# 12th (Eastern) Division > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/12th_(Eastern)_Division > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/12th_(Eastern)_Division.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_(Eastern)_Division > Source revision: 1307674814 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Infantry division of the British Army during World War I For the similarly numbered, but unrelated, [Second World War](/source/World_War_II) formation, see [12th (Eastern) Infantry Division](/source/12th_(Eastern)_Infantry_Division). 12th (Eastern) Division Insignia of the 12th (Eastern) Division Active 1914–1919 Country United Kingdom Branch British Army Type Infantry Size Division Engagements First World War Military unit The **12th (Eastern) Division** was an [infantry](/source/Infantry) [division](/source/Division_(military)) raised by the [British Army](/source/British_Army) during the [First World War](/source/World_War_I) from men volunteering for [Kitchener's New Armies](/source/Kitchener's_Army). The division saw service in the [trenches](/source/Trench_warfare) of the [Western Front](/source/Western_Front_(World_War_I)) from June 1915 to the end of the war. ## Formation and First World War The memorial to the glory of the 12th British Infantry Division to [Epehy](/source/Epehy). The 12th (Eastern) Division, was one of the first [Kitchener's Army](/source/Kitchener's_Army) divisions raised from volunteers by [Lord Kitchener](/source/Herbert_Kitchener). It was formed within [Eastern Command](/source/Eastern_Command_(United_Kingdom)) as a result of Army Order No. 324 of 21 August 1914, as part of the K1 wave of divisions.[1] Royal Artillery gunners at the 12th Divisional Canteen on the Arras road near St. Pol, February 1917. It fought on the [Western Front](/source/Western_Front_(World_War_I)) for the duration of the First World War. One of its most notable actions was the [Battle of Épehy](/source/Battle_of_%C3%89pehy) where there is a memorial cross to the 12th Division. In the First World War, the division's insignia was the [Ace of Spades](/source/Ace_of_spades), which has since been adopted by the present [12th Armoured Infantry Brigade](/source/12th_Armoured_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)). ### Order of Battle **[35th Brigade](/source/35th_Brigade_(United_Kingdom))** - 7th (Service) Battalion, [Norfolk Regiment](/source/Royal_Norfolk_Regiment) - 7th (Service) Battalion, [Suffolk Regiment](/source/Suffolk_Regiment) *(left May 1918)* - 9th (Service) Battalion, [Essex Regiment](/source/Essex_Regiment) - 5th (Service) Battalion, [Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment)](/source/Royal_Berkshire_Regiment) *(transferred to 36th Brigade February 1918)* - 1/1st [Territorial Force](/source/Territorial_Force) (T.F.) Battalion, [Cambridgeshire Regiment](/source/Cambridgeshire_Regiment) *(joined May 1918)* - 35th Machine Gun Company, [Machine Gun Corps](/source/Machine_Gun_Corps) *(formed 1 February 1916, moved to 12th Battalion, [Machine Gun Corps](/source/Machine_Gun_Corps) (M.G.C.) 1 March 1918)* - 35th Trench Mortar Battery *(formed 25 June 1916)* **[36th Brigade](/source/36th_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom))** - 8th (Service) Battalion, [Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)](/source/Royal_Fusiliers) *(disbanded February 1918)* - 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) - 7th (Service) Battalion, [Royal Sussex Regiment](/source/Royal_Sussex_Regiment) - 11th (Service) Battalion, [Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)](/source/Middlesex_Regiment) *(disbanded February 1918)* - 5th (Service) Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment) *(transferred from 35th Brigade February 1918)* - 36th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps *(formed 1 February 1916, moved to 12th Battalion, M.G.C. 1 March 1918)* - 36th Trench Mortar Battery *(formed 15 June 1916)* **[37th Brigade](/source/37th_Brigade_(United_Kingdom))** - 6th (Service) Battalion, [Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)](/source/Queen's_Royal_Regiment_(West_Surrey)) - 6th (Service) Battalion, [Buffs (East Kent Regiment)](/source/Buffs_(Royal_East_Kent_Regiment)) - 7th (Service) Battalion, [East Surrey Regiment](/source/East_Surrey_Regiment) *(disbanded February 1918)* - 6th (Service) Battalion, [Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)](/source/Queen's_Own_Royal_West_Kent_Regiment) - 37th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps *(formed 4 February 1916, moved to 12th Battalion, M.G.C. 1 March 1918)* - 37th Trench Mortar Battery *(formed 15 June 1916)* **Divisional Troops** - 5th (Service) Battalion, [Northamptonshire Regiment](/source/Northamptonshire_Regiment) *(division pioneers)* - 9 Motor Machine Gun Battery *(joined early 1915, left 20 June 1915)* - 235th Machine Gun Company *(joined 16 July 1917, left to move into 12th Battalion M.G. C. 1 March 1918)* - 12th Battalion Machine Gun Corps *(formed 1 March 1918, absorbing the brigade MG companies)* - Divisional Mounted Troops - A Squadron, [King Edward's Horse](/source/King_Edward's_Horse) *(joined April 1915, left June 1916)* - 12th Divisional Cyclist Company, [Army Cyclist Corps](/source/Army_Cyclist_Corps) *(left 15 June 1916)* - 12th Divisional Train [Army Service Corps](/source/Royal_Army_Service_Corps) - 116th, 117th, 118th and 119th Companies - 23rd Mobile Veterinary Section [Army Veterinary Corps](/source/Royal_Army_Veterinary_Corps) - 214th Divisional Employment Company *(joined 16 June 1917)* **[Royal Artillery](/source/Royal_Artillery)** - LXII Brigade, [Royal Field Artillery](/source/Royal_Field_Artillery) (R.F.A.) - LXIII Brigade, R.F.A. - LXIV Brigade, R.F.A. *(left 6 January 1917)* - LXV (Howitzer) Brigade, R.F.A. *(broken up 30 August 1916)* - 12th Divisional Ammunition Column R.F.A. - 12th Heavy Battery, [Royal Garrison Artillery](/source/Royal_Garrison_Artillery) *(left 8 June 1915)* - V.12 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery R.F.A. *(joined 31 July 1916, disbanded 12 February 1918)* - X.12, Y.12 and Z.12 Medium Mortar Batteries R.F.A. *(formed 1 July 1916; on 16 February 1918, Z broken up distributed among X and Y batteries)* **[Royal Engineers](/source/Royal_Engineers)**[2] - 69th Field Company - 70th Field Company - 87th Field Company *(joined January 1915)* - 12th Divisional Signals Company **[Royal Army Medical Corps](/source/Royal_Army_Medical_Corps)** - 36th Field Ambulance - 37th Field Ambulance - 38th Field Ambulance - 23rd Sanitary Section *(left 1 April 1917)* ## General Officer Commanding - Major-General [James Spens](/source/James_Spens_(British_Army_officer)) 24 August 1914 – 15 March 1915 - Major-General [Frederick D.V. Wing](/source/Frederick_Wing) 15 March – 2 October 1915 - Brigadier-General W. K. McLeod 2–3 October 1915 (*acting*) - Major-General Arthur B. Scott 3 October 1915 – 26 April 1918 - Major-General [H. W. Higginson](/source/Harold_Higginson) 26 April 1918 – ## See also - [United Kingdom portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:United_Kingdom) - [List of British divisions in World War I](/source/List_of_British_divisions_in_World_War_I) ## Notes ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [The British Army in the Great War: The 12th (Eastern) Infantry Division](http://www.1914-1918.net/12div.htm), accessed October 2009 [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20040205072042/http://www.1914-1918.net/12div.htm) 5 February 2004 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Watson & Rinaldi, p. 29. ## Bibliography - Middleton Brumwell, P. (2001) [1923]. Scott, A. B. (ed.). [*History of the 12th (Eastern) Division in the Great War, 1914–1918*](http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_100022556671.0x000002) (Naval & Military Press ed.). London: Nisbet. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-84342-228-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84342-228-X). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [6069610](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/6069610). Retrieved 8 October 2014. - Ian F.W. Beckett, 'Territorials: A Century of Service,' First Published April 2008 by DRA Printing of 14 Mary Seacole Road, The Millfields, Plymouth PL1 3JY on behalf of TA 100, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-9557813-1-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-9557813-1-5). - Cliff Lord & Graham Watson, *Royal Corps of Signals: Unit Histories of the Corps (1920–2001) and its Antecedents*, Solihull: Helion, 2003, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-874622-92-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-874622-92-2). - Col L.F. Morling, *Sussex Sappers: A History of the Sussex Volunteer and Territorial Army Royal Engineer Units from 1890 to 1967*, Seaford: 208th Field Co, RE/Christians–W.J. Offord, 1972. - Graham E. Watson & Richard A. Rinaldi, *The Corps of Royal Engineers: Organization and Units 1889–2018*, Tiger Lily Books, 2018, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-171790180-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-171790180-4). ## External links - ["12 (Eastern) Infantry Division"](http://www.ordersofbattle.com/Units/UnitData?UniX=3707). *Orders of Battle.com*. v t e Divisions of the British Army Active Administrative units Guards and Parachute Union Queen's Light Combat units 1st (United Kingdom) Division 3rd (United Kingdom) Division Post-Cold War period Administrative units Guards King's Light Prince of Wales's Queen's Scottish Scottish, Welsh and Irish Combat units 1st (UK) Armoured 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Multi-National Division (South-West) (Bosnia) Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq) Cold War Administrative units Guards King's Light Prince of Wales's Queen's Scottish Airborne 6th Airborne 16th Airborne Armoured 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 6th 7th 11th 49th (West Riding) 56th (London) Infantry 1st 2nd 3rd 5th 13th 40th 42nd (Lancashire) 43rd (Wessex) 44th (Home Counties) 50th (Northumbrian) 51st/52nd (Scottish) 53rd (Welsh) Other Artillery Division 1st Commonwealth Division 17th Gurkha Division Second World War (list) Airborne 1st Airborne 6th Airborne Armoured Guards 1st 2nd 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 42nd 79th Infantry Guards 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th (Highland) 12th (Eastern) 15th (Scottish) 18th 23rd (Northumbrian) 36th 38th (Welsh) 42nd (East Lancashire) 43rd (Wessex) 44th (Home Counties) 45th 46th 47th (London) 48th (South Midland) 49th (West Riding) 50th (Northumbrian) 51st (Highland) 52nd (Lowland) 53rd (Welsh) 54th (East Anglian) 55th (West Lancashire) 56th (London) 59th (Staffordshire) 61st 66th 70th 76th 77th 78th 80th Anti-Invasion "County Divisions" Devon and Cornwall Dorset Durham and North Riding Essex Hampshire Lincolnshire Norfolk Northumberland West Sussex Yorkshire Anti-Aircraft 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th Deception See British deception formations in World War II African 1st (African) 2nd (African) 11th (African) 11th (East Africa) 12th (SDF) 81st (West Africa) 82nd (West Africa) Other 1st Cavalry Beauman Division Royal Marines Y Division British Army in India First World War (list) Regular Army Guards 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 27th 28th 29th New Army 1st New Army 9th (Scottish) 10th (Irish) 11th (Northern) 12th (Eastern) 13th (Western) 14th (Light) 2nd New Army 15th (Scottish) 16th (Irish) 17th (Northern) 18th (Eastern) 19th (Western) 20th (Light) 3rd New Army 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 4th New Army 30th 31st 32nd 33rd 34th 35th 5th New Army 36th (Ulster) 37th 38th (Welsh) 39th 40th 41st Territorial Force 1st Line 42nd (East Lancashire) 43rd (Wessex) 44th (Home Counties) 46th (North Midland) 47th (1/2nd London) 48th (South Midland) 49th (West Riding) 50th (Northumbrian) 51st (Highland) 52nd (Lowland) 53rd (Welsh) 54th (East Anglian) 55th (West Lancashire) 56th (1/1st London) 2nd Line 45th (2nd Wessex) 57th (2nd West Lancashire) 58th (2/1st London) 59th (2nd North Midland) 60th (2/2nd London) 61st (2nd South Midland) 62nd (2nd West Riding) 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) 64th (2nd Highland) 65th (2nd Lowland) 66th (2nd East Lancashire) 67th (2nd Home Counties) 68th (2nd Welsh) 69th (2nd East Anglian) Other 63rd (Royal Naval) 71st 72nd 73rd 74th (Yeomanry) 75th Cavalry Cavalry 1st 2nd 3rd Mounted 1st 2nd 2/2nd (later 3rd) 4th Yeomanry Second Boer War (list) Infantry 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th Colonial Cavalry Cavalry Mounted 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Crimean War (list) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Cavalry Highland Light Napoleonic Wars (list) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Light --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [12th (Eastern) Division](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_(Eastern)_Division) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12th_(Eastern)_Division?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.