First Division

Narrative

On the 3rd of August 1914 the Australian government offered to send an expeditionary force of 20,000 men to Europe, which it decided to organise as an infantry division and a light horse brigade. Accordingly, the First Division was formed in Australia in August 1914. Intended to be representative of the nation as a whole, it was organised from contingents from all states. It was originally intended to send the division to England for training and thence on to the Western Front but the division was diverted to Egypt instead on the recommendation of Colonel Harry Chauvel, owing to the state of training areas in the United Kingdom. The division arrived in Egypt in December and began training at Mena, near Cairo, and in sight of the great pyramids.

On Anzac Day, 25 April 1915, the First Division made an amphibious assault at what is now known as Anzac Cove, on the Gallipoli Peninsula. On Anzac Day the division was unable to capture its objectives but secured a toehold on the peninsula. It served throughout the campaign there. In May the 2nd Brigade was re-embarked and participated in the attack on Krithia at Helles but returned in time for the Turkish counter offensive on 19 May. On 15 May, its commander, Major General William Bridges was fatally wounded by a sniper. During the August offensive, the First Division captured the Turkish positions around Line Pine. Finally, it was involved in the withdrawal to Egypt in December 1915.

In March 1916 it moved to France, taking over part of the line in the "nursery sector" around Armentieres. On 23 July 1916, it joined the Somme Offensive, capturing the town of Pozieres at great cost. A second tour of Pozieres followed in August and a third at Flers in October after a rest break in the Ypres sector.

In 1917 it was involved in the pursuit of the Germans to the Hindenburg Line. While maintaining outposts close to that line around Lagnicourt, the division  was struck by a powerful German counterattack on 15 April 1917 and beat it off. In May it relieved the Second Division in the Second Battle of Bullecourt. 

After a rest spell, the division returned to the Ypres Salient and participated in the Third Battle of Ypres, in which it fought with great success at Menin Road in September and Broodeseinde in October.

In April 1918 the First Division halted the German offensive at Hazebrouck. It remained there, apart from the other divisions for four months, engaging in a spirited and active campaign against the enemy. It rejoined the Australian Corps in the Somme region in 1918 in time to participate in the Battle of Amiens and fought on to the Hindenburg Line.

Commanders

• Major General William T. Bridges 6 August 1914 to 15 May 1915 (mortally wounded)
• Brigadier General H. B. Walker 15 May 1915 to 24 June 1915
• Major General J. Gordon Legge 24 June 1915 to 26 July 1915
• Brigadier General H. B. Walker 26 July 1915 to 13 October 1915 (wounded)
• Brigadier General J. J. Talbot Hobbs 13 October 1915 to 6 November 1915
• Brigadier General/Major General Harry Chauvel 6 November 1915 to 14 March 1916
• Major General H. B. Walker 14 March 1916 to 31 May 1918
• Major General T. William Glasgow 31 May 1918 to past November 1918

Campaigns

Egypt: Defence of Suez Canal, Gallipoli: Landing at Anzac, Defence of Anzac, Sari Bair, Western Front: Pozieres, Advance to the Hindenburg Line, Bullecourt, Menin Road, Broodeseinde, Hazebrouck, Amiens, Hindenburg Line

Casualties

• killed in action: 10,447
• died of wounds: 3,553
• other deaths: 1,133
• prisoners: 500
• wounded: 35,984
• total: 51,647

Memorial

Pozieres

First Division (Egypt and Gallipoli, 1914-15)

• 1st Division Artillery
  • 1st Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders]
    • 1st,2nd,3rd Field Artillery Batteries (New South Wales)
    • 1st Brigade Ammunition Column
  • 2nd Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders]
    • 4th,5th,6th Field Artillery Batteries (Victoria)
    • 2nd Brigade Ammunition Column
  • 3rd Field Artillery Brigade [12 x 18 pounders]
    • 7th,8th,9th Field Artillery Batteries (Queensland; Western Australia; Tasmania)
    • 3rd Brigade Ammunition Column
  • 1st Heavy Battery [2 x 6 inch howitzers, 1 x 4.7 inch gun]
  • 1st Division Ammunition Column
• 1st Division Engineers
  • 1st,2nd,3rd Field Companies (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer States)
  • 1st Signal Company
  • 2nd Signal Troop
• 1st Infantry Brigade
  • 1st,2nd,3rd,4th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
• 2nd Infantry Brigade
  • 5th,6th,7th,8th Infantry Battalions (Victoria)
• 3rd Infantry Brigade
  • 9th,10th,11th,12th Infantry Battalions (Queensland; South Australia; Western Australia; Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia)
• 1st Division Medical Services
  • 1st,2nd,3rd Field Ambulances (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer States)
  • 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance
  • 1st Sanitary Company  
• 4th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria)
• 2nd Light Horse Brigade
  • 5th,6th,7th Light Horse Regiments (Queensland; New South Wales; New South Wales)
• 1st Divisional Train
  • 1st,2nd,3rd,4th,6th Army Service Corps Companies (New South Wales and Victoria; New South Wales; Victoria; South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania)

First Division (France, April 1916)

• 1st Division Artillery
  • 1st Field Artillery Brigade [16 x 18 pounders]
    • 1st,2nd,3rd,22nd Field Artillery Batteries
    • 1st Brigade Ammunition Column
  • 2nd Field Artillery Brigade [16 x 18 pounders]
    • 4th,5th,6th,23rd Field Artillery Batteries
    • 2nd Brigade Ammunition Column
  • 3rd Field Artillery Brigade [16 x 18 pounders]
    • 7th,8th,9th,24th Field Artillery Batteries
    • 3rd Brigade Ammunition Column
  • 21st Field Artillery (Howitzer) Brigade [12 x 4.5 inch howitzers]
    • 101st,102nd,103rd Field Artillery (Howitzer) Batteries
    • 21st Brigade Ammunition Column
  • 1st Division Ammunition Column
  • 1st Division Trench Mortars
    • V1A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery [4 x 9.45 inch heavy trench mortars]
    • X1A,Y1A, Z1A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries [12 x 2 inch medium trench mortars]
• 1st Division Engineers
  • 1st,2nd,3rd Field Companies (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer States)
  • 1st Signal Company
• 1st Infantry Brigade
  • 1st,2nd,3rd,4th Infantry Battalions (New South Wales)
  • 1st Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
  • 1A/1, 1A/2 Light Trench Mortar Batteries [8 x 3.7 and 4 inch trench mortars]
• 2nd Infantry Brigade
  • 5th,6th,7th,8th Infantry Battalions (Victoria)
  • 2nd Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
  • 2A/1, 2A/2 Light Trench Mortar Batteries [8 x 3.7 and 4 inch trench mortars]
• 3rd Infantry Brigade
  • 9th,10th,11th,12th Infantry Battalions (Queensland; South Australia; Western Australia; Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia)
  • 3rd Machinegun Company [16 x Vickers Machineguns]
  • 3A/1, 3A/2 Light Trench Mortar Batteries [8 x 3.7 and 4 inch trench mortars]
• 1st Pioneer Battalion
• 1st Division Medical Services
  • 1st,2nd,3rd Field Ambulances (New South Wales; Victoria; Outer States)
  • 2nd Sanitary Section
• B Squadron, 4th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria)
• 1st Cyclist Company
• 1st Salvage Section
• 1st Divisional Train
  • 1st,2nd,3rd,4th Australian Army Service Corps Companies
• 1st Division Supply Column
• 1st Division Ammunition Sub Park
• 1st Mobile Veterinary Section

First Division (France, July 1916)

First Division (France, September 1918)

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Page created by Ross Mallett
ross@metva.com.au
Last update 20 November 2003