32nd Division (United Kingdom)


The 32nd Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was raised in 1914, during the First World War. The division was raised from volunteers for Lord Kitchener's New Armies, that was originally made up of infantry battalions raised by public subscription or private patronage. The division was taken over by the War Office in September 1915. It served in France and Belgium in the trenches of the Western Front for the duration of the war.
The division's insignia was four 'eights' arranged in an 'X' shape.

Unit history

The Division was one of the six created for the Fourth New Army on 10 December 1914. It landed in France in November 1915. Major-General Reginald Barnes took command of the division in July 1917. It saw action at the Battle of the Somme in autumn 1917 and the Battle of Amiens in August 1918.

Order of Battle

The following units served with the division:
; 14th Brigade :
The brigade joined from the 5th Division in December 1915, swapping with the 95th Brigade.
; 95th Brigade :
The brigade transferred to the 5th Division on 26 December 1915, swapping with the 14th Brigade.
; 96th Brigade :
; 97th Brigade :
;Divisional Troops
Royal Artillery
The original Divisional Artillery remained in England and on 2 December 1915 joined the 31st Division
The original Divisional Artillery of the 31st Division joined the division between 30 December 1915 and 3 January 1916
Royal Engineers
Royal Army Medical Corps