V Corps was an army corps of the British Army that saw service in both the First and the Second World Wars. It was first organised in February 1915 and fought through the First World War on the Western front. It was recreated in June 1940, during the Second World War and was substantially reorganised in 1942 for participation in Operation Torch. It fought through the Tunisia Campaign and later the Italian Campaign.
Prior to the First World War
In 1876, a Mobilisation Scheme for the forces in Great Britain and Ireland, including eight army corps of the 'Active Army', was published. The '5th Corps' was headquartered at Salisbury comprising the units of Southern Command. In 1880, its order of battle was as follows: 1st Division (Salisbury) 1st Brigade (Salisbury) 1st Bn. 8th Foot (Warley), 2nd Bn. 25th Foot (Plymouth) 2nd Brigade (Salisbury) Queen's Own Tower Hamlets Militia (London), King's Own Tower Hamlets Militia (Dalston), Wexford Militia (Wexford) Divisional Troops North Devon Yeomanry (Barnstaple) 2nd Division (Warminster) 1st Brigade (Warminster) Monaghan Militia (Monaghan), Louth Militia (Dundalk), Longford Militia (Longford) 2nd Brigade (Warminster) Royal Wiltshire Militia (Devizes), Royal Buckinghamshire Militia (High Wycombe), Royal Berkshire Militia (Reading) Divisional Troops 56th Foot (Portland), North Somerset Yeomanry (Bath) 3rd Division (Gloucester) 1st Brigade (Gloucester) Royal South Gloucestershire Light Infantry Militia (Bristol), Oxfordshire Militia (Oxford), Royal North Gloucestershire Militia (Cirencester) 2nd Brigade (Gloucester) Shropshire Militia (Shrewsbury), Worcester Militia (Worcester) Divisional Troops 37th Foot (Pembroke), Gloucester Yeomanry (Badminton), Shropshire Yeomanry (Shrewsbury) Cavalry Brigade (Yeovil) 1st Dragoons (Manchester), 5th Lancers (Woolwich), 7th Dragoon Guards (Aldershot) Wiltshire Yeomanry (Marlborough), Dorset Yeomanry (Dorchester), West Somerset Yeomanry (Taunton)
This scheme had been dropped by 1881. The 1901 Army Estimates (introduced by St John Brodrick when Secretary of State for War) allowed for six army corps based on the six regional commands: V Corps was to be formed by Northern Command with headquarters in York. It was to comprise 27 artillery batteries (18 Regular, 6 Militia and 3 Volunteer) and 25 infantry battalions (4 Regular, 13 Militia and 8 Volunteers). Under Army Order No 38 of 1907, the corps titles disappeared, but Northern Command continued to be a major administrative organisation.
First World War
V Corps was organised within Second Army of the British Expeditionary Force on 18 February 1915 under the command of Sir Herbert Plumer, who had been commanding Northern Command in England. Initially, V Corps comprised the 27th Division and 28th Division, both composed of Regular Army battalions brought back from various Imperial postings.
Order of Battle February 1915
General Officer Commanding (GOC): Lt-Gen Sir Herbert Plumer
Brigadier-General, General Staff (BGGS): Brig-Gen Hugh Jeudwine
Brigadier-General, Royal Artillery (BGRA): Brig-Gen S.D. Browne
Colonel, Royal Engineers: Col R.D. Petrie
27th Division
28th Division
1915 fighting
The two infantry divisions had taken over French trenches in front of the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge, south of the Ypres Salient. These trenches were wet and poorly protected, and the Indian-issue boots worn by many of the men were inadequate. They had to endure shelling and occasional trench raids as well as bad weather. V Corps played a peripheral part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle to the south, and then 27th Division took part in the action at St Eloi (14–15 March 1915).
In April 1915, V Corps shifted northwards, taking over the sector from St Eloi to St Julien from the French Army. Now, with three divisions under command (first the 5th Division and then the newly arrived 1st Canadian Division were added), V Corps held the whole south-eastern and eastern part of the Ypres Salient. Between 17 and 22 April, 5 Division succeeded in capturing Hill 60 after underground mines had been fired.