The following battalions were chosen for the Army of the Rhine: 1/5th and 1/6th West Yorkshire Regiment, 1/5th Yorkshire Light Infantry and 1/4th York and Lancaster Regiment.[3]
FOOTNOTES:
[2] As to the Lys battles see also 50th, 51st, 55th and 61st Divisions.
[3] An account of some of the more important features in the history of the 49th Division and of its younger sister the 62nd will be found in The West Riding Territorials in the Great War, by Major L. Magnus (Kegan Paul and Co., 15s.). Some most impressive pictures of life in the Ypres salient and at Nieuport in 1917 are to be found in Happy Days with the 47th and 49th Divisions, by Benedict Williams (Harding and More, 1921, 7s. 6d.).
50TH (NORTHUMBRIAN) DIVISION
First Line
The 50th Division will always be associated with the Second Battle of Ypres, now designated “The Battles of Ypres, 1915,” which began on 22nd April, 1915, by a great discharge of gas, then seen and felt for the first time in warfare, and which lasted till 25th May. Their presence was of the utmost value when the British and French only held on with the very greatest difficulty and at tremendous cost. Some battalions of the Division had only arrived in France a few days before the commencement of the battle.
In his despatch of 31st May, 1915, Sir John French “mentioned” officers and men of the following battalions of the 50th Division: 4th, 5th and 6th Northumberland Fusiliers and 5th, 6th and 8th Durham Light Infantry.
In his despatch of 15th June which deals with the Second Battle of Ypres Sir John French said, paragraph 4: “During the night” (of the 22nd April) “I directed the Cavalry Corps and the Northumbrian Division, which was then in general reserve, to move to the west of Ypres, and placed these troops at the disposal of the General Officer commanding the Second Army.”
The fighting on 22nd-23rd April is now the “Battle of Gravenstafel Ridge.”
On the 24th April the 9th Durham Light Infantry and other battalions of the Division had very heavy fighting. Several had been detached to assist the old Regular brigades to hold the line, and all the battalions of the 50th were in the thick of the struggle during the ensuing four weeks, either in their own brigades or attached to others. The pressure was so great and so continuous, and reserves so scanty, that even the Regular Divisions had constantly to detach units to help neighbours in distress. On 24th May when the enemy made his final big effort the 151st (Durham Light Infantry) Brigade were near Hooge and did most valuable and gallant service.