British Fourth Army, 11th November 1918

v.1.0 September 2, 2001

Dr. Graham Watson

General Sir Henry Rawlinson

On 11th November Fourth Army occupied a 9-mile front between Coursoire and Montbliart with French forces on its right flank. Initially Fourth Army had advanced through Avesnes with XIII Corps on the left and IX Corps on the right but both had halted on 9th November and small force was built around 66th Division –called ‘Bethell’s Force’ to advance and maintain contact with the Germans.

Two major components of Fourth Army had been withdrawn into Army and/or GHQ reserve at the end of October as a result of manpower problems-they were the Australian Corps and the US II Corps.

ARMY TROOPS

2nd Guards Machine Regiment

100 Battalion MGC

part 43rd Bn Royal Fusiliers

part 44th Bn Royal Fusiliers

B Company, 11th Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

D Company, 16th Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

6th Bn West Indies Regiment

Half 7th Bn West Indies Regiment

Fourth Army Signals

 

XIII CORPS [Lt General Morland]

The corps operated on the left of the Army’s front with 50th Division on the left and 66th Division on the right. 18th and 25th Divisions were in reserve.

V/XIII Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

13 Cyclist Battalion

XIII Corps Signal Company

25th DIVISION [Major General Charles]

7 Brigade [Brigadier General Hickie]

9th Bn Devonshire Regiment

20th Bn Manchester Regiment

21st Bn Manchester Regiment

7 Light Trench Mortar Battery

74 Brigade [Brigadier General Graigie-Halkett]

9th Bn Green Howards

11th Bn Sherwood Foresters

13th Bn Durham Light Infantry

74 Light Trench Mortar Battery

75 Brigade [Brigadier General Turner]

1/8th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regiment

1/5th Bn Gloucestershire Regiment

1/8th Bn Worcestershire Regiment

75 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Kincaid-Smith]

110 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

112 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

25 Machine Gun Battalion

11th Bn South Lancashire Regiment (pioneer bn)

105, 106, 130 Field Companies RE

25 Signal Company

 

50th (Northumbrian) DIVISION [Major General Jackson]

149 Brigade [Brigadier General Robinson]

3rd Bn Royal Fusiliers

13th Bn Black Watch

2nd Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers

149 Light Trench Mortar Battery

150 Brigade [Brigadier General Rollo]

2nd Bn Northumberland Fusiliers

7th Bn Wiltshire Regiment

2nd Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers

150 Light Trench Mortar Battery

151 Brigade [Brigadier General Sugden]

6th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

1st Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

4th Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps

151 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Stirling]

250 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

251 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

50 Machine Gun Battalion

1/7th Bn Durham Light Infantry (pioneer bn)

7, 446, 447 Field Companies RE

50 Signal Company

 

66th (East Lancashire) DIVISION [Major General Bethell]

198 Brigade [Brigadier General Hunter]

6th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

5th Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

6th Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers

198 Light Trench Mortar Battery

199 Brigade [Brigadier General Williams]

18th Bn Kings Liverpool Regiment

9th Bn Manchester Regiment

5th Bn Connaught Rangers

199 Light Trench Mortar Battery

South African Brigade [Brigadier General Tanner]

1st South African Infantry Battalion

2nd South African Infantry Battalion

4th South African Infantry Battalion

South African Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Birtwhistle]

330 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

331 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

66 Machine Gun Battalion

9th Bn Gloucestershire Regiment (pioneer bn)

430, 431, 432 Field Companies RE

66 Signal Company

 

18th (Eastern) DIVISION [Major General Lee]

53 Brigade [Brigadier General Barker]

10th Bn Essex Regiment

8th Bn Royal Berkshire Regiment

7th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment

53 Light Trench Mortar Battery

54 Brigade [Brigadier General Borrett]

11th Bn Royal Fusiliers

2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment

6th Bn Northamptonshire Regiment

54 Trench Mortar Battery

55 Brigade [Brigadier General Wood]

7th Bn Queens Regiment

7th Bn The Buffs

8th Bn East Surrey Regiment

55 Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Evans]

82 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

83 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

18 Machine Gun Battalion

8th Bn Royal Sussex Regiment (pioneer bn)

79, 80, 92 Field Companies RE

18 Signal Company

 

IX CORPS [Lt General Braithwaite]

The corps advanced on the right of Fourth army with 32nd Division on the left and 46th Division on the right. 1st and 6th Divisions were in corps reserve.

V/IX Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

9 Cyclist Battalion

IX Corps Signal Company

 

1st DIVISION [Major General Strickland]

1 Brigade [Brigadier General Wheatley]

1st Bn Black Watch

1st Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

1st Bn Cameron Highlanders

1 Light Trench Mortar Battery

2 Brigade [Brigadier General Kelly]

2nd Bn Royal Sussex Regiment

1st Bn Northamptonshire Regiment

2nd Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps

2 Light Trench Mortar Battery

3 Brigade [Brigadier General Aubyn]

1st Bn South Wales Borderers

1st Bn Gloucestershire Regiment

2nd Bn Welsh Regiment

3 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Lewin]

25 Brigade RFA: 113 1114 115 40 Batteries

39 Brigade RFA: 46 51 54 30 Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

1 Machine Gun Battalion

1/6th Bn Welsh Regiment (pioneer bn)

23, 26, 409 Field Companies RE

1 Signal Company

6th DIVISION [Major General Marden]

16 Brigade [Brigadier General Braithwaite]

1st Bn The Buffs

1st Bn Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

2nd Bn York & Lancaster Regiment

16 Light Trench Mortar Battery

18 Brigade [Brigadier General Crauford]

1st Bn West Yorkshire Regiment

2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry

11th Bn Essex Regiment

18 Light Trench Mortar Battery

71 Brigade [Brigadier General Brown]

1st Bn Leicestershire Regiment

2nd Bn Sherwood Foresters

9th Bn Royal Norfolk Regiment

71 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Delaforce]

2 Brigade RFA: 21 42 53 87 Batteries

24 Brigade RFA: 110 111 112 43 Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

6 Machine Gun Battalion

11th Bn Leicestershire Regiment (pioneer bn)

12, 459, 509 Field Companies RE

6 Signal Company

 

32nd DIVISION [Major General Lambert]

14 Brigade [Brigadier General P Evans VC]

5/6th Bn Royal Scots

1st Bn Dorsetshire Regiment

15th Bn Highland Light Infantry

14 Light Trench Mortar Battery

96 Brigade [Brigadier General Girdwood]

15th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

16th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

2nd Bn Manchester Regiment

96 Light Trench Mortar Battery

97 Brigade [Brigadier General Armytage]

1/5th Bn Border Regiment

2nd Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

10th Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

97 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Tyler]

161 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

168 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

32 Machine Gun Battalion

16th Bn Highland Light Infantry (pioneer bn)

206, 218, 219 Field Companies RE

32 Signal Company

 

46th (North Midland) DIVISION [Major General Boyd]

137 Brigade [Brigadier General J Campbell VC]

5th Bn South Staffordshire Regiment

6th Bn South Staffordshire Regiment

6th Bn North Staffordshire Regiment

137 Light Trench Mortar Battery

138 Brigade [Brigadier General Rowley]

5th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment

4th Bn Leicestershire Regiment

5th Bn Leicestershire Regiment

138 Light Trench Mortar Battery

139 Brigade [Brigadier General Harington]

5th Bn Sherwood Foresters

6th Bn Sherwood Foresters

8th Bn Sherwood Foresters

139 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General Child]

230 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

231 Brigade RFA: A B C D Batteries

X & Y Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

46 Machine Gun Battalion

1/1st Bn Monmouthshire Regiment (pioneer bn)

465, 466, 468 Field Companies RE

46 Signal Company

 

AUSTRALIAN CORPS [Lt General Monash]

The corps was withdrawn into army reserve on 5th October and took no part in the final battles.

Australian Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

Australian Cyclist Battalion

Australian Corps Signal Company

 
 

1st AUSTRALIAN DIVISION [Major General Glasgow]

1 Brigade [Brigadier General Mackey]

1st Battalion (NSW)

2nd Battalion (NSW)

3rd Battalion (NSW)

4th Battalion (NSW)

1 Light Trench Mortar Battery

2 Brigade [Brigadier General Heane]

5th Battalion (Victoria)

6th Battalion (Victoria)

7th Battalion (Victoria)

8th Battalion (Victoria)

2 Light Trench Mortar Battery

3 Brigade [Brigadier General Bennett]

9th Battalion (Queensland)

10th Battalion (South Australia)

11th Battalion (Western Australia)

12th Battalion (Tasmania, South Australia & Western Australia)

3 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery

1 Field Brigade : 1 2 3 101 Batteries

2 Field Brigade: 4 5 6 102 Batteries

1 & 2 Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

1 Australian Machine Gun Battalion

1 Pioneer Battalion

1,2,3 Field Companies

1 Australian Signal Company

 

2nd AUSTRALIAN DIVISION [Major General Rosenthal]

5 Brigade [Brigadier General Martin]

17th Battalion (NSW)

18th Battalion (NSW)

19th Battalion (NSW)

20th Battalion (NSW)

5 Light Trench Mortar Battery

6 Brigade [Brigadier General Robertson]

21st Battalion (Victoria)

22nd Battalion (Victoria)

23rd Battalion (Victoria)

24th Battalion (Victoria)

6 Light Trench Mortar Battery

7 Brigade [Brigadier General Wisdom]

25th Battalion (Queensland)

26th Battalion (Queensland/Tasmania)

27th Battalion (South Australia)

28th Battalion (Western Australia)

7 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General ]

4 Field Brigade: 10 11 12 104 Batteries

5 Field Brigade : 13 14 15 105 Batteries

3 & 4 Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

2 Australian Machine Gun Battalion

2 Pioneer Battalion

5,6,7 Field Companies AE

2 Australian Signal Company

 

3rd AUSTRALIAN DIVISION [Major General Gellibrand]

9 Brigade [Brigadier General Goddard]

33rd Battalion (NSW)

34th Battalion (NSW)

35th Battalion (NSW)

36th Battalion (NSW)

9 Light Trench Mortar Battery

10 Brigade [Brigadier General Jess]

37th Battalion (Victoria)

38th Battalion (Victoria)

39th Battalion (Victoria)

40th Battalion (Victoria)

10 Light Trench Mortar Battery

11 Brigade [Brigadier General Cannon]

41st Battalion (Queensland)

42nd Battalion (Queensland)

43rd Battalion (South Australia)

44th Battalion (Western Australia)

11 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General ]

7 Field Brigade : 25 26 27 107 Batteries

8 Field Brigade: 29 30 31 108 Batteries

5 & 6 Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

3 Australian Machine Gun Battalion

3 Pioneer Battalion

9, 10, 11 Field Companies ACE

3 Australian Signal Company

 

5th AUSTRALIAN DIVISION [Major General Hobbs]

8 Brigade [Brigadier General Tivey]

29th Battalion (Victoria)

30th Battalion (NSW)

31st Battalion (Queensland/Victoria)

32nd Battalion (South Australia/Western Australia)

8 Light Trench Mortar Battery

14 Brigade [Brigadier General Stewart]

53rd Battalion (NSW)

54th Battalion (NSW)

55th Battalion (NSW)

56th Battalion (NSW)

14 Light Trench Mortar Battery

15 Brigade [Brigadier General Elliott]

57th Battalion (Queensland)

58th Battalion (South Australia)

59th Battalion (Western Australia)

60th Battalion (South Australia/Western Australia/Tasmania)

15 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General ]

13 Field Brigade : 49 50 51 113 Batteries

14 Field Brigade : 53 54 55 114 Batteries

9 & 10 Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

5 Australian Machine Gun Battalion

5 Pioneer Battalion

8, 14, 15 Field Companies ACE

5 Australian Signal Company

withdrawn to GHQ reserve-

4th AUSTRALIAN DIVISION [Major General Sinclair-Maclagen]

4 Brigade [Brigadier General Brand]

13th Battalion (NSW)

14th Battalion (Victoria)

15th Battalion (Queensland/Tasmania)

16th Battalion (South Australia/Western Australia)

4 Light Trench Mortar Battery

12 Brigade [Brigadier General Leane]

45th Battalion (NSW)

46th Battalion (Victoria)

47th Battalion (Queensland/Tasmania)

48th Battalion (South Australia/Western Australia)

12 Light trench Mortar Battery

13 Brigade [Brigadier General Herring]

49th Battalion (Queensland)

50th Battalion (South Australia)

51st Battalion (Queensland/Tasmania)

52nd Battalion (South Australia/Western Australia)

13 Light Trench Mortar Battery

Division Artillery [Brigadier General ]

10 Field Brigade: 37 38 39 110 Batteries

11 Field Brigade: 41 42 43 111 Batteries

7 & 8 Medium Trench Mortar Batteries

4 Australian Machine Gun Battalion

4 Pioneer Battalion

4, 12, 13 Field Companies ACE

4 Australian Signal Company

 

US II CORPS [Major General Read]

The corps was withdrawn into army reserve on 21st October.

27th US Division [Major General O’Ryan]

53 Brigade [Brigadier General Bjornstad]

105 Infantry Regiment

106 Infantry Regiment

54 Infantry Brigade [Brigadier General Pierce]

107 Infantry Regiment

108 Infantry Regiment

 

30th US Division [Major General Lewis]

59 Brigade [Brigadier General Tyson]

117 Infantry Regiment

118 Infantry Regiment

60 Brigade [Brigadier General Faison]

119 Infantry Regiment

120 Infantry Regiment

 

4th Tank Brigade

1st Tank Battalion

4th Tank Battalion

5th Tank Battalion

 

5th Tank Brigade

2nd Tank Battalion

8th Tank Battalion

13th Tank Battalion

 

17th (Armoured Car) Bn, Tank Corps

 

FOURTH ARMY ARTILLERY [Major General Budworth]

5 Army Brigade RHA G N O Z Batteries

16 Army Brigade RHA A Q U Batteries

5 Army Brigade RFA 64 73 81 D Batteries

14 Army Brigade RFA A 68 88 402 Batteries

48 Army Brigade RFA A B C D Batteries

65 Army Brigade RFA 465 466 504 505 Batteries

84 Army Brigade RFA A B C D Batteries

86 Army Brigade RFA A B C D Batteries

104 Army Brigade RFA A B C D Batteries

232 Army Brigade RFA A B C D Batteries

298 Army Brigade RFA 2/1HantsRHa 2/1EssexRHA C D Batteries

3 Australian Army Brigade 7 8 9 103 Batteries

6 Australian Army Brigade 16 17 18 106 Batteries

12 Australian Army Brigade 45 46 47 112 Batteries

9 Brigade RGA 128 130 153 260 Batteries

12 Brigade RGA 242 623 319 70 Batteries

14 Brigade RGA 11 150 296 214 Batteries

21 Brigade RGA 71 1/2Lancs 24 354 Batteries

23 Brigade RGA 41 327 355 94 Batteries

27 Brigade RGA 25 144 110 126 33 143 Batteries

41 Brigade RGA 1/1North 1/1Nmid 1 6 Batteries

47 Brigade RGA 109 146 309HAC 156 Batteries

51 Brigade RGA 137 138 255 283 169 161 Batteries

68 Brigade RGA 114 168 211 25 Batteries

69 Brigade RGA 238 291 331 93 Batteries

71 Brigade RGA 9 17 332 126 Batteries

76 Brigade RGA 113 132 228 233 19 91 Batteries

79 Brigade RGA 142 1/1Essex 14 174 145 185 Batteries

83 Brigade RGA 116 1/1Hld 230 284 135 69 Batteries

85 Brigade RGA 120 139 2 3 Batteries

93 Brigade RGA 35 1/1Low 231 232 215 124 Batteries

98 Brigade RGA 210 270 294 121 Batteries

HQ 73 Brigade RGA

50 Siege Battery RGA (4 x 6" guns)

189 Siege Battery RGA

222 Siege Battery RGA

312 Siege Battery RGA

449 Siege Battery RGA

498 Siege Battery RGA

499 Siege Battery RGA

504 Siege Battery RGA

545 Siege Battery RGA

section 546 Siege Battery RGA (1 x 9.2" railway gun)

section 543 Siege Battery RGA (1 x 12" railway gun)

section 471 Siege Battery RGA (1 x 14" railway gun)

80 Siege Battery RGA (2 x 12" howitzers)

243 Siege Battery RGA

494 Siege Battery RGA

1 Siege Battery RMA

374 Siege Battery RGA (1 x 15" howitzer)

F AA Battery RGA

G AA Battery RGA

P AA Battery RGA

Q AA Battery RGA

Z AA Battery RGA

 

FOURTH ARMY ENGINEERS [Major General Buckland]

546 Field Company RE

648 Field Company RE

144 Army Troops Company RE

146 Army Troops Company RE

213 Army Troops Company RE

221 Army Troops Company RE

238 Army Troops Company RE

283 Army Troops Company RE

288 Army Troops Company RE

567 Army Troops Company RE

574 Army Troops Company RE

1 Australian Army Troops Company

4 Siege Company R Mon RE

1 Siege Company R Angl RE

180 Tunnelling Company RE

182 Tunnelling Company RE

253 Tunnelling Company RE

254 Tunnelling Company RE

256 Tunnelling Company RE

1 Australian Tunnelling Company

2 Australian Tunnelling Company

353 Electrical & Mechanical Company RE

4 Army Workshop Company RE

5 Field Survey Battalion RE

224 Transportation Works Company RE

6 Advanced Field Park RE

12 Advanced Field Park RE

AA Searchlight Sections-6 7 16 17 29 36 50 69

 

 

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