York & Lancaster Regiment

Regimental Depot

Pontefract Barracks

Pontefract Barracks as shown on an Ordnance Survey map of 1914. The barracks was situated on Wakefield Road, a short distance southwest of the town centre. Some buildings remain to this day but are now in use as a business centre and by the Army Cadet Force.

Battalions of the Regular Army

1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Jubbulpore in India. Returned to England 23 December 1914. Moved to Hursley Park and joined 83rd Brigade in 28th Division.
17 January 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
Moved to Egypt in October 1915 and thence to Salonika, arriving in early December.

2nd Battalion
August 1914 : at Limerick. Part of 16th Brigade in 6th Division. Moved to Cambridge.
9 September 1914 : landed at St Nazaire.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : at Pontefract. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to Cleadon and in January 1915 went on to Fulwell in Sunderland. Moved in August 1915 to Durham but returned to Sunderland in February 1916 where it remained as part of the Tyne Garrison.

Pic
The regimental badge as depicted on a CWGC grave headstone. Image courtesy of the excellent nottsexminer collection at the flickr website, with my thanks.

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/4th (Hallamshire) Battalion
August 1914 : in Hyde Park Barracks in Sheffield. Part of 3rd West Riding Brigade, West Riding Division. Moved on mobilisation to Doncaster. Moved in November 1914 to Gainsborough, going on in February 1915 to York.
14 April 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
15 May 1915 : formation became 148th Brigade in 49th (West Riding) Division.

1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Rotherham. Record same as 1/4th Bn.

2/4th (Hallamshire) Battalion
Formed at Sheffield on 21 September 1914 as a second line unit. Moved in March 1915 to Nottingham and joined 187th Brigade in 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division. Moved to Streshall Common on 10 April 1915, Beverley in July, Gateshead in November, Larkhill in January 1916, Flixton Park (Bungay) in June and finally Wellingborough in December 1916.
15 January 1917: landed at Le Havre.

2/5th Battalion
Formed at Rotherham on 3 October 1914 as a second line unit. Record same as 2/4th Bn. Was billeted at the Mechanics Hall, the Arboretum and in Victoria Hall on Talbot Street when in Nottingham.
15 January 1917: landed at Le Havre.
3 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

3/4th and 3/5th Battalions
Formed at home bases in March 1915. Moved to Clipstone.
8 April 1916 : renamed 4th and 5th Reserve Bns.
1 September 1916 : 4th absorbed the 5th Bn. Moved to Rugeley in October 1917 and on 23 July 1918 went to Woodbridge, finally moving to Southend on 19 October 1918.

Battalions of the New Armies

6th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 32nd Brigade in 11th (Northern) Division. Moved initially to Grantham. Moved to Witley in April 1915.
3 July 1915 : sailed from Liverpool for Gallipoli, landing at Suvla Bay 6 August 1915.
Evacuated from Gallipoli December 1915, moved to Egypt via Imbros.
Moved to France in July 1916.

7th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers)
Formed at Pontefract in August 1914 as part of K2 andcame under orders of 51st Brigade in 17th (Northern) Division. Moved to Wareham.
March 1915 : converted into Pioneer Battalion for same Division. Moved to Hursley Park in May 1915.
14 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.

8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 70th Brigade in 23rd Division. Moved to Frensham, and on to Aldershot in November. Moved to Hythe in February 1915 and went on in May to Bordon.
27 August 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
18 October 1915: transferred with Brigade to 8th Division.
17 July 1916: returned with Brigade to 23rd Division.
November 1917: moved to Italy with 23rd Division.

Troops of the 8th (Service) Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment marching across bridge dividing Fiume (Rijeka) and Susak. Imperial War Museum image Q26407
Troops of the 8th (Service) Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment marching across bridge dividing Fiume (Rijeka) and Susak. Imperial War Museum image Q26407

9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 70th Brigade in 23rd Division. Record same as 8th Bn.

10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Pontefract in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 63rd Brigade in 21st Division. Moved to Halton Park, going on to Leighton Buzzard in December 1914 and then Tring in May 1915. Finally moved to Witley in August.
11 September 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
8 July 1916: transferred with Brigade to 37th Division.
4 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

11th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in September 1914 as part of K3 and intended for 63rd Brigade in 21st Division but transferred to K4 and came under orders of 90th Brigade, original 33rd Division at Harrogate.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve Battalion and moved on 24 May 1915 to Farnley Park at Otley. Moved on to Rugeley Camp (Cannock Chase) in November 1915.
1 September 1916 : absorbed into Training Reserve Battalions of 2nd Reserve Brigade at Rugeley.

12th (Service) Battalion (Sheffield)
Often known by its original name of the Sheffield City Battalion.
Formed in Sheffield on 5 September 1914 by the Mayor and Town.
May 1915 : moved to Penkridge Camp (Cannock Chase) and came under orders of 94th Brigade in 31st Division. Went to Ripon in July 1915 and on to Salisbury Plain in October.
December 1915 : moved to Egypt. Went on to France in March 1916.
17 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

13th (Service) Battalion (Barnsley)
Often known by its original name of the Barnsley Pals.
Formed in Barnsley on 17 September 1914 by the Mayor and Town. Moved to Silkstone in December 1914.
May 1915 : moved to Penkridge Camp (Cannock Chase) and came under orders of 94th Brigade in 31st Division. Went to Ripon in July 1915 and on to Salisbury Plain in October.
December 1915 : moved to Egypt. Went on to France in March 1916.

14th (Service) Battalion (Barnsley)
Often known by its original name of the 2nd Barnsley Pals.
Formed in Barnsley on 30 November 1914 by the Mayor and Town. Record same as 13th Bn.
16 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

15th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed at Silkstone in July 1915 from depot companies of 12th, 13th and 14th Bns. Moved to Brocton (Cannock Chase) in November, on to Colsterdale in December. in July 1916, moved to Newsham, near Blyth.
1 September 1916 : converted into 91st Training Reserve Battalion in 21st Reserve Brigade at Blyth.

Other Battalions

16th (Transport Workers) Battalion
Formed at Colsterdale in March 1916. Moved to Durham in December 1916 and then Catterick in November 1917 where it then remained. Army Council Instruction 1488 of 1916 defined the establishment of the battalion as being much larger than a normal battalion of infantry. Organised into eight companies, it would have 24 officers, 8 Warrant Officers, 65 Sergeants and 1415 other men.

17th (Labour) Battalion
Formed at Brocklesby in July 1916. Moved to France that month and was attached to Lines of Communication. Became 30th and 31st Labour Companies of the Labour Corps in May 1917.

18th (Service) Battalion
Formed on 11 June 1918, absorbing the cadre of the 2/7th Bn, the West Yorkshire Regiment. Some sources say this was at Margate.
11 June 1918 : came under command of 41st Brigade of 14th (Light) Division at Stonycastle Camp, Pirbright.
3 July 1918 : landed at Boulogne.

Links

Other British infantry regiments

6th Division

11th (Northern) Division

14th (Light) Division

17th (Northern) Division

21st Division

23rd Division

28th Division

31st Division

37th Division

49th (West Riding) Division

62nd (2nd West Riding) Division

Training Reserve

Review: the First and Last of the Sheffield City Battalion

Regimental museum

Sheffield City Battalion website