XVII Corps (United Kingdom)

Military unit

The British XVII Corps was a British infantry corps during the First World War.

History

British XVII Corps was formed in France in January 1916 under Lieutenant General Julian Byng.^[1] In April 1917 the Corps attacked to the east of Arras near the River Scarpe but became bogged down in rain and snow.^[2] However, the Corps held the line at Arras, continued to hold it through into 1918 and then broke the main Hindenburg Line at its strongest point in September 1918.^[3]

General Officers Commanding

Commanders included:

• 9 December 1915 – 12 February 1916 Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Anderson
• 12 February – 27 February 1916 Major-General Edward Montagu-Stuart-Wortley (acting)
• 27 February – 25 May 1916 Lieutenant-General Julian Byng^[4]
• 25 May 1916 – November 1918 Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Fergusson^[3]

References

1. The British Corps of 1914-1918
2. Third Battle of Ypres, 21 July- 6 November 1917
3. Charles Fergusson at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
4. Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives