40th Division

[dorrie]

I am aware that the 40th Divisison although classed as a banatam divisision was a mixture of banatams and regulation height soldiers. Did the Banatm defintion only affetc infantry Soldiers who did it apply yo all. I am researching a soldier in the 224th Field Coy RE who were part of the 40th division, hence the qustion

Cheers

Tim

[Steven Broomfield]

I think the Bantams were infantry only. In addition, the 40th Div wasn't entirely Bantam; the supply of manpower was pretty indifferent, and I believe many batts in 40 Div were amalgamated/disbanded and replaced by 'normal' height soldiers before the div went to France.

Engineers, etc, were all - I believe - non-Bantam.

[Graham Stewart]

The 224th, 229th and 231st Field Companies, Royal Engineers, 40th Divisional Signal Company,R.E. and 40th Divisional H.Q.,R.E. were all raised in Doncaster by the the Mayor and town and carried the additional title "Doncaster" in their name apart from the Div H.Q..

These units were raised on the following dates

224th Fld Coy,R.E.(Doncaster) - 3/5/1915.

229th Fld Coy,R.E.(Doncaster) - 11/6/1915.

231st Fld Coy,R.E.(Doncaster) - 22/6/1915.

40th Div Sig Coy,R.E.(Doncaster) - 22/6/1915.

40th Div H.Q.,R.E. - 26/6/1915.

Graham.

[dorrie]

thanks steve and graham most useful

tim

dorrie

[Steve11]

The 40th Division was originally intended to be a bantam division after the War Office lowered the height requirement for an infantry soldier so as to increase recruitment. As yet I've only seen evidence to suggest the bantam criteria applied to the infantry which was to be made up of three Brigades – the 119th, 120th and 121st, each comprising of four battalions.

Apart from a period in its initial stages of formation it seems the 40th would never really be a bantam division at all. The intention was dropped some time in early 1916. The division had struggled to achieve fitness for service overseas as Battalion recruiters, unable to find sufficient numbers had enlisted many men who were not medically fit for active service. Consequently, the 40th had to go through a separating out of the unfit men and the recruitment of fit replacements.

This continued through the winter of 1915/1916 but by spring the divisional commander requested four new battalions otherwise the 40th would have to delay its departure overseas. He proposed that the 120th and 121st Infantry Brigades could form two good battalions each from an amalgamation of the four they both had. An allotment of two additional battalions to each brigade would then bring it up to strength. The 119th had much less wastage from medical causes and it was considered could be bought up to strength in the ordinary way.

The War Office agreed to send the following units:

13th East Surrey Regiment.

14th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

20th Middlesex Regiment

21st Middlesex Regiment.

The 13th East Surreys were transferred over from the 39th Division and I don't believe the other units were bantam either. The battalion moved to France at the beginning of June 1916.

Steve.

[dorrie]

Thanks steve