The Thirty-Fourth Division: 1915-1919

The author of this history commanded the 18th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, the divisional pioneer battalion. It is a good read and the details of the actions are supported by excellent maps. This division had the melancholy distinction of suffering the highest casualties of any of the assaulting divisions on the opening day of the Somme, 1 July 1916 - 6,380 of whom 2,480 were killed. Unusually it had only two commanders throughout the war; the first, Ingouville-Williams (‘Inky Bill’), was killed near Mametz on 22 July 1916. Casualty figures are given for the various periods spent in the line, with annual summaries. Reinforcements, reorganisations, staff and command changes, individual achievements in action are all covered. Finally a table summarises the 2,506 honours and awards and the 364 foreign awards won by the officers and men of the division.