Regimental Depot
Pontefract Barracks
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Singapore. Returned to England and landed at Southampton on 9 November 1914.
9 November 1914 : moved to Hursley Park and on to Harwich on 18 November.
17 December 1914 : returned to Hursley Park and came under command of 83rd Brigade in 28th Division.
16 January 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
26 October 1915 : sailed from Marseilles for Salonika, arriving 7 December.
20 June 1918 : left the Division and moved to France, landing at Taranto (Italy) 2 July 1918.
16 July 1918 : attached to 151st Brigade in 50th (Northumbrian) Division.
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Dublin. Part of 13th Brigade in 5th Division.
16 August 1914 : landed at Le Havre.
28 December 1915 : transferred to 97th Brigade in 32nd Division.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Pontefract. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to Hull. Moved to Withernsea in April 1916, went on to Hedon in October 1916. Pocklington in June 1918 and finally Patrington in August 1918, as part of Humber Garrison.
The standard badge of the KOYLI as depicted on a CWGC headstone. Image from the gainsheritage collection at flickr, for which my thanks.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Wakefield. Part of 3rd West Riding Brigade, West Riding Division. Moved on mobilisation to Doncaster and in November 1914 to Gainsborough. Moved on to York in February 1915.
12 April 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
15 May 1915 : formation became 148th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division.
1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Doncaster. Record same as 1/4th Bn.
2 February 1918 : transferred to 187th Brigade in 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division and absorbed 2/5th Bn. Renamed 5th Bn.
2/4th Battalion
Formed at Wakefield on 30 September 1914 as a second line unit.
1 March 1915 : moved to Bulwell and came under orders of 187th Brigade in 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division. Moved in April 1915 to Strenshall and on in May to Beverley, going on in November to Gateshead, January 1916 to Larkhill and June 1916 to Flixton Park near Bungay. Moved again in October 1916 to Wellingborough.
Landed at Le Havre on 15 January 1917.
2/5th Battalion
Formed at Doncaster on 10 September 1914 as a second line unit. Record same as 2/4th Bn.
2 February 1918 : absorbed into 1/5th Bn
3/4th and 3/5th Battalions
Formed at home bases in March 1915 and moved to Clipstone Camp.
8 April 1916 : became Reserve Bns.
1 September 1916 : 4th absorbed 5th Reserve Bn. Moved in October 1917 to Rugeley Camp, going on to Bromeswell in July 1918 and finally Southend in October 1918.
Battalions of the New Armies
6th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract on 12 August 1914 as part of K1 and came under command of 43rd Brigade in 14th (Light) Division. Moved initially to Woking and on to Witley in November 1914. Moved to Aldershot in February 1915.
21 May 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
19 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract on 12 September 1914 as part of K2 and came under command of 61st Brigade in 20th (Light) Division. Moved to Woking and then on to Witley in February 1915, going on to Salisbury Plain in May.
24 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
20 February 1918 : disbanded in France. The officers and men formed 14th Entrenching Battalion and many were later transferred to the 13th Rifle Brigade.
8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under command of 70th Brigade in 23rd Division. Moved to Frensham and then to Aldershot in December 1914. Moved on to Hythe in February 1915 and Bordon in May.
August 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
November 1917 : moved with the Division to Italy.
9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under command of 64th Brigade in 21st Division. Moved to Berkhamsted and then to Halton Park (Tring) in October 1914, going on to billets in Maidenhead in November. returned to Halton Park in April 1915 and went on to Witley in August.
September 1915 : landed in France.
10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract in September 1914. Record same as 9th Bn.
13 February 1918 : disbanded in France, with at least some of the men going to 20th Entrenching Battalion.
11th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Hull in October 1914 for K4 and came under command of 90th Brigade of original 30th Division. Moved to Harrogate.
10 April 1915 : converted into a reserve battalion. Moved in November 1915 to Rugeley.
1 September 1916 : converted into 8th Training Reserve Battalion of 2nd Reserve Brigade at Rugeley.
Later became 53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion (see below).
12th (Service) Battalion (Miners)(Pioneers)
Formed in Leeds on 5 September 1914 by the West Yorkshire Coalowners Association. Moved to Farnley Park (Otley).
May 1915 : moved to Burton Leonard (Ripon) and attached as Pioneer Battalion to 31st Division. Moved to Fovant in October 1915.
December 1915 : moved to Egypt. Went on to France in March 1916.
Between 1 July and 30 November 1917, attached to Fifth Army Troops for work on light railways.
13th (Reserve) Battalion (Pioneers)
Formed at Ripon in October 1915 from the depot companies of the 12th Bn. Moved initially to Harrogate and then to Gosforth in May 1916.
1 September 1916 : absorbed into Training Reserve Battalions of 19th Reserve Brigade at Newcastle.
Other Battalions
14th (Home Service) Battalion
Formed around November 1916 (possibly as early as September) and came under orders of 216th Brigade of 72nd Division. Moved to Bedford then in May 1917 to Ipswich. Disbanded 8 April 1918.
15th (Service) Battalion
Formed on 11 June 1918, when the 10th Garrison Guard Bn, recently formed in France, became the 15th (Garrison) Bn. Renamed on 13 July 1918.
11 June 1918 : attached to 120th Brigade in 40th Division.
1st (Reserve) Garrison Battalion
Formed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in February 1916. Some evidence that it moved to Killingholme by May 1916. Remained in England until moving to Ireland in May 1918, where it then remained.
2nd Garrison Battalion
Formed at South Dalton in June 1916. Moved to France next month, and joined Fourth Army as Army Troops. July 1918 moved to Lines of Communication.
31 July 1918 renamed 16th (Garrison) Bn.
3rd Garrison Battalion
This unit became the 14th (Home Service) Bn but nothing is known of its earlier service.
51st (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 26 October 1917, this was known as 264th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 90th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 12th (Reserve) Battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment. A training unit based at Ipswich, it was part of 217th Brigade in 72nd Division. In March 1918 when 72nd Division was broken up it went to 208th Brigade of 69th Division at Doncaster. By May 1918 it had moved to Welbeck and in August 1918 went on to Clipstone Camp.
52nd (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 26 October 1917, this was known as 270th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 91st Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 15th (Reserve) Battalion of the York & Lancaster Regiment. A training unit based at Danbury, it came under command of 219th Brigade in 73rd Division. In March 1918 when 73rd Division was broken up it went to 208th Brigade of 69th Division at Doncaster. By May 1918 it had moved to Welbeck and in August 1918 went on to Clipstone Camp.
53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 8th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 11th (Reserve) Battalion of the King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry) (see above). A basic recruit training unit based at Cannock Chase, it was part of 2nd Reserve Brigade. By November 1918 it had also moved to Clipstone Camp.
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Other British infantry regiments
62nd (2nd West Riding) Division
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