Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Ireland (at the Curragh). Part of 14th Brigade in 5th Division.
Landed at Le Havre 15 August 1914.
12 January 1916 : transferred to 95th Brigade in same Division.
November 1917 : moved with the Division to Italy but returned to France in April 1918.
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Hong Kong. Returned to England early November 1914.
November 1914 : moved to Winchester and came under command of 82nd Brigade in 27th Division.
Landed at Le Havre 21 December 1914.
November 1915 : moved to Salonika, arriving 5 December 1915
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Bodmin. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to Falmouth and on in May 1915 to Freshwater (Isle of Wight) for duty with Portsmouth Garrison.
The badge of the DCLI as represented on a war grave. From member Bods at the Great War Forum, with my thanks.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Truro. Part of Devon and Cornwall Brigade in Wessex Division. Moved on mobilisation to Falmouth but by end of August 1914 was at Perham Down (Salisbury Plain).
9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Bombay 10 November 1914. Joined Bareilly Brigade in 7th (Meerut) Divisional Area.
28 January 1916 : landed at Aden, coming under orders of Aden Brigade. Moved to Egypt 13 February 1917.
June 1917 : attached to 75th Division.
1/5th Battalion
Part of Devon and Cornwall Brigade in Wessex Division. Moved on mobilisation to Falmouth but by end of August 1914 was at Salisbury Plain. Foreign service volunteers were moved to the 1/4th Bn; the 1/5th was now understrength and was replaced in the Brigade by the 1/6th Bn, the Devonshire Regiment. Moved to Newquay and then Falmouth. Moved in April 1916 to Perham Down.
April 1916 : moved to Tidworth and converted into a Pioneer Battalion, under orders of 61st (2nd South Midland) Division.
Landed at Le Havre 22 May 1916.
2/4th Battalion
Formed at Truro in September 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit. Became part of 2nd Devon and Cornwall Brigade, 2nd (Wessex) Division.
12 December 1914 : sailed for India and remained there throughout the war. Arrived at Karachi on 9 January 1915. Came under orders of 1st Quetta Brigade in 4th (Quetta) Division. Moved in October 1915 to Multan Brigade in 3rd (Lahore) Divisonal Area. In March 1916, transferred to Ferozepore Brigade in same Area. Moved with brigade (now renamed 44th Brigade) to 16th (Indian) Division in February 1917. Moved in March 1917 to Dehra Dun Brigade in 7th (Meerut) Divisional Area and transferred to Delhi Brigade in same Area in March 1918.
2/5th Battalion
Formed at Bodmin in May 1915 as a home service (“second line”) unit. Moved to Tavistock and in spring 1916 on to Hursley Park (Winchester).
8 April 1916: became 5th Reserve Battalion. Absorbed into 4th Reserve Bn on 1 September 1916.
3/4th Battalion
Formed at Bodmin in March 1915 as depot/training (“third line”) unit. Moved to Bournemouth in October 1915 and on to Hursley Park (Winchester). in spring 1916.
8 April 1916 : became Reserve Bn and absorbed 5th on 1 September 1916. Moved to Bournemouth in October 1916, Sutton Veny in March 1917, Larkhill in October 1917, and finally Ireland in April 1918. The Battalion was based at Buncrana at the end of the war.
Battalions of the New Armies
6th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Bodmin in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under command of 43rd Brigade in 14th (Light) Division.Moved to Aldershot but by November 1914 was at Witley. Moved back to Aldershot in February 1915.
Landed at Boulogne on 22 May 1915.
20 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Bodmin in September 1914 as part of K2 and came under command of 61st Brigade in 20th (Light) Division.
Moved to Aldershot and Woking but by November 1914 was at Pirbright. Moved to Witley in February 1915 an Amesbury next month.
Landed at Boulogne on 25 July 1915.
8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Bodmin in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under command of 79th Brigade in 26th Division. Moved to Codford and was in billets in Bath in November 1914. Moved to Sutton Veny in May 1915.
Landed at Boulogne 22 September 1915.
Sailed from Marseilles for Salonika 13 November 1915.
9th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Falmouth on 29 October 1914 as Service Battalion of K4 and came under command of 103rd Brigade, original 34th Division.
10 April 1915 : became Reserve battalion. Moved to Wareham.
1 September 1916 : absorbed into the Training Reserve Battalions of 10th Reserve Brigade.
10th (Service) Battalion (Cornwall Pioneers)
Formed at Truro on 29 March 1915 by the Mayor and the City. Moved to Penzance and in October 1915 to Hayle. Adopted by War Office on 24 August 1915.
20 June 1916 : landed at Le Havre and attached as Pioneers to 2nd Division.
16 July – 7 November 1917 : temporarily attached as Pioneers to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division.
11th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Launceston in November 1915 as a Reserve Bn. Moved to Chisledon in March 1916.
1 September 1916 : became 95th Training Reserve Battalion of 22nd Reserve Brigade.
Other Battalions
12th (Labour) Battalion
Formed in Plymouth in April 1916 and moved to France as Army Troops to Fourth Army.
April 1917 : became 156th and 157th Companies of the Labour Corps.
13th Battalion
Formed in Aldeburgh 1 June 1918, but absorbed by 6th Bn, the Somerset Light Infantry in same month.
Harry Patch (1898-2009), last British survivor of trench warfare, served with the 7th DCLI. Image courtesy of the War Heritage All-Party Parliamentary Group, with my thanks.
Links
Other British infantry regiments
61st (2nd South Midland) Division