East Surrey Regiment - The Long, Long Trail

Regimental Depot

Kingston-upon-Thames Barracks

The barracks as shown by 1910 Ordnance Survey. It lay on the northern side of Kingston, off Kings Road, and was served by a tram stop that connected it to the town’s railway station. Some buildings and vestiges of it still exist, notably the handsome front gatehouse Keep, which bears the date 1875. The rest of the site was sold off in 1962 and is now a housing estate.

Battalions of the Regular Army

1st Battalion
August 1914 : stationed in Dublin. 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 : stationed in Chaubattia, India. Returned to England, landing Devonport 23 December 1914. Moved to Winchester and came under orders of 85th Brigade in 28th Division.
Landed at Le Havre 19 January 1915.
February-March 1915: placed under temporary orders of 7th Brigade of 3rd Division.
October 1915 : moved to Egypt and went on to Salonika, arriving 1 December 1915.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : stationed at the Kingston-upon-Thames depot. A depot/training unit, it moved to Grand Shaft Barracks at Dover and remained there throughout the war.
19 November 1918: moved to Bridge of Allan.
February 1919: moved to Glasgow.

The badge of the East Surrey Regiment as depicted on a CWGC gravestone. From the excellent PaulHP collection at flickr, with my thanks.

4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : also stationed at the Kingston-upon-Thames depot. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to Plymouth and on to Saltash in June 1915. Moved to Felixstowe in September 1917 for duty with Harwich Garrison.

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Wimbledon. Part of Surrey Brigade in Home Counties Division. Moved on mobilisation to Chatham-Maidstone-Canterbury area.
Embarked at Southampton on 29 October 1914.
2 December 1914 : landed at Bombay, whereupon the Division was broken up. Was posted to the Allahabad Brigade in 8th (Lucknow) Division. Moved in August 1915 to Nowshera Brigade in 1st (Peshawar) Division. May 1916 attached as Army Troops to 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division but returned to Nowshera Brigade in October 1916. Moved to 7th (Meerut) Divisional Area in April 1917.
The battalion moved in December 1917 to Mesopotamia and in February 1918 came under command of 55th Brigade of 18th Indian Division.

1/6th Battalion
August 1914 : in Kingston-upon-Thames. Part of Surrey Brigade in Home Counties Division. Moved on mobilisation to Chatham-Maidstone-Canterbury area.
Embarked at Southampton on 29 October 1914.
2 December 1914 : landed at Bombay, whereupon the Division was broken up. Was posted to the Allahabad Brigade in 8th (Lucknow) Division. Moved in March 1915 to Rawalpindi Brigade in 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division. Moved to Jhelum Brigade in same Division in October 1915.
The battalion moved in February 1917 to Aden (coming under orders of Aden Brigade), and returned to India in January 1918, joining Dehra Dun Brigade in 7th (Meerut) Division.

2/5th Battalion
Formed at Wimbledon in September 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit.
November 1914 moved to Windsor and became part of 2nd Surrey Brigade , 2nd Home Counties Division. Formation soon renamed 200th Brigade in 67th Division. Moved to Tunbridge Wells in May 1915 and on to billets in Reigate in November 1915. Moved to Sevenoaks in June 1916 but soon to Gore Street (Thanet).
November 1917 : disbanded.

2/6th Battalion
Formed at Kingston-upon-Thames in September 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit.
November 1914 moved to Windsor and became part of 2nd Surrey Brigade , 2nd Home Counties Division. Formation soon renamed 200th Brigade in 67th Division. Moved to Tunbridge Wells in May 1915 and on to billets in Redhill in October 1915. Moved to Gore Street (Thanet) in June 1916.
November 1917 : disbanded.

3/5th and 3/6th Battalions
Formed at Wimbledon and Kingston-upon-Thames respectively in July 1915 as depot/training (“third line”) units. Moved to Cambridge 1 January 1916.
3 April 1916 : moved to Crowborough and became Reserve Bns. 5th then absorbed 6th on 1 September 1916. Moved to Tonbridge in October 1916 and finally Tunbridge Wells in September 1918.

Battalions of the New Armies

7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Kingston-upon-Thames in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 37th Brigade in 12th (Eastern) Division. Moved initially to Purfleet but by November 1914 was in billets in Sandgate. Moved to Albuhera Barracks in Aldershot in February 1915.
Landed at Boulogne 2 June 1915.
5 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Kingston-upon-Thames in September 1914 as part of K2 and came under orders of 55th Brigade in 18th (Eastern) Division. Moved initially to Purfleet but by April 1915 was at Colchester. Moved to Salisbury Plain in May 1915.
Landed at Boulogne 28 July 1915.

9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Kingston-upon-Thames in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 72nd Brigade in 24th Division. Moved initially to billets in Worthing but by April 1915 was at Shoreham. Moved to Blackdown (Aldershot) in June 1915.
Landed at Boulogne 1 September 1915.

10th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Dover on 26 October 1914 as Service Battalion of K4 and came under orders of 95th Brigade, original 32nd Division.
10 April 1915 : became Reserve battalion. Moved to Purfleet in May 1915, Shoreham again in September 1915 and Dover in May 1916.
1 September 1916 : converted into 30th Training Reserve Battalion of 7th Reserve Brigade.

11th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Devonport on 1 November 1914 as Service Battalion of K4 and came under orders of 100th Brigade, original 33rd Division. Moved to Dartmouth in December.
10 April 1915 : became Reserve battalion. Moved to Colchester in summer 1915.
1 September 1916 : converted into 21st Training Reserve Battalion of 5th Reserve Brigade.

12th (Service) Battalion (Bermondsey)
Formed at Bermondsey on 14 May 1915 by the Mayor and Borough.
Moved to Witley in October 1915 and came under orders of 122nd Brigade in 41st Division.
Moved to Marlborough Lines (Aldershot) in February 1916. Landed at Le Havre 2 May 1916.

Troops of the 12th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, who attacked on the first morning of the Battle of Messines (7 June), on 11 June 1917. Imperial War Museum image Q2819

13th (Service) Battalion (Wandsworth)
Formed at Wandsworth on 16 June 1915 by the Mayor and Borough. Adopted by War Office on 28 August 1915. Moved to Witley in September 1915 andcame under orders of 41st Division.
October 1915 : transferred to 118th Brigade in 39th Division at Barrossa Barracks (Aldershot). Moved to Witley in November 1915.
23 February 1916 : moved to Blackdown and transferred to 120th Brigade in 40th Division.
Landed at Le Havre 4 June 1916.
16 February 1918 : transferred to 119th Brigade in same Division.
5 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
3 June 1918 : transferred to 34th Division.
17 June 1918 : transferred to 39th Division.
30 June 1918 : transferred to 7th Brigade in 25th Division and returned to England. Moved to Lowestoft and reconstituted by addition of troops from 15th Battalion.
3 November 1918 : disbanded in England.

14th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Wandsworth in summer 1915 as a Reserve Bn.
1 November 1915: moved to Gravesend.
June 1916 : absorbed into other Training Reserve battalions of 26th Reserve Brigade.