Regimental Depot
Chester Castle Barracks
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Londonderry. Part of 15th Brigade in 5th Division. Landed at Le Havre 16 August 1914.
The badge of the Cheshire Regiment as inscribed on a WW1 war grave. This is Cpl Henry Long of 1st Battalion, who died as a POW on 26 May 1917 and is buried in Hamburg. From the website of G E Conway, with my thanks.
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Jubbulpore, India. Returned to England, landing at Devonport on 24 December 1914.
Came under orders of 84th Brigade, 28th Division, at Winchester. Landed at Le Havre 17 January 1915.
Moved in October 1915 to Egypt and then on to Salonika.
12 January 1916 : the 1st Manx (Service) Company joined and became ‘A’ Company.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Chester. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war, providing drafts for other battalions. Regimental depot remained at Chester while battalion moved to war station at Birkenhead, to play part in Mersey Defences. Moved in 1917 to Newscastle, in May 1918 to Seaton Carew and in September 1918 to West Hartlepool, as part of Tees Garrison.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Birkenhead. Part of Cheshire Brigade, Welsh Division. Moved immediately on mobilisation to Shrewsbury and Church Stretton but by the end of August 1914 had moved to Northampton. In December 1914 moved again to Cambridge and by March 1915 was at Bedford.
13 May 1915 : formation became 159th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division.
Sailed in July 1915 from Devonport, going via Alexandria to Gallipoli where it landed on 9 August 1915.
December 1915 : withdrawn from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt.
31 May 1918 : left the Division and moved to France.
1 July 1918 : attached to 102nd Brigade in 34th Division.
1/5th (Earl of Chester’s) Battalion
August 1914 : in Chester. Part of Cheshire Brigade, Welsh Division. Moved immediately on mobilisation to Shrewsbury and Church Stretton but by the end of August 1914 had moved to Northampton. In December 1914 moved again to Cambridge.
15 February 1915 : left the Division and landed at Le Havre.
19 February 1915 : attached to 14th Brigade in 5th Division.
29 November 1915 : converted to Pioneer Battalion to the Division.
13 February 1916 : transferred to 56th (London) Division.
1/6th Battalion
August 1914 : in Stockport. Part of Cheshire Brigade, Welsh Division.
10 November 1914 : left the Division and landed in France.
17 December 1914 : attached to 15th Brigade in 5th Division.
1 March 1915 : transferred to GHQ and spent several months on guard and other duties at Rouen, Abbeville and Dieppe.
9 January 1916 : transferred to 20th Brigade in 7th Division.
29 February 1916 : transferred to 118th Brigade, 39th Division.
28 May 1918 : transferred to 75th Brigade, 25th Division.
17 June 1918 : absorbed men of the 11th Bn, which was reduced to cadre.
8 July 1918 : transferred to 21st Brigade, 30th Division.
1/7th Battalion
August 1914 : in Macclesfield. Part of Cheshire Brigade, Welsh Division.
Record same as 1/4th Bn.
2/4th Battalion
Formed at Birkenhead on 9 September 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit. Moved to Aberystwyth.
March 1915 : attached to 204th Brigade, 68th Division at Northampton but was at Bedford by August 1915.
8 December 1915 : absorbed by 2/7th Bn.
2/5th (Earl of Chester’s) Battalion
Formed at Chester on 28 November 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit. Moved to Aberystwyth.
18 February 1915 : replaced 1/5th Bn in Chester Brigade, Welsh Division at Cambridge.
22 April 1915 : transferred to 204th Brigade, 68th Division at Northampton. Moved to Bedford in August 1915 and on to Lowestoft in mid 1916. In 1917 moved to Westelton and later to Bury St Edmunds.
21 April 1918 : disbanded in UK.
2/6th Battalion
Formed at Stockport on 7 September 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit. Moved to Aberystwyth.
22 November 1914 : replaced 1/6th Bn in Chester Brigade, Welsh Division at Northampton. Moved to Cambridge in December 1914.
22 April 1915 : transferred to 204th Brigade, 68th Division. Moved to Bedford in August 1915.
22 November 1915 : absorbed the 2/5th Bn, the Welsh Regiment. Moved to Lowestoft in September 1916, thence to Yarmouth in March 1917 and Southwold in July 1917.
11 September 1917 : disbanded in UK.
2/7th Battalion
Formed at Macclesfield on 10 October 1914 as a home service (“second line”) unit.
March 1915 : attached to 204th Brigade, 68th Division at Northampton. Moved in August 1915 to Bedford.
8 December 1915 : absorbed the 2/4th Bn. Moved to Lowestoft in September 1916, thence to Wrentham in May 1917 and Southwold by March 1918.
31 March 1918 : disbanded in UK.
3/4th, 3/5th, 3/6th and 3/7th Battalions
Formed in Birkenhead, Chester, Stockport and Macclesfield in March 1915, respectively. All moved to Aberystwyth and later to Drenewydd Camp near Oswestry.
8 April 1916 : became 4th – 7th Reserve Battalions.
1 September 1916 : 4th absorbed the 5th, 6th and 7th Bns., in Welsh Reserve Brigade. By April 1918 had moved to Kinmel Park (Rhyl) and by August 1918 was at Whitstable.
23rd Battalion
Originally created as the 46th Provisional Bn in June 1915 and manned by “home service only” men sent from the 2/4th and 2/5th Bns. Moved to Happisburgh. On 1 January 1917, became 23rd Bn TF. Moved to Bacton in late 1917 but returned to Happisburgh by April 1918. 27 April 1918 : became a Garrison Guard Bn. 21 May 1918 : landed at Calais.
21 May 1918 : came under orders of 178th Brigade, 59th (2nd North Midland) Division.
19 June 1918 : transferred to 121st Brigade, 40th Division, and the Garrison Guard title discontinued.
Battalions of the New Armies
8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Chester on 12 August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 40th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division. Moved to Tidworth but by October 1914 was at Chisledon. In February 1915 moved to Pirbright and in June 1915 embarked for Egypt and thence to Gallipoli. Moved in January 1916 to Egypt and the following month to Mesopotamia where it then remained.
9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Chester on 13 September 1914 as part of K2 and came under orders of 58th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. Moved to Salisbury Plain and by December 1914 was in billets in Basingstoke. Returned to Salisbury Plain in March 1915.
19 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne. 7 February 1918 : transferred to 56th Brigade in same Division.
10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Chester on 10 September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 75th Brigade in 25th Division. Moved to Codford St Mary and by November 1914 was in billets in Bournemouth. Moved to Aldershot in May 1915. 26 September 1915 : landed at France.
26 October 1915 : transferred to 7th Brigade in same Division
21 June 1918 : reduced to cadre strength and main body of personnel transferred to 9th Bn. Cadre returned to England and moved to Aldershot.
July 1918 : absorbed by 15th Bn, South Wales Borderers at North Walsham
11th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Chester on 17 September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 75th Brigade, 25th Division. Moved to Codford St Mary and by November 1914 was in billets in Bournemouth. Moved to Aldershot in May 1915.
26 September 1915 : landed in France.
17 June 1918 : reduced to cadre strength and personnel transferred to 1/6th Bn.
23 June 1918 : cadre transferred to 39th Division.
3 August 1918 : disbanded in France.
12th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Chester in September 1914 as part of K3 and attached as Army Troops to 22nd Division. Moved to Seaford and by December 1914 was in billets in Eastbourne.
February 1915 : transferred to 66th Brigade in same Division.
Moved to Aldershot in June 1915.
6 September 1915 : landed at Boulogne but moved by November 1915 to Salonika.
13th (Service) Battalion
The Battalion war diary refers to this as the Wirral Battalion, although it did not have this as an official second title. Formed at Port Sunlight on 1 September 1914 by Gershom Stewart, MP. Moved to Chester.
October 1914 : came under orders of 74th Brigade in 25th Division. By December 1914 was in billets in Bournemouth. Moved to Aldershot in May 1915.
25 September 1915 : landed at France.
16 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
14th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Birkenhead in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4 and came under orders of 105th Brigade of original 35th Division.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion. Moved in July 1915 to Kinmel (Rhyl) and in August 1915 to Prees Heath.
1 September 1916 : converted into 50th Training Reserve Battalion.
15th (Service) Battalion (1st Birkenhead)
Formed at Birkenhead on 18 November 1914 by Alfred Bigland MP, as a Bantam Battalion. Moved to Hoylake.
June 1915 : came under orders of 105th Brigade in 35th Division at Masham and in August 1915 to Salisbury Plain. Adopted by the War Office on 15 August 1915.
Landed at Le Havre in January 1916.
16th (Service) Battalion (2nd Birkenhead)
Formed at Birkenhead on 3 December 1914 by Alfred Bigland MP as a Bantam Battalion.
Record same as 15th Bn.
6 February 1918 : disbanded in Belgium.
17th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed at Bebington on 10 August 1915 as a local reserve for the 15th and 16th. Moved to Prees Heath.
1 September 1916 : converted into 74th Training Reserve Battalion of 17th Reserve Brigade.
Other Battalions
18th and 19th (Labour) Battalions
Formed at Oldham in March and April 1916, moving to France on 3 April and in May 1916 respectively.
May 1917 : converted into 56th and 57th (from 18th) and 58th and 59th (from 19th) Labour Companies of the Labour Corps.
20th (Labour) Battalion
Formed at Chester in June 1916, moving to France in July 1916.
April 1917 : converted into 60th and 61st Labour Companies of the Labour Corps.
21st (Labour) Battalion
Formed at Chester in August 1916, moving to France in October 1916.
14 May 1917 : converted into 62nd and 63rd Labour Companies of the Labour Corps.
22nd (Labour) Battalion
Formed at Chester in December 1916, moving to France in the same month.
April 1917 : converted into 64th and 65th Labour Companies of the Labour Corps.
24th (Home Service) Battalion
Formed at Mundesley on 27 April 1918 to replace the 23rd Bn (above).
1st Garrison Battalion
Formed at Chester on 1 August 1915, then to Gibraltar where it remained throughout the war.
2nd Garrison Battalion
Formed at Bebington in October 1915, then to Egypt and Palestine where it worked on Lines of Communication.
3rd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion
Formed November 1915. Moved to Ramsay, Isle of Man, in July 1916 moved to Gretna and in November 1916 to Liverpool. Converted into 11th Bn, the Royal Defence Corps in August 1917.
51st (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 213th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 59th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 13th (Reserve) Battalion of the South Wales Borderers. A training unit based at the Curragh in Ireland, it was part of 194th Brigade in 65th (2nd Lowland) Division. It remained at the Curragh when the Division was broken up in March 1918.
52nd (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 221st Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 61st Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 21st (Reserve) Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. A training unit based at Keane Barracks at the Curragh camp in Ireland, it was part of 196th Brigade in 65th (2nd Lowland) Division. It remained at the Curragh when the Division was broken up in March 1918.
53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 62nd Batalion of the Training Reserve had had formerly been the 12th (Reserve) Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. A basic recruit training unit based at Kinmel (Rhyl), it was part of 14th Reserve Brigade.
Links
59th (2nd North Midland) Division
Books
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