A Machine Gun Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps was attached to each Infantry Division and was formed of four MG Companies.
The 19th Bn, MGC was formed on 14 February 1918.
| Division attached to: | 19th (Western) Division |
| Formed from the: | 56th Machine Gun Company 57th Machine Gun Company 58th Machine Gun Company 246th Machine Gun Company |
As a unit of the 19th (Western) Infantry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.
| 1918 | |
| FIRST BATTLES OF THE SOMME | |
| 21 to 23 March | Battle of St. Quentin [V Corps until 3 p.m., 21/3; then IV Corps, Third Army]. |
| 24 and 25 March | Battle of Bapaume [IV Corps, Third Army]. |
| BATTLES OF THE LYS | |
| 10 and 11 April | Battle of Messines [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
| 13 to 15 April | Battle of Bailleul [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
| 17 and 18 April | First Battle of Kemmel Ridge [IX Corps, Second Army]. |
| 29 May to 06 June | Battle of the Aisne [IX Corps, Fifth (French) Army]. |
| THE ADVANCE TO VICTORY | |
| THE FINAL ADVANCE IN PICARDY | |
| 18 to 23 October | Battle of the Selle [XVII Corps, Third Army]. |
| 04 November | Battle of the Sambre [XVII Corps, Third Army]. |
| 05 to 07 November | Passage of the Grande Honnelle [XVII Corps, Third Army]. |
The pursuit continued. The 19th Division advanced through Malplaquet on the 8th November and secured the Bois de la Laniere (west of the Mauberge-Mons road) on the 9th November. After this the advance of the Division came to an end; the 24th and the 11th Divisions, on either side, joined hands and the 19th Division then passed into XVII Corps Reserve. On the 10th the Division was drawn back into billets to the west of Bavai, and it was in the same position when the Armistice brought hostilities to a close at 11 a.m. on the 11th November.
On the 14th and 15th November the Division moved back to the Riuex area (north-east of Cambrai), and on 24th, 25th, and 26th November it moved farther back to billets in the Beauquesne-Candas area, with headquarters at Naours (south of Doullens). All miners left for demobilization at the end of December; and during January and February 1919 demobilization went on at an increasing rate. Finally at midnight 18th/19th March the 19th Division ceased to exist and the last cadres all returned to England between the 21st and 27th June 1919. During the Great War the 19th Division lost 39,381 killed, wounded, and missing.
My grandfather served in the machine gun corps 132145 James Forrester
Interesting Andrew. Do you know much about his service?
My Grandfather served with the 19th Bttn MGC and was captured at Messines in Apr 18.
Well hopefully we can add some content to this page over time that will be useful for you.