The History of the Second Division 1914-1918. Volume 1 / Everard Wyrall.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wyrall, Everard, 1878-1937, author.

Series:

The History of the Second Division 1914-1918

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1914-1918--Regimental histories--United States.

World War, 1914-1918.

World War, 1914-1918--Campaigns--France.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (369 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

London, England : Andrews UK Limited, [2013]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Of the six pre-war regular divisions only two, 2nd and 5th, published a detailed history of their part in the Great War. The 2nd Division landed in France with the original BEF as part of I Corps (Haig) between 11 and 16 August 1914. It was not directly engaged at Mons and such casualties as were sustained (10 killed 80 wounded) were from artillery fire. During the retreat it was engaged at Landrecies (4th Guards Brigade) and Villers Cotterets but its first major battles were at the Marne and the Aisne, and subsequently it fought in all the battles of First Ypres. During the three months September to the end of November 1914 it suffered some 8,500 casualties.At the end of 1914 the division moved south to the Bethune sector where it remained throughout 1915, still in I Corps. It was at Festubert, Loos and the Hohenzollern Redoubt, which in all cost almost 9,000 casualties. In February 1916 it moved down to the Vimy sector in IV Corps where it stayed till July; the next move was to the Somme. Here the division had a protracted spell, till March 1917, during which time it was in action at Delville Wood, Guillemont and the Ancre incurring nearly 8,000 casualties. The 2nd was one of the few divisions not involved Third Ypres (July-November 1917) but it had earlier taken part in the April/May Arras offensive and later, in November/December, in the Battle of Cambrai. Throughout 1918 the division was in the line for much of the time, in the German offensive and in the Advance to Victory; its final action was the Battle of the Selle, 23-25 October. The final casualty figure was around 45,000. Seventeen VCs were won, and two of the commanders went on to greater things - Monro to Commander in Chief India, and Horne to command of First Army. The division took part in the march to the Rhine occupying the area around Cologne. In March 1919 the division ceased to exist as such when it was redesignated 'The Light Division.'The history is a very good one by probably the most prolific of all the authors of formation and regimental histories of the Great War. The detailed account is easy to follow and the Wyrall has taken care to name many individuals in the actions and events he is describing. Casualty details are given in appendices and in the text, and there is a nominal roll of divisional staff with all the changes throughout the war.

Contents:

Cover

Contents

Front matter

About The Naval &amp

Military Press

Frontispiece

Title page

Foreword

List of Maps

Introductory

Body matter

I. The German Invasion, 1914

The Retreat from Mons

The Battle of Mons

The Retreat

The Affair of Landrecies

The Retreat resumed

The Rearguard Actions of Villers-Cotterets

Advance to the Aisne

The Battle of the Marne

The Passage of the Petit-Morin

The Passage of the Marne

The Battle of the Aisne

Actions of the Aisne Heights and the Beginning of Trench Warfare

Operations in Flanders, 1914

The Battle of Ypres, 1914

The Battle of Langemarck

The Battle of Gheluvelt

Fighting from 1st to 10th November 1914

The Battle of Nonne Bosschen

The Operations of Lord Cavan's Force-30th October to 17th November 1914

II. Trench Warfare, 1914-1916

Winter Operations

Trench Warfare, 21st November 1914 to 28th January 1915

The Affairs of Cuinchy

Trench Warfare, 20th February to 9th March 1915

Summer Operations, 1915

The Battle of Neuve Chapelle

Trench Warfare, 14th March to 30th April 1915

The Battle of Festubert

Trench Warfare, 21st May to 24th September 1915

The Battle of Loos

Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt

Trench Warfare, November 1915 to July 1916

III. The Allied Offensive, 1916

The Battles of the Somme, 1916

The Battle of Delville Wood

The Battle of Guillemont

Trench Warfare, 19th August to 31st October

The Battle of the Ancre, 1916

Back matter

Appendices.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-78150-627-2

OCLC:

827208685