The Western Front

In early March 1917 the 42nd E Ldivision moved to France and joined 3 Corps in Fourth Army.

8 April – 23 May 1917: Relieved 48th (South Midland) Division. Held line at Épehy

23 May – 8 July 1917: Relieved 20th (Light) Division. Held line at Havrincourt, north of Epéhy.

8 July: Infantry relieved by 58th (2/1st London) Division.Divisional artillery remained in the line in support of 58th and then 9th (Scottish) Division at Havrincourt Wood.

9 July – 22 August 1917: Ytres sector.

23 August – 1 September 1917: Joined 5 Corps in Fifth Army. Infantry in Poperinghe area behind Ypres for training.
Divisional artillery entered line immediately in support of 15th (Scottish) Division near Potijze Château.

1–18 September 1917: Ypres. Infantry relieved 15th Division in the line to the right of Potijze Road near Frezenberg Ridge. On 6 September 125 Brigade made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the fortified Iberian, Borry and Beck Farms. (Third Battle of Ypres)

18 September 1917: Infantry relieved by 9th Division and retired to Poperinghe area.
Divisional artillery remained in the Line until 29 September, participated in heavy fighting from 20 September and advanced to exposed positions on Frezenberg Ridge on 25 September. (Battle of the Menin Road Ridge)

26 September – November 1917: Relieved 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. Divisional artillery rejoined. Held line at Nieuport

29 November 1917 – 15 February 1918: Relieved 25th Division. Held line at Givenchy on La Bassée sector. Constructed fortifications according to the new British defensive doctrine of "defended localities" in anticipation of major German attack.
Private Walter Mills of C Company, the 1/10th Manchester's, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for actions at Red Dragon Crater, Givenchy on the night of 10 December 1917.

15 February 1918 – 22 March 1918: Relieved by 55th (West Lancashire) Division. In reserve and training at Busnes – Burbure – Fouquieres area. 1 Corps reserve and then GHQ reserve from 1 March.

23 March/24: Joined 6 Corps (Lt-General Sir Aylmer Haldane) in Third Army, initially in reserve, then at Ervillers, to defend the line against the German Seventeenth Army (General Otto von Below) on the right (i.e. north) wing of the "Michael 1" German Spring Offensive (Kaiserschlacht) in the First Battle of the Somme (1918). First Battle of Bapaume.

25 March 1918: Counterattacked in the afternoon with 7 tanks and 300 infantry from Logeast Wood to delay the German VI Reserve Corps. 10th Manchesters repelled 8 attacks by the German 2nd Guards Reserve Division, at Ervillers

26 March 1918: Retired Ervillers – Bucquoy. Together the 42nd and 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division held the Rossignol Wood – Bucquoy sector under heavy shelling against 6 attacks by the German 3rd Guards Infantry Division, the last with assistance of 11 Mk. IV tanks.

27 March – 5 April 1918: Held line until end of final German assault on 5 April at Bucquoy.

6 April – July 1918: Held line at Bucquoy, Gommecourt, Hébuterne.

21–25 August 1918: With 4 Corps in Third Army. Attacked and advanced Miraumont, across the River Ancre, Pys, Warlencourt. (Second Battle of the Somme (1918) including Battle of Albert (1918) Their opponent was the German 183rd Division.
Lance-Sergeant Edward Smith of the 1/5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions in the capture of The Lozenge (Hill 140, a German machine-gun nest) on 21 August and enemy counterattacks on 22 August.

25–27 August 1918: Infantry withdrew for 2 days rest in Miraumont-Pys area.
Divisional artillery went into action under heavy fire in support of 63rd (Royal Naval) Division on outskirts of Loupart Wood.

28 August – 5 September 1918: Relieved 63rd Division in the line and resumed advance. Attacked and advanced Thilloy, Riencourt-lès-Bapaume, Villers-au-Flos, Ytres, across the Canal du Nord to Metz-en-Couture (Second Battle of the Somme (1918) including the Second Battle of Bapaume)

6 September 1918: Infantry relieved by New Zealand Division and moved to rest in Pys-Tholloy area. Divisional artillery remained in the line in support of New Zealand Division.

21 September/22 September 1918: Relieved 37th Division east of Havrincourt Wood.

27–28 September 1918: Attacked and advanced Havrincourt Wood through the Siegfried Stellung section of the Hindenburg Line via successive planned objectives denoted Black, Red, Brown, Yellow, Blue Lines, to Welsh Ridge. The Hindenburg Line was attacked in enfilade, or diagonally, as can be seen from the map. Many casualties were sustained from machine guns situated in Beaucamps to the right of the Division's front. (Battle of the Canal du Nord)

29 September – 8 October 1918: Infantry relieved by New Zealand Division and withdrew to Havrincourt Wood for rest.
Divisional artillery remained in action in support of the New Zealand Division in the Pursuit to the Selle

9–12 October 1918: Infantry marched up to the front through Lesdain, Esnes, Beauvois and relieved New Zealand Division, who had established a bridgehead across the River Selle at Briastre.

12–23 October 1918: Defended Briastre against heavy German counterattacks and shelling. Advanced across River Selle to Marou, Virtigneul and Belle Vue Farm (Battle of the Selle).
Private Alfred Robert Wilkinson of the 1/5th Manchesters was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions on 20 October at Marou. The Division's opponent in these actions was the German 25th Division.

24 October – 3 November 1918: Relieved by New Zealand Division. Withdrew to Beauvois for rest.

3–6 November 1918: Moved up though Le Quesnoy and Forest of Mormal in support of the advance of 37th and New Zealand Divisions.

6–9 November 1918: Relieved New Zealand Division in line of attack on eastern edge of Forest of Mormal. Attacked and advanced to Hautmont in the Arrondissement of Avesnes-sur-Helpe.

11 November 1918: Stood fast on line Maubeuge – Avesnes-sur-Helpe Road.

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