The 2nd Division was one of the two
divisions
Division may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
* Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting of 10,000 t ...
of the
Portuguese Expeditionary Corps
The Portuguese Expeditionary Corps (CEP, Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Corpo Expedicionário Português'') was the main expeditionary force from Portugal that fought in the Western Front (World War I), Western Front, during World War I. Port ...
(CEP, ''Corpo Expedicionário Português''), the main military force of
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
that fought in the
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
Western Front on the side of the Allies. The Division was under the command of General
Simas Machado until March 1918, when it became under the command of General
Gomes da Costa
Manuel de Oliveira Gomes da Costa , commonly known as Manuel Gomes da Costa () or just Gomes da Costa (14 January 1863 – 17 December 1929), was a Portuguese army Officer (armed forces), officer and politician, the List of Presidents of Po ...
.
History
On April 6, 1918, after heavy losses, the
1st Division was removed to the rearguard, leaving the 2nd Division (reinforced with the 6th Brigade from the 1st Division) as the sole CEP division on the front line. The 2nd division assumed the responsibility of all the Portuguese sectors, rearranged as the Fauquissart, the Neuve Chapelle and the Ferme du Bois sectors (11 km of front), now under the operational control of the
British XI Corps.
The 2nd Division was also planned to be moved to the rearguard on April 9, 1918, on the same day German Army launched operation Georgette, the great offensive whose main thrust was precisely on the sectors defended by the Portuguese Division. In the resulting
Battle of the Lys, the 20,000 Portuguese of 2nd Division suffered an assault from 100,000 Germans, supported by a heavy artillery bombardment. Despite stubborn resistance, the Portuguese Division was overrun and lost From December 22, 1917, to April 6, 1918, the 2nd Division was responsible for the sectors of
Fauquissart and
Chapigny of the Portuguese Sector of the Western Front.
References
''Corpo Expedicionário Português'', Momentos da História* {{cite web , title=The Portuguese Expeditionary Corps in World War I: From Inception to Destruction, 1914–1918 , last=Pyles , first=J. , date=2012 , publisher=University of North Texas , location=Texas US , work=PhD , url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc115143/m2/1/high_res_d/thesis.pdf , accessdate=2 October 2013 , oclc=823504820
Military units and formations of Portugal in World War I
Army units and formations of Portugal