The newly appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward.

Starting from London and Liverpool, the phenomenon of 'Pals battalions' quickly spread across the country, as local recruiting committees offered complete units to the War Office (WO).

The battalions were active in Trench raiding and took a steady trickle of casualties, especially in the dangerous Givenchy sector where mining and counter-mining was constant.

It first went to a training area around Tincques and Villers-Brûlin, then at the end of the month it marched south and on 3 July it arrived at Buire-sur-l'Ancre in XVII Corps' reserve.

XV Corps organised a bombardment of the eastern edge of Mametz Wood by heavy artillery from 10.45 to 11.15, but some of these shells fell short on 115th Bde's forward positions.

Evans was disgusted with the pressure from Corps HQ, commenting to Griffith, 'You mark my words, they'll send me home for this: they want butchers not brigadiers'.

115th Brigade was eventually ordered to withdraw to bivouacs, the three attacking battalions having suffered over 400 casualties, while two companies of 17th RWF held the line during the night.

They got lost and were at the northern end of the wood close to the Germans when the British artillery opened up, wounding Evans and his Brigade major, Capt C.L.

Evans called up Capt Griffith to take over as brigade major and continued his reconnaissance, reporting to Divisional HQ that the position was still unstable.

[12][22] He was replaced on 30 August by Brig-Gen Carlos Joseph Hickie, promoted from commanding 14th (Service) Bn, Hampshire Regiment in 39th Division.

That month the division was given its role in the forthcoming operation, and towards the end of June was taken out of the line and went to the St Hilaire area to train for the attack over replica trenches and strongpoints.

For 38th (W) Division the plan was for 113th and 114th Bdes to advance up the ridge and capture the first three objectives (the Blue, Black and Green Lines), including the fortified Pilckem village and the pillbox at 'Iron Cross' crossroads.

About 14.00 the Germans were seen massing for a counter-attack, which developed at 15.10, driving a company of 11th SWB out of 'Au Bon Gîte' and forcing it to retire to the west bank of the Steenbeek.

Next day 11th SWB was ordered to recapture the bridgehead over the Steenbeek at Au Bon Gîte, but the acting CO was killed carrying out the reconnaissance and the brigade major (Capt M.H.

The rest of 10th SWB was therefore sent forward with additional ammunition to strengthen the line, but although the Germans shelled the battalions heavily, their attempted counter-attack failed in the mud and barrage.

16th Welsh attempted to capture 'Eagle Trench' on 27 August, but in the mud they were unable to keep up with the barrage and were hit by enfilade fire from the 'White House' strongpoint.

[12][13][48][49][50] Although Armentières and the Lys Valley was considered a quiet sector, the division had a wide front to hold with weak battalions (companies were reduced to two platoons each).

Much of the time was spent trying to drain and improve the chain of defensive positions in the low-lying and waterlogged country, which were mainly breastworks rather than trenches.

On 19 September, soon after it had taken over the sector, one of 10th SWB's detached posts was raided by a large number of Germans, but the raiders were held off and then caught by the British counter-barrage.

On 29 March the division was rushed south to the Albert area to reinforce Third Army, arriving on 2 April (on which date Brig-Gen Gwyn-Thomas was evacuated, sick).

It then returned to the Aveluy Wood sector until 19 July, carrying out active patrolling and raids to ensure complete control of No man's land.

V Corps gave 38th (W) Division the task of crossing the flooded Ancre: 113rd Brigade at Albert, 114th Bde at Hamel, a few miles north, and then they were to converge towards Pozières.

115th Brigade pushed along the valley south of High Wood, enveloping the enemy there and capturing 15 machine guns and 40 prisoners who had not retreated in time.

However, the enemy held some commanding ground in the gap between 38th and the neighbouring 17th (Northern) Division; enfilade fire from this position caused heavy casualties to 115th Bde and two companies of 10th SWB had to be turned aside to deal with it.

This entailed a flank march over open ground, part of which was under enemy observation and under continuous bombardment with high explosive and mustard gas.

The plan for the attack on 8 October (part of the Second Battle of Cambrai) called on 38th (W) Division to make an advance of over 5,000 yards (4,600 m) through very strong positions.

While 113rd and 114th Bdes held the new front line and support positions, 115th Bde went into billets in the largely undamaged village of Villers-Outréaux – the first habitable buildings the troops had seen since 4 August.

That night 113th Bde passed through 33rd Division, taking over the lead while the others followed until the morning of 11 November when the Armistice with Germany came into force, ending hostilities.

[12][13][73][74] 38th (Welsh) Division adopted a scheme of coloured cloth geometric shapes worn on the upper arms to distinguish its brigades and units.

On 12 February, it moved to North West Europe where it remained until the end of the war, serving variously under the direct command of VIII, XII and I Corps.