Regimental Depot
Whittington Barracks near Lichfield.
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : at Buttevant. Part of 17th Brigade in 6th Division. Moved to Cambridge and quickly on to Newmarket.
12 September 1914 : landed at St Nazaire.
18 October 1915 : transferred to 72nd Brigade in 24th Division.
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Rawalpindi. Part of 4th (Rawalpindi) Brigade in 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division. Remained in India throughout the war.
November 1914 : transferred to the Bannu Brigade and moved to the North West Frontier.
Returned to 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division in March 1915.
August 1917 : transferred to 45th (Jullundur) Brigade in 16th Indian Division.
November 1917 : transferred to 2nd (Nowshera) Brigade in 1st (Peshawar) Division.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : A depot/training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved on mobilisation to Plymouth and in May 1915 to Seaham. Moved again in September 1915 to Forest Hall (Newcastle) for duty with the Tyne Garrison and moved in October 1916 to nearby Wallsend.
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Lichfield. Moved on mobilisation to Fort George at Guernsey. Went on to Marske in October 1916 and by March 1917 was at Saltburn.
June 1917 : moved to Westerner and came under orders of 200th Brigade, 67th Division.
7 October 1917 : left the Division and moved to France, landing at Le Havre. Placed under command of 167th Brigade in 56th (London) Division.
15 November 1917 : transferred to 106th Brigade in 35th Division.
3 February 1918 : transferred to 105th Brigade in same Division.
The regimental badge as depicted on a CWGC grave stone. From the excellent Prescot Roll of Honour website, with my thanks.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Hanley. Part of Staffordshire Brigade in North Midland Division. Moved to Luton area and in November 1914 went on to Bishops Stortford.
4 March 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
12 May 1915 : formation became the 137th Brigade in 46th (North Midland) Division.
January 1916 : moved to Egypt, returning to France next month.
30 January 1918 : transferred to 176th Brigade in 59th (2nd North Midland) Division and absorbed 2/5th Bn.
9 May 1918 : reduced to cadre and transferred to 16th (Irish) Division.
17 June 1918 : transferred to 34th Division.
27 June 1918 : transferred to 117th Brigade in 39th Division.
12 August 1918 : transferred to 116th Brigade in same Division.
6 November 1918 : demobilised near Etaples.
1/6th Battalion
August 1914 : in Burton-on-Trent. Record same as 1/5th Bn except remained with Brigade in January 1918.
16 July 1918 : absorbed the 2/6th Bn.
2/5th Battalion
Formed at Hanley on 1 November 1914 as a second line unit. Became part of 2nd Staffordshire Brigade in 2nd North Midland Division. Moved to Luton area by January 1915 and in July went on to St Albans.
Moved to Ireland in April 1916 to quell disturbances.
August 1915 : formation became the 176th Brigade, 59th (2nd North Midland) Division.
Moved in January 1917 to Fovant and landed at Le Havre 25 February 1917.
6 February 1918 : absorbed into 1/5th Bn and ceased to exist.
2/6th Battalion
Formed at Hanley on 1 November 1914 as a second line unit. Record same as 2/5th Bn except was not absorbed in February 1918.
9 May 1918 reduced to cadre and transferred to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division.
31 July 1918 : absorbed into 1/6th Bn and ceased to exist
3/5th and 3/6th Battalions
Formed at home bases in May 1915. Moved to Grantham in October 1915.
8 April 1916 : renamed 5th and 6th Reserve Bns.
1 September 1916 : 5th absorbed the 6th Bn. Moved to Lincoln in March 1917 and on in July to Mablethorpe.
Battalions of the New Armies
7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Lichfield on 29 August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 39th Brigade in 13th (Western) Division. Moved to Tidworth but by January 1915 was in billets in Basingstoke. Moved to Blackdown (Aldershot) in February 1915.
Sailed from Avonmouth in June 1915 and landed on Gallipoli next month.
January 1916 : Division evacuated from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt.
July 1918 : Brigade transferred to North Persia Force.
8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Lichfield on 18 September 1914 as part of K2 and came under orders of 57th Brigade in 19th (Western) Division.
Moved to Salisbury Plain, went into billets in Bristol in December 1914 and in February 1915 to Weston-super-Mare before going to Tidworth in April.
18 July 1915 : landed in France.
Article: 8th North Staffords trench raid at the Chapigny “Birdcage”, 20 March 1916
7 February 1918 : transferred to 56th Brigade in same Division.
9th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers)
Formed at Lichfield on 20 September 1914 as part of K3. Moved to South Downs, attached as Army Troops to 22nd Division. Moved to billets in Hastings in December 1914.
20 April 1915 : became Pioneer Bn and transferred to 37th Division.
29 July 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
10th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Plymouth in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K3 but in November transferred to K4 and came under orders of 99th Brigade, original 33rd Division. Moved to Okehampton in December 1914.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve Battalion and moved soon afterwards to Darlington. Moved on to Rugeley Camp (Cannock Chase) in November 1915.
1 September 1916 : converted into 3rd Training Reserve Battalion of 1st Reserve Brigade at Rugeley.
11th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Guernsey in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4. Moved to Alderney in February 1915.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve Battalion and moved soon afterwards to Darlington. Moved on to Rugeley Camp (Cannock Chase) in September 1915.
1 September 1916 : converted into 4th Training Reserve Battalion of 1st Reserve Brigade at Rugeley.
Other Battalions
12th (Service) Battalion
11 June 1918 : the 11th Garrison Guard Bn, recently formed in France, became the 12th (Garrison) Bn. Renamed as a Service Bn on 13 July 1918.
15 June 1918 : attached to 119th Brigade in 40th Division.
13th (Garrison) Battalion
See below.
1st (Garrison) Battalion
Formed at South Dalton in April 1916 and moved to France in May, where it remained. Renamed 13th (Garrison) Bn on 31 July 1918.
2nd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion
Formed at Guernsey in November 1916. Became 17th Bn, the Royal Defence Corps in August 1917.
Links
Other British infantry regiments
59th (2nd North Midland) Division