10th (Irish) Division

The 10th (Irish) Division, was one of the first of Kitchener's New Army K1 Army Group divisions (formed from Kitchener's 'first hundred thousand' new volunteers), authorized on 21 August 1914, after the outbreak of the Great War. It included battalions from the various provinces of Ireland. It was led by Irish General Bryan Mahon and fought at Gallipoli, Salonika, Palestine and on the Western Front. It was the first of the Irish Divisions to take to the field and was the most travelled of the Irish formations. The division served as a formation of the United Kingdom's British Army during World War I.

History
Formed in Ireland on 21 August 1914, the 10th Division was sent to Gallipoli where, as part of General Sir Frederick Stopford's IX Corps, at Suvla Bay on 7 August it participated in the disastrous Landing at Cape Helles and the August offensive. Some battalions of the division were landed at Anzac and fought at Chunuk Bair.

In September 1915, when the Suvla front became a stalemate, the division was moved to Salonika where it remained for two years.

The division moved to Egypt in September 1917 where it joined General Chetwode's XX Corps. It fought in the Third Battle of Gaza which succeeded in breaking the resistance of the Turkish defenders in southern Palestine.

Heavy losses on the Western Front following Operation Michael, the great German Spring Offensive in 1918, resulted in the transfer of ten of the division's battalions from Palestine to France, their place being taken by Indian Army units. This left only one British battalion per brigade. The remainder of the division remained in Palestine until the end of the war with Turkey on 31 October 1918.

Formation


The division comprised the following brigades:


 * 29th Brigade:
 * 5th Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (August 1914 – June 1915, then became the divisional pioneer battalion)
 * 6th Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles (August 1914 – May 1918, then disbanded)
 * 5th Battalion, The Connaught Rangers (September 1914 – April 1918, transferred to 66th Division)
 * 6th Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) (August 1914 – April 1918, transferred to 14th Division)
 * 10th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment (March – October 1915)
 * 1st Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (November 1916 – October 1918)
 * 1/54th Sikhs (April – October 1918)
 * 1/101st Grenadiers (April – October 1918)
 * 2/151st Infantry (June – October 1918)


 * 30th Brigade :
 * 6th Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers (August 1914 – April 1918, reduced to cadre and transferred to the 39th Division)
 * 7th Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers (August 1914 – November 1916, absorbed by the 6th Battalion)
 * 6th Battalion, The Royal Dublin Fusiliers (August 1914 – May 1918, transferred to the 66th Division)
 * 7th Battalion, The Royal Dublin Fusiliers (August 1914 – April 1918, reduced to cadre and transferred to the 16th Division)
 * 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (November 1916 – October 1918)
 * 38th Dogras (April – October 1918)
 * 46th Punjabis (May – October 1918)
 * 1st Battalion, Kashmir Rifles (April – October 1918)


 * 31st Brigade :
 * 5th Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (August 1914 – May 1918, transferred to the 66th Division)
 * 6th Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (August 1914 – May 1918, transferred to the 14th Division
 * 5th Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) (August 1914 – April 1918, transferred to the 14th Division)
 * 6th Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers (August 1914 – November 1916, absorbed by the 5th Battalion)
 * 2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers (November 1916 – October 1918)
 * 2nd Battalion, 42nd Deoli Regiment (July – October 1918)
 * 74th Punjabis (April – October 1918)
 * 2/101st Grenadiers (May – October 1918)
 * 38th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (June – July 1918)


 * Pioneers :
 * 5th Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (June 1915 – April 1918, transferred to the 52nd Division)

Battles and engagements
Gallipoli
 * The landing at Suvla.
 * Battle of Sari Bair.
 * Capture of Chocolate Hill.
 * Hill 60.

Salonika
 * Kosturino.
 * Retreat from Serbia.
 * Capture of the Karajokois.
 * Capture of Yenikoi.

Palestine
 * Third Battle of Gaza.
 * Capture of the Sheria Position.
 * Capture of Jersusalem.
 * Defence of Jerusalem.
 * Tell ‘Asure.
 * Battle of Nablus.

General Officers Commanding
Commanders included:
 * December 1903-February 1904 Major-General Herbert Plumer
 * March 1904-1905 Lieutenant-General Arthur Wynne
 * August 1914-November 1915 Lieutenant-General Sir Bryan Mahon
 * December 1915-June 1919 Major-General Sir John Longley
 * June 1919-1921 Major-General Sir George Gorringe

Great War Memorials



 * Irish National War Memorial Gardens Dublin.
 * Island of Ireland Peace Park Messines, Belgium.
 * Menin Gate Memorial Ypres, Belgium.
 * Ulster Tower Memorial Thiepval, France.