23rd (Northumbrian) Division
War Diary
In respect of the War Diary for the Division, this was not one single document or file. Each Divisional Branch had its own War Diary and these need to be read in conjunction with each other. Unfortunately, due largely to the circumstances experienced by this second-line Division, which existed only between September 1939 and June 1940, many of the pages are missing or contain only very limited information.
What does exist has been recorded in this section of the history and includes a very considerable amount of material dealing with the time spent in France and Belgium with the British Expeditionary Force, culminating in the complexities of the retreat to Dunkirk.
1939
AQ Branch
GS Branch
Darlington - 28th September 1939
Orders were received from Northern Command, prior to the opening of the new Divisional HQ at “Uplands”, Darlington, to the effect that 23rd Division would take over, from 50th Division, the responsibility for providing guards for vulnerable points in the Divisional area from 2nd October 1939. These guards were to be found from the National Defence Companies, supplemented as necessary by T.A. personnel.
23rd Division was also to take over from 50th Division responsibility for defence against seaborne attacks within the Command from 15th October 1939 and the following troops would be put at the disposal of the Division from that date :-
(A) Tyne Group – one Battalion Infantry and one Regiment of Field Artillery from 42nd Division.
(B) Tees Group - one Battalion Infantry and one Regiment of Field Artillery from 49th Division.
(C) Hull and East Riding Group – one Regiment of Yeomanry (dismounted) and one Regiment Royal Horse Artillery from 5th Cavalry Brigade, for operations North of the Humber. One Regiment of Yeomanry (dismounted) and one Regiment Royal Horse Artillery from 6th Cavalry Brigade, for operations South of the Humber.
In addition, the Infantry Training Centres within the Division’s area would be made available as Area Reserves.
Darlington - 29th September 1939
Orders received from Northern Command ( CRNC No 2/3363(A) of 27th September 1939) that, with effect from 00:01 hrs on 2nd October 1939, the 23rd Division would be regarded as being under separate command, under its commander. [From the declaration of War 23rd Division, as a new duplicate formation, had been under the administrative control of 50th Division, its parent body.]
In a letter from 50th Division, reference 175/TA/G, received by all units in 23rd Division (said in the War Diary to have been dated 28th October 1935, though this is almost certainly a manuscript error for 28th September 1939) it was made clear that 23rd Division would function as a separate entity from 2nd October and would then take over the manning of all vulnerable points. Furthermore, with effect from 15th October, the new Division would relieve 50th Division of all Civil Defence duties. [This was so as to release 50th Division from UK commitments, prior to its despatch overseas as part of the B.E.F.]
This letter also gave details of the troops placed at the disposal of 23rd Division for defence against sea or airborne attack. Details are set out above in the entry for 28th September.
Darlington - 16th November 1939
70 Bde reported to the Division that 57 Lt AA Brigade had relieved 11 DLI from guarding R.A.F. Usworth.
Darlington - 20th December 1939 - 1200 hours
The War Diary included a note that the 23rd Div Signals Section took over Civil Defence duties from A Coy of 10 DLI in Darlington and its vicinity. A Coy of 10 DLI then moved to South Shields on the 22nd of December 1939.
Divisional Commander Royal Artillery
Divisional Commander Royal Engineers
Divisional Supply Column
1940
AQ Branch
GS Branch
Darlington - January 1940
The Division noted that a cadre of 187th Field Ambulance, RAMC, reported to the 23rd Division and were stationed at Houghton-le-Skerne, near Darlington. [For more details see the 187th Field Ambulance War Diary.]
Darlington - 7th March 1940
The Divisional staff were warned verbally at 17:00hrs (presumably by either Northern Command or the War Office) about the impending move of the Division to France between 14th – 21st April 1940.
Darlington - 9th March 1940
Preparatory order received at 10:00 hours by the Division regarding the impending move overseas. The troops expected to be included were the Divisional HQ, both Infantry Brigades, the Divisional Engineer units, some Signals personnel and one Field Ambulance.
Darlington - 10th March 1940
Information received that the date of embarkation was estimated to be 15th April 1940.
Divisional Commander Royal Artillery
Divisional Commander Royal Engineers
Divisional Supply Column
