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Home > Army Organisation > Infantry > The King's (Liverpool 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 Aldershot. Part of 6th Brigade, 2nd Division

> Extract from this battalion's War D iary

2nd Battalion:

August 1914 : in Peshawar, India. Part of 1st (Peshawar) Brigade, 1st (Peshawar) Division of Indian Army. Remained in India throughout the war. Moved to 10th Brigade in 4th (Quetta) Division December 1917.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion:

August 1914 : in Seaforth, Liverpool. A training unit, it remained in UK, then to Ireland November 1917.

4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Seaforth, Liverpool. Landed at (le) Havre, 6 March 1915.
6 March 1915 : attached to Sirhind Brigade, Lahore Division of Indian Army.
10 November 1915 : transferred to 137th Brigade, 46th Division.
3 December 1915 : transferred to 56th and 58th Brigades, 19th Division.
27 February 1916 : transferred to 98th Brigade, 33rd Division.

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/5th Battalion:

August 1914 : in Liverpool. Part of Liverpool Brigade, West Lancs Division.
22 February 1915 : landed at (Le) Havre.
22 February 1915 : attached to 6th Brigade, 2nd Division.
15 December 1915 : transferred to 99th Brigade, 2nd Division.
7 January 1916 : transferred to 165th Brigade, 55th Division.

2/5th Battalion:

Formed at Liverpool in September 1914 as a Second Line battalion.

8 February 1915 : attached to 171st Brigade, 57th Division.
1 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

1/6th (Rifle) Battalion:

August 1914 : in Liverpool. Part of Liverpool Brigade, West Lancs Division.
25 February 1915 : landed at (Le) Havre.
25 February 1915 : attached to 15th Brigade, 5th Division.
18 November 1915 : Transferred to Third Army Troops.
26 January 1916 : transferred to 165th Brigade, 55th Division.

> Review of a book concerning this battalion

2/6th (Rifle) Battalion:

Formed at Liverpool on 10 September 1914 as a Second Line battalion.

8 February 1915 : attached to 171st Brigade, 57th Division.

1/7th Battalion:

August 1914 : in Bootle, Liverpool. Part of Liverpool Brigade, West Lancs Division.
8 March 1915 : landed at (Le) Havre.
8 March 1915 : attached to 6th Brigade, 2nd Division.
4 September 1915 : transferred to 5th Brigade, 2nd Division.
11 November 1915 : transferred to 22nd Brigade, 7th Division.
7 January 1916 : transferred to 165th Brigade, 55th Division.

2/7th Battalion:

Formed at Bootle in October 1914 as a Second Line battalion.

8 February 1915 : attached to 171st Brigade, 57th Division.

1/8th (Irish) Battalion (known as the Liverpool Irish):

August 1914 : in Liverpool. Part of Liverpool Brigade, West Lancs Division.
February 1915 : transferred to North Lancs Brigade.
18 April 1915 : transferred with the Brigade to 51st Division, and Brigade became 3rd Highland, later the 154th Brigade.
7 January 1916 : transferred to 165th Brigade, 55th Division.
31 January 1918 : transferred to 171st Brigade, 57th Division, and absorbed 2/8th.

2/8th (Irish) Battalion:

Formed at Liverpool in October 1914 as a Second Line battalion.

8 February 1915 : attached to 171st Brigade, 57th Division.
31 January 1918 : absorbed by 1/8th Bn.

1/9th Battalion:

August 1914 : in Liverpool. Part of South Lancs Brigade, West Lancs Division.
13 March 1915 : landed at (Le) Havre.
13 March 1915 : attached to 2nd Brigade, 1st Division.
12 November 1915 : transferred to 3rd Brigade, 1st Division.
7 January 1916 : transferred to 165th Brigade, 55th Division.
1 February 1918 : transferred to 172nd Brigade, 57th Division, and absorbed 2/9th.

2/9th Battalion:

Formed at Liverpool in October 1914 as a Second Line battalion.

February 1915 : attached to 172nd Brigade, 57th Division.
1 February 1918 : absorbed by 1/9th Bn.

1/10th (Scottish) Battalion (known as the Liverpool Scottish):

August 1914 : in Liverpool. Part of South Lancs Brigade, West Lancs Division.
2 November 1914 : landed at (Le) Havre.
2 November 1914 : attached to 9th Brigade, 3rd Division.
6 January 1916 : transferred to 166th Brigade, 55th Division.
An officer of this Battalion is featured in Ordinary Heroes.

> Review of a book concerning this battalion

2/10th (Scottish) Battalion:

Formed at Liverpool in October 1914 as a Second Line battalion.

February 1915 : attached to 172nd Brigade, 57th Division.
20 April 1918 : transferred to 166th Brigade, 55th Division.
30 April 1918 : absorbed by 1/10th Bn.

3/5th to 3/10th Battalions:

Formed in Liverpool in May 1915.
1 September 1916 : became 5th (absorbing 3/5th and 3/6th) and 7th (absorbing 3/7th, 8th and 9th) and 10th Reserve Bns in West Lancs Reserve Brigade.

25th Battalion:

Formed on 1 January 1917 from what had previously been the 43rd Provisional Battalion of the TF. It had been formed in 1915 from "Home Service only" personnel.

7 May 1918 : landed at Calais.
16 June 1918 : attached to 176th Brigade, 59th Division.

> Extract from Battalion War Diary

26th Battalion:

Formed on 1 January 1917 from what had previously been the 44th Provisional Battalion of the TF. It had been formed in 1915 from "Home Service only" personnel. It was attached to 218th Brigade, 73rd Division. 29 March 1918 : the Bn was disbanded on the breaking up of the Division.

Battalions of the New Armies

11th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Seaforth on 23 August 1914 as part of K1 and attached as Divisional Troops to 14th (Light) Division, becoming Divisional Pioneers on 11 January 1915.
27 April 1918 : reduced to cadre, returned to England on 17th and absorbed into 15th Bn, the Loyal North Lancs.

12th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Seaforth, Liverpool, in September 1914 as part of K2.
August 1914 : attached as Divisional Troops to 20th (Light) Division.
January 1915 : transferred to 61st Brigade, 20th (Light) Division.

13th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Seaforth, Liverpool in October 1914 as part of K3.
October 1914 : attached as Divisional Troops to 25th Division.
February 1915 : attached to 76th Brigade, 25th Division.
15 October 1915 : Brigade moved to 3rd Division.
23 October 1915 : transferred to 8th Brigade, 3rd Division.
4 April 1916 : transferred to 9th Brigade, 3rd Division.

14th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Seaforth, Liverpool in October 1914 as part of K3.
October 1914 : attached to 65th Brigade, 22nd Division.
11 June 1918 : left Division and moved to France.
23 July 1918 : attached to 199th Brigade, 66th Division and absorbed by 18th Bn.

15th (Reserve) Battalion:

Formed in Formby in November 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4.
October 1914 : attached to 105th Brigade, original 35th Division.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.
1 September 1916 : became 49th Battalion of 11th Reserve Brigade of the Training Reserve .

16th (Reserve) Battalion:

Formed in Hoylake in December 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4.
October 1914 : attached to 105th Brigade, original 35th Division.
10 April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.
1 September 1916 : absorbed into the 11th Reserve Brigade of the Training Reserve .

17th (Service) Battalion (1st City):

Formed in Liverpool on 29 August 1914 by Lord Derby, in the old watch factory at Prescot.
Has distinction of being the first of the 'Pals' battalions to be formed.
30 April 1915 : attached to 89th Brigade, 30th Division.
14 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
16 June 1918 : attached to 66th Division.
30 June 1918 : returned to England with 75th Brigade, 25th Division.
9 September 1918 : 75th Brigade left 25th Division, and was renumbered 236th Brigade, for service in North Russia. The Bn sailed from Glasgow on 11 October 1918, and thence served in Archangel Force until September 1919.

The newly-formed battalion marches through the streets of the city of Liverpool in 1914.

18th (Service) Battalion (2nd City):

Formed in Liverpool on 29 August 1914 by Lord Derby.
30 April 1915 : attached to 89th Brigade, 30th Division.
25 December 1915 : transferred to 21st Brigade, 30th Division.
24 September 1917 : the 1/1st Lancashire Hussars joined the Bn. This had previously been the VIII Corps Cavalry Regiment. The Bn became known as the 18th (Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry) Bn.
11 February 1918 : transferred to 89th Brigade, 30th Division.
14 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
19 June 1918 : transferred to 199th Brigade, 66th Division.
13 August 1918 : absorbed the 14th Bn and reformed.

> Extract from Battalion War Diary

> Biography of battalion officer

19th (Service) Battalion (3rd City):

Formed in Liverpool on 29 August 1914 by Lord Derby.
30 April 1915 : attached to 89th Brigade, 30th Division.
14 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
19 June 1918 : transferred to 66th Division, and absorbed by 14th Bn.
13 August 1918 : absorbed the 14th Bn and reformed.

20th (Service) Battalion (4th City):

Formed in Liverpool, 16 October 1914, by Lord Derby.
30 April 1915 : attached to 89th Brigade, 30th Division.
8 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

21st and 22nd (Reserve) Battalions :

Formed at Knowsley Park in August 1914 as local Reserve Bns.
1 September 1916 : became 67th and 68th Bns in 16th Reserve Brigade of the Training Reserve.

Other battalions raised by the regiment

7th (Isle of Man) Volunteer Battalion:

August 1914 : in Douglas, Isle of Man - the only surviving Volunteer Bn following the Army Reforms of 1908. A Service Company was formed in 1915 and posted to the 16th (Service) Bn. In October 1915, it was transferred to the 3rd Cheshires and was renamed the 1st Manx (Service) Coy. In January 1916, it was transferred to the 2nd Cheshires in Salonika.

23rd and 24th (Works) Battalions:

Formed May and June 1916. History uncertain. 23rd became 1st (Labour) Bn. The 24th was possibly renumbered the 27th at some point.

27th (Home Service) Battalion:

Formed 27 April 1918 to replace the 25th Bn.

1st (Garrison) Battalion:

Formed 19 August 1915 then to Egypt where it remained throughout the war.

2nd (Garrison) Battalion:

Formed November 1915 then to Egypt and Salonika.
28 August 1917 : attached to 228th Brigade, 28th Division

3rd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion:

Formed April 1916, remaining in UK throughout the war.

1st and 2nd Dock Battalions:

Formed in August 1915 and possibly 1918 respectively, remaining in Liverpool throughout the war.

51st (Graduated) Battalion:

Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 217th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 60th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 20th (Reserve) Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. A training unit based at Fermoy, it was part of 195th Brigade in 65th Division. In March 1918 when 65th Division was broken up it went to 203rd Brigade of 68th Division at Yarmouth. By June 1918 it had moved to Benacre Park and thence to Herringfleet.

52nd (Graduated) Battalion:

Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 233rd Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 75th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 12th (Reserve) Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment. A training unit based at Herringfleet, it was part of 205th Brigade of 68th Division. By June 1918 it had moved to Henham Park near Southwold. After the Armistice, the battalion went to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation on the Rhine.

53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion:

Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 72nd Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 21st (Reserve) Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. A basic recruit training unit based at Prees Heath, it was part of 14th Reserve Brigade. After joining the King's the battalion moved to Kinmel Park.

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