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To trace the movements and actions of any battalion, click on the Divisions with which it served
Battalions of the regular army
1st Battalion:
August 1914 : in Bordon. Part of 3rd Brigade, 1st Division. Landed at Le Havre 13 August 1914.
2nd Battalion:
August 1914 : in Tientsin, China. Returned to England,
landing at Southampton on 8 November 1914.
8 November 1914 : attached
to 81st Brigade, 27th Division at Winchester.
Landed at Le Havre 18 December 1914.
Moved to Salonika theatre in late November 1915.
3 November 1916
: transferred to 82nd Brigade, 27th Division.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Bristol. A depot/training unit, it remained in UK throughout
the war. Moved on mobilisation to Abbey Wood (Woolwich) and
on to Gravesend in May 1915. Moved to Sittingbourne-Maidstone area
in May 1916 for duty with Thames and Medway Garrison.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th (City of Bristol) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Clifton, Bristol.
Part of Gloucester and Worcester Brigade, South Midland Division. Moved
on mobilisation to Swindon but very quickly on to Maldon in Essex.
30
March 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
15
May 1915 : formation became the 144th Brigade, 48th
Division.
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2/4th (City of Bristol) Battalion:
Formed at Bristol in September 1914
as a home service ("second line") unit.
January 1915 : attached to 2nd
Gloucester & Worcester
Brigade, 2nd South Midland Division, at Northampton. Moved to Chelmsford
in April 1915 and on to Salisbury Plain in February 1916. Landed in France
on 24 May 1916.
August 1915 : formation became 183rd
Brigade, 61st
Division.
20 February 1918 : disbanded in
France.
1/5th Battalion:
August 1914 : in Gloucester.
Part of South Midland Brigade, South Midland Division. Moved
on mobilisation to Isle of Wight but thence to Swindon but very quickly
on to Maldon in Essex, arriving byu end of August 1914.
29 March 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
15 May 1915 : formation became the 145th Brigade, 48th
Division.
11 September 1918 : left the Division and returned
to France.
17 September 1918 : attached to 75th Brigade, 25th
Division.
2/5th Battalion:
Formed at Gloucester in September
1914 as a home service ("second line") unit.
January 1915 : attached to 2nd South Midland Brigade, 2nd
South Midland Division, at Northampton. Moved to Chelmsford in April 1915
and on to Park House Camp (Tidworth) in February 1916. Landed in France
on 23 May 1916.
August 1915 : formation became 184th Brigade, 61st
Division.
1/6th Battalion:
August 1914 : in St Michael's Hill,
Bristol. Part of Gloucester and Worcester Brigade, South Midland Division.
Moved on mobilisation to Swindon but very quickly on to Maldon in Essex.
30 March 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
15 May 1915 : formation became the 144th Brigade, 48th
Division.
2/6th Battalion:
Formed at St Michael's Hill,
Bristol in September 1914
as a home service ("second line") unit.
January 1915 : attached to 2nd Gloucester & Worcester Brigade, 2nd
South Midland Division, at Northampton. Moved to Chelmsford in April 1915
and on to Salisbury Plain in February 1916. Landed in France on 24 May
1916.
August 1915 : formation became 183rd Brigade, 61st
Division.
20 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
3/4th, 3/5th and 3/6th Battalions:
Formed at home stations in 1915
as depot/training ("third line") units. Moved to Weston-super-Mare.
8 April 1916 : became Reserve Bns and 4th then absorbed 5th and 6th on
1 September 1916 at Ludgershall. Moved to Cheltenham in winter 1916-17,
Catterick in March 1917, Horton in Juyly 1917 and finally Seaton Delaval
in October 1917 for duty with Tyne Garrison.
17th Battalion:
Formed at Walton-on-the-Naze on 1 January 1917 from what had previously been the 82nd Provisional Battalion of the TF. It had been formed in June 1915 from "Home Service only" personnel. Moved to Clacton-on-Sea in March 1917 and on to St Osyth in 1918.
Battalions of the New Armies
7th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Bristol in August 1914
as part of K1 and attached to 39th Brigade, 13th
(Western) Division. Moved to Tidworth but by January 1915 was in
billets in Basingstoke. Moved to Blackdown (Aldershot) in February 1915.
Sailed from Avonmouth in June 1915 and landed on Gallipoli next month.
July 1918 : Brigade transferred to North Persia
Force.
8th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Bristol in September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 57th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. Moved to Perham Down and in March 1915 to Tidworth. Landed in France 18 July 1915.
9th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Bristol in September
1914 as part of K3 and attached to 78th Brigade, 26th
Division. Moved to Codford St Mary but by November 1914 was in billets
in Cheltenham. Moved to Longbridge Deverill in April 1915 and landed
in France 21 September 1915. Moved to Salonika in November 1915.
4 July 1918 : left Division and returned to France.
21
July 1918 : attached to 198th Brigade, 66th Division.
22 September 1918 : became Divisional Pioneers to 66th
Division.
10th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Bristol in September 1914
as part of K3 and attached to as Army Troops to 26th
Division. Moved to Salisbury Plainbut by November 1914 was in billets
in Cheltenham. Returned to Salisbury Plain in April 1915 and landed
in France 8 August 1915.
17 August 1915 : transferred to 1st Brigade, 1st Division.
14 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
11th (Reserve) Battalion:
Formed in Abbey Wood (Woolwich)
in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4 and attached to 106th Brigade,
original 35th Division. Moved to Cheltenham.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion. Moved to Belhus Park (Grays)
and in September 1915 went to Seaford.
1 September 1916 : converted into 16th Battalion of 4th Reserve Brigade
of Training
Reserve.
12th (Service) Battalion (Bristol):
Formed at Bristol on 30 August
1914 by the Citizens Recruiting Committee.
June 1915 : attached to 95th
Brigade, 32nd
Division at Wensleydale. Adopted by War Office 23 June 1915. Moved
to Salisbury Plain August 1915 and landed in France 21 November 1915.
26 December 1915 : transferred with Brigade to 5th
Division.
19 October 1918 : disbanded in
France.
13th (Service) Battalion (Forest of Dean)(Pioneers):
Formed at Malvern in December 1914
by Lieut-Col. H. Webb, MP. Adopted by War Office 12 July1915.
August 1915 : attached as Divisional Pioneers
to 39th Division. Moved
toAldershot in September 1915 and landed in France 3 March 1916.
6 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
16
June 1918 : transferred to 197th Brigade, 66th Division.
20 September 1918 : Brigade transferred to Lines of Communication.
14th (Service) Battalion (West of England):
Formed at Bristol on 22 April 1915,
by the Citizens Recruiting Committee, as a Bantam Bn.
June 1915 : attached to 105th Brigade,35th Division at
Masham.
Adopted by War Office 23 June 1915. Moved
to Salisbury Plain August 1915 and landed in Le Havre on 30 January 1916.
11 February 1918 : disbanded in France,
12xofficers and 250 men going to 13th Bn.
15th (Reserve) Battalion:
Formed in Sutton Coldfield in August
1915 as a Reserve Bn. Moved to Chisledon.
1 September 1916 : converted into 93rd Battalion of 22nd Reserve Brigade
of Training Reserve.
16th (Reserve) Battalion:
Formed in Chisledon in November
1915 as a Reserve Bn.
1 September 1916 : converted into 94th Battalion of 22nd Reserve Brigade
of Training Reserve.
Other battalions raised by the regiment
18th (Service) Battalion:
Formed in Clacton on 20 June 1918
from cadre of 5th Bn, the Ox & Bucks.
2
July 1918 : attached to 49th Brigade, 16th Division. Landed
in France 1 August 1918.
| Did you know? The Gloucesters enjoyed the distinction of wearing a badge at the back of their caps, from a tradition relating to a battle at Alexandria in 1801 when they fought French cavalry to their front and rear. |
This page is dedicated to the memory of Percival Ernest Hunt, a conscript who served with 1st Battalion in 1918; Thomas William Pedersen also of 1st Battalion, who died on 13 September 1916; Harold Brown of 18th (Service) Battalion; Bertram Ewart Arthur Summers, an early volunteer with the 12th Battalion - "Bristol's Own"; and Alfred James White, killed in action with 1/5th Battalion on 16 August 1917 .