The history of 73rd Division
This formation was created during the war. Late in 1916 orders were given for the formation of three additional home-service Divisions; they would have the dual role of carrying out training of men for overseas drafts, plus providing forces for home defence. 73rd was one of the three Divisions formed, and was initially established in Blackpool. It moved between 5-18 January 1917 to Essex and Hertfordshire, with HQ being at Boreham House near Chelsford. The Division came under command of Southern Army, Home Forces. On 21 December 1917 orders were received that the Division should be broken up. Disbandment began in January 1918 and the final elements disappeared on 8 April 1918.
On 1 January 1917 the Provisional units were all retitled, as shown in the Order of Battle below.
A number of non-regimentally-affiliated Graduated Battalions joined in July 1917. They were affiliated and retitled on 27 October 1917.
The order of battle of the 73rd Division
| 218th Brigade | the three battalions comprising this Bde had previously been with 9th Provisional Brigade, which was not under a Division |
| 41st Provisional Battalion | became 12th King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) |
| 42nd Provisional Battalion | became 14th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment |
| 44th Provisional Battalion | became 26th King’s (Liverpool Regiment) |
| 267th Graduated Battalion | joined by 23 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment on 27 October 1917 |
| 219th Brigade | |
| 8th (Home Service) Bn, the Dorsetshire Rgt | disbanded by 3 December 1917 |
| 13th Bn, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment | disbanded by August 1918 |
| 45th Provisional Battalion | from 9th Provisional Bde; became 28th Manchester Regiment |
| 267th Graduated Battalion | joined by 9 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry) on 27 October 1917 |
| 220th Brigade | |
| 2/4th Bn, the Yorkshire Regiment | disbanded 21 December 1917 |
| 2/5th Bn, the Yorkshire Regiment | disbanded March 1918 |
| 17th Bn, the Yorkshire Regiment | disbanded 5 November 1917 |
| 273rd Graduated Battalion | joined by 23 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry on 27 October 1917 |
| 274th Graduated Battalion | joined by 9 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 27 October 1917 |
| Divisional Mounted Troops | |
| 73rd Divisional Cyclist Company, ACC | broken up by 1 April 1918 |
| 1/8th (Cyclist) Bn, the Essex Regiment | joined january 1917, left October 1917 |
| 2/7th (Cyclist) Bn, the Devonshire Regiment | joined October 1917, left January 1918 |
| Divisional Artillery | broken up by 25 February 1918 |
| CCCLIV Brigade, RFA | |
| CCCLV Brigade, RFA | |
| 73rd Divisional Ammunition Column RFA | |
| Royal Engineers | all units joined by 20 November 1916 |
| 546th (1/6th Kent) Field Company | joined as a Fortress Company and redesignated; landed in France 23 June 1918 |
| 547th (1/7th Kent) Field Company | joined as a Fortress Company and redesignated; landed in France 23 June 1918 |
| 648th (East Lancashire) Field Company | joined as 9th Provisional Field Company and redesignated; landed in France 23 June 1918 |
| 73rd Divisional Signals Company | joined as 9th Provisional Signals Section and redesignated; disbanded 25 March 1918 |
| Royal Army Medical Corps | the 9th Provisional Field Ambulance joined 23 November 1916 and formed the three FAs for 73rd Division |
| 307th (Home Counties) Field Ambulance | disbanded by 18 March 1918 |
| 308th (Home Counties) Field Ambulance | disbanded by 18 March 1918 |
| 309th (Home Counties) Field Ambulance | disbanded by 1 April 1918 |
| 106th Sanitary Section | |
| Other Divisional Troops | |
| 73rd Divisional Train ASC | 829, 830, 831 and 832 Companies ASC. 829 had previously been 9th Provisional Company ASC; the others were new and formed for the Division in November 1916; disbanded by 8 April 1918 |
| 58th Mobile Veterinary Section AVC | joined 24 January 1917, disbanded by 4 March 1918 |
There is no memorial or published history of 73rd Division.