The History of the Second Division 1914-1918. Volume 2 / 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 (410 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

Frontispiece

Title page

Preface

List of Maps

Body matter

IV. The Advance to the Hindenburg Line

Operations on the Ancre

Trench Warfare, 13th January-16th February 1917

The Actions of Miraumont, 17th and 18th February 1917

The Capture of Irles, 10th March 1917

The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line, 14th to 19th March 1917

V. The Allied Offensives, 1917

The Battles of Arras, 1917

The Battle of Vimy Ridge, 9th to 14th April

Trench Warfare, 15th to 27th April

The Battle of Arleux, 28th to 29th April

The Third Battle of the Scarpe

A Note on the Situation in the Spring of 1917

The Second Division moves back to its old Sector

Trench Warfare, 20th June to 4th October

The Cambrai Operations

The Battle of Cambrai

The German Counter-Attacks

I

II

The Withdrawl from the Bourlon Salient

Trench Warfare, 7th December 1917 to 20th March 1918

VI. The German Offensives, 1918

The Offensive in Picardy

The First Battles of the Somme, 1918

The Battle of St. Quentin

The First Battle of Bapaume

The Withdrawal to the Old British Front Line, 26th March 1918

The Last Days of March 1918 and the Resumption of Trench Warfare

A Note on the General Situation between 21st March and 8th August 1918

VII. The Advance to Victory

The Advance in Picardy

The Second Battles of the Somme, 1918

The Battle of Albert, 21st August to 23rd August 1918

The Capture of Mory Copse, 24th August 1918

The Capture of Behagnies and Sapignies by the 5th Infantry Brigade, 25th August 1918

From 26th August to 1st September 1918

The Breaking of the Hindenburg Line

The Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line, 2nd to 3rd September

Operations from 4th to 8th September 1918

The Battles of the Hindenburg Line

The Battle of Havrincourt.

The Battle of the Canal du Nord

The Battle of the Selle

The Return to Mons, the March into Germany, and the Break-up of the 2nd Division

Back matter

Appendices

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-78150-629-9

OCLC:

827208684