The British 61st (2nd South Midland) Division was a second-line Territorial Army division raised in 1915 as a reserve for the first-line battalions of the 48th (South Midland) Division. The division was sent to the Western Front in May 1916 and served there for the duration of the First World War.

Unit history

Formation

182nd (2nd Warwickshire) Brigade 

• 2/5th Battalion, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
• 2/6th Battalion, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment
• 2/7th Battalion, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment
• 2/8th Battalion, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
• 2/8th Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment (from 183rd Bde. February 1918)

183rd (2nd Gloucester and Worcester) Brigade 

The brigade contained the following battalions until February 1918 when most of them were disbanded.

• 2/4th (City of Bristol) Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment
• 2/6th Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment
• 2/7th Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment
• 2/8th Battalion, the Worcesters (to 182nd Bde. February 1918)

Between February and June 1918 the Brigade contained the following battalions.

• 1/9th (Highlanders) Battalion, the Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)
• 1/5th (Buchan and Formartin) Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders
• 1/8th (The Argyllshire) Battalion, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

From May 1918 the following battalions joined the Brigade.

• 1st Battalion, the East Lancashire Regiment
• 9th (Service) Battalion, the Northumberland Fusiliers
• 11th (Service) Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment

184th (2nd South Midland) Brigade 

• 2/5th Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment
• 2/4th Battalion, the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
• 2/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion, the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (disbanded February 1918)
• 2/4th Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment

Battles

• Battle of Fromelles

External links

The British Army in the Great War: The 61st (2nd South Midland) Division