This table shows the British Divisions that fought in the First World War during the Somme campaign in 1916. Not all Divisions of the British Army fought in this battle, therefore, as the divisions are listed in numerical order you will notice that some are not listed here. Divisions were either infantry or cavalry and were categorised into three main areas, these being the Regular Army (professional), the Territorial Force (part-time) and the New Army (wartime). The Territorial Cavalry was referred to as Yeomanry.
Divisions during the First World War usually consisted of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers and were considerable in size. These military units were composed of three Brigades and each brigade were made up of four regimental Battalions. At full strength a battalion would have between 800 and 1000 men. With the addition of the Pioneers the division was complete. Several divisions made up a Corps and several Corps made up an Army.
Information below was sourced from 'The Battle of the Somme: A Topographical History' by Gerald Gliddon and cross referenced with the Wikipedia article British Infantry Divisions in World War One.
Battalion Abbreviations
Use these abbreviations as an aid to the Order of Battle shown below.
| A. & S.H. | Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders | L.N. Lancs. | Loyal North Lancashire |
| Buffs | East Kent Regiment | L.R.B. | London Rifle Brigade |
| Camerons | The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders | O.B.L.I. | Oxfordshire and Buckingham Light Infantry |
| C.L.R. | City of London Regiment | P.P.C.L.I. | Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry |
| C.M.R. | Canadian Mounted Rifles | Q.O.C.H. | Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders |
| D.C.L.I. | Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry | Queen's | Royal West Surrey Regiment |
| D.L.I. | Durham Light Infantry | R. Dub. Fus. | Royal Dublin Fusiliers |
| D.W.R. | Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment | R.I.R. | Royal Irish Rifles |
| Gordons | The Gordon Highlanders | R.I.F. | Royal Irish Fusiliers |
| H.A.C. | Honourable Artillery Company | R. Innis. Fus. | Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers |
| H.L.I. | Highland Light Infantry | R.M.F. | Royal Munster Fusiliers |
| King's | King's Liverpool Regiment | R.W.F. | Royal Welch Fusiliers |
| K.O.R.L.R. | King's Own Royal Lancashire Regiment | R.W. Kent | The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment |
| K.O.S.B. | King's Own Scottish Borderers | Seaforth | The Seaforth Highlanders |
| K.R.R.C. | King's Royal Rifle Corps | S.W.B. | South Wales Borderers |
| K.S.L.I. | King's Shropshire Light Infantry | Q.V.R. | Queen Victoria's Rifles |
| Lenister | The Prince of Wales' Lenister Regiment (Royal Canadians) | Q.W.R. | Queen's Westminster Rifles |
Order of Battle of Infantry and Pioneer Battalions, The Somme
| 1st Guards Brigade | 2nd Grenadier Guards | 2nd Coldstream Guards | 3rd Coldstream Guards | 1st Irish Guards |
| 2nd Guards Brigade | 3rd Grenadier Guards | 1st Coldstream Guards | 1st Scots Guards | 2nd Irish Guards |
| 3rd Guards Brigade | 1st Grenadier Guards | 4th Grenadier Guards | 2nd Scots Guards | 1st Welch Guards |
| Pioneers | 4th Coldstream Guards | |||
| 1st Brigade | 10th Glocester | 1st Black Watch | 8th Royal Berkshire | 1 Q.O.C.H. |
| 2nd Brigade | 2nd Royal Sussex | 1st L.N. Lancshire | 1st Northampton | 2nd K.R.R.C. |
| 3rd Brigade | 1st S.W.B. | 1st Glocester | 2nd Welch | 2nd R.M.F. |
| Pioneers | 1/6th Welch | |||
| 5th Brigade | 24th Royal Fusiliers | 17th Royal Fusiliers | 2nd O. & B.L.I | 2nd H.L.I. |
| 6th Brigade | 1st King's | 2nd South Staffordshire | 13th Essex | 17th Middlesex |
| 99th Brigade | 22nd Royal Fusiliers | 23rd Royal Fusiliers | 1st Royal Berkshire | 1st K.R.R.C. |
| Pioneers | 10th D.C.L.I. | |||
| 8th Brigade | 2nd Royal Scots | 8th East Yorkshire | 1st Scots Fusiliers | 7th K.S.L.I. |
| 9th Brigade | 1st Northumberland Fusiliers | 4th Royal Fusiliers | 13th King's | 12th West Yorkshires |
| 76th Brigade | 8th K.O.R.L.R. | 2nd Suffolk | 10th Royal Welch Fusiliers | 1st Gordons |
| Pioneers | 20th K.R.R.C. | |||
| 10th Brigade | 1st Royal Warwick | 2nd Seaforth | 1st Irish Fusiliers | 2nd R. Dub. Fusiliers |
| 11th Brigade | 1st Sommerset L.I. | 1st East Lancashire | 1st Hampshire | 1st Rifle Brigade |
| 12th Brigade | 1st King's | 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers | 2nd Essex | 2nd D.W.R. |
| Pioneers | 21st West Yorkshire | |||
| 13th Brigade | 14th Royal Warwick | 15th Royal Warwick | 2nd K.O.S.B. | 1st Royal West Kent |
| 15th Brigade | 16th Royal Warwick | 1st Norfolk | 1st Bedford | 1st Cheshire |
| 95th Brigade | 1st Devon | 12th Gloucester | 1st East Surrey | 1st D.C.L.I. |
| Pioneers | 1/6th A & S.H. | |||
| 16th Brigade | 1st Buffs | 8th Bedford | 1st K.S.L.I. | 2nd York & Lancaster |
| 18th Brigade | 1st West Yorkshire | 11th Essex | 2nd D.L.I. | 14th D.L.I. |
| 71st Brigade | 9th Norfolk | 9th Suffolk | 1st Leicester | 2nd Sherwood Forresters |
| Pioneers | 11th Leicester | |||
| 20th Brigade | 8th Devon | 9th Devon | 2nd Border Regiment | 2nd Gordons |
| 22nd Brigade | 2nd Royal Warwick | 2nd Royal Irish | 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers | 20th Manchester |
| 91st Brigade | 2nd Queen's | 1st South Staffordshire | 21st Manchester | 22nd Manchester |
| Pioneers | 24th Manchester | |||
| 23rd Brigade | 2nd Devonshire | 2nd West Yorkshire | 2nd Middlesex | 2nd Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) |
| 24th Brigade | 1st Worcestershire[1] | 1st Sherwood Foresters | 2nd Northampton | 2nd East Lancashire |
| 25th Brigade | 2nd Lincolnshire | 2nd Royal Berkshire | 1st Royal Irish Rifles | 2nd Rifle Brigade |
| Pioneers | 22nd D.L.I. | |||
| 26th Brigade | 8th Black Watch | 7th Seaforth Highlanders | 5th Q.O.C.H. | 10th A. & S.H. |
| 27th Brigade | 11th Royal Scots | 12th Royal Scots | 6th K.O.S.B. | 9th Scittish Rifles |
| S.A. Brigade | 1st Regt. (Cape Prov.) | 2nd Regt. (Natal & O.F.S.) | 3rd Regt. (Trans & Rhod.) | 4th Regt. (Scottish) |
| Pioneers | 9th Seaforth Highlanders | |||
| 32nd Brigade | 9th West Yorkshire | 6th Green Howards | 8th D.W.R. | 6th Yorkshire and Lancashire |
| 33rd Brigade | 6th Lincolnshire | 6th Border Regiment | 7th South Staffordshire | 9th Sherwood Foresters |
| 34th Brigade | 8th Northumberland Fusiliers | 9th Lancashire Fusiliers | 5th Dorset | 11th Manchester |
| Pioneers | 6th East Yorkshire | |||
| 35th Brigade | 7th Norfolk | 7th Suffolk | 9th Essex | 5th Royal Berkshire |
| 36th Brigade | 8th Royal Fusiliers CLR | 9th Royal Fusiliers CLR | 7th Royal Sussex | 11th Middlesex |
| 37th Brigade | 6th Queen's | 6th Buffs | 7th E. Surrey | 6th Royal West Kent |
| Pioneers | 5th Northampton | |||
| 41st Brigade | 7th K.R.R.C. | 8th K.R.R.C. | 7th Rifle Brigade | 8th Rifle Brigade |
| 42nd Brigade | 5th O. & B.L.I. | 5th K.S.L.I. | 9th K.R.R.C. | 9th Rifle Brigade |
| 43rd Brigade | 6th Somerset L.I. | 6th D.C.L.I. | 6th K.O.Y.L.I. | 10th D.L.I. |
| Pioneers | 11th King's | |||
| 44th Brigade | 9th Black Watch | 8th Seaforth | 8th 10th Gordons | 7th Camerons |
| 45th Brigade | 13th Royal Scots | 6th 7th Royal Scots Fus. | 6th Camerons | 11th A. & S.H. |
| 46th Brigade | 10th Scottish Rifles | 7th 8th K.O.S.B. | 10th 11th H.L.I. | 12th H.L.I. |
| Pioneers | 9th Gordons | |||
| 47th Brigade | 6th Royal Irish | 6th Connaught Rangers | 7th Lenister | 8th R.M.F. |
| 48th Brigade | 7th R.I.R. | 1st R.M.F. | 8th R. Dub. Fus. | 9th R. Dub. Fus. |
| 49th Brigade | 7th R. Innis. Fus. | 8th R. Innis. Fus. | 7th R.I.F. | 8th R.I.F. |
| Pioneers | 11th Hampshire | |||
| 50th Brigade | 10th West Yorks. | 7th East Yorks. | 7th Green Howards | 6th Dorset |
| 51st Brigade | 7th Lincoln. | 7th Border Regiment | 8th South Staffs. | 10th Sherwood For. |
| 52nd Brigade | 9th North'd Fus. | 10th Lancs. Fus. | 9th D.W.R. | 12th Manchester |
| Pioneers | 7th York & Lancaster Regt. | |||
| 53rd Brigade | 8th Norfolk | 8th Suffolk | 10th Essex | 6th R. Berks. |
| 54th Brigade | 11th Royal Fus. | 7th Bedford | 6th Northampton | 12th Middlesex |
| 55th Brigade | 7th Queen's | 7th Buffs. | 8th E. Surrey. | 7th R.W. Kent |
| Pioneers | 8th R. Sussex | |||
| 56th Brigade | 7th King's Own. | 7th E. Lancs. | 7th S. Lancs. | 7th L.N. Lancs. |
| 57th Brigade | 10th R. Warwick | 8th Gloster. | 10th Worcs. | 8th N. Staffs |
| 58th Brigade | 9th Cheshire | 9th R. Welch Fus. | 9th Welch | 6th Wiltshire |
| Pioneers | 5th S.W.B. | |||
| 59th Brigade | 10th K.R.R.C. | 11th K.R.R.C. | 10th Rifle Brigade | 11th Rifle Brigade |
| 60th Brigade | 6th O. & B.L.I. | 6th K.S.L.I. | 12th K.R.R.C. | 12th Rifle Brigade |
| 61st Brigade | 7th Sommerset L.I. | 7th D.C.L.I. | 7th K.O.Y.L.I. | 12th King's |
| Pioneers | 11th D.L.I. | |||
| 62nd Brigade | 12th North'd Fus. | 13th North'd Fus. | 1st Lincoln. | 10th Green Howards |
| 63rd Brigade | 8th Lincoln.[2] | 8th Sommerset L.I. | 4th Middlesex | 10th York & Lancs. |
| 64th Brigade | 1st E. Yorks. | 9th K.O.Y.L.I. | 10th K.O.Y.L.I. | 15th D.L.I. |
| Pioneers | 14th North'd Fus. | |||
| 68th Brigade | 10th North'd Fus. | 11th North'd Fus. | 12th D.L.I. | 13th D.L.I. |
| 69th Brigade | 11th W. Yorks. | 8th Green Howards | 9th Green Howards | 10th D.W.R. |
| 70th Brigade[3] | 11th Sherwood For. | 8th K.O.Y.L.I. | 8th York & Lanc. | 9th York & Lanc. |
| Pioneers | 9th S. Staffs. | |||
| 17th Brigade | 8th Buffs | 1st Royal Fusiliers | 12th Royal Fusiliers | 3rd Rifle Brigade |
| 72nd Brigade | 8th Queen's. | 9th E. Surrey | 8th R.W. Kent | 1st N. Staffs. |
| 73rd Brigade | 9th R. Sussex | 7th Northampton | 13th Middlesex | 2nd Lenister |
| Pioneers | 12th Sherwood For. | |||
| 7th Brigade | 10th Cheshire | 3rd Worcs. | 8th L.N. Lancs. | 1st Wiltshire |
| 74th Brigade | 11th Lancs. Fus. | 13th Cheshire | 9th L.N. Lancs. | 2nd R.I.R. |
| 75th Brigade | 11th Cheshire | 8th Border Regiment | 2nd S. Lancs. | 8th S. Lancs. |
| Pioneers | 6th S.W.B. | |||
| 86th Brigade | 2nd Royal Fusiliers | 1st Lancs. Fus. | 16th Middlesex | 1st R. Dub. Fus. |
| 87th Brigade | 2nd S.W.B. | 1st K.O.S.B. | 1st R. Innis. Fus. | 1st Border Regiment |
| 88th Brigade | 4th Worcs. | 1st Essex | 2nd Hampshire | R. Newfoundland Regt. |
| Pioneers | 2nd Monmouth | |||
| 21st Brigade | 18th King's | 2nd Green Howards | 2nd Wiltshire | 19th Manchester |
| 89th Brigade | 17th King's | 19th King's | 20th King's | 2nd Bedford |
| 90th Brigade | 2nd R. Scots Fus. | 16th Manchester | 17th Manchester | 18th Manchester |
| Pioneers | 11th S. Lancs. | |||
| 92nd Brigade | 10th E. Yorks. | 11th E. Yorks. | 12th E. Yorks. | 13th E. Yorks. |
| 93rd Brigade | 15th W. Yorks. | 16th W. Yorks. | 18th W. Yorks. | 18th D.L.I. |
| 94th Brigade | 11th E. Lancs. | 12th York & Lanc. | 13th York & Lanc. | 14th York & Lanc. |
| Pioneers | 12th K.O.Y.L.I. | |||
| 14th Brigade | 19th Lancs. Fus.[4] | 1st Dorset | 2nd Manchester | 15th H.L.I. |
| 96th Brigade | 16th North'd Fus. | 15th Lancs. Fus. | 16th Lancs Fus. | 2nd R. Innis. Fus. |
| 97th Brigade | 11th Border Regiment | 2nd K.O.Y.L.I. | 16th H.L.I. | 17th H.L.I. |
| Pioneers | 17th North'd Fus.[5] | |||
| 19th Brigade | 20th Royal Fusiliers | 2nd R. Welch Fus. | 1st Cameronians | 5th Scottish Rifles |
| 98th Brigade | 4th King's | 1/4th Suffolk | 1st Middlesex | 2nd A. & S.H. |
| 100th Brigade | 1st Queen's | 2nd Worcs. | 16th K.R.R.C. | 1/9th H.L.I. |
| Pioneers | 18th Middlesex | |||
| 101st Brigade | 15th R. Scots | 16th R. Scots | 10th Lincolns. | 11th Suffolk |
| 102nd Tyneside Scottish Brigade[6] | 20th North'd Fus. | 21st North'd Fus. | 22nd North'd Fus. | 23rd North'd Fus. |
| 103rd Tyneside Irish Brigade[7] | 24th North'd Fus. | 25th North'd Fus. | 26th North'd Fus. | 27th North'd Fus. |
| Pioneers | 18th North'd Fus.[8] | |||
| 104th Brigade | 17th Lancs. Fus. | 18th Lancs. Fus. | 20th Lancs. Fus. | 23rd Manchester |
| 105th Brigade | 15th Cheshire | 16th Cheshire | 14th Gloster | 15th Sherwood For. |
| 106th Brigade | 17th R. Scots. | 17th W. Yorks. | 19th D.L.I. | 18th H.L.I. |
| Pioneers | 19th North'd Fus. | |||
| 107th Brigade | 8th R.I.R. | 9th R.I.R. | 10th R.I.R. | 15th R.I.R. |
| 108th Brigade | 11th R.I.R. | 12th R.I.R. | 13th R.I.R. | 9th R.I.F. |
| 109th Brigade | 9th R. Innis. Fus. | 10th R. Innis. Fus. | 11th R. Innis. Fus. | 14th R.I.R. |
| Pioneers | 16th R.I.R. | |||
| 110th Brigade[9] | 6th Leicester | 7th Leicester | 8th Leicester | 9th Leicester |
| 111th Brigade[10] | 10th Royal Fusiliers | 13th Royal Fusiliers | 13th K.R.R.C. | 13th Rifle Brigade |
| 112th Brigade[11] | 11th R. Warwick | 6th Beford | 8th E. Lancs. | 10th L.N. Lancs. |
| Pioneers | 9th N. Staffs[11] | |||
| 113th Brigade | 13th R.W.F. | 14th R.W.F. | 15th R.W.F. | 16th R.W.F. |
| 114th Brigade | 10th Welch | 13th Welch | 14th Welch | 15th Welch |
| 115th Brigade | 10th S.W.B. | 11th S.W.B. | 17th R.W.F. | 16th Welch |
| Pioneers | 19th Welch | |||
| 116th Brigade | 11th R. Sussex | 12th R. Sussex | 13th R. Sussex | 14th Hampshire |
| 117th Brigade | 16th Sherwood For. | 17th Shwerwood For. | 17th K.R.R.C. | 16th Rifle Brigade |
| 118th Brigade | 1/6th Cheshire | 1/1st Cambs. | 1/1st Herts. | 4th/5th Black Watch |
| Pioneers | 13th Gloster | |||
| 122nd Brigade | 12th E. Surrey | 15th Hampshire | 11th R.W. Kent | 18th K.R.R.C. |
| 123rd Brigade | 11th Queen's | 10th R.W. Kent | 23rd Middlesex | 20th D.L.I. |
| 124th Brigade | 10th Queen's | 26th Royal Fusiliers | 32nd Royal Fusiliers | 21st K.R.R.C. |
| Pioneers | 19th Middlesex | |||
| 137th Brigade | 1/5th S. Staffs | 1/6th S. Staffs | 1/5th N. Staffs | 1/6th N. Staffs |
| 138th Brigade | 1/4th Lincoln | 1/5th Lincoln | 1/4th Leicester | 1/5th Leicester |
| 139th Brigade | 1/5th Sherwood For. | 1/6th Sherwood For. | 1/7th Sherwood For. | 1/8th Sherwood For. |
| Pioneers | 1st Monmouth | |||
| 140th Brigade | 1\6th London (City of London) | 1/7th London (City of London) | 1/8th London (P.O. Rifles) | 1/15th London (C.S. Rifles) |
| 141st Brigade | 1/17th London (Poplar & Stepney Rifles) | 1/18th London (London Irish Rifles) | 1/19th London (St. Pancras) | 1/20th London (Blackheath & Woolwich) |
| 142nd Brigade | 1/21st London (1st Surrey Rifles) | 1/22nd London (The Queen's) | 1/23rd London | 1/24th London (The Queen's) |
| Pioneers | 1/4th R.W.F. | |||
| 143rd Brigade | 1/5th R. Warwick | 1/6th R. Warwick | 1/7th R. Warwick | 1/8th R. Warwick |
| 144th Brigade | 1/4th Gloster | 1/6th Gloster | 1/7th Worcs. | 1/8th Worcs. |
| 145th Brigade | 1/5th Gloster | 1/4th O. & B.L.I. | 1/st Bucks. | 1/4th R. Berks. |
| Pioneers | 1/5th R. Sussex | |||
| 146th Brigade | 1/5th W. Yorks. | 1/6th W. Yorks. | 1/7th W. Yorks. | 1/8th W. Yorks. |
| 147th Brigade | 1/4th D.W.R. | 1/5th D.W.R. | 1/6th D.W.R. | 1/7th D.W.R. |
| 148th Brigade | 1/4th K.O.Y.L.I. | 1/5th K.O.Y.L.I. | 1/4th York & Lanc. | 1/5th York & Lanc. |
| Pioneers | 3rd Monmouth[12] | |||
| 149th Brigade | 1/4th North'd Fus. | 1/5th North'd Fus. | 1/6th North'd Fus. | 1/7th North'd Fus. |
| 150th Brigade | 1/4th E. Yorks. | 1/4th Green Howards | 1/5th Green Howards | 1/5th D.L.I. |
| 151st Brigade | 1/5th Border Regiment | 1/6th D.L.I. | 1/8th D.L.I. | 1/9th D.L.I. |
| Pioneers | 1/7th D.L.I. | |||
| 152nd Brigade | 1/5th Seaforth | 1/6th Seaforth | 1/6th Gordons | 1/8th A. & S.H. |
| 153rd Brigade | 1/6th Black Watch | 1/7th Black Watch | 1/5th Gordons | 1/7th Gordons |
| 154th Brigade | 1/9th R. Scots | 1/4th Seaforth | 1/4th Gordons | 1/7th A. & S.H. |
| Pioneers | 1/8th R. Scots | |||
| 164th Brigade | 1/4th K.O.R.L.R. | 1/8th King's | 2/5th Lancs. Fus. | 1/4th L.N. Lancs. |
| 165th Brigade | 1/5th King's | 1/6th King's | 1/7th King's | 1/9th King's |
| 166th Brigade | 1/5th K.O.R.L.R. | 1/10th King's | 1/5th S. Lancs. | 1/5th L.N. Lancs. |
| Pioneers | 1/4th S. Lancs. | |||
| 167th Brigade | 1/1st London (R.F.) | 1/3rd London (R.F.) | 1/7th Middlesex | 1/8th Middlesex |
| 168th Brigade | 1/4th London (R.F.) | 1/12th London (Rangers) | 1/13th London (Kensington) | 1/14th London (Lon. Scot.) |
| 169th Brigade) | 1/2nd London (R.F.) | 1/5th London (L.R.B.) | 1/9th London (Q.V.R.) | 1/16th London(Q.W.R.) |
| Pioneers | 1/5th Cheshire | |||
| 188th Brigade | Anson Bn. | Howe Bn. | 1st R. Marine Bn. | 2nd R. Marine Bn. |
| 189th Brigade | Hood Bn. | Nelson Bn. | Hawke Bn. | Drake Bn. |
| 190th Brigade | 1st H.A.C. | 7th Royal Fusiliers | 4th Bedford | 10th R. Dub. Fus. |
| Pioneers | 14th Worcs. | |||
External Links
References / notes
- ↑ With the 23rd Division until the 15th July in exchange for the 70th Brigade
- ↑ Exchanged with the 110th Brigade of the 37th Division on 7th July
- ↑ With the 8th Division until the 15th July in exchange for the 24th Brigade
- ↑ Replaced by the 5th / 6th R. Scots on the 29th July
- ↑ Replaced by the 12th L.N. Lancs. on 19th October
- ↑ Attached to the 37th Division from the 7th July to 21st August; Replaced by 111th Brigade
- ↑ As above; Replaced by 112th Brigade
- ↑ As above; Replaced by 9th N. Staffs
- ↑ Exchanged with 63rd Brigade, 21st Division, 7th July
- ↑ Attached to the 34th Division from 7th July to 21st August
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 As above
- ↑ Replaced by 19th Lancs. Fus., 6th August