Royal Naval Division Magazine

The Royal Naval Division, or as it became known ‘Winston Churchill’s Little Army', had its foundations at the beginning of the First World War. The army only had six regular divisions bound for France. So, naval reservists which were not required for the fleet could be a useful addition when formed into three Brigades. One of marines, battalions named Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Deal. Two naval brigades, Drake, Hawke, Benbow, Collingwood, Nelson, Howe, Hood and Anson.

With little training, in October 1914 they were first blooded, in the defence of Antwerp. Many men had never fired a rifle and the equipment was third rate. As an example, when marching on the road to Dover many school satchels were collected to hold bullets. The division saw little fighting and when in retreat many were taken prisoner or interned in Holland for the duration of the war. However, they did delay the advancing Germans, which helped in defending the channel ports.

Retrained and reformed the horrors of Gallipoli next awaited the R.N.D. They would take a major part in the campaign, not only at Helles, but some battalions saw action at Anzac and/or Suvla Bay. During the evacuation, the division being part of the last to leave, became known as “The last Ditchers!”

In May 1916 the Division arrived in France to be retrained in army ways but still retaining its naval traditions. As Winston Churchill writes:- “Its officers and men use consistently the Naval parlance on every possible occasion. To leave their camps, in which the White Ensign flew and bells recorded the passage of time, men requested “leave to go ashore;” when they returned they “came aboard,” and when they did not they were reported as “adrift.” Men were “rated” and “disrated,” and for Sergeants and Lance-Corporals they had Petty Officers and Leading Seaman. Anchors were stencilled on their limbers and emblazoned on their Company flags, and their regimental badges were in the form of the crests of Admirals whose names their Battalions bore. When ill or wounded they attended “Sick Bay;” field kitchens were the “galley;” the King’s health was drunk sitting in the ward-room” - where officers wanting salt are even reported to have been heard asking their neighbours to “give it a fair wind;” – Many of the men and some of the Officers requested “leave to grow,” and paraded creditable beards in the faces of a clean-chinned Army.”

You will learn of the exploits of the newly named 63rd (RN) Division. The Battle of the Ancre, November 1916, where Freyberg was awarded his V.C. The Spring Offensive of 1917 together with the capture of Gavrelle. On to Oppy Wood, Passchendaele and Welsh Ridge. The defensive period of 1918 finding themselves back to the old areas that they held around the River Ancre. Then the advance to Victory, the names of the Drocourt-Queant switch, Hindenburg Line, Canal du Nord, Anneux, Grandcourt, St Quentin Canal and Niergnies standing out. At 11am November 11th they were still fighting in the neighbourhood of Mons.

It is a work of some 2,443 pages, with 581 photographs, 75 maps and 71 poems. Contributions have been included by so many who have a deep interest in this unique division. I would like to thank each of them, as without such help and enthusiasm it would not have been possible.