60. divize (60th (2/2nd London) Division)( září 1914 - 31.5. 1919)

• 1916 - 1919 pod. XII. sbor (XII Corps) (1915 - 1919)

The history of 60th (2/2nd London) Division

Divisional symbolOn 31 August 1914 the War Office issued instructions for all units of the Territorial Force to form a reserve unit. The men who had agreed to serve overseas were separated from the rest. Those left as "home service only" were formed into "second line" units, which would be this reserve. They were joined by many new recruits from September 1914 onward.

1914

The units of the Division were quickly filled and a partial concentration carried out at White City in October. Early parades and training was done in civilian clothes and with only a bare minimum of available equipment. In December the units of he Division began to move to the Dorking-Reigate area in Surrey.

1915

Drafts of men began to be supplied to the corresponding "first line" units as early as January 1915. In that month, the first rifles arrived by they were Japanese models and with only 100 rounds of ammunition each. Lord Kitchener inspected the Division at Epsom Downs on 21 January, by which date only one battalion was fully equipped with rifles.

In March 1917, the 47th (2nd London) Division was preparaing to embark for service in France. Many large drafts left 60th Division to bring the "first line" up to full strength. Later that month the Division moved to St Albans. At the end of May Divisional HQ moved to Bishops Stortford and the units were scattered across Hertfordshire and Essex.

At last, 6300 Lee Enfield rifles were received in November 1915. Modern artillery also began to arrive at the end of the month.

1916

The Division moved to Warminster (Salisbury Plain) training area in late January 1916, with Divisional HQ being set up at Sutton Veny. King George V inspected the Division there on 31 May.

Orders were received on 14 June 1916 to send advance parties to Le Havre 9on 15 June) and Boulogne (18) to prepare for the Division to cross to France. The crossing was completed by 29 June and the Division concentrated in XVII Corps area.

On 1 November the Division received orders to reorganise, preparatory for a move to Salonika. Units entrained at Longpre between 14-25 November and, going via Marseilles and Malta, assembled at Salonika on 25 December 1916. The Division then remained in Salonika and took part in the following engagements:

1917

The Battle of Doiran (24-25 April and 8-9 May)

In June 1917 the Division was once again reorganised in preparation for a move to Egypt for operations in Palestine. It embarked on 12 June and by 4 July had completed concentration at Moascar in the Southern Suez Canal Zone. The Division began to advance to Palestine and by 23 July was at Deir el Balah (8 miles SW of Gaza). The Division then remained in Palestine and took part in the following engagements:

The Third Battle of Gaza (30 October - 7 November), notably in the capture of Beersheba (31 October) and teh capture of the Sheria position (6 November)

The capture of Jerusalem (8-9 December)

The defence of Jerusalem (26-30 December)

1918

The capture of Jericho (19-21 February)

The battle of Tell´Asur (8-12 March)

The first Trans-Jordan raid (as part of Shea´s Force, 21 March - 2 April)

The attack on Amman (as part of Chaytor´s Column, 27-30 March)

The second Trans-Jordan raid (30 April - 4 May)

Between 26 May and 1 August 1918 the Division was "Indianised"; that is, British units (most of which went to France) were exchanged for units of the Indian Army.

The Battles of Megiddo (specifically the Battle of Sharon, 19-21 S.eptember)

After this the Divisional mounted units were engaged in pursuit of the broken enemy, while the rest of the Division remained on salvage and similar work. Divisional HQ moved to Mulebbis on 24 September and thence to Auja in early October. It moved (after the Armistice) on 3 November to Lydda, then five days later a longer move via Qantara to Alexandria commenced. By 26 November the whole Division was at Alexandria. demobilisation commenced. By 31 May 1919 the Division ceased to exist.