42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division - First World War Composition

First World War Composition

The infantry were equipped with the obsolescent Long Magazine Lee-Enfield (MLE) rifle from embarkation in 1914 until arrival in France in March 1917, when they were re-equipped with the standard modern Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE).

The division comprised three infantry brigades:

125th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade :

  • 1/5th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers from Bury. Outlying detachments at Radcliffe and Heywood.
  • 1/6th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers from Rochdale. Outlying detachments at Middleton and Todmorden. Disbanded February 1918. Men transferred within 42nd Division and to 66th Division.
  • 1/7th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers from Salford
  • 1/8th Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers from Salford

126th (East Lancashire) Brigade :

  • 1/4th Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment from Blackburn
    disbanded February 1918. Men transferred within 42nd Division and to 66th Division.
  • 1/5th Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment from Burnley
  • 1/8th (Ardwick) Battalion, The Manchester Regiment from Ardwick and East Manchester transferred from 127th Brigade February 1918.
  • 1/9th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment from Ashton-under-Lyne
    disbanded February 1918. Men transferred within 42nd Division and to 66th Division.
  • 1/10th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
    from Oldham

127th (Manchester) Brigade :
See: Museum of The Manchester Regiment. History Territorial Force 1914 – 1919 (external link)

  • 1/5th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment from Wigan Outlying detachments at Haydock, Atherton, Patricroft, and Swinton.
  • 1/6th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment from Manchester and suburbs including Cheshire
  • 1/7th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment from Manchester and suburbs including Cheshire
  • 1/8th (Ardwick) Battalion, The Manchester Regiment
    from Ardwick and East Manchester transferred to 126th Brigade February 1918.

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