training Cadres (TCs). A TC generally comprised 10 officers and 45 ORs and their surplus personnel were drafted as reinforcements to other units. A large number of TCs from other formations were also transferred into 39th Division, and on 7 May they began preparing the 77th US Division for front-line service. On 7 June 39th Divisional HQ moved to Wolphus, also near Saint-Omer, and over the next two months its TCs trained the 30th, 78th and 80th US Divisions in turn. In mid-August 39th Division moved to the French coast. On 1 November the division. was ordered to demobilise its remaining TCs, and this was completed before hostilities ended when the Armistice with Germany came into force on 11 November. 117th and 118th Bdes were disbanded on 18 November and 4 December respectively, but 197th Bde joined on 18 November from Line of communication duties and the division took over No 2 Line of Communication Reception Camp (for malarial convalescents) at Martin-Église, was redesignated 117th Bde on 19 November. In December 116th Bde HQ went to Le Havre to form the staff of the embarkation camp, while in January 1919 197th Bde moved to the General Base Reinforcement Depot at No 8 Camp, Le Havre. The transport was disbanded on 29 January, except 287th Company, which became Fifth Army Horse Transport Vehicle Reception Park until it disbanded on 25 April. 39th Divisional HQ moved to Rouen on 5 March and in June its remaining units were gradually disbanded. Divisional HQ closed down on 10 July 1919.[5] [8]
The following formations and units served with the division:[5] [6]
116th Brigade
Originally numbered 121st Bde intended for the 40th Division of the Fifth New Army; renumbered 12 July 1915. The brigade's first commander was Brigadier-General Reginald Barnes. Became staff of embarkation camp, Le Havre, December 1918.[5]
117th Brigade
Formed 21 July 1915. Disbanded on 18 November 1918, but 39th Division took over No 2 Line of Communication Reception Camp (for malarial convalescents) at Martin-Église, which was redesignated 117th Bde on 19 November.[5]
118th Brigade
Formed 21 July 1915. Disbanded 18 November 1918.[5]
39th Divisional Composite Brigade
Formed 10 April 1918 after the Division suffered heavy losses and placed under command of Brig-Gen. A. Hubback. Fought in the Battles of the Lys as an independent command attached to XXII Corps. Returned to Division and men deployed to old units by 6 May 1918.
197th Brigade
Previously 197th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade of 66th Division; joined 39th Division from Line of Communications 18 November 1918 with eight TCs under command.[5] 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery
The whole divisional artillery was raised by the Mayor and Corporation of Deptford; operated as an independent formation after April 1918[5] [6] [9] [10]
39th (Stockton on Tees) Divisional Engineers
The Royal Engineers field companies were raised by the Mayor and Town of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, and joined on 7 October 1915. The divisional signal company was recruited at Norbury, South London, by the British Empire Committee.[5] [6] [11] [12]
39th Divisional Train, Army Service Corps
Companies formed 6 March 1915[13]
Divisional Troops
Training Cadres
Those directly commanded by 39th Divisional HQ were:[5]