Regimental Depot
Maidstone Barracks
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Dublin. Under command of 13th Brigade in 5th Division.
15 August 1914 : landed at Le Havre.
December 1917 : moved with Division to Italy. Returned to France April 1918.
Article: Last six days of a junior officer’s life: Kenneth Frost
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Multan (Mooltan), India. Moved to Mesopotamia, arriving Basra 6 February 1915 where it came under command of 12th Indian Brigade. Two Companies were attached to the 30th Brigade in the 6th (Poona) Division in November 1915 and became besieged at Kut-al-Amara, where they were captured on 29 April 1916. The remaining companies were attached to 34th Brigade which was part of 15th Indian Division, transferring to 17th Indian Division in August 1917. Remained in Mesopotamia throughout the war.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Maidstone. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to Chatham. Moved to Leysdown (Isle of Sheppey) in summer 1918 as part of the Thames & Medway Garrison.
The regimental badge as depicted on a CWGC grave headstone in the military cemetery at Zandvoorde near Ypres. Authors collection.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Tonbridge. Part of Kent Brigade in the Home Counties Division.
30 October 1914 : moved to India, remaining there throughout the war. The Division was broken up on arrival in Bombay and the battalion transferred to the Jubbulpore Brigade in the 5th (Mhow) Division of the Indian Army. Transferred in February 1918 to 3rd Quetta Brigade in 4th (Quetta) division. Brigade was retitled as 57th Brigade in July 1918.
1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Bromley. Part of Kent Brigade in the Home Counties Division.
30 October 1914 : moved to India, remaining there throughout the war. The Division was broken up on arrival in Bombay and the battalion transferred to the Jhansi Brigade in the 5th (Mhow) Division of the Indian Army. Transferred in March 1916 to 4th Rawalpindi Brigade in 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division. Returned to 5th (Mhow) Division in March 1917 and into Jubbulpore Brigade. In December 1917, moved to Mesopotamia and joined 54th Brigade in 18th Indian Division.
2/4th Battalion
Formed at Tonbridge in September 1914 as a second line unit. Moved to Ascot in November and attached to 2nd Kent Brigade in 2nd Home Counties Division.
Brigade formed a “Kent Composite Battalion” from HQ and a company from this bn plus companies from 2/4th East Kent and 2/5th Royal West Kent. On 24 April 1915 this composite unit transferred to 160th Brigade in 53rd (Welsh) Division at Cambridge. On 14 June this unit was retitled as 2/4th Bn. Moved to Bedford.
Sailed from Southampton on 20 July 1915. Landed at Suvla Bay 10 August 1915.
13 December 1915 : evacuated from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt.
25 August 1918 : left the Division. Disbanded in Egypt on 13 September 1918.
2/5th Battalion
Formed at Bromley in September 1914 as a second line unit. Moved to Ascot in November and attached to 2nd Kent Brigade in 2nd Home Counties Division.
Remained in kent, moving at various stages to Canterbury and Ashford.
November 1917 : disbanded at Canterbury.
3/4th Battalion
Formed on 14 June 1915 from the remaining portion of the original 2/4th Bn that had not been transferred into the “Kent Composite Battalion” (see above).
1 June 1917 : landed at Le Havre and temporarily attached to both 1st South African Brigade of 9th (Scottish) Division and 103rd Brigade of 34th Division.
22 June 1917 : transferred to 51st Brigade in 17th (Northern) Division.
12 July to 2 August 1917 : acted as Pioneer Battalion to same Division.
3 August 1917 : transferred to 52nd Brigade in same Division.
20 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
3/5th Battalion
Formed at Bromley in July 1915 and moved to Cambridge.
8 April 1915 : at Crowborough and became 5th Reserve Bn.
1 September 1916 : absorbed by 4th Reserve Bn.
4/4th Battalion
Formed in July 1915 and moved to Cambridge.
8 April 1915 : at Crowborough and became 4th Reserve Bn.
1 September 1916 : absorbed the 5th Reserve Bn. Moved to Tunbridge Wells by October 1916.
Battalions of the New Armies
6th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Maidstone on 14 August 1914 as part of K1 and came under command of 37th Brigade in 12th (Eastern) Division. Moved initially to Colchester and on to Purfleet in September 1914 before going to billets in Hythe in December. Moved to Aldershot in February 1915.
1 June 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Purfleet on 9 September 1914 from drafts sent from Maidstone and a small nucleus of officers from 6th (Service) Battalion. Formed as part of K2 and came under command of 55th Brigade in 18th (Eastern) Division. Moved to Colchester in April 1915 and on to Salisbury Plain in May.
27 July 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Maidstone on 12 September 1914 as part of K3 and came under command of 72nd Brigade in 24th Division. Moved to Shoreham and then to billets in Worthing in December 1914. Returned to Shoreham in April 1915 and then on to Blackdown in July 1915.
30 August 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
9th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed at Chatham on 24 October 1914 as a Service Battalion for K4 and came under command of 93rd Brigade, original 31st Division.
10 April 1915 : converted into a reserve battalion. Moved in June 1915 to Canterbury and on to Colchester next month.
1 September 1916 : absorbed into Training Reserve Battalions of 5th Reserve Brigade at Shoreham.
10th (Service) Battalion (Kent County)
Formed at Maidstone on 3 May 1915 by Lord Harris, Vice Lieutenant of Kent, at the request of the Army Council. Attached in July 1915 to 118th Brigade in 39th Division but transferred in October to 123rd Brigade in 41st Division. Moved to Aldershot in January 1916.
4 May 1916 : landed in France.
November 1917 : moved with the Division to Italy but returned to France in March 1918.
11th (Service) Battalion (Lewisham)
Formed at Lewisham on 5 May 1915 by the Mayor and a local committee. Trained at Catford. Attached in July 1915 to 118th Brigade in 39th Division but transferred in October to 122nd Brigade in 41st Division. Moved to Aldershot in January 1916.
3 May 1916 : landed in France.
November 1917 : moved with the Division to Italy but returned to France in March 1918.
16 March 1918 : disbanded in France.
12th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in February 1916 from the depot companies of the 10th and 11th Bns. Moved initially to Northampton and then to Aldershot in May 1916..
1 September 1916 : converted into 99th Training Reserve Battalion of 23rd Reserve Brigade at Aldershot.
Other Battalions
13th Battalion
Formed at Cromer on 1 June 1918 but absorbed by 11th Bn, the Royal Sussex Regiment, in July.
1st (Home Service) Garrison Battalion
Formed at Rochester in March 1916. In August 1917, became the 15th Bn, the Royal Defence Corps.
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