RJP: 62 Div: Origins

Rounded Rectangle: The British 62nd Division Rounded Rectangle: In the Great War RJP: 62 Div: Origins Latest edit 24 Nov 2008

1. Origins

On the outbreak of war in August 1914, the West Riding (Territorial) Division was formed from territorial battalions of the West Riding (of Yorkshire) regiments. Thus:-

1^st West Riding Infantry Brigade – 5^th, 6^th, 7^th & 8^th West Yorkshire Regiment.

2^nd West Riding Infantry Brigade – 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, & 7^th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment.

3^rd West Riding Infantry Brigade – 4^th & 5^th York and Lancaster Regiment together with the 4^th and 5^th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

During September 1914 all these battalions were redesignated ‘Service’ battalions and at the same time each battalion raised a ‘Reserve’ battalion bearing the same number. From the reserve battalions was formed the 2^nd West Riding Division.

Thus at this stage there were:-

1^st West Riding Division – 1/1^st W.R. Infantry Brigade – 5^th (Service), 6^th (Service), 7^th (Service) and 8^th (Service) battalions, West Yorks;

2^nd West Riding Division – 2/1^st W.R. Infantry Brigade – 5^th (Reserve), 6^th (Reserve), 7^th (Reserve) and 8^th (Reserve) battalions, West Yorks;

and so also with the other brigades.

In February 1915 the designations ‘Service’ and ‘Reserve’ were dropped and replaced by the prefixes 1/ and 2/ respectively. Thus for example 6^th (Service) Battalion became 1/6^th Battalion and 6^th (Reserve) Battalion became 2/6^th Battalion. When the 1^st West Riding Division went to France in April 1915, it was re-named 49th (West Riding) Division and its three brigades became 146^th, 147^th and 148^th Infantry Brigades respectively. At the same time 2^nd West Riding Division became a training and reinforcement formation to supply 49 Div with replacements.

In August 1915 a third West Riding division and its corresponding brigades and battalions were formed. The 2^nd West Riding Division was then re-designated 62^nd (West Riding) Division and its three brigades became 185^th, 186^th and 187^th Infantry Brigades respectively. The 3^rd West Riding Division never became an active service division but remained in the UK as a holding formation.