33rd Division (United Kingdom)

33rd Division
Active	July 1915 – 30 June 1919
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Part of	K4 Army Group
Engagements	First World War Battle of the Somme (1916) Battle of Bazentin Ridge Battle of High Wood Battle of Arras (1917) Third Battle of Ypres
Commanders
Notable commanders	Herman Landon Reginald Pinney

The 33rd Division was a New Army infantry division of the British Army formed in 1914 during the First World War as the 40th Division in the K5 Army group then renumbered in April 1915 as part of the new K4 Army Group.

A 33rd Division had been formed as part of the reserve K4 Army in October 1914 but was dissolved in April 1915 at which point the 40th division of the K5 Army became the 33rd of the K4.

The division landed in France in November 1915 and spent the duration of the Great War in action on the Western Front. The division's insignia was the "double-three" from a set of dominoes.

Order of Battle

98th Brigade 

The brigade originally comprised four battalions of the Royal Fusiliers.

• 18th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (to 19th Brigade November 1915)
• 19th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
• 20th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (to 19th Brigade November 1915)
• 21st (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

From February 1916, the brigade comprised the following battalions:

• 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
• 1/4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (until February 1918)
• 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (from 19th Brigade November 1915)
• 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (from 19th Brigade November 1915)

99th Brigade 

The brigade transferred to the 2nd Division in November 1915, swapping with the 19th Brigade.

• 17th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
• 22nd (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
• 23rd (Service) Battalion (Sportsman's Battalion), Royal Fusiliers
• 24th (Service) Battalion (Sportsman's Battalion), Royal Fusiliers

100th Brigade 

• 16th (Service) Battalion (Public Schools), Middlesex Regiment (until February 1916)
• 16th (Service) Battalion (Church Lads Brigade), King's Royal Rifle Corps
• 1st Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) (to 19th Brigade February 1918)
• 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
• 1/9th Battalion (Glasgow Highlanders), Highland Light Infantry (from May 1916)

19th Brigade 

The brigade joined from the 2nd Division in November 1915, swapping with the 99th Brigade.

• 18th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (from 98th Brigade November 1915 until February 1916)
• 20th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (from 98th Brigade November 1915 disbanded February 1918)
• 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers (to 115th Brigade 38th Division February 1918)
• 1st Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
• 1/5th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (merged with 1/6th Battalion in May 1916 becoming 5th/6th Battalion)
• 1st Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) (from 100th Brigade February 1918)

Battles

• Battle of the Somme(1916)
  • Battle of Bazentin Ridge and
  • Attacks on High Wood
• Battle of Arras
• Third Battle of Ypres

Commanders

• Major-General P. R. Wood
• Major-General Herman Landon November 1915 – September 1916
• Major-General Reginald John Pinney September 1916 – February 1919 (disbandment)

See also

• List of British divisions in World War I

External links

• The British Army in the Great War: The 33rd Division