No 13 Motor Machine Gun Battery

A Motor Machine Gun Battery was provided to some Divisions to provide additional mobile machine gun assets.

No. 13 M.M.G. Battery served with the 10th (Irish) Division in England from 04 May 1915 but did not accompany the Division when they moved overseas in July.

It joined the 19th (Western) Infantry Division at Bulford on 14 July 1915. It disembarked at Le Havre on 17 July 1915 and served with the 19th (Western) Infantry Division until 07 March 1916.

As a unit of the 19th (Western) Infantry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.

FORMATION, BATTLES, AND ENGAGEMENTS
This New Army Division has no existence before the outbreak of the Great War.Army Order No. 285 of the 11th September 1914 authorized the further addition of six divisions (15th to 20th) and Army Troops to the Regular Army. This augmentation formed the Second New Army, and during September 1914 the 19th (Western) Division began to assemble near Bulford.

At first the infantry brigades were camped at Tidworth, Ludgershall, and Grately. In December, the brigades went into comfortable billets at Andover and Whitchurch, Basingstoke, and Weston-Super-Mare. The early discomforts and difficulties were similar to those which were experienced by all the divisions of the New Armies, consequently a few D.P. rifles were received with enthusiasm.

By March 1915 the Division was clothed in khaki and a great advance had been made in training. During March the Division concentrated around Tidworth to begin its final preparation for the field, and regimental training was completed by mid-May. On the 7th June the 19th Division first operated together as a complete division, and between the 12th and 18th June the 19th Division Artillery carried out its first gun-practice. On Wednesday, the 23rd June, the 19th Division was inspected by H.M. The King; and, at the end of the parade, His Majesty said to the General-Officer-Commanding: “Your Division is as good as anything I have seen in the New Army.”

On the 11th July the advanced party of the 19th Division left for France, on the 16th the Division began to move, and by the 21st July it had crossed to France and completed its concentration near St. Omer. For the remainder of the Great War the 19th Division served on the Western Front in France and Belgium and was engaged in the following operations:-

1915
25 September to 02 October Battle of Loos [Indian Corps, First Army].
25 September Action of Pietre

On 07 March 1916 it was transferred to 33rd Division.

On 09 May 1916, it left 33rd Division and joined VIII Corps.


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