British 21 Infantry Division on the Western Front 1914
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Centre for First World War Studies BRITISH 21ST INFANTRY DIVISION ON THE WESTERN FRONT 1914 - 1918 A CASE STUDY IN TACTICAL EVOLUTION by KATHRYN LOUISE SNOWDEN A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Modern History School of Historical Studies The University of Birmingham March 2001 i University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT This MPhil thesis is a case study of the British 21st Infantry Division on the Western Front during the First World War. It examines the progress of the division, analysing the learning curve of tactical evolution that some historians maintain was experienced by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). 21st Division was a New Army division, typical of those raised after the declaration of war, and its performance throughout the war may be regarded as indicative of the progress or otherwise of these units within the BEF. The conclusions are drawn through an assessment of 21st Division in four battles during the war. The achievements of the division are analysed using a series of performance indicators, taking into account variables such as the weather, the terrain, and the enemy. The relative successes and failures of 21st Division at each of these battles demonstrates the extent of tactical evolution and the smoothness or otherwise of the learning curve both during and by the end of the war. ii For my great-grandfather Corporal F. Clifford, late Royal Warwickshire Regiment, who came back, and my great-uncle, Corporal R.G. Turrell, late Royal Field Artillery, who did not iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have spent the last eighteen months researching and writing this MPhil thesis, and there are so many people during that time who have helped and assisted me that I’m sure I’ll forget someone. To all the forgotten – my apologies, and thank you. Of those I can remember, the most obvious person to begin with is Dr John Bourne, who has guided me through nearly five years at university, who has nurtured my interest in the war and transformed it into a passion, and who has been an endless source of advice, guidance and assistance. To him I am eternally grateful. Also in an academic vein, I have to thank Professor Peter Simkins, who read and re- read the text, and whose many suggestions, pointers and (constructive) criticisms dented my ego and self-belief, but eventually made my work stronger. For their assistance in the research aspect of my thesis, I would like to thank Simon Robbins and the staff of the Department of Documents at the Imperial War Museum; Adrian Ailes, William Spencer and the rest of the staff at the Public Record Office; Major Randal Cross from the Durham Light Infantry Office; A.L. Clark from Leicester City Council; Major C.M.J. Deedes from the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Office; Brigadier Alistair Fife from the Somerset Light Infantry Office; Captain P.H.D Marr from the Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland; and Lieutenant-Colonel N.D. McIntosh MBE and Justin Sheppy from the Green Howards Regimental Headquarters. In terms of financial support I would like to thank the Department of Modern History and the School of Historical Studies at the University of Birmingham for the bursary award which covered my initial fees; my friends and colleagues at MENCAP, Birmingham, particularly Diane Grimmitt and Julia Wise, who kept finding me jobs and effectively funding my studies for over fifteen months; and finally the parental piggy bank, which has been extraordinarily generous not just for the past eighteen months, but throughout my entire university career. To that I owe my deepest gratitude. I would also like to extend my warmest thanks and appreciation to a number of other people, in strictly alphabetical order: Mrs Christine Bluck and Miss Jenny Pooler in the Postgraduate Office, for their advice, assistance and good humour in dealing with my many enquiries; Henry Buglass, for the maps included at the end of this thesis; Dave Charnley and Charlotte Mulley for their hospitality and company whilst I was researching in London; Mike Iavarone from the Trenches on the Web site; David Jordan, who inspired in me an affection for Major-General Campbell through his many aeroplane anecdotes; and lastly to the Walls clan, for their continuing friendship and support. I also have to thank my many friends and all my family for their support – there are too many to name, but I hope they’ll forgive me if I extend particular thanks to Jen and Suze, who probably know more than most the hard graft its been finishing this work. Finally, I have to thank my parents and Rob, whose unstinting love, support and belief in me were the driving force behind my studies. Their enthusiasm for my work and their confidence in my abilities never wavered, even when mine did, and without them I would surely have given up long ago. This is for them. iv CONTENTS Introduction The Place of the Division within the Tactical Debate 6 st 21 Division 10 Command 16 Battles 20 Sources 24 Methods of Assessment 29 CHAPTER 1 – BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT Sources 39 Context 43 Aims 44 Method 44 Order of Battle 46 Resources 47 Terrain 49 Enemy 51 Results 52 Casualties 59 Conclusions 60 CHAPTER 2 – BROODSEINDE Sources 63 Context 67 Aims 69 Method 69 Order of Battle 72 Resources 73 Terrain 77 Enemy 80 Results 81 Casualties 90 Conclusions 91 CHAPTER 3 – MIRAUMONT Sources 96 Context 100 Aims 103 Method 103 Order of Battle 105 Resources 106 Terrain 108 v Enemy 110 Results 111 Casualties 116 Conclusions 117 CHAPTER 4 – THE BEAUREVOIR LINE Sources 120 Context 123 Aims 125 Method 125 Order of Battle 126 Resources 127 Terrain 129 Enemy 130 Results 132 Casualties 137 Conclusions 138 CONCLUSION 140 MAPS 145 APPENDICES 153 Biographical Index 171 Bibliography 182 vi List of Maps Bazentin-le-Petit I General British Attack 145 II Divisional Area of Attack 146 Broodseinde III General British Attack 147 IV Divisional Area of Attack 148 Miraumont V General British Attack 149 VI Divisional Area of Attack 150 The Beaurevoir Line VII General British Attack 151 VIII Divisional Area of Attack 152 vii List of Appendices Bazentin-le-Petit I Plans for Future Operations 153 II Order of Battle: General British Attack 157 III Order of Battle: Divisional Attack 158 IV CSM Stafford’s letter to the wounded Captain Ward 159 Broodseinde V Brief Plan of Operations 161 VI Order of Battle: General British Attack 164 VII Order of Battle: Divisional Attack 165 VIII Ammunition Dumps 166 Miraumont IX Order of Battle: General British Attack 167 X Order of Battle: Divisional Attack 168 The Beaurevoir Line XI Order of Battle: General British Attack 169 XII Order of Battle: Divisional Attack 170 viii Abbreviations and Definitions ANZAC Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. Battery A group of six guns or howitzers. Bde. Brigade. BEF British Expeditionary Force. BGGS Brigadier-General, General Staff. The most senior staff officer in a corps. BGRA Brigadier-General, Royal Artillery. The most senior gunner in a division. Bn. / Bttn. Battalion. CIGS Chief of the Imperial General Staff. C-in-C Commander in Chief. CRA Commander, Royal Artillery. The most senior gunner officer attached to a formation. CRE Commander, Royal Engineers. The most senior engineer officer attached to a formation. CSM Company Sergeant Major. DA & QMG Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster-General; effectively the senior staff position in a battalion, usually a captain. Enfilade To fire down a trench or at a row of men lengthways, rather than crosswise. A particularly lethal way of firing, as it is far less likely that bullets or shells will fall short or over their target. In addition, the target itself is denser – a row of 50 men, one deep, is equivalent to a column of 50 when enfiladed. FOO Forward Observation Officer for artillery batteries. GHQ General Headquarters; the headquarters of the Commander- in-Chief. GOC General Officer Commanding. ix GSO1 General Staff Officer – the number indicates seniority, 1 being the most senior. Gun High velocity artillery piece with a flat trajectory; seldom fired at an angle greater than 20°. HE High Explosive. Howitzer An artillery piece firing a heavier projectile at a lower velocity than a gun of a similar calibre, and at a higher angle. Can be fired with a variable charge. IWM Imperial War Museum KiA Killed in action. Lewis Gun The standard light machine-gun of the British army. It weighed 26lb (unloaded) and could be fired by one man, but several more were required to carry drums of ammunition. It had an unfortunate tendency to jam in wet and dirty conditions, of which there were no shortage on the Western Front. MGGS Major-General, General Staff; the senior staff officer in an Army. MGRA Major-General, Royal Artillery; the senior gunner in an Army. MiA Missing in action. MiD Mentioned in Despatches. NCO Non-commissioned Officer, such as a corporal or sergeant. OH The Official History of the Great War, Military Operations – France and Flanders, compiled by Edmonds. OP Observation Post.