LETTERS FROM OUR READERS.
WREATHS.
204
The -Ypres Times.
Beautifully constructed artificial wreaths, largely composed of cornflowers, can now be
obtained by application to the Secretary, Ypres League, 100, Eaton Place, Eaton Square,
.W. 1.
Arrangements are 1 eing made to issue'coupons to visitors who are making a pilgrimage
to the graves, who can exchange a coupon for a wreath on arrival at Ypres, where a
sufficient number of wreaths will be kept.
The wreaths have teen specially provided in the anticipation t1 at many people will
feel happy in the thought that their token of remembrance will endure long after the
flowers of a natural wreath will have faded away. The flower emblemthe Cornflower
will alwaj s be associated with the League's efforts, and the wreaths are, and always will
be, so long s this generation lasts, constructed by disabled men.
THE 39th DIVISION.
To the Editor of The Ypres Times."
Sir,
After the retreat to the Somme in March, 1918,
which Capt. Higginbotham mentions in his letter
in the January issue, the 39th Division was again
reorganised into a fighting division, but no other
M.G. Company joined, nor, so far as I remember,
did other units replace the 118th Brigade. In
April, after the Germans took Merville, all avail
able troops were rushed up to reinforce the 9th
and 5th Corps. The remnants of the 39th Division,
who had arrived just before in the St. Omer area,
were organised into the 39th Composite
Brigade (not division), and, after leaving cadres
of each battalion behind it, entrained on the night
of April 11-12 at St. Omer and took part in the
hard fighting around Ridge Wood, Kemmel, La
Clythe, the Schepenberg, and Locre. It rejoined
the cadres about May 8. On May 16 the battalions,
as had been originally intended, were broken up,
the cadres known as the training staff being
left behind. This training staff," still under the
name of the 39th (Training) Division, for several
months trained American troops and young
soldiers called up under the Military Service Acts.
After the Armistice they were engaged in guarding
the enormous prisoners of war camps round
Abbeville.
Your faithfully,
Rifleman
(late 117th Infantry Brigade.)
To the Editor of The Ypres Times."
Sir,
In answer to Capt. Higginbotham's letter, the
Division was formed into a Brigade under, I think,
the Brigadier-General of the 118th Brigade, and
went into action in the Salient. When it was
relieved, all infantry units were placed on cadre
strength except the .Territorial battalions, which
were transferred to other units, and the cadres
carried on training the American divisions as these
arrived. This went on till August, 1918, when the
remaining battalions were disbanded and sent to
the base. The three Brigade H.Q.'s remained, but
ordered to different bases to take over duties, the
118th going,. I think, to Fecamp, the 117th to
Dieppe, and the 116th to Le Touquet. At the last-
named place the 116th had to build a camp. In
October orders were received from the Divisional
H.Q. to disband all cadre battalions. At this
stage the 118th Brigade H.Q. was disbanded, and
I believe it was a Brigade H.Q. of the 66th
Division that took its place. In December the
116th H.Q. were ordered to Le Havre to take over
ten cadre battalions to staff the demobilisation
camps, and was the H.Q. for demobilisation at
that port. It acted in this capacity till May, 1919.
The 117th H.Q. had been disbanded before this or
about this time, and in June the Divisional H.Q.
met a similar fate. In August the 116th H.Q.
were ordered to England, and ceased to exist on
arrival at Southampton at 8 a.m., August 10, 1919.
It may be of interest to add that the 11th Royal'
Sussex, when reduced to cadre strength in May,
1918, were sent to England in July, reinforced, and
then sent to Russia. The 12th Royal Sussex and
the 14th Hampshires were disbanded before our
M.G. Company was taken from us. The 13tl>
Royal Sussex were disbanded in August, 1918.
Capt. Higginbotham's letter interested me very
much, for I often wondered what became of the
116th's M.G. Company, and it is good to know that
some people still think of the old Division, which
more than did its bit, though it is rarely mentioned.
Yours faithfully,
H. Duffell
(late B.Q.M.S., 116th Infantry Brigade,
H.Q., 39th Division).