Regimental Depot
Battalions of the Regular Army
1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Mandora Baracks in 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 : in Jhansi, India. Returned to England, landing 22 October 1914.
October 1914 : moved to Winchester and placed under command of 25th Brigade in 8th Division.
5 November 1914 : landed at Le Havre.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Reading. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to Purbrook Camp at Portsmouth. Moved to Ireland in 1917 and known to be at Dublin by the end of 1918.
Regimental badge as depicted on a CWGC grave stone. From the excellent PaulHP collection at the Flickr website, with my thanks.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Reading. Under command of South Midland Brigade in South Midland Division. Moved on mobilisation to Chelmsford.
31 March 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
15 May 1915 : formation became the 145th Brigade in 48th (South Midland) Division.
November 1917 : moved with the Division to Italy.
Article: 1/4th Royal Berkshire raid at Ave in Italy, 26-27 August 1918
2/4th Battalion
Formed at Reading on 6 November 1914 as a second line unit. Moved to Maidenhead.
February 1915 : attached to 2nd South Midland Brigade in 2nd South Midland Division, at Northampton. Moved to Chelmsford in April 1915 and on to Salisbury Plain in March 1916.
27 May 1916 : landed at Le Havre.
August 1915 : formation became 184th Brigade in 61st (2nd South Midland) Division.
3/4th Battalion
Formed at Chelmsford on 25 March 1915. Moved to Weston-super-Mare.
8 April 1916 : became 4th Reserve Bn.
was at Ludgershall by September 1916, moving to Cheltenham in October 1916, Catterick in March 1917 and finally in July 1917 to Cambois near Blyth, where it then remained as part of Tyne Garrison.
Battalions of the New Armies
5th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Reading on 25 August 1914 as part of K1 and placed under command of 35th Brigade in 12th (Eastern) Division. Moved initially to Shorncliffe and on to Folkestone in January 1915. Moved to Malplaquet Barracks at Aldershot on 1 March 1915.
31 May 1915 : landed in France.
6 February 1918 : transferred to 36th Brigade in same Division.
6th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Reading in September 1914 as part of K2 and placed under command of 53rd Brigade in 18th (Eastern) Division. Moved to Colchester and on to Salisbury Plain in May 1915.
26 July 1915 : landed in France.
12 February 1918 : disbanded in France, troops going to 1st, 2nd and 5th Bns.
7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Reading in September 1914 as part of K3 and placed under command of 78th Brigade in 26th Division. Moved to the Codford St Mary and returned to billets in Reading in November 1914. Went on to Fovant in May 1915 and then Longbridge Deverell in July.
20 September 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
11 November 1915 : left France with Division and moved to Salonika.
8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Reading in September 1914 as part of K3 and attached as Army Troops to 26th Division. Moved to Salisbury Plain and returned to billets in Reading in November 1914. Went on to Sutton Veny in May 1915.
8 August 1915 : left Division and landed at Le Havre. Transferred to 1st Brigade in 1st Division.
2 February 1918 : transferred to to 53rd Brigade in 18th (Eastern) Division.
9th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed at Portsmouth in October 1914 as a Service battalion for K4 and came under command of 96th Brigade, original 32nd Division.
10 April 1915 : converted into a reserve battalion. Moved in May 1915 to Wool.
1 September 1916 : converted into 37th Training Reserve Battalion of 8th Reserve Brigade at Wool.
Other Battalions
10th (Labour) Battalion
Formed in Portsmouth in May 1916 and moved to France on 20 June 1916. Became 158th and 159th Labour Companies of the Labour Corps in April 1917.
11th (Labour) Battalion
Formed in Parkhurst in June 1916 and moved to France on 24 July 1916. Became 160th and 161st Labour Companies of the Labour Corps in April 1917.
12th (Labour) Battalion
Formed in Freshwater in June 1916 and moved to France in August 1916. Became 162nd and 163rd Labour Companies of the Labour Corps in April 1917.
13th (Labour) Battalion
Formed in Cosham in July 1916 and moved to France on 21 September 1916. Became 164th and 165th Labour Companies of the Labour Corps in April 1917.
2nd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion
Formed at Portsmouth in August 1916. In August 1917, became the 14th Bn, the Royal Defence Corps.
Links
Other British infantry regiments
61st (2nd South Midland) Division
Regimental museum (The Wardrobe)
6th Battalion on the Somme site
Books
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