XI Corps (United Kingdom)

XI Corps was a corps-sized formation of the British Expeditionary Force, active during the First World War that served on the Western Front and in Italy. It was recreated as part of Home Forces defending the United Kingdom during the Second World War.

First World War

Western Front

XI Corps was formed in France on 29 August 1915 under Lt-Gen Richard Haking. Its first serious engagement (as part of Sir Charles Monro's First Army) was the Battle of Fromelles (19 July 1916), a diversion to the Somme offensive in which two untried divisions were launched into an ill-planned subsidiary attack in Flanders. It achieved nothing but cost thousands of casualties, and caused great resentment in Australia.

Order of Battle at Fromelles

General Officer Commanding Lt-Gen R. Haking

61st (2nd South Midland) Division
5th Australian Division

Italian Front

XI Corps was one of two corps HQs moved to the Italian Front in November 1917.

Order of Battle in Italy 1 December 1917

GOC Lt-Gen Sir Richard Haking

Corps Troops:

1/1st King Edward's Horse
HQ Corps Heavy Artillery Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA)
11th Cyclist Battalion Army Cyclist Corps
Corps Topographical Section Royal Engineers (RE)
Signal Troops RE (L Corps Signal Company; 27 (Motor) Airline Section; R and LC Cable Sections, *Corps Heavy Artillery Signal Section RGA)
Corps Siege Park Army Service Corps (ASC)
Corps Ammunition Park (345 (MT) Company (25 Ammunition Sub-Park) ASC)
491 (MT) Company ASC, attached Corps Heavy Artillery
5th (Light) Mobile Workshop Army Ordnance Corps (AOC)
Area Employment Company
Corps School

Return to the Western Front

XI Corps returned to the Western Front in March 1918 in time to take part in the defence against the German spring offensive (the Battle of the Lys) and the final battles of the war as part of Sir William Birdwood's Fifth Army.

Order of Battle 27 September 1918

Corps Headquarters Command Staff

GOC Lt-Gen Sir Richard Haking
Brigadier-General, General Staff: Brig-Gen J.E.S. Brind
Deputy Adjutant & Quartermaster-General: Brig.-Gen A.F.U. Green
Assistant Director Ordnance Services, Lt Col A.J. Herbert, NZAOC
Commander, Royal Artillery: Brig-Gen S.F. Metcalfe
Commander, Heavy Artillery: Brig-Gen F.A. Twiss
Commander, Engineers: Brig-Gen H.J.M. Marshall

Divisions attached to XI Corps

19th (Western) Division (to Third Army 4 October)
47th (1/2nd London) Division (to III Corps 13 October)
57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division (from Third Army 11 October)
59th (2nd North Midland) Division
61st (2nd South Midland) Division (to Third Army 5 October)
74th (Yeomanry) Division (from Fourth Army 2 October; to III Corps 8 October)

Second World War

XI Corps was reformed in the United Kingdom early in the Second World War. It was based at Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire with a major operational base at Felsted School.

Order of Battle Autumn 1940

15th (Scottish) Infantry Division
55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division
Royal Artillery
- 147th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery
- 72nd Medium Regiment

General Officers Commanding

Commanders included:

29 August – 4 September 1915 Major-General the Earl of Cavan (temporary)
4 September 1915 – 13 August 1916 Lieutenant-General Richard Haking
13 August – 30 September 1916 Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Anderson
30 September 1916 – 1919 Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Haking
July 1940 – November 1941 Lieutenant-General Hugh Massy
November 1941 – March 1942 Lieutenant-General Noel Irwin
March 1942 – September 1942 Lieutenant-General John Crocker
September 1942 – April 1943 Lieutenant-General Gerard Bucknall
April 1943 – July 1943 Lieutenant-General Gerald Templer

Notes

References

Newbold, David John. "British planning and preparations to resist invasion on land, September 1939 - September 1940". King's College, University of London.
Official History 1918: Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds, Military Operations France and Belgium, 1918 Volume V: 26 September–11 November: The Advance to Victory 1947 (reprint Imperial War Museum, 1992) ISBN 1-870423-06-2