Churchill's Little Army: The Royal Naval Division in WW1

The oddest formation in the war, Winston Churchill’s idea was to find a role for surplus naval reservists to fight on land in the forthcoming war. He convinced the Admiralty and the government to form a division of Royal Marines supplemented with stokers from the Royal Fleet Reserve. After an abortive intervention in the siege at Antwerp, when more than 2500 men were taken prisoner or interned in Holland, the division went to the Dardanelles. The campaign temporarily ended Churchill’s political career and nearly saw the disbandment of the Division. However, it survived with its quaint naval traditions for three more years.

Rupert Brooke, Arthur Asquith (the Prime Minister’s son), and the intrepid Bernard Freyberg VC were part of a coterie of the brightest and best who were prominent in Division.

Alan Fidler is a regular speaker at our branch of the WFA. Back in 2010, he founded The Northumbria WW1 Commemoration Project and continues to co-ordinate its exceptional work.