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Remembered Today:

British 18th Division


armourersergeant

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Did the 18th division commanded on the Somme by General Sir ivor Maxse maintain its standards after he moved on to command the 18th Corps. To me the mark of a great commander and teacher would be for the staff and senior officers to learn the lessons and then impliment them even if he has gone.

Can anyone comment.

Arm.

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Arm - Slightly off what you are talking about, but still related to the 18th Division.

I have been after a copy of the 18th Div's history for sometime. I saw one at the International Arms Fair (at the now gutted National Motorbike Museum) for £140 :o. About 8 years ago N&M Press said they were going to re-print it in 5 years time! Still no book.... :(

Sorry to go 'off course' a bit mate!

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Did the 18th division commanded on the Somme by General Sir ivor Maxse maintain its standards after he moved on to command the 18th Corps. To me the mark of a great commander and teacher would be for the staff and senior officers to learn the lessons and then impliment them even if he has gone.

Arm - Peter Simkins would argue that it did. See his paper "Co-Stars or supporting cast? British Divs in the 100 days, 1918" in P Griffith (ed) 'British Fighting Methods in the Great War' (pub Cass 1996)

Maxse's successor (whose name escapes me) I think commanded the Div until the end of the war. It only had two GOCs during the whole war, which must have given it an advantage in maintaining continuity and standards. Cf 9th Div which had had 7 different commanders sincce crossing to France. (see Simkins p.60)

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Maxse handed over command of the 18th Division to Major General Richard Lee, a close friend of Gough.

Lee was a Royal Engineer who was serving at the time as Chief Engineer to the Reserve Army.

Lee remained in charge of the division until after the Armistice. Under his command they continued to distinguish themselves until the very last days of the war, even though they retained few of the men who left Codford in 1915.

Cheers.

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Maxse was a good manager, who passed on his ideas to his subordinates who continued them long after he left the division... it was blessed with good battalion and brigade commanders as well, and some fine battalions and support troops.

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If the Victoria Cross's, awarded to the Division are a measure of performance, or a measure of leadership or the quality of the all ranks within the Division. Then as 4 were awarded in 1916 (Maxse) and 5 were awarded in 1918 (Lee)*. I feel, there was a continuity of leadership and spirit.

*page 475 (ATN) 18th Divisional History. adrian44.

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Guest A Mafia Man

My grandfather served in the 6th Royal Berkshire Regt from it's formation to it's demise whereupon he was posted to the Kings Liverpool Regt, & his MM Citation is indeed signed by Lt Gen Lee.

My grandfather was always immensley proud of his service with the 6th Berkshire's in the 18th Div & he commented, on more than one occassion, that they aways had a 'good guvna of a general' !

Cheers for now

Joe

:rolleyes:

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