List of commanders of the British 55th Division

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West Lancashire Division
55th (West Lancashire) Division
55th (West Lancashire) Motor Division
55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division
Photograph of Hugh Jeudwine
A portrait of Hugh Jeudwine, the general officer commanding who led the division in combat during the First World War.
Active1908–1945
Country United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg Territorial Force (1908–1920)
Flag of the British Army.svg Territorial Army (1921–1945)
Peacetime HQLiverpool
EngagementsFirst World War
Second World War

The 55th Division was an infantry division of the British Army, which was first formed in 1902 and finally disbanded in 1945. The division was commanded by a general officer commanding (GOC). In this role, he would receive orders from a level above him in the chain of command, and then use the forces within the division to undertake the mission assigned. In addition to directing the tactical battle the division was involved in, the GOC oversaw a staff and the administrative, logistical, medical, training, and discipline of the division.[1] The 55th Division had 20 different permanent GOCs over its 37–year history.

In the opening years of the 20th century, the British Army implemented a series of reforms based on lessons learnt during the Second Boer War (1899–1902). This included the formation of the Territorial Force in 1907, and the West Lancashire Division the following year.[2] The initial intent for the force, and the division, was to take over the defence of the country when the regular army was abroad on military service. At the time of its creation, territorials were limited to only serving within the UK. As European tensions increased, the Imperial Service Obligation was introduced in 1910. This allowed territorials to volunteer for overseas service, and it was believed that at least one quarter of the men would volunteer for oversea service on the outbreak of war.[3] Following the start of the First World War, in 1914, and through into 1915, those who had volunteered were transferred to formations fighting on Western Front in France. Those who did not volunteer, were used to form the 2nd West Lancashire Division and by April 1915 the West Lancashire Division had ceased to exist.[4][5][6] The division was reformed as the 55th (West Lancashire) Division, in France during January 1916. It proceeded to fight in the battles of the Somme, Passchendaele, Cambrai, Estaires, and the Hundred Days Offensive.[6] Between being reformed and the end of hostilities, the division suffered almost 36,000 casualties, with 6,520 men killed.[7] The division was demobolised in Belgium in 1920, and then reformed in the UK.[6]

In 1921, the Territorial Force was reconstituted as the Territorial Army (TA), and the division became part of the latter.[8] In 1938, the 55th was reorganized as a motor division that saw a decrease in infantry and artillery allocated to it, but an increase in motor vehicles. The intended design was for the formation to be able to keep pace with an armoured division, and consolidate territory by the former.[9] As tensions increased between Germany and the United Kingdom and its allies, the TA was expanded in 1939 and the 55th assisted in the creation of the 59th (Staffordshire) Motor Division.[10][11] During the Second World War, which broke out in September 1939, the division did not leave the United Kingdom. In June 1940, the motor division concept was abandoned, and the division was reorganised as an infantry formation and was then known as the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division.[12] The division was used to defend the UK from a potential German invasion, as a training formation, and a source of reinforcements for formations fighting overseas. The division was also used for deception purposes and was included within the Operation Fortitude effort, to within divert German resources away from Normandy, France, where Allied forces would land to start the process of liberating German-occupied Western Europe. At the end of the war, the remnant of the division was disbanded when the British army demobilised. The TA was reformed in 1947, on a much smaller scale, and did not include the 55th.[13]

General officer commanding[]

See also: General officer commanding
General officer commanding
No. Appointment date Rank General officer commanding Notes Source(s)
1 1 April 1908 Major-General Edward Dickson The division was formed in Lancashire, England [14][15]
2 6 July 1909 Major-General Edward Bethune [16]
3 3 June 1912 Major-General Walter Lindsay During Lindsay's tenure, the division started to mobilise for the First World War. [17][18]
4 5 August 1914 Major-General Frederick Hammersley In August, those of the division who volunteered for overseas service were split from those who did not. The latter were grouped together and were used to form the 2nd West Lancashire Division. [19][20]
5 3 September 1914 Major-General John Forster Between October 1914 and May 1915, the division was used as a source of reinforcements for formations in France, fighting on the Western Front. The division ceased to exist in May, once the final troops were dispatched overseas or sent to join the 2nd West Lancashire Division. [21][22]
6 3 January 1916 Major-General Hugh Jeudwine The division was reformed as the 55th (West Lancashire) Division, in France, and served on the Western Front for the duration of the war. Following the end of the war, it moved into Belgium where it started to demobilise. [23]
7 29 May 1919 Major-General Reginald Barnes Under Barne's tenure, the division finished demobilising in Belgium. In April 1920, it was reformed in England. [6][24]
8 1 April 1921 Major-General Lothian Nicholson In 1921, the Territorial Force was reconstituted as the Territorial Army (TA), and the division became part of the TA. [25][26]
9 1 April 1925 Major-General Hugo de Pree [27]
10 16 July 1926 Major-General Basil Hitchcock [28]
11 14 September 1928 Major-General Harold Higginson [29]
12 14 September 1932 Major-General George Weir [30]
13 1 January 1934 Major-General James Cooke-Collis [31]
14 5 December 1935 Major-General Ernest Lewin [32]
15 1 June 1938 Major-General Vivian Majendie Under Majendie's tenure, the division was reoganised as the 55th (West Lancashire) Motor Division, assisted in the creation of the 59th (Staffordshire) Motor Division, and mobilised for the Second World War. [33][34]
16 1 June 1941 Major-General William Morgan In June 1940, the motor division concept was abandoned and the division was reorganised as an infantry formation. It was now known as the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division. [35]
Acting 13 October 1941 Brigadier Rupert Brett [36]
17 30 October 1941 Major-General Frederick Morgan Starting in late 1941, the division acted as a source of reinforcements for fighting formations overseas. [37]
18 14 May 1942 Major-General Hugh Hibbert [36]
19 15 August 1943 Major-General Walter Clutterbuck In December 1943, the division left England and moved to Northern Ireland. During this period, it became part of the Operation Fortitude deception effort. This aimed to divert German resources away from Normandy, France, where Allied forces would land to start the process of liberating German-occupied Western Europe. [38]
20 13 July 1944 Major-General Horatio Berney-Ficklin During July 1944, the division returned to the mainland of the UK. It has also been drained of manpower to the point of being disbanded. The formation was used for training purposes, while also maintaining its deception role. At the end of the war, it was disbanded when the British army demobilised. The TA was reformed in 1947, on a much smaller scale, and did not include the division. [39]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Haythornthwaite 2016, The Divisional System.
  2. ^ Perry 1988, pp. 4–6; Hall 1910, p. 210.
  3. ^ Perry 1988, p. 6; Beckett 1991, p. 215; Hall 2011, p. 20.
  4. ^ Coop 1919, p. 22.
  5. ^ Becke 1989b, p. 6.
  6. ^ a b c d Becke 1989a, pp. 138–139.
  7. ^ Coop 1919, pp. 167–168.
  8. ^ Messenger 1994, pp. 41–42.
  9. ^ French 2001, pp. 37–41.
  10. ^ Bell 1997, pp. 3–4.
  11. ^ Messenger 1994, p. 49.
  12. ^ Joslen 2003, pp. 90–91; French 2001, pp. 189–191; Perry 1988, p. 54.
  13. ^ Joslen 2003, p. 90–91; Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 1952, p. 181; Newbold 1988, pp. 43, 48–49; Hesketh 2000, pp. 65, 152, 326; Holt 2004, p. 922.
  14. ^ "No. 28126". The London Gazette. 7 April 1908. p. 2672.
  15. ^ Who's Who 1910, p. 527.
  16. ^ "No. 28269". The London Gazette. 9 July 1909. p. 5282.
  17. ^ "No. 28615". The London Gazette. 7 June 1912. p. 4135.
  18. ^ Becke 1989a, p. 133.
  19. ^ Becke 1989a, p. 133; Becke 1989b, p. 6.
  20. ^ "No. 28921". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 September 1914. p. 7787.
  21. ^ Becke 1989a, pp. 133–139; Becke 1989b, p. 6.
  22. ^ "No. 28895". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 September 1914. p. 7176.
  23. ^ Coop 1919, p. 23; Becke 1989a, pp. 133–139.
  24. ^ "No. 31417". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 June 1919. p. 8014.
  25. ^ "No. 32274". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 March 1921. p. 2546.
  26. ^ Dawnay & Headlam 1922, p. 420; Messenger 1994, pp. 41–42.
  27. ^ "No. 33036". The London Gazette. 7 April 1925. p. 2371.
  28. ^ "No. 33185". The London Gazette. 23 July 1926. p. 4870. and "No. 33424". The London Gazette. 25 September 1928. p. 6218.
  29. ^ "No. 33424". The London Gazette. 25 September 1928. p. 6218.
  30. ^ "No. 33865". The London Gazette. 20 September 1932. p. 5956.
  31. ^ "No. 34011". The London Gazette. 2 January 1934. p. 56.
  32. ^ "No. 34242". The London Gazette. 14 January 1936. p. 309.
  33. ^ "No. 34517". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 June 1938. p. 3639.
  34. ^ Messenger 1994, p. 49; French 2001, pp. 37–41.
  35. ^ Joslen 2003, p. 90; French 2001, pp. 189–191; Perry 1988, p. 54.
  36. ^ a b Joslen 2003, p. 90.
  37. ^ Joslen 2003, p. 90; Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 1952, p. 181.
  38. ^ Hesketh 2000, pp. 65, 152, 326; Joslen 2003, pp. 90–91; Holt 2004, p. 922.
  39. ^ Hesketh 2000, pp. 65, 152, 326; Joslen 2003, pp. 90–91; Holt 2004, p. 922; Messenger 1994, p. 157; Allport 2009, pp. 26, 43.

References[]

  • Allport, Alan (2009). Demobbed: Coming Home After the Second World War. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-14043-9.
  • Becke, A. F. (1989a) [1935]. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56). Malpas, Newport: Ray Westlake – Military Books. ISBN 978-1-871-16712-2.
  • Becke, A. F. (1989b) [1937]. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions. Malpas, Newport: Ray Westlake – Military Books. ISBN 978-1-871-16700-9.
  • Beckett, Ian Frederick William (1991). The Amateur Military Tradition, 1558–1945. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-719-02912-7.
  • Bell, P. M. H. (1997). The Origins of the Second World War in Europe (2nd ed.). London: Pearson. ISBN 978-0-582-30470-3.
  • Coop, J. O. (1919). The Story of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division. Liverpool: Liverpool Daily Post Printers. OCLC 459410412. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  • Dawnay, G. P.; Headlam, Cuthbert, eds. (1922). The Army Quarterly. Vol. IV. London: West of England Press. OCLC 7295943.
  • French, David (2001) [2000]. Raising Churchill's Army: The British Army and the War Against Germany 1919–1945. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-924630-4.
  • Hall, Brian (2011) [1997]. Aspects of Birmingham: Discovering Local History. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-1-848-84422-3.
  • Hall, Hammond (1910). Hazell's Annual for 1910. London: Hazell, Watson and Viney. OCLC 163066551.
  • Haythornthwaite, Philip (2016). Picton's Division at Waterloo. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78159-102-4.
  • Hesketh, Roger (2000). Fortitude: The D-Day Deception Campaign. Woodstock: Overlook Hardcover. ISBN 978-1-585-67075-8.
  • Holt, Thaddeus (2004). The Deceivers: Allied Military Deception in the Second World War. New York: Scribner. ISBN 978-0-743-25042-9.
  • Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1990]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.
  • Messenger, Charles (1994). For Love of Regiment 1915–1994. A History of British Infantry. Vol. II. London: Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-0-85052-422-2.
  • Newbold, David John (1988). British Planning And Preparations To Resist Invasion on Land, September 1939 – September 1940 (PhD thesis). London: King's College London. OCLC 556820697.
  • Perry, Frederick William (1988). The Commonwealth Armies: Manpower and Organisation in Two World Wars. War, Armed Forces and Society. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-719-02595-2.
  • Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (1952). Historical Records of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. Vol. VI. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons. OCLC 222265108.
  • Who's Who. London: A & C Black. 1910. OCLC 866511400.
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