| |
|
{| border=0 width=250 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 align=right |- |align=center|Insignia: ? |- |align=center| {| border=1 width=250 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 |- !colspan=2 bgcolor=#ddbbbb|63rd (Royal Naval) Division |- !Army |New Army |- !Formed |September 1914 |- !Demobilised |April 1919 |- |colspan=2 cellpadding=0| {| border=1 width=245 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 |- !width=50%|Previous !width=50%|Next |- |align=center bgcolor=#bbbbdd|62nd |align=center bgcolor=#cccccc|64th |} |} |}
The British 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was a World War I division of the New Army. At the direction of Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, it was formed at the outbreak of war as the Royal Naval Division composed largely of surplus reserves of the Royal Navy who were not required at sea.
The division participated in the defence of the Belgian city of Antwerp in late 1914. The division was shipped to Egypt prior to serving in the Battle of Gallipoli where it fought on both the Anzac and Helles battlefields. By the end of the Dardanelles campaign, the division's casualties were such that it no longer contained a significant number of naval servicemen and so in July 1916 it was redesignated as the 63rd Division when the original 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division was disbanded. The division moved to the Western Front in France for the remainder of the war.
| Table of contents |
|
2 Formation 3 Battles 4 External Links |
Defence of Antwerp.
Gallipoli. Diversion at Bulair. Reinforcing Anzac. Move to Helles.
France.
The division initially comprised eight naval battalions named after famous British naval commanders (Anson, Benbow, Collingwood, Drake, Hawke, Hood, Howe, Nelson), plus a Royal Marine Brigade with four battalions named after British ports (Deal, Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth).
; 1st Royal Naval Brigade : Also known as 1st (Royal Naval) Brigade, 1st Brigade (1914 - July 1916). Replaced by the 190th Brigade (July 1916).
; 2nd Royal Naval Brigade : Also known as 2nd (Royal Naval) Brigade, 2nd Brigade, 189th Brigade.
; Royal Marine Brigade : Also known as 3rd (Royal Marine) Brigade, 188th Brigade.
As the naval character of the division diminished, more regular infantry battalions were included. Other battalions that served with the division include:
The British Army in the Great War: The 63rd (Royal Naval) Division
Unit History
Formation
Due to the changing nature of the unit, it was made up of a number of brigades during the war.Battles
External Links