Regimental Depot
Wellington Barracks, Bolton Road, Bury
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Karachi. Returned to England, landing 2 January 1915 and moved to Nuneaton.
2 January 1915 : Came under orders of 86th Brigade, 29th Division.
16 March 1915 : sailed via Egypt and landed Gallipoli 25 April 1915.
Evacuated to Egypt January 1916.
Landed at Marseilles March 1916.
In the landing of 1st Battalion at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, on 25 April 1915, the regiment won the distinction of awards of the Victoria Cross to two Officers and four Other Ranks. This is popularly referred to as the ‘Six VC’s before breakfast’. The landing beach was always thereafter named ‘Lancashire Landing’
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Citadel Barracks in Dover. Under command of 12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division.
Moved to Cromer in Norfolk on 8 August; next day it moved to Norwich; on 12 August it moved to Costessey. The 4th Division was then ordered to assemble and on 18 August the battalion moved by train to Harrow in Middlesex then moved to camp at Blackbird Hill Farm at Neasden. Late on 21 August the battalion began to move by train to its port of embarkation at Southampton, loading onto the ship “Saturnia”.
22 August 1914 : landed at Boulogne at 11pm.
4 November 1915 : moved with the Brigade to 36th (Ulster) Division.
3 February 1916 : returned with the Brigade to 4th Division.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Bury. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved within days of declaration of war to Hull and in November 1916 to Withernsea, at all time being part of the Humber Garrison.
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Bury. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved within days of declaration of war to Barrow in Furness and in October 1916 to Barry, where it became part of the Severn Garrison.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in the Castle Armoury, Bury. Part of Lancashire Fusiliers Brigade, East Lancashire Division.
25 September 1914 : landed in Egypt.
5 May 1915 : landed on Gallipoli.
26 May 1915 : formation became 125th Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division.
28 December 1915 : landed on Mudros and proceeded to Egypt.
27 February 1917 : landed Marseilles and proceeded to the Western Front.
1/6th Battalion
August 1914 : in Rochdale. Part of Lancashire Fusiliers Brigade, East Lancashire Division.
Record same as 1/5th Bn.
19 February 1918 : transferred to 197th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division, absorbing 2/6th Bn and renamed 6th Bn.
19 April 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
19 February 1918 : transferred to 199th Brigade in same Division.
13 August 1918 : absorbed 12th Bn, recently arrived from Salonika.
22 September 1918 : transferred to 198th Brigade in same Division.
1/7th Battalion
August 1914 : in Salford. Part of Lancashire Fusiliers Brigade, East Lancashire Division.
Record same as 1/5th Bn.
1/8th Battalion
August 1914 : in Salford. Part of Lancashire Fusiliers Brigade, East Lancashire Division.
Record same as 1/5th Bn.
2/5th Battalion
Formed at Bury on 9 September 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit. Moved to Mossborough and then into billets in Southport.
8 February 1915 : attached to 197th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division.
17 April 1915 : transferred to 3rd Highland Brigade, Highland Division, at Bedford.
Landed at Boulogne on 4 May 1915.
12 May 1915 : formation became 154th Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division.
7 January 1916 : transferred to 164th Brigade in 55th (West Lancashire) Division.
2/6th Battalion
Formed at Mossborough on 29 September 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit.
8 February 1915 : attached to 197th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. Moved to Crowborough in May 1915 and went on to Tunbridge Wells in October 1915 and Colchester in March 1916.
Landed at Le Havre 26 February 1917.
21 January 1918 : absorbed by 1/6th Bn.
2/7th Battalion
Formed at Salford in August 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit.
8 February 1915 : attached to 197th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. Moved to Crowborough in May 1915 and went on to Tunbridge Wells in October 1915 and Colchester in March 1916.
Landed at Le Havre 28 February 1917.
April 1918 : reduced to cadre strength after taking heavy casualties.
30 June 1918 : returned to England, transferred to 74th Brigade, 25th Division and moved to Aldershot.
9 July 1918 : disbanded and reformed as 24th Bn (see below).
2/8th Battalion
Formed at Salford on 29 September 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit.
record same as 1/7th Bn.
22 April 1918 : reduced to cadre and finally disbanded 31 July 1918.
3/5th Battalion
Formed at Bury on 11 October 1914 as a home service depot or training (“third line”) unit.
In May 1915 it had been converted into a second line unit and attached to 197th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. Moved to Crowborough in May 1915 and went on to Tunbridge Wells in October 1915 and Colchester in March 1916.
Landed at Le Havre 1 March 1917.
14 February 1918 : disbanded in Belgium.
3/6th, 3/7th and 3/8th Battalions
All formed in March 1915, in Rochdale and Salford, as home service depot or training (“third line”) units.
Became Reserve Bns on 8 April 1916.
1 September 1916 : 3/6th absorbed 3/7th and 3/8th and renamed as 6th Reserve Battalion, in East Lancs Reserve Brigade.
4/5th Battalion
Formed at Southport in spring 1915 as a home service depot or training (“fourth line”) unit.
8 April 1916 : became 5th Reserve Bn in East Lancs Reserve Brigade.
Battalions of the New Armies
9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Bury on 31 August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 34th Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division. Moved to Belton Park near Grantham. In April 1915 moved to Witley Camp near Godalming in Surrey.
Sailed from Liverpool on 5 July 1915, going via Mudros to Suvla Bay, disembarking on 6 August 1915.
January 1916 : moved to Egypt.
Went on to France in July 1916.
12 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Bury in September 1914 as part of K2 and came under orders of 52nd Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division.
Landed at Boulogne 15 July 1915.
11th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Codford in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 74th Brigade, 25th Division.
Landed at Boulogne 25 September 1915.
12 August 1918 : disbanded in France.
12th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Bury in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 65th Brigade, 22nd Division.
Landed at Boulogne 5 September 1915 but moved with Division to Salonika, arriving 5 November 1915.
July 1918 : left Division and moved to France.
16 July 1918 : attached to 199th Brigade, 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division and absorbed by 6th Bn.
13th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Hull on 5 December 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4 and unbrigaded. Moved to Chesterfield and in April 1915 to Lichfield.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve Battalion. Moved in November 1915 to Rugeley Camp, Cannock Chase and in December to nearby Brocton Camp.
September 1916 : converted into 15th Training Reserve Battalion of 3rd Reserve Brigade.
15th (Service) Battalion (1st Salford)
Formed in Salford, 11 September 1914, by Mr Montague Barlow MP and the Salford Brigade Committee. Moved on 28 December 1914 to Conway and on 21 June 1915 to Catterick.
21 June 1915 : came under orders of 96th Brigade, 32nd Division.
Moved on 13 August 1915 to Codford and formally adopted two weeks later by the War Office.
Landed at Boulogne 22 November 1915.
16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Salford)
Formed in Salford, 15 November 1914, by Mr Montague Barlow MP and the Salford Brigade Committee. Moved on 28 December 1914 to Conway and on 21 June 1915 to Catterick.
Record same as 15th Bn.
17th (Service) Battalion (1st South East Lancashire)
Formed in Bury on 3 December 1914 by Lieut-Col. G. E. Wike and a Committee as a Bantam Battalion. Moved on 16 March 1915 to Chadderton (Oldham) and in June 1915 to Masham.
21 June 1915 : came under orders of 104th Brigade, 35th Division. Formally adopted on 27 August 1915 by the War Office. Moved to Cholderton in August 1915.
Landed at Le Havre 29 January 1916. Ceased to be a Bantam Bn in early 1917.
18th (Service) Battalion (2nd South East Lancashire)
Formed in Bury on 13 January 1915 by Lieut-Col. G. E. Wike and a Committee as a Bantam Battalion. Moved on 8 April 1915 to Garswood Park (Ashton in Makerfield) and in June 1915 to Masham.
21 June 1915 : came under orders of 104th Brigade, 35th Division. Record same as 17th Bn.
19th (Service) Battalion (3rd Salford) (Pioneers)
Formed in Salford, 15 January 1915, by Mr Montague Barlow MP and the Salford Brigade Committee. Moved in March 1915 to Conway and on 21 June 1915 to Catterick.
21 June 1915 : came under orders of 96th Brigade, 32nd Division.
Landed at Le Havre 22 November 1915.
5 January 1916 : transferred to 14th Brigade in same Division.
29 July 1916 : transferred to GHQ and converted to Pioneer Battalion.
7 August 1916 : transferred to 49th (West Riding) Division.
20th (Service) Battalion (4th Salford)
Formed in Salford, 23 March 1915, by Mr Montague Barlow MP and the Salford Brigade Committee as a Bantam Battalion. Moved in July 1915 to Conway and in August 1915 to Cholderton. August 1915 : came under orders of 104th Brigade, 35th Division.
Landed at Le Havre 30 January 1916.
16 February 1918 : disbanded in Belgium.
21st and 22nd (Reserve) Battalions
Formed at Conway and Ashton-in-Makerfield in August 1915 as Reserve Battalions. Moved to Prees Heath in November 1915.
1 September 1916 : converted into 72nd and 73rd Training Reserve Battalions in 17th Reserve Brigade.
Other Battalions
23rd (Service) Battalion
13 May 1918: the 4th Provisional Garrison Battalion of the Labour Corps was redesignated. It came under orders of 176th Brigade, 59th (2nd North Midland) Division.
25 May 1918 : retitled 23rd Garrison Bn.
19 June 1918 : transferred to 121st Brigade, 40th Division.
July 1918 : became 23rd Bn (i.e. the “Service” was dropped).
24th Battalion
On 9 July 1918 the 2/7th Battalion was reformed and reconstituted as the 24th Bn. A training unit, it moved to Cromer where it then remained.
The Lancashire Fusiliers memorial outside the old Wellington Barracks in Bury. Image from the Peter Downes collection at the Panoramio website, for which my thanks.
Links
42nd (East Lancashire) Division