A Machine Gun Company was attached to each Infantry Brigade and their subsequent Division.
Brigade attached to: | 56th Brigade |
Division attached to: | 19th (Western) Division |
Formed from the Machine Gun Sections of: | 7th Bn. The King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment 7th Bn. The East Lancashire Regiment 7th Bn. The South Lancashire Regiment 7th Bn. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment |
The 56th Bde. M.G. Coy. provisionally existed between September and December 1915. It disembarked at Le Havre on 09 February 1916 and joined the Division on 14 February 1916. It is likely to have been formed from the Machine Gun Sections of the listed infantry battalions.
As a unit of the 19th (Western) Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.
1915 | |
25 September to 02 October | Battle of Loos [Indian Corps, First Army]. |
25 Septmeber | Action of Pietre |
1916 | |
BATTLES OF THE SOMME | |
01 to 09 July | Battle of Albert [III Corps, Fourth Army]. |
02 to 04 July | Capture of la Boisselle. |
20 to 22 July | Fighting for High Wood [III Corps, Fourth Army]. |
23 to 31 July | Battle of Poizieres Ridge [III Corps, Fourth Army]. |
22 October to 11 November | Battle of the Ancre Heights [II Corps, Reserve Army, until 30/10; then Fifth Army]. |
13 to 18 November | Battle of the Ancre [II Corps, Fifth Army]. |
1917 | |
07 to 14 June | Battle of Messines [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
BATTLES OF YPRES | |
20 to 25 September | Battle of Menin Road Ridge [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
26 September to 03 October | Battle of Polygon Wood [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
04 October | Battle of Broodseinde [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
09 October | Battle of Poelcappelle [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
12 October | First Battle of Passchendaele [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
26 October to 10 November | Second Battle of Passchendaele [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
On 14 February 1918, it was amalgamated with the 57th, 58th and 246th Machine Gun Companies to form No. 19 Battalion, Machine Gun Corps.