Regimental Depot
Budbrooke Barracks near Warwick.
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Shorncliffe. Part of 10th Brigade, 4th Division.
Landed in France on 22 August 1914.
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Malta. Returned to England 19 August 1914. Joined 22nd Brigade, 7th Division.
Landed at Zeebrugge 6 October 1914.
Moved to Italy with the Division in November 1917.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Warwick. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved to Portsmouth in August 1914, then to Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight. In Dover by November 1917.
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion
Record same as 3rd Battalion. On arrival at the Isle of Wight moved to camp at Golden Hill, Freshwater. It later relocated to Sandown.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Thorp Street, Birmingham. Part of Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division.
23 March 1915: landed at Le Havre.
13 May 1915 : brigade renamed as 143rd Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division.
Moved to Italy with the Division in November 1917.
1/6th Battalion
Record same as 1/5th Battalion.
1/7th Battalion
August 1914 : in Coventry.
Record same as 1/5th Battalion.
1/8th Battalion
August 1914 : in Aston Cross. Part of Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division.
23 March 1915: landed at Le Havre.
13 May 1915 : brigade renamed as 143rd Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division.
Moved to Italy with the Division in November 1917.
Moved to France 11 September 1918 and joined 75th Brigade, 25th Division.
2/5th Battalion
Formed in Birmingham in October 1914 as a second line battalion. Became part of 2nd Warwickshire Brigade, 2nd South Midland Division.
August 1915 : redesignated as 182nd Brigade, 61st (2nd South Midland) Division.
Landed in France on 21 May 1916.
20 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
2/6th Battalion
Formed in Birmingham in October 1914 as a second line battalion.Became part of 2nd Warwickshire Brigade, 2nd South Midland Division.
August 1915 : redesignated as 182nd Brigade, 61st (2nd South Midland) Division.
Landed in France on 21 May 1916.
2/7th Battalion
Formed in Coventry in October 1914 as a second line battalion.
Record same as 2/6th Battalion.
2/8th Battalion
Formed in Aston Cross in October 1914 as a second line battalion.Became part of 2nd Warwickshire Brigade, 2nd South Midland Division.
August 1915 : redesignated as 182nd Brigade, 61st (2nd South Midland) Division.
Landed in France on 21 May 1916.
20 February 1918 : disbanded in France and personnel transferred to 2/7th Battalion and 25th Entrenching Battalion.
3/4th, 3/5th, 3/6th and 3/7th Battalions
Formed at home bases in May 1915, respectively.
8 April 1916 : all became Reserve Battalions
6th absorbed into 5th Reserve and 8th absorbed into 7th Reserve Battalion.
1918: 5th Reserve Battalion at Horton Hutments, Cramlington.
18th Battalion
1 January 1917, the 81st Provisional Bn became 18th Bn TF. The 81st had been formed in 1915 from Home Service personnel from the TF Bns of the regiment. Came under orders of 215th Brigade of 72nd Division from November 1916. Disbanded on 19 January 1918.
Battalions of the New Armies
9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Warwick in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under command of 39th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division. Moved to Gallipoli in July 1915. Went to Egypt in January 1916 and thence to Mesopotamia in February 1916. In July 1918, 39th Brigade detached and sent as part of North Persia Force. Was in Transcaspia in October 1918.
10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Warwick in September 1914 as part of K2 and came under command of 57th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division.
Landed in France on 17 July 1915.
11th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Warwick in September 1914 as part of K3 and attached as Army Troops to 24th Division.
April 1915 : joined 112th Brigade, 37th Division.
Landed in France 30 July 1915.
Disbanded in France on 7 February 1918.
12th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Parkhurst (Isle of Wight) in October 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4.
November 1914 : came under command of 97th Brigade, original 32nd Division.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.
September 1916 : absorbed into Training Reserve Battalions in 8th Reserve Brigade.
13th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Golden Hill (Isle of Wight) in October 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4.
November 1914 : came under command of 97th Brigade, original 32nd Division.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.
September 1916 : converted into 33rd Training Reserve Battalion in 8th Reserve Brigade.
The regimental badge as depicted by a 90m long chalk cutting at Sutton Mandeville. Image courtesy of the excellent Sutton Mandeville Military badges website, with my thanks. For lack of funds, this and other badges at Sutton Mandeville are no longer being maintained and are gradually grassing over.
14th (Service) Battalion (1st Birmingham)
Formed at Birmingham in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and a local committee.
26 June 1915 : came under command of 95th Brigade, 32nd Division.
Landed at Boulogne 21 November 1915.
28 December 1915 : transferred to 13th Brigade, 5th Division.
Moved to Italy with the Division in November 1917 but returned to France April 1918.
5 October 1918 : became Pioneer Bn to same Division.
15th (Service) Battalion (2nd Birmingham)
Formed at Birmingham in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and a local committee.
26 June 1915 : came under command of 95th Brigade, 32nd Division.
Landed at Boulogne 21 November 1915.
28 December 1915 : transferred to 14th Brigade, 5th Division.
Transferred to 13th Brigade in same Division 14 January 1916.
Moved to Italy with the Division in November 1917 but returned to France April 1918.
6 October 1918: disbanded with personnel going to 14th and 16th Battalions of this regiment and some to the 1st Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment.
16th (Service) Battalion (3rd Birmingham)
Formed at Birmingham in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and a local committee.
26 June 1915 : came under command of 95th Brigade, 32nd Division.
Landed at Boulogne 21 November 1915.
26 December 1915 : transferred to 15th Brigade, 5th Division.
Moved to Italy with the Division in November 1917 but returned to France April 1918.
4 October 1918: transferred to 13th Brigade in same Division.
17th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Sutton Coldfield in June 1915 as a Reserve battalion, from depot companies of Birmingham City Bns.
1 September 1916 : converted into 92nd Training Reserve Battalion in 22nd Reserve Brigade.
Other Battalions
1st Garrison Battalion
Formed in Weymouth in August 1915 and moved to Egypt.
38th (Home Service) Battalion
Formed in Margate on 1 June 1918 but absorbed into 22nd Bn on 18 June.
51st (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 26 October 1917, this was known as 262nd Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 93rd Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 15th (Reserve) Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment. A training unit based at Ipswich, it was part of 216th Brigade in 72nd Division. In March 1918 when 72nd Division was broken up it went to 205th Brigade of 68th Division at Lowestoft. By June 1918 it had moved to Henham Park near Southwold. After the Armistice, the battalion went to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation on the Rhine.
52nd (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 26 October 1917, this was known as 274th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 94th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 16th (Reserve) Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment. A training unit based at Chelmsford, it was part of 220th Brigade in 73rd Division. In March 1918 when 73rd Division was broken up it went to 205th Brigade of 68th Division at Lowestoft. By June 1918 it had moved to Henham Park near Southwold.
53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 95th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 11th (Reserve) Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. A basic recruit training unit based at Chisledon, it was part of 22nd Reserve Brigade. On 31 October 1917 when that Brigade was broken up it went to 8th Reserve Brigade at Larkhill.
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