72nd Division (United Kingdom)
| 72nd Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | November 1916 - April 1918 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 British Army
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Home Defence and training |
72nd Division was a short-lived infantry division of the British Army during World War I. It served in the Home Defence forces and never went overseas.
On the outbreak of World War I the Territorial Force (TF) immediately mobilised for home defence, but shortly afterwards (31 August 1914), its units were authorised to raise 2nd battalions formed from those men who had not volunteered for, or were not fit for, overseas service, together with new volunteers, while the 1st Line went overseas to supplement the Regulars. Early in 1915 the 2nd Line TF battalions were also raised to full strength to form new divisions, and began to form Reserve (3rd Line) units to supply drafts. The remaining Home Service men were separated out in May 1915 to form brigades of Coast Defence Battalions (termed Provisional Battalions from June 1915).
8th Provisional Brigade was formed mainly from details of regiments from the English Midlands. Brigadier-General W. Thuillier assumed command on 8 September 1915 and established his headquarters at Westcliff-on-Sea, later moving to Southminster. By July 1916 the brigade was under the control of Northern Army of Home Forces, with the following units billeted across Essex:
The following were also attached to 8th Provisional Bde:
Late in 1916 the War Office decided to form three new home-service divisions and 72nd was the second of these, assembling in Somerset in November. The division was based on 8th Provisional Bde, which moved from Essex and provided four infantry battalions and many of the support units. (On 1 January 1917 these all received new designations and numbers.) In addition, 188th (2/1st Northumberland) Brigade, left over after the earlier disbandment of 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division, provided three battalions which joined 72nd Division. 65th (2nd Lowland) Division, 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division and 68th (2nd Welsh) Division provided the personnel for five artillery batteries, while Northern Command and Northern and Southern Armies each loaned a section of guns each until equipment could be issued to the new units. The division had the following composition:
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