59th (2nd North Midland) Division
| 2nd North Midland Division 59th (2nd North Midland) Division 59th Division |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 6 January 1915–1 September 1919 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Territorial Force
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements |
Easter Rising Menin Road Ridge Polygon Wood Bourlon Wood St Quentin Bailleul Kemmel Ridge Albert Final Advance in Artois and Flanders |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Maj-Gen Raymond Reade Maj-Gen Arthur Sandbach Maj-Gen Cecil Romer Maj-Gen Sir Robert Whigham Maj-Gen Sir Nevill Smyth, VC Maj-Gen Charles Budworth |
The 59th (2nd North Midland) Division was an infantry division of the British Army during World War I. It was formed in late 1914/early 1915 as a 2nd Line Territorial Force formation raised as a duplicate of the 46th (North Midland) Division. After training in the United Kingdom and saw service in the Easter Rising in April 1916, the division joined the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front in early 1917. It saw action at Ypres and Cambrai, and was almost destroyed during the German Army's Spring Offensive in March 1918. The reconstituted division took part in the final advances of the war.
The formation of Reserve or 2nd Line units of the Territorial Force (TF) was authorised on 31 August 1914, and the units were quickly formed from the flood of volunteers coming forward, trained by those men of the 1st Line TF who had not signed up for overseas service or were medically unfit. At first the men had to live at home, and parade in civilian clothes until the county TF associations were able to issue clothing and equipment. In January 1915, the 2nd North Midland was created as an exact duplicate of the 1st North Midland Division, the units being differentiated by '1/' or '2/' prefix. The 1st North Midland Division was the first complete TF formation to reach the Western Front, where it received the designation 46th (North Midland) Division. The 2nd Line division was designated 59th (2nd North Midland) Division in August 1915.
The composition of 59th (2nd North Midland Division) until May 1918 was as follows:
The infantry battalions of 176th Bde were reduced to training cadres on 9 May 1918 and transferred to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division on 30 May 1918.
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