The formation of the Training Reserve
A considerable reorganisation of the reserve infantry battalions took place on 1 September 1916. Before this date, most of the infantry regiments contained one or more reserve battalions of the regular and new armies. Recruits would be posted to these battalions for basic training, before they were posted to an active service unit. With the introduction of conscription, the regimental system simply could not cope with numbers. A new structure was put into place: the Training Reserve. The local nature of recruitment for infantry regiments was abandoned and the entire system centralised.
After 1 September 1916, regimental distinctions disappeared and the reserve units of the regiments were instead redesignated as battalions of the Training Reserve. They were organised into new brigades. No Guards, Irish or Territorial battalions converted to the TR. The reorganisation did not affect affect the Special Reserve or Extra Reserve battalions of the regular army (normally the 3rd and sometimes 4th Battalions of a regiment).
The official complement of the Training Reserve was a little over 208,500 soldiers.
Men who were posted to the TR battalions were not allocated to any particular regiment when the time came for them to be posted. So from this time on it is not safe to assume that a recruit would serve with his local regiment. Later, from May 1917, this arrangement was itself altered when the units of the TR became Graduated and Young Soldier Battalions and were once again aligned with specific regiments.
Remodelling of the Training Reserve in 1917
Uniform and insignia
The TR units dropped the cap badges and shoulder titles of their former regiments and instead wore a large General Service button on a red disc on the cap and the letters TR as a shoulder title. The men of the three brigades of Scottish Command (9th, 12th and 18th) wore a Glengarry rather than a service cap. The 9th Brigade wore kilts and hose. All NCOs and men wore the number of their TR Brigade on their sleeve in the form of a cloth patch. The most senior battalion wore its number in white, then the others in red, yellow, green, brown and blue in descending order. The TR shoulder titles were discontinued from June 1917 and the sleeve number in December of that year. Also the cap button was dropped and a red number of the TR battalions replaced it with regimental ones! Officers of the TR continued to wear their regimental uniform and badges.
This young man, although he is not wearing a “TR” shoulder title, is of the Training Reserve. In his cap he has a General Service button worn as a badge, on a red cloth backing. His name is unknown. Many thanks to member “barrowford1914” at the Great War Forum for this image.
The numbering of soldiers of the TR
Each battalion was allocated a block of 4000 numbers. The standard form for a number was “TR/the number of the District in which the Record Office of the unit was (there were 12 such Districts)/the man’s unique number”.
In other words, something like TR/3/12345.
Units and locations
| Reserve Brigade | TR Battalion | Origin (was, up to end of August 1916) | Location; all ditto unless shown | Number prefix | Became (in May 1917) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1st | 16th (Reserve) Bn, the Durham Light Infantry | Rugeley | TR/5 | |
| 2nd | 17th (Reserve) Bn, the Durham Light Infantry | Rugeley | TR/5 | ||
| 3rd | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the North Staffordshire Regiment | Rugeley | TR/5 | 276th Graduated | |
| 4th | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the North Staffordshire Regiment | Rugeley | TR/5 | 238th Graduated | |
| 5th | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the Leicestershire Regiment | Rugeley | TR/5 | 5th Young Soldier | |
| The 1st TR Brigade also absorbed the 11th Yorkshire Regiment and the 15th Northumberland Fusiliers | |||||
| 2nd | 6th | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the West Yorkshire Regiment | Rugeley | TR/5 | 6th Young Soldier |
| 7th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the East Yorkshire Regiment | Rugeley | TR/5 | 7th Young Soldier | |
| 8th | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the KOYLI | Rugeley | TR/5 | 8th Young Soldier | |
| 9th | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the South Staffordshire Regiment | Rugeley | TR/6 | 277th Graduated | |
| 10th | 15th (Reserve) Bn, the Yorkshire Regiment | Rugeley | TR/5 | 242nd Graduated | |
| The 2nd TR Brigade also absorbed the 11th York & Lancaster Regiment and the 10th South Staffordshire Regiment | |||||
| 3rd | 11th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the Lincolnshire Regiment | Brocton | TR/6 | |
| 12th | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the Sherwood Foresters | Brocton | TR/6 | 12th Young Soldier | |
| 13th | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Sherwood Foresters | Brocton | TR/6 | 13th Young Soldier | |
| 14th | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Manchester Regiment | Brocton | TR/3 | 278th Graduated | |
| 15th | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers | Brocton | TR/3 | 267th Graduated | |
| The 3rd TR Brigade also absorbed the 14th West Yorkshire Regiment and the 11th West Riding Regiment | |||||
| 4th | 16th | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the Gloucestershire Regiment | Seaford | TR/7 | |
| 17th | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment | Seaford | TR/3 | 284th Graduated | |
| 18th | 15th (Reserve) Bn, the King’s Royal Rifle Corps | Seaford | 18th Young Soldier | ||
| 19th | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Rifle Brigade | Seaford | 237th Graduated | ||
| 20th | 15th (Reserve) Bn, the Rifle Brigade | Seaford | 20th Young Soldier | ||
| The 4th TR Brigade also absorbed the 14th King’s Royal Rifle Corps and the 10th Border Regiment | |||||
| 5th | 21st | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the East Surrey Regiment | Shoreham (was at Watford early 1917) | TR/10 | 241st Graduated |
| 22nd | 16th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | Shoreham | TR/10 | 285th Graduated | |
| 23rd | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Sussex Regiment | Shoreham (was at St Albans by March 1917) | TR/10 | 25th Young Soldier | |
| 24th | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Middlesex Regiment | Shoreham (was at St Albans by March 1917) | TR/10 | ||
| The 5th TR Brigade also absorbed the 9th Queen’s (Royal West Surrey), 9th Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) and 15th Middlesex Regiment | |||||
| 6th | 25th | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the Norfolk Regiment | Parkeston | TR/9 | 219th Graduated |
| 26th | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the Suffolk Regiment | Harwich | TR/9 | 252nd Graduated | |
| 27th | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the Bedfordshire Regiment | Dovercourt | TR/9 | 27th Young Soldier | |
| 28th | 8th (Reserve) Bn, the Northamptonshire Regiment | Maidstone | TR/9 | 245th Graduated | |
| The 6th TR Brigade also absorbed the 9th Bedfordshire and 12th Essex Regiment | |||||
| 7th | 29th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the Buffs | Dover | TR/10 | 255th Graduated |
| 30th | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the East Surrey Regiment | Dover | TR/10 | ||
| 31st | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | Dover | TR/10 | ||
| 32nd | 15th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | Dover | TR/10 | ||
| 8th | 33rd | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Warwickshire | Wool | TR/7 | 206th Graduated |
| 34th | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the Hampshire Regiment | Wool | TR/8 | ||
| 35th | 7th (Reserve) Bn, the Dorsetshire Regiment | Wool | TR/8 | ||
| 36th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the Ox & Bucks. Light Infantry | Wareham | TR/7 | ||
| 37th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Berkshire Regiment | Wool | TR/7 | 210th Graduated | |
| The 8th TR Brigade also absorbed the 12th Royal Warwickshire and 8th Wiltshire Regiment | |||||
| 9th | 38th | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the Black Watch | Dunfermline | TR/1 | 202nd Graduated |
| 39th | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the Seaforth Highlanders | Dunfermline | TR/1 | ||
| 40th | 8th (Reserve) Bn, the Cameron Highlanders | Stirling | TR/1 | 286th Graduated | |
| 41st | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders | Dunfermline | TR/1 | ||
| 42nd | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the Gordon Highlanders | Bridge of Allan | TR/1 | Young Soldier | |
| The 9th TR Brigade also absorbed the 15th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders | |||||
| 10th | 43rd | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) | Wareham | TR/3 | |
| 44th | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the Devonshire Regiment | Wareham | TR/8 | ||
| 45th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the Somerset Light Infantry | Swanage | TR/8 | ||
| 46th | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the Worcestershire Regiment | Swanage | TR/7 | ||
| 47th | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the East Lancashire Regiment | Wareham | TR/3 | ||
| The 10th TR Brigade also absorbed the 12th Worcestershire Regiment and 9th Duke of Cornwall’s Loght Infantry | |||||
| 11th | 48th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the Shropshire Light Infantry | Prees Heath | TR/4 | |
| 49th | 15th (Reserve) Bn, the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment | Prees Heath | TR/3 | ||
| 50th | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Cheshire Regiment | Prees Heath | TR/4 | 225th Graduated | |
| 51st | 10th (Reserve) Bn, the South Lancashire Regiment | Prees Heath | TR/4 | 229th Graduated | |
| The 11th TR Brigade also absorbed the 16th King’s (LIverpool Regiment) | |||||
| 12th | 52nd | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the Highland Light Infantry | Leven | TR/2 | |
| 53rd | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the King’s Own Scottish Borderers | Kingshorn | TR/2 | 53rd Young Soldier | |
| 54th | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Scots | Kirkcaldy | TR/2 | 201st Graduated | |
| 55th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Scots Fusiliers | Inverkeithing | TR/2 | ||
| 56th | 12th (Reserve) Bn, the Scottish Rifles | Kingshorn | TR/2 | 205th Graduated | |
| The 12th TR Brigade also absorbed the 11th Gordon Highlanders | |||||
| 13th | 57th | 9th (Reserve) Bn, the South Wales Borderers | Kinmel | TR/4 | 282nd Graduated |
| 58th | 12th (Reserve) Bn, the Welsh Regiment | Kinmel | TR/4 | 230th Graduated | |
| 59th | 13th (Reserve) Bn, the South Wales Borderers | Kinmel | TR/4 | 213th Graduated | |
| 60th | 20th (Reserve) Bn (3rd Rhondda), the Welsh Regiment | Kinmel | TR/4 | 217th Graduated | |
| 61st | 21st (Reserve) Bn, the Welsh Regiment | Kinmel | TR/4 | 221st Graduated | |
| 14th | 62nd | 12th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers | Kinmel | TR/4 | Young Soldier |
| 63rd | 18th and 20th (Reserve) Bns, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers | Kinmel | TR/4 | 226th Graduated | |
| 64th | 21st and 22nd (Reserve) Bns, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers | Kinmel | TR/4 | 234th Graduated | |
| 65th | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the South Wales Borderers | Kinmel | TR/4 | ||
| 66th | 22nd (Reserve) Bn, the Welsh Regiment | Kinmel | TR/4 | ||
| 15th | The Reserve Battalions of the Ulster Division | ||||
| 16th | 67th | 21st (Reserve) Bn, the King’s (Liverpool Regiment) | Altcar | TR/3 | |
| 68th | 22nd (Reserve) Bn, the King’s (Liverpool Regiment) | Altcar | TR/3 | At South Camp, Ripon, in June 1917 | |
| 69th | 25th (Reserve) Bn, the Manchester Regiment | Altcar | TR/3 | ||
| 70th | 26th (Reserve) Bn, the Manchester Regiment | Altcar | TR/3 | ||
| 71st | 27th (Reserve) Bn, the Manchester Regiment | Altcar | TR/3 | ||
| The 16th TR Brigade also absorbed the 13th South Lancashire Regiment | |||||
| 17th | 72nd | 21st (Reserve) Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers | Prees Heath | TR/3 | 72nd Young Soldier |
| 73rd | 22nd (Reserve) Bn, the Lancashire Fusiliers | Prees Heath | TR/3 | ||
| 74th | 17th (Reserve) Bn, the Cheshire Regiment | Prees Heath | TR/4 | 74th Young Soldier | |
| 75th | 12th (Reserve) Bn, the East Lancashire Regiment | Prees Heath | TR/3 | 233rd Graduated | |
| 76th | 12th (Reserve) Bn, the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) | Prees Heath | TR/3 | ||
| The 17th TR Brigade also absorbed the 12th Border Regiment | |||||
| 18th | 77th | 18th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Scots | Barry (Dundee) | TR/2 | |
| 78th | 19th (Reserve) Bn, the Highland Light Infantry | Montrose | TR/2 | ||
| 79th | 20th (Reserve) Bn, the Highland Light Infantry | Montrose | TR/2 | ||
| 19th | 80th | 32nd (Reserve) Bn, the Northumberland Fusiliers | Newcastle | TR/5 | |
| 81st | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Yorkshire Regiment | Newcastle | TR/6 | ||
| 82nd | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the Lincolnshire Regiment | Newcastle | TR/6 | ||
| 83rd | 12th (Reserve) Bn, the Leicestershire Regiment | Newcastle | TR/5 | ||
| The 19th TR Brigade also absorbed the 28th Northumberland Fusiliers, 19th Sherwood Foresters and 13th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry | |||||
| 20th | 84th | 29th (Reserve) Bn, the Northumberland Fusiliers | Hornsea | TR/5 | “A” Bn MGC |
| 85th | 30th (Reserve) Bn, the Northumberland Fusiliers | Hornsea | TR/5 | “B” Bn MGC | |
| 86th | 31st (Reserve) Bn, the Northumberland Fusiliers | Hornsea | TR/5 | 273rd Graduated | |
| 86th | Formed when predecssor became a Grad Bn | Hornsea | “C” Bn MGC | ||
| 87th | 21st (Reserve) Bn, the Durham Light Infantry | Hornsea | TR/5 | “D” Bn MGC | |
| The 20th TR Brigade also absorbed the 33rd and 34th Northumberland Fusiliers and the 13th Durham Light Infantry. By May 1917 the brigade had moved to Catterick and became dedicated to receiving recruits who would be allotted to the Machine Gun Corps. It moved again, to Clipstone, in early 1918 and was then retitled as 1st Training Brigade, Machine Gun Corps. | |||||
| 21st | 88th | 19th (Reserve) Bn, the West Yorkshire Regiment | Blyth | TR/5 | |
| 89th | 20th (Reserve) Bn, the West Yorkshire Regiment | Blyth | TR/5 | ||
| 90th | 14th (Reserve) Bn (Hull), the East Yorkshire Regiment | Blyth | TR/5 | 264th Graduated | |
| 91st | 15th (Reserve) Bn, the York & Lancaster Regiment and 15th East Yorkshire Regiment | Blyth | TR/5 | 270th Graduated | |
| The 21st TR Brigade also absorbed the 24th King’s Royal Rifle Corps | |||||
| 22nd | 92nd | 17th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Warwickshire | Chiseldon | TR/7 | |
| 93rd | 15th (Reserve) Bn, the Gloucestershire Regiment | Chiseldon | TR/7 | 262nd Graduated | |
| 94rd | 16th (Reserve) Bn, the Gloucestershire Regiment | Chiseldon | TR/7 | 274th Graduated | |
| 95th | 11th (Reserve) Bn, the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry | Chiseldon | TR/8 | 95th Young Soldier | |
| 96th | 16th (Reserve) Bn (Portsmouth), the Hampshire Regiment | Chiseldon | TR/8 | ||
| 23rd | 97th | 12th (Reserve) Bn, the Queens | Aldershot | TR/10 | 209th Graduated |
| 98th | 14th (Reserve) Bn, the Essex Regiment | Aldershot | TR/10 | ||
| 99th | 12th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal West Kents | Aldershot | TR/10 | 253rd Graduated | |
| 100th | 24th (Reserve) Bn, the Middlesex Regiment | Aldershot | TR/10 | 256th Graduated | |
| 101st | 27th (Reserve) Bn, the Middlesex Regiment | Aldershot | TR/10 | 250th Graduated | |
| 102nd | 28th (Reserve) Bn, the Middlesex Regiment | Aldershot | TR/10 | 102nd Young Soldier | |
| The 23rd TR Brigade also absorbed the 14th Royal Sussex Regiment | |||||
| 24th | 103rd | 27th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | Edinburgh | TR/10 | |
| 104th | 28th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | Edinburgh | TR/10 | 104th Young Soldier | |
| 105th | 29th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | Edinburgh | TR/10 | ||
| 106th | 30th (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | Edinburgh | TR/10 | 259th Graduated | |
| 107th | 31st (Reserve) Bn, the Royal Fusiliers | Edinburgh | TR/10 | 265th Graduated | |
| 25th | not used | ||||
| 26th | 108th | 13th (Reserve) Bn (Cambridgeshire), the Suffolk Regiment | Wimbledon | TR/9 | |
| 109th | 19th (Reserve) Bn, the King’s Royal Rifle Corps | Wimbledon | |||
| 110th | 22nd (Reserve) Bn, the King’s Royal Rifle Corps | Wimbledon | |||
| 111th | 23rd (Reserve) Bn, the King’s Royal Rifle Corps | Wimbledon | |||
| 112th | 17th (Reserve) Bn, the Rifle Brigade | Wimbledon | |||
| 28th | 113th | Clipstone | “E” Bn MGC | ||
| 114th | Clipstone | “F” Bn MGC | |||
| 115th | Clipstone | “G” Bn MGC | |||
| 116th | Clipstone | “H” Bn MGC; | |||
| The 28th TR Brigade formed in early 1918 and was soon retitled as 2nd Training Brigade of the Machine Gun Corps. The battalions were formed on 23 April (113th and 114th), 29 April (115th) and 1 June (116th) 1918 respectively. | |||||