Regimental Depot
Rifles Depot, Winchester
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : at Aldershot. Under command of 6th Brigade in 2nd Division.
13 August 1914 : landed at Rouen.
13 December 1915 : transferred to 99th Brigade in same Division.
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : at Blackdown. Under command of 2nd Brigade in 1st Division.
13 August 1914 : landed at Le Havre.
3rd Battalion
August 1914 : in Meerut, India, under command of Bareilly Brigade in Meerut Division.
Returned to England on 19 November 1914.
Moved to Winchester and joined 80th Brigade in 27th Division.
21 December 1914 : landed at Le Havre.
18 November 1915 : sailed from Marseilles and moved to Salonika, arriving 5 December 1915.
4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Gharial, India. Returned to England with 3rd Bn on 19 November 1914.
Moved to Winchester and joined 80th Brigade in 27th Division.
21 December 1914 : landed at Le Havre.
19 November 1915 : sailed from Marseilles and moved to Salonika, arriving 25 November 1915.
June 1918 : left the Division and moved to France.
16 July 1918 : attached to 151st Brigade in 50th (Northumbrian) Division.
5th and 6th (Reserve) Battalions
August 1914 : in Winchester. Depot/training units, they moved on mobilisation to Sheerness and remained in this area throughout the war. In 1918 the 6th Bn was at nearby Queenborough. Both were part of the Thames & Medway Garrison.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
The KKRC did not form any battalions for the TF.
Battalions of the New Armies
7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester on 19 August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 41st Brigade in 14th (Light) Division. Moved to Aldershot, going on to Grayshott in November and in February 1915 went to Bordon. Returned to Aldershot in March 1915.
19 May 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
2 February 1918 : transferred to 43rd Brigade in same Division.
25 April 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
16 June 1918 : transferred to 49th Brigade in 16th (Irish) Division and returned to England.
Cadre was absorbed by 34th Bn, the London Regiment at Clacton.
8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester on 21 August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 41st Brigade in 14th (Light) Division. Moved to Aldershot, going on to Grayshott in November and in February 1915 went to Bordon. Returned to Aldershot in March 1915.
May 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
27 April 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
16 June 1918 : transferred to 34th Division and on 27 June to 39th Division.
3 August 1918 : disbanded at Desvres.
9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 42nd Brigade in 14th (Light) Division. Moved to Aldershot, going on to Petworth in November and in February 1915 returned to Aldershot.
20 May 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
Record same as 8th Bn.
10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester on 14 September 1914 as part of K2 and came under orders of 59th Brigade in 20th (Light) Division. Moved to Blackdown, going on in February 1915 to Witley and then in April to Hamilton Camp (Stonehenge).
21 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
5 February 1918 : disbanded at Dickebusch.
11th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester in September 1914 as part of K2 and came under orders of 59th Brigade in 20th (Light) Division. Moved to Blackdown, going on in February 1915 to Witley and then in April to Larkhill.
21 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
12th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester on 21 September 1914 as part of K2 and came under orders of 60th Brigade in 20th (Light) Division. Moved to Bisley, going on in November 1914 to Blackdown and February 1915 to billets in Hindhead. Moved to Larkhill on 10 April 1915.
22 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
13th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester on 7 October 1914 as part of K3 but only came together over the next two days after moving to Halton Park. Came under orders of 63rd Brigade of 21st Division.
14 November 1914: moved to billets in Amersham and Great Missenden.
Moved to Windmill Hill (Salisbury Plain) in April 1915 and transferred to 111th Brigade in 37th Division.
31 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
14th and 15th (Reserve) Battalions
Formed at Sheerness in October 1914 for K4 and came under orders of 92nd Brigade of original 31st Division. Moved to Westcliff-on-Sea.
10 April 1915 : converted into a reserve battalion. Moved in May 1915 to Belhus Park and went on in October to Seaford.
1 September 1916 : 14th absorbed into the Training Reserve Battalion of, and 15th became 18th Training Reserve Battalion of, 4th Reserve Brigade at Seaford.
16th (Service) Battalion (Church Lads Brigade)
Formed at Denham, Bucks., on 19 September 1914 by Field-Marshal Lord Grenfell, Commandant of the Church Lads Brigade, from current and previous members of that organisation. Moved in March 1915 to Rayleigh but returned to Denham in May.
June 1915 : moved to Clipstone Camp and came under orders of 100th Brigade in 33rd Division. Moved on to Perham Down in August 1915.
17 November 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
17th (Service) Battalion (British Empire League)
Formed in London on 16 May 1915 by the British Empire League. Moved to Paddockhurst.
July 1915 : came under orders of 117th Brigade in 39th Division. Moved in September 1915 to Hursley Park and on to Witley in January 1916. Moved briefly to Aldershot and returned to Witley.
8 March 1916 ; landed at Le Havre.
16 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
16 August 1918 : transferred to 197th Brigade in 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. remained on lines of Communication work at Durcat.
18th (Service) Battalion (Arts & Crafts)
Formed at Gidea Park in London by Major Sir Herbert Raphael on 4 June 1915.
October 1915 : moved to Witley and came under orders of 122nd Brigade in 41st Division. Moved to Aldershot in November 1915, on to Witley in February and thence back to Aldershot.
3 May 1916 : landed at Le Havre.
November 1917 : moved with the Division to Italy but returned to France in March 1918.
19th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed at Bexhill in October 1915 from the depot companies of 16th Bn. Moved to Andover and in February 1916 on to Banbury. Moved on to Wimbledon in May 1916.
1 September 1916 : converted into 109th Training Reserve Battalion of 26th Reserve Brigade at Wimbledon.
20th (Service) Battalion (British Empire League Pioneers)
Formed in London on 20 August 1915 by the BEL. Moved to Wellingborough in February 1916.
30 March 1916 : landed at Le Havre.
19 May 1916 : came under orders of 3rd Division as Pioneer Battalion.
21st (Service) Battalion (Yeoman Rifles)
Formed in September 1915 from volunteers from the farming communities of Yorkshire, Northumberland and Durham by the Northern Command. Moved to Duncombe Park at Helmsley.
January 1916 : moved to Aldershot and came under orders of 124th Brigade in 41st Division.
4 May 1916 : landed in France.
November 1917 : moved with the Division to Italy but returned to France in early March 1918.
16 March 1918: battalion disbanded.
22nd (Reserve) Battalion
Formed around September 1915 from the depot companies of 20th Bn. Moved to Andover and by February 1916 was at Banbury and June 1916 at Wimbledon.
1 September 1916 : converted into 110th Training Reserve Battalion of 26th Reserve Brigade at Wimbledon.
23rd (Reserve) Battalion
Formed around September 1915 from the depot companies of 18th Bn. By January 1916 was at Banbury and April 1916 at Wimbledon.
1 September 1916 : converted into 111th Training Reserve Battalion of 26th Reserve Brigade at Wimbledon.
24th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in April 1916 from the depot companies of 21st Bn. Moved to Blyth in May 1916 and on 19 May went to nearby Cambois.
1 September 1916 : absorbed into Training Reserve Battalions of 21st Reserve Brigade.
Perhaps the least known memorial to the KRRC in WW1, this stone at Wimbledon Common recalls the regiment’s reserve battalions that trained there. There are other memorials to the regiment at Winchester, Bellewaarde (Ypres) and Pozieres (Somme). Image from the geograph website, for which my thanks.
Other Battalions
25th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers)
On 13 May 1918, the 2nd Garrison Guard Bn of the Labour Corps became 25th (Garrison) Bn. The title ‘Garrison’ was discontinued in July 1918. It came under orders of 59th (2nd North Midland) Division as its pioneer battalion.
51st (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 284th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 17th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 11th (Reserve) Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. A training unit based at Canterbury, it was part of 202nd Brigade in 67th Division. Moved to Margate in January 1918 and was at Colchester from about March.
52nd (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 285th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 22nd Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 16th (Reserve) Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. A training unit based at Canterbury, it was part of 202nd Brigade in 67th Division. Moved to Colchester in about March 1918.
53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 20th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 15th (Reserve) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. A basic recruit training unit based at Northampton, it was part of 4th Reserve Brigade.
Links
Other British infantry regiments
59th (2nd North Midland) Division
66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division
67th (2nd Home Counties) Division
Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum