38th 38th welsh division initially later 38th welsh infantry division 38th british_army active second world wars division raised 43rd division originally meant form strong championed assignment welsh recruits formations meant concept realised april formation renamed 38th welsh division shipped france later year division arrived france poor reputation seen political formation ill trained led division baptism fire came opening days battle capture despite securing wood needed jumping point reputation division effected senior officers loss nearly men phase offensive division large scale operation came year later highly successful attack attack battle division eyes upper hierarchy british military came considered elite german spring offensive division attacked fortified german positions crossed river smashed line broke german positions ended war belgian frontier chosen occupation following war division months exist march march following rise nazi_germany german occupation czechoslovakia british army increased number divisions existing units paper division recreated 38th welsh infantry division duplicate 53rd welsh infantry division form september transferred united_kingdom assigned home defence duties deployed overseas division disbanded units dispatched broken reinforce 21st fighting normandy operation overlord recreated september 38th training formation took role previously occupied form division completed training recruits dispatched overseas reinforcements end war division stood world war formation training july world war began august following german invasion belgium united_kingdom entered war uphold treaty london britain found facing continental war prepared fight dispatched country lacked forces required protracted war envisioned military leadership british arrived france august appointed secretary state war vital position allowed largely independent role war cabinet act following day request parliamentary approval increase strength british_army men coming days following approval laid plans proposed expansion traditional recruiting expand regular army bypassing county associations avoiding expanding wave originally termed wrote held disdain calling ill trained town clerk army partially set parallel recruitment system noted gross decision merely prejudice ignorance basis expansion rendered temporarily incapable carrying function viable home defence force needed threat german invasion september chancellor stated publicly like welsh army field thought quickly picked support politicians divisions totalling men approved october recruits drawn wales living liverpool london manchester creation corps soon source heated dispute realised addition disagreements shortage recruits end men joined december having scaled ambitious plan corps recruited men formed 43rd despite steady recruitment june cent recruits removed having discharged primarily medical reasons transferred units march new division inspected april fourth new army broken provide reinforcements deployed combat units turn renamed organisation 38th division 31st division april 43rd renamed 38th welsh division division spent dispersed majority located units training units based south locations men undertook basic training trained open warfare august division moved winchester england assembled time division final training took place limited instruction given tactics employ trench warfare assumption practical experience easier gain france despite training november division fully equipped rifles declared fit overseas service division soldiers fire rounds rifle range november division inspected final time deployed princess mary reviewed troops division comprising battalions roughly men strong deployed france november division departed southampton december arrived france division artillery initially remained conduct live fire exercises joined division end december initial reaction regular army division hostility division seen lacking experience training criticism divisions questions raised divisional leadership securing officer commissions influence hughes wrote regulars professed disgust political character division division rest united_kingdom represented ranks nations initial actions battle france division joined placed reserve relieving 46th north midland division casualties soon suffered training accidents grenades division temporarily split spent time attached 19th western division gain experience trench warfare relieved 19th western division summer manned region rotated sector spending time units division took turns line maintained positions conducted trench raids subjected german allowed men gain experience active service conditions notable action period trench raid carried captain 15th owen led raid man land located party german soldiers finished laying barbed wire owen followed germans trench ambushed divisional history comments greater portion german party killed raid considered army best carried far war actions owen mentioned dispatches june division relieved 61st 2nd division moved reserve moved south joined army train battle new trenches dug division practice attacks novel tactics attacking waves conjunction artillery machine gun fire end month division moved south valley joined placed reserve role division second wave exploit expected success following breach german lines cavalry divisions capture 38th welsh division forward relieve cavalry secure town allow cavalry advance north july day despite lines reserve division suffered casualty battle german artillery fire july attack disaster fourth army casualties suffered north albert road particular attacked villages day 7th division assaulted captured 21st division pushed german lines flanked north capture germans abandoned divisions advanced yards suffered casualties villages entrenched german positions needed captured allow advance german territory additional ground gained subsequent attacks german defences rain hindered moves clear following additional casualties 38th welsh division attached relieve division clear wood defended elements units entrenched wood german second line yards allowing position reinforced easily july 38th division conducted reconnaissance attacks determine strength german position july division launched battalions wood following brief preliminary bombardment 16th welsh 10th attacked soon advance began obvious preliminary bombardment failed silence german machine gun positions german shells started fall attacking troops trenches left resulting temporary communication breakdown caught machine gun fire flanks attack yards wood unable troops ordered dig await renewed british bombardment second attempt troops unable push forward proposed attack afternoon eventually called 16th welsh battalion historian wrote description casualties amounted men 10th suffered casualties evening 14th launched minor trench raid july supposed develop attack southern tip wood division prepared launch battalion sized attack commander ordered smaller attack platoon day spent confusion conflicting orders issued travelling division clarify intentions end attack launched found 14th moved attack pushed july summoned commanding officer corps headquarters sacked general commander noted event diary wrote visited saw general disappointed work 38th welsh commented relieved command majority division entered woods despite adequate bombard suffered casualties attack bold men entered wood found little opposition wrote entries odds facts relied heavily told states account self serving justice difficulties confronting troops ground acknowledge failure bombardment suggests political officer corps perceived political hughes quoted regular officer attached division described excellent administrator valued service division wrote poor commander opening attacks demonstrated faults entire command structure pressure results wrote evidence sending waves men unprotected machine guns wrote shown moral courage unprepared attacks giving troops instructions press attack machine gun fire met intended replace overruled ordered commander 7th division temporary command july decision division launch scale attack following day july preliminary bombardment began initial bombardment lasted minutes striking german line positions halted temporarily attempt lure german defenders line barrage resumed division launched attack advancing barrage 13th welsh right flank 14th welsh centre 16th left flank smoke screen laid flank succeeded drawing german fire away assault divisional history called attack magnificent sights war wave wave men seen advancing break distance places nearly yards 14th welsh rapidly entered wood cleared german positions rifle fire face determined german resistance flanking machine gun fire 13th welsh suffered casualties attack stalled division reinforced right flank committing 15th welsh able push wood link aid 13th german troops gap battalions got 15th welsh wiped company troops fight way cut way returned seven men despite losses battalions welsh regiment able form cohesive line defending edge wood repulsed strong german counter attacks 16th fallen barrage met determined german resistance repulsed assaults 15th sent reinforce battalions able push way wood german resistance machine gun prevented advance 10th welsh moved cover gap battalions engaged 13th deployed clear german position sister battalions divisional engineers arrived dig trenches lay wire afternoon 10th 17th committed wood attack began met little resistance 10th captured eastern stretches wood inflicted casualties germans 15th welsh 15th 17th fought north wood yards northern edge thrown german fire attack evening called troops pulled yards ordered dig night night ordered wood assembled place day prepared final assault clear germans commanding officer wanted launch surprise attack overruled subsequent bombardment support attack fell short places hitting british troops provoking german artillery fire despite friendly fire barrage caught german troops open fled wood remaining germans offered determined resistance 16th welsh held machine gun fire use despite brigade able clear end day german second line position higher ground dominated edge wood coupled artillery fire resulted brigade pulling start line avoid casualties evening 21st division relieved 38th division moved near relieved 48th south midland division july returned 7th division assumed command 38th division suffered casualties days fought men killed despite capturing prisoners largest wood paved way assault reputation division failure attack harm division reputation casualties seen evidence lack determination men commander brigadier general price davies things worse reporting panic men orders price davies later wrote given brigade credit damage difficulty wood fighting appreciated time wrote reputation division suffered repeated interference matters best left divisional brigade staff inexperience battlefield command level end august division deployed remained following months seeing major action division spent time engaging vital effort rebuilding consolidating washed trenches raiding german positions division commended corps commander notable raid conducted period occurred november 14th welsh elements battalion launched large raid german position known high fortified position slight rise overlooked british lines germans able direct artillery fire british positions 14th welsh raided position killing defenders hand hand combat taking prisoners june division withdrawn reserve conduct training exercises offensive german positions ridge built attacks rehearsed july division returned taking 29th division end month division subjected german artillery fire shells mixture high explosive gas inflicted losses time aerial reconnaissance infantry patrols division confirmed preliminary barrage forced germans second line positions july began division ordered capture german line second line positions based ridge low ridge contained heavily shelled village followed lay east small stream known division opposed primarily elements dug trench lines concrete secure objectives division planned attack waves fresh troops constantly moving forward tackle objective gas german artillery largely played little initial fighting 10th 13th welsh advancing right half 13th 16th left able german forward positions rapidly capturing germans remained 13th 14th welsh pushed sister battalions ridge remaining half 13th 16th based village german resistance determined resulting increasing british losses history war described scene german sic poured bullets advancing infantry slipped shell hole shell hole taking cover pushing onwards concrete encountered troops worked way cutting german troops forcing surrender despite resistance german second line captured delay half 13th 14th welsh 15th pushed german troops holding area allocated 51st advanced far able fire flanks advancing troops platoon 15th welsh diverted assaulted farm capturing men killing scattering rest securing flank advance 14th welsh rushed engaged hand hand combat seize position pushing capture dressing station charge resulted heavy losses yielded prisoners machine guns 15th fallen protective barrage came fire german position known despite losses pushed forward able secure portion british hands 11th 17th pushed forward despite german resistance based concrete defences positions cleared river reached battalions dug opposite casualties taken elements 16th welsh 10th moved forward reinforce newly gained position german infantry launched counter attack fighting continued day forward british battalions forced pull german attempts retake territory thwarted course afternoon heavy rain began fall following days future operations fighting broke welsh divisional history notes withdrawn immediately battle day division took close prisoners places division losses men exchange artillery fire fighting took place division pulled line august wrote attack ridge considered great success similarly viewed historians continues eyes reputation perceived poor showing went write division achieved highest level achievement john wrote division regained honour lost supposed capture division returned line august august elements division attacked day heavy rain fallen ground men lying shell holes gradually filling water found great difficulty getting advancing keeping barrage infantry mud lost barrage elements division reached german line hopeless division remained line subjected german artillery withdrawn september new positions raiding reorganisation spring division manned sections line times occupying miles period division worked improve trenches inherited conducted raids german lines night november 10th conducted strong raid german lines having penetrated german territory battalion destroyed concrete inflicted casualties took prisoners loss casualties addition raiding division helped train newly arrived assigning battalion time winter british realised germans intended begin offensive spring offensive division spent following months improving line positions constructing rear line defences region northern bank laying divisional history described concrete barbed wire number line infantry british_army france decreased leading manpower crisis attempt consolidate manpower increase number machine guns artillery support available infantry decision reduce number battalions division effect reducing establishment division men addition ease reinforcement attempt consolidate battalions regiment brigade changes impacted division resulting 15th 11th 10th 16th welsh disbanded 2nd joining 33rd division changes division saw machine gun companies consolidated single battalion medium mortar battery broken absorbed remaining batteries heavy mortar battery leaving division corps asset following short break train rest division returned line mid february raiding german lines march conducted raid similar scale similar success conducted november period germans raided british lines level success managed capture men addition division able gain upper hand german rivals divisional history notes patrols gained control learned thorough previous reconnaissance addition possible exposed trenches open german lines german spring offensive march germany launched operation michael attack opening spring offensive aimed deliver single decisive war winning blow germans intended strike southern british flank separate british french armies north engage bulk british forces france battle aim inflict defeat british armies country abandon war turn force french sue peace days german offensive casualties suffered 2nd 47th london divisions 38th ordered south positions near albert relieve formations infantry moved south divisional artillery remained support 34th division subsequently took battle artillery went aid french forces transferred temporarily conducting fighting withdrawal actions divisions earned men divisional artillery divisional commanders near albert division kept reserve night april division relieved 12th eastern division germans captured high ground near overlooking british lines division ordered retake deny germans ability observe british positions gain observation positions overlooking german lines valley april elements attacked support australian artillery german infantry supported large number machine guns artillery support resisted attack unable drive german infantry high ground division gained yards yard achieved objective 13th managed push ahead secured section high ground overlooking german lines fought german counter attacks took germans machine guns despite successes attack costly 13th suffering wounded germans repeated attempts push british big attack repulsed following days division attempted abortive attack german held ridge conducted raids german lines withdrawn short break point left division medical grounds replaced division received replacements casualties disbanded sniper company engaged rifle training line division return previous routine static warfare conducting patrols raids subjected raids artillery final battles august division returned took position shortly allied armies launched led start days offensive culminating offensive war 38th division sector pushed germans gains eastern bank assigned cross river clear german held ridge north albert august elements crossed near established constructed bridge fought german counter attacks following day additional elements brigade crossed securing repulsed german attacks crossed river bridges albert assaulted mile north east taking prisoners artillery pieces seven machine guns august crossed river cleared german positions facing took prisoners captured machine guns rest division crossed following day new bridges early hours launched attack ridge brigades attacked end day despite heavy fighting division seized ridge pushed germans taken prisoners division history records capture machine guns august division advanced old battlefield second battle cleared seized following day reached outskirts fought numerous counter attacks surrounded cleared near casualties amounted prisoners taken machine guns captured day saw heavy fighting outside attempted advance halted determined german resistance repeated counter attacks following days saw exchange artillery fire german counter attacks repulsed seized late august following partial german withdrawal division continued advance overcame german resistance counter attacks capture held determined resistance following day long barrage captured september heavy fighting division pushed effort halt british advance germans dug far canal words divisional history canal valley gas shells september having noticed weakness german positions elements 13th 14th welsh stormed canal cleared eastern bank allowing rest cross september division relieved placed reserve august beginning september artillery fired rounds support fighting casualties suffered german prisoners taken september division returned line near germans dug ridge line intending delay british reaching line tasked clearing positions september fought division attacked brigades able reach objectives despite flanking fire fought numerous counter attacks despite success germans able battle cleared german outposts line preparing way future operations september division pulled line period rest days later division returned preparation assaulting line division advanced pressing retreating germans halting support line known line determined german resistance october line breached division germans evacuated main position known line near german positions lay dense lines barbed wire supported concrete machine gun positions hidden small woods providing excellent fields fire open countryside faced level defence division halted spent following days german positions preparing assault division plan attack dark assault village daylight tank support clear nearby held reserve initially brought exploit success push deeper german defensive belt october attack began initial attack failed turn unable approach concentrated german machine gun fire rallied achieved initial objective able gain near theirs 2nd following friendly fire incident assaulted cleared village tank support committed battle orders delay advance arrived late troops held barbed wire heavy german fire pressed forward exploiting success divisional history comments attack progressed rapidly resulted complete rout enemy brigade able achieve final objective road engaged heavy fighting clear german trenches action division suffered casualties took prisoners divisional history noted october fighting advance following assault 33rd division pursued retreating german forces 38th stayed close ready advance assault strongly held german positions needed october liberated following day divisional artillery firing support 33rd contact german forces days 33rd division pursued germans launched bloody assault defended eastern bank opening stages battle secured abandoned losses decision division forward night october division took line near days division prepared conducting reconnaissance constructing bridges moving heavy artillery preparations germans bombarded elements division artillery gas shells night october division attacked brought forward river crossed ease divisional history comments railway embankment far greater natural obstacle heavy rain heavily wired defended crossed river supported tank held reserve deal german counter attacks despite heavy german resistance tanks mud troops able seize rail line divisional history commended 14th welsh efforts action secure rolling german line secure right flank attack commending efforts men major general described attack having formed ground men crossed difficult river fourth time 21st august attacked swept machine gun fire stormed railway embankment feet high pouring rain slippery deep going hours darkness established final objective elements division pioneers joined final assault heights river aided capture position despite counter attacks division held high ground attack inflicted casualties resulted capture prisoners battery artillery pieces mortars secured supported 38th artillery continued advance 38th following close time elements division supply train stricken outbreak spanish flu following 33rd division passed village forest halting division november subjected artillery aerial minor skirmishes german infantry november yard pushed forward subjected heavy german artillery bombardment brigade cleared pushing yards forest stiff resistance followed ahead achieve division second objective inside forest fighting followed artillery moved forward attacked reaching division final objective road running forest nightfall heavy rain complete darkness 13th welsh carried advance surrounded capturing garrison men pushing taking additional prisoners division breached forest allowing 33rd division continue advancing eastwards time cross hour period division advanced miles miles flanking divisions taken prisoners captured artillery pieces suffered casualties november division relieved 33rd pursuit germans taking line near division pushed east november leading brigade east advanced patrols contact german forces belgian border start day offensive signing armistice november division advanced miles taken prisoners seized machine guns captured mortars artillery pieces division losses period amounted men commented division employed trench holding duties september july likely regarded elite storm formation noted judged results attacks days division select band elite divisions akin australian canadian limited number british formations sheffield credited hard ruthless fire improved performance division period breaks division away line able train new knowledge resulted command allowed command flexibility lower ranks addition sheffield cited improved staff work tactical doctrine high morale led ability division carry effective combined arms operations epilogue following conclusion fighting division based france division chosen british_army rhine british occupation force based instead period months soldiers sent home december division ceased exist march prior division disbandment remaining men visited wales later course war division men killed wounded reported missing acts soldiers instances posthumously awarded victoria_cross addition following awards cases multiple times bestowed distinguished service orders military crosses distinguished conduct medals military medals men mentioned dispatches second world war background 1930s tensions built nazi germany united_kingdom allies late german demands annexation czechoslovakia led international crisis attempt avoid war british prime minister met german chancellor adolf_hitler september munich agreement agreement immediate war allowed germany annex chamberlain intended agreement lead peaceful resolution issues relations countries soon deteriorated march germany breached terms agreement invading occupying remnants czech state response march british secretary state war announced plans increase men double number territorial divisions intended plan action existing units recruit allowed establishments aided increase pay removal restrictions promotion major recruiting preceding years construction better quality barracks increase supper time rations form divisions small built result 38th welsh infantry division created unit duplicate april limited conscription introduced time age regular army initially trained months deployed forming second line units despite intention army grow size programme complicated lack central guidance expansion process issues lack facilities equipment instructors formation home defence despite ongoing efforts regiments able recruit required numbers form new battalions process words historian progressed paper stage second world war began september 38th welsh infantry division finally active september constituent units formed administered 53rd welsh infantry division 38th composed division initially assigned early spread england wales summer division command based liverpool conduct manoeuvres training war time deployment envisioned deployed reinforce regular army deployed european mainland equipment available plan envisioned deployment force waves divisions completed training final divisions deployed year outbreak war result division leave united_kingdom evacuated france june april division assigned moved sussex 18th having replaced liverpool sussex division held reserve placed 47th london 55th defending coast west east despite reserve historians note battalions took coastal defence duties december division placed lower establishment having static home defence role division assigned shifted west defend coastline notably february anti aircraft platoon supported commando raid france july division lost 10th division spent early moving country spending time kent northumberland assigned march formed area aiding movement troops preparation operation overlord divisions allocated home defence duties 38th 45th 47th london 55th divisions divisions combined total men number available replacements fighting france remaining men considered ineligible service abroad time variety reasons including lack training medically unfit following months cent men deployed reinforce following completion training certification fitness specifically vast majority 1st south wales deployed normandy end june replacements reinforce mid july resulting battalion disbanded comments september dry losses suffered leaving army britain exception 52nd young old men unfit loss men reinforce july withdrawn division brigade operation liberate designated force ultimately operation place brigade deployed europe august 38th welsh infantry division began disperse august divisional headquarters ceased commanding subordinate units end month division disbanded training british_army suffering severe shortage manpower effort army consolidate men formations possible maintain fighting strength efficiency began disbanding divisions including decision retain division numbers familiar british public september 38th division recreated replace training formation new commanded previously commanded division point divisional insignia worn permanent members division 38th 45th holding complete training new army recruits division soldiers given weeks additional training section platoon company level undertaking final day exercise troops ready sent overseas join formations undertaking role example trained replacements battalions regiment having fulfilled purpose division disbanded end war general officer commanding division following commanders world war division following commanders second world war orders battle
38th (Welsh) Infantry Division