Please beware that this page is a work in progress. The information contained is accurate but incomplete. I shall add other battalions and details as I discover snippets of information.
General
On 9 August 1915 the war diary of the Adjutant of First Army includes this note: “Notification received from [Adjutant-General] of the formation of what are called ‘Entrenching Battalions’, for work on rear defence works. They consist of reinforcements normally kept at the Base, who are formed into battalions and utilised for work at the front. They continue to be a pool to be drawn upon for reinforcements to units at the front, and replenished from the Base.”
The war diary of the headquarters General Staff of 24th Division notes in April 1916 that “the Entrenching Battalions are not mobile units and have no First Line transport with the exception of two water carts and two cookers per battalion.” They were not available for offensive operations but could be used for local counter-attacks.
1st Entrenching Battalion
Adjutant of the 49th (West Riding) Division reported the arrival of this battalion (in the Poperinghe area) on 27 July 1915.
Second Army HQ reported 22 men of this battalion on ration strength and attached to 49th (West Riding) Division on 30 August 1915. The number had grown to 30 by 3 September.
Battalion is mentioned in 24th Division war diary of April 1916 in connection with defensive arrangements for GHQ Second Line in the area of Wulverghem.
IX Corps lists battalion as part of its order of battle on 14 August 1916.
2nd Entrenching Battalion
Orders were received on 15 July 1915 to form this unit at the Rouen base. It was handed over to its appointed commanding officer eight days later. The original contingent was made up of 402 men from 27th Division (1st Royal Scots and 1st Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders), 579 from the 46th (North Midland) Division (Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, North and South Staffordshire Regiments and Sherwood Foresters) and 29 assorted others. The battalion left Rouen on 23 July 1915 and moved by train to Poperinghe, where it came under command of Second Army and was allotted to I Corps for attachment to 49th (West Riding) Division. It then commenced work. Sadly its war diary only covers up to the end of the month.
Adjutant of II Corps reports battalion in its area in June 1917.
3rd Entrenching Battalion
Third Army HQ reported the arrival of this unit on 8 August 1915. It was allotted to X Corps.
On 5 April 1916, Fourth Army HQ reported Battalion HQ, A and D Companies with X Corps and B and C Companies with VIII Corps.
4th Entrenching Battalion
Third Army HQ reported the arrival of this unit on 6 August 1915. It was allotted to VII Corps and attached to 4th Division.
February 1917 was at Gouy-en-Artois under temporary command of 14th (Light) Division.
5th Entrenching Battalion
Third Army HQ reported the arrival of this unit on 6 August 1915. It was allotted to VII Corps and attached to 4th Division.
February 1917 was at Gouy-en-Artois under temporary command of 14th (Light) Division.
6th Entrenching Battalion
Third Army HQ reported the arrival of this unit on 8 August 1915. It was allotted to X Corps.
7th (Guards) Entrenching Battalion
Third Army HQ reported the arrival of this unit on 8 August 1915. It was allotted to X Corps. Chapter 37 in volume 3 of Ponsonby’s “Grenadier Guards in the Great War” includes a good description of the battalion’s work and movements thereafter.
On 5 April 1916, Fourth Army HQ reported two companies with XIII Corps and the two other companies with III Corps.
8th Entrenching Battalion
Second Army HQ reported the arrival of this unit on 7 August 1915. It was allotted to II Corps and attached to 50th (Northumbrian) Division.
Battalion is mentioned in 24th Division war diary of April 1916 in connection with defensive arrangements for GHQ Second Line in the area of Wulverghem.
IX Corps lists battalion as part of its order of battle on 14 August 1916.
9th Entrenching Battalion
Second Army HQ reported 140 men of this battalion on ration strength on 28 August 1915.
IX Corps lists battalion as part of its order of battle on 14 August 1916.
10th Entrenching Battalion
Second Army HQ reported the arrival of this unit from base on 12 August 1915. It was allotted to VI Corps.
I have found a large draft going to 6th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 6 September 1916 and one from 6th Highland Light Infantry joining this unit in June 1917.
XIV Corps Adjutant reported on 24 June 1917 that battalion joined from XVIII Corps.
11th Entrenching Battalion
Formed at Bethune 12 May 1916 from surplus of men from amlgamation of 8 and 10th Battalions of Gordon Highlanders. Initially moved to Verquin but by end of month was under XIII Corps and located at Coupigny.