Home > Army Organisation > Infantry > The Hampshire Regiment
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 Colchester. Part of 11th Brigade, 4th Division. Moved to Harrow but landed at Le Havre on 23 August 1914.
2nd Battalion:
August 1914 : in Mhow, India.
Returned to England, arriving at Plymouth 22 December 1914. Moved to
Romsey and on 13 February 1915 to Stratford-upon-Avon.
13 February
1915 : attached to 88th Brigade, 29th Division. Moved
to Warwick. Sailed from Avonmouth on 29 March 1915 for Gallipoli.
3rd (Reserve) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Winchester. A depot/training unit, it remained in UK throughout
the war. Moved on mobilisation to Parkhurst (Isle of Wight) and in January
1915 to Gosport for duty with Portsmouth Garrison.
Battalions of the Territorial Force
1/4th Battalion:
August 1914 : in
Winchester. Part of Hampshire Brigade, Wessex Division.
9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914.
Attached to 4th (Rawalpindi) Brigade in 2nd
(Rawalpindi) Division in January 1915.
18 March 1915 : landed at
Basra with 33rd Indian Brigade, and remained
in Mesopotamia and
Persia for the rest of the war. Battalion HQ and one Company were captured
at Kut-el-Amara on 29 April 1916. The remainder
formed a Composite Bn with the 1/5th Bn, the Buffs,
and - attached to 35th Indian Brigade - transferred to 14th Indian Division.
November 1916, transferred to 36th Indian Brigade.
2/4th Battalion:
Formed at Salisbury Plain in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Became part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division. 13 December 1914 : sailed for India. On 29 April 1917 left for Egypt, landing at Suez. 15 May 1917 : attached to 233rd Brigade, 75th Division. May 1918 : left the Division and moved to France, arriving Marseilles 1 June 1918. 5 June 1918 : attached to 186th Brigade, 62nd Division.
3/4th Battalion:
Formed at Winchester
in March 1915 as a "third line" unit. Moved to Bournemouth.
8 April 1916
: renamed 4th (Reserve) Bn at Romsey.
On 1 September 1916, absorbed the
2/8th Bn. Moved to Sutton Veny in February 1917. Absorbed 5th (Reserve)
Bn in June 1917. Moved to Larkhill in October 1917 and in April 1918
went on to Belfast.
1/5th Battalion:
August 1914 : in Southampton. Part of Hampshire Brigade, Wessex Division. 9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. Remained in India for the rest of the war.
2/5th Battalion:
Formed at Salisbury Plain in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Became part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division. Moved to Lyndhurst. 13 December 1914 : sailed for India, and on 29 April 1917 left for Egypt, arriving Ismailia on 5 April 1917. 5 April 1917 : attached to 232nd Brigade, 75th Division. August 1918 : disbanded in Palestine.
3/5th Battalion:
Formed at Southampton
in March 1915 as a "third line" unit. Moved to Bournemouth
later in the year.
8 April 1916 : renamed 5th (Reserve) Bn at Romsey.
On 1 September 1916, absorbed the 2/6th, 7th (Reserve) and 3/9th Battalions.
Moved to Sutton Veny in February 1917. Absorbed by the 4th (Reserve) Bn
in June 1917.
1/6th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Portsmouth. Bn was Army Troops attached to Wessex Division, later attached to Devon and Cornwall Brigade. 9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. 16 September 1917 : landed at Basra , and remained in Mesopotamia for the rest of the war, attached to 52nd Brigade, 17th Indian Division.
2/6th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion:
Formed at Portsmouth in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Initially part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division, but did not proceed with the rest of the Division to India. Moved to Petersfield, then Bournemouth and Hursley Park. 13 February 1915: became a Provisional Battalion. This was known at various times as the Hampshire Brigade Bn, the 84th Provisional Bn, and then the 17th Bn. (see below).
3/6th Battalion:
Not formed.
1/7th Battalion:
August 1914 : in Bournemouth. Part of Hampshire Brigade, Wessex Division. 9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. Remained in India until January 1918, when the Bn moved to Aden.
2/7th Battalion:
Formed at Bournemouth in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Became part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division. 13 December 1914 : sailed for India, and in September 1917 left for Mesopotamia, arriving Basra on 11 September 1917. Placed onto Lines of Communication work. September 1918 : attached to 38th Indian Brigade, 13th Indian Division.
3/7th Battalion:
Formed at Bournemouth
in March 1915 as a "third line" unit.
8 April 1916 : renamed 7th (Reserve) Bn at Romsey.
On 1 September 1916, absorbed the 5th (Reserve) Battalion.
1/8th (Isle of Wight Rifles, "Princess Beatrice's") Battalion:
August 1914 : in Newport, Isle of Wight. April 1915 : attached to 163rd Brigade, 54th Division. Landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. Left Gallipoli and moved to Egypt, arriving 19 December 1915. Moved into Palestine as part of EEF.
2/8th (Isle of Wight Rifles, "Princess Beatrice's") Battalion:
Formed at Newport
(Isle of Wight) in December 1914 as a home service
("second line") unit. Moved to Hursley Park and then
on to Bournemouth.
1 September 1916 : absorbed by 4th (Reserve) Bn.
3/8th Battalion:
Not formed.
1/9th (Cyclist) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Southampton. November 1915 : joined with three other Cyclist Bns - 2/6th Royal Sussex, 1/25th London, and 1/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion - and converted to infantry. This 'Brigade' was originally intended for East Africa. 4 February 1916 : sailed from Devonport to India. In October 1918, moved to Vladivostock and on into Siberia, where it stayed until November 1919 thence returning to England.
2/9th (Cyclist) Battalion:
Formed at Louth in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Moved to Chichester and later to Bognor. Moved in October 1917 to Sandown. In April 1918 went to Herringfleeta nd in October 1918 to billets in Lowestoft.
3/9th Battalion:
Formed atForst Southwick
(Portsmouth) in April 1916as a "third line" unit.
1 September 1916: absorbed into 5th (Reserve) Battalion.
17th Battalion:
Formed at Herne Bay on 1 January 1917 from what had previously been the 84th Provisional Battalion of the TF. It had been formed in June 1915 from "Home Service only" personnel. Moved to Whitsbale in October 1917 and on in February 1918 to Southwold.
| Soldiers of a New Army unit of the Hampshire Regiment |
 |
| Some lads of a Hampshire battalion outside their hotel billet while undergoing training in England. It is possibly two sections of a platoon with the rather stern-looking staff of their accommodation. We can not confirm but believe they are of the 12th (Service) Battalion. The youth of some of these recruits is very obvious. Note that the Lance-Corporal on the right has the sleeve badge of a sharpshooter. |
Battalions of the New Armies
10th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Winchester
in August 1914 as part of K1 and moved to Dublin, attached as Army Troops
to 10th
(Irish) Division. Moved to Mullingar in September.
March 1915 : moved to the Curragh and transferred to 29th Brigade, 10th
(Irish) Division. Moved to Basingstoke in May 1915. Sailed from Liverpool
on 7 July 1915 and going via Mudros landed at Gallipoli 6 August 1915.
2 November 1916 : transferred to 82nd Brigade, 27th
Division.
11th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers):
Formed at Winchester in September 1914 as part of K2 and moved to Dublin, attached as Army Troops to 16th (Irish) Division. Moved to Mullingar in September. Became Pioneers to the Division in December 1914. Moved to Kilworth in March 1915 and on to Aldershot in September 1915. Landed at Le Havre on 18 December 1915.
2 May
1918 : reduced to cadre strength. Returned to England on 18 June 1918 and
moved to Lowestoft.
Reconstituted with 13th Bn, the Border. Moved
to Aldershot on 3 July 1918 and landed at Boulogne on 1 August 1918.
12th (Service) Battalion:
Formed at Winchester in October 1914 as part of K3 and attached to 79th Brigade, 26th Division. Moved to Codford but by November 1914 was in billets in Basingstoke. Moved to Bath in March 1915 and on to Sutton Veny in May. Landed in France in September 1915 but was soon sent to Salonika, arriving 25 November 1915.
13th (Reserve) Battalion:
Formed in Parkhurst ( Isle of Wight)
in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4 and attached to 96th Brigade,
original 32nd Division.
April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion and moved soon afterwards to Wareham.
Moved on to Bovington in September 1915.
September 1916 : moved to Wool and converted into 34th Battalion
of 8th Reserve Brigade of Training
Reserve.
14th (Service) Battalion (1st Portsmouth):
Formed at Portsmouth
on 3 September 1914 by the Mayor and a local Committee. Adopted by War
Office on 30 May 1915.
October 1915
: moved to Witley and attached to 116th Brigade, 39th
Division. Landed at Le Havre 6 March 1916.
22
March 1918 : disbanded in France.
15th (Service) Battalion (2nd Portsmouth):
Formed at Portsmouth
on 5 April 1915 by the Mayor and a local Committee. Adopted by War
Office on 30 May 1915.
October 1915 :
moved to Aldershot and attached to 122nd Brigade, 41st
Division. Moved to Marlborough Lines in February 1916 and landed
in Farnce in early May.
27
September 1917 : amalgamated at Caestre with 1/1st Hampshire
Yeomanry and became the 15th (Hampshire
Yeomanry) Bn.
16th (Reserve) Battalion:
Formed in Portsmouth in September
1915 as a Reserve battalion. Moved to Chisledon in January 1916.
September 1916 : converted into 96th Battalion of 22nd
Reserve Brigade of Training Reserve.
Other battalions raised by the regiment
18th (Home Service) Battalion:
Formed in Alton in December 1916 and moved to Aldershot. Went on to Colchester in March 1917 and disbanded there in December of that year.
1st (Garrison) Battalion:
Formed in Portland in April 1916 and moved to France. Renamed 19th Garrison Battalion on 31 July 1918.
51st (Graduated) Battalion:
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 280th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 33rd Battalion of the Training Reserve. A training unit based at Canterbury, it was part of 201st Brigade in 67th Division. Moved to Foxhall Heath (Ipswich) in March 1918. After the Armistice, the battalion went to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation on the Rhine.
52nd (Graduated) Battalion:
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 281st Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 93rd Battalion of the Training Reserve. A training unit based at Canterbury, it was part of 201st Brigade in 67th Division. Moved to Foxhall Heath (Ipswich) in March 1918.
53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion:
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 37th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. A basic recruit training unit based at Sutton Veny, it was part of 8th Reserve Brigade. Moved to Rolleston in January 1918.
| Did you know? In existence as far back as 1702, the Hampshire Regiment is another name that has gone west since the Great War. It gained a "Royal" prefix after service in WW2, in which it served with the BEF of 1939-40, was at the Normandy landings and fight across France and was at Salerno and Monte Cassino. In 1992 it was merged with the Queen's to form the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. |
This page is dedicated
to the memory of Alfred Shorter, who served with 2/4th Battalion in India;
Leonard Little, a young conscript who served with 15th (Hampshire Yeomanry)
Battalion in 1918; Gilbert Hatch, who served through the whole war with
1/9th (Cyclist) Battalion; Leonard Evans, who died while serving with
2nd Battalion on 3 January 1916, having previously trained with 11th Reserve
Cavalry Regiment, and finally time-expired pre-war regular Stanley Cook,
who was conscripted, only to lose an eye in Mesopotamia in January 1918.
All these men and more were researched for private clients by fourteeneighteen|research