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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 Shorncliffe. Part of 10th Brigade, 4th Division

 

2nd Battalion:

August 1914 : in Malta. Returned to England 19 September 1914. Joined 22nd Brigade, 7th Division

 

3rd (Reserve) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Warwick. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war.

 

4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion:
August 1914 : in Warwick. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war.

 

 

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/5th Battalion:

August 1914 : in Thorp Street, Birmingham. Part of Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division. 13 May 1915 : redesignated the 48th Division and 143rd Brigade.

 

2/5th Battalion:

Formed at Birmingham in October 1914 as a Second Line battalion. Became part of 2nd Warwickshire Brigade, 2nd South Midland Division. August 1915 : redesignated the 61st Division and 182nd Brigade. 20 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

 

1/6th Battalion:

August 1914 : in Thorp Street, Birmingham. Part of Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division. 13 May 1915 : redesignated the 48th Division and 143rd Brigade.

 

2/6th Battalion:

Formed at Birmingham in October 1914 as a Second Line battalion. Became part of 2nd Warwickshire Brigade, 2nd South Midland Division. August 1915 : redesignated the 61st Division and 182nd Brigade.

 

1/7th Battalion:

August 1914 : in Coventry and Leamington Spa. Part of Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division. 13 May 1915 : redesignated the 48th Division and 143rd Brigade.

 

2/7th Battalion:

Formed at Birmingham in October 1914 as a Second Line battalion. Became part of 2nd Warwickshire Brigade, 2nd South Midland Division. August 1915 : redesignated the 61st Division and 182nd Brigade.

 

1/8th Battalion:

August 1914 : in Aston Manor. Part of Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division. 13 May 1915 : redesignated the 48th Division and 143rd Brigade.

11 September 1918 : moved from Italy to France and joined 75th Brigade, 25th Division

 

2/8th Battalion:

Formed at Birmingham in October 1914 as a Second Line battalion. Became part of 2nd Warwickshire Brigade, 2nd South Midland Division. August 1915 : redesignated the 61st Division and 182nd Brigade. 20 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

 

3/5th and 3/6th Battalions:

Formed at Birmingham in May 1915.
April 1916 : became Reserve Bns and 5th then absorbed 6th on 1 September 1916.

 

3/7th and 3/8th Battalions:

Formed at Coventry and Birmingham respectively in May 1915.
April 1916 : became Reserve Bns and 7th then absorbed 8th on 1 September 1916.

 

18th Battalion:

Formed on 1 January 1917 from what had previously been the 81st Provisional Battalion of the TF. It had been formed in June 1915 from "Home Service only" personnel. Disbanded on 19 January 1918.

 

 

 

Battalions of the New Armies

 

9th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Warwick in August 1914 as part of K1 and attached to 39th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division

 

10th (Service) Battalion:

Formed at Warwick in September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 57th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division

 

11th (Service) Battalion:

Formed atWarwick in October 1914 as part of K3 and attached as Army Troops to 24th Division
April 1915 : moved to 112th Brigade, 37th Division
Disbanded in France on 7 February 1918.

 

12th (Reserve) Battalion:

Formed in Parkhurst, Isle of Wight, in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4 and attached to 97th Brigade, original 32nd Division.
April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.
September 1916 : absorbed into battalions of 8th Reserve Brigade of Training Reserve.

 

13th (Reserve) Battalion:

Formed in Golden Hill, Isle of Wight, in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4 and attached to 97th Brigade, original 32nd Division.
April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion.
September 1916 : converted into 33rd Battalion of 8th Reserve Brigade of Training Reserve and lost regimental affiliation.

 

14th (Service) Battalion (1st Birmingham Battalion):

Formed at Birmingham in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and a local committee.
26 June 1915 : attached to 95th Brigade, 32nd Division.
28 December 1915 : transferred to 13th Brigade, 5th Division.
5 October 1918 : became Pioneer Bn to same Division

> Extract from War Diary

 

15th (Service) Battalion (2nd Birmingham Battalion):

Formed at Birmingham in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and a local committee.
26 June 1915 : attached to 95th Brigade, 32nd Division.
28 December 1915 : transferred to 14th Brigade, 5th Division.

4 January 1916 : transferred to 13th Brigade, 5th Division.
6 October 1918 : disbanded in France.

 

16th (Service) Battalion (3rd Birmingham Battalion):

Formed at Birmingham in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and a local committee.
26 June 1915 : attached to 95th Brigade, 32nd Division.
26 December 1915 : transferred to 15th Brigade, 5th Division.

4 October 1918 : transferred to 13th Brigade, 5th Division.

 

17th (Reserve) Battalion:

Formed in Sutton Coldfield in June 1915 as a Reserve Battalion.

1 September 1916 : converted into 92nd Battalion of 22nd Reserve Brigade of Training Reserve and lost regimental affiliation.

 

 

Other battalions raised by the regiment

 

1st (Garrison ) Battalion:

Formed in Weymouth in August 1915. Moved to Egypt in the same month and then remained there.

 

51st (Graduated) Battalion:

Up to 26 October 1917, this was known as 262nd Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 93rd Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 15th (Reserve) Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment. A training unit based at Ipswich, it was part of 216th Brigade in 72nd Division. In March 1918 when 72nd Division was broken up it went to 205th Brigade of 68th Division at Lowestoft. 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.

 

52nd (Graduated) Battalion:

Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 274th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 94th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 16th (Reserve) Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment. A training unit based at Chelmsford, it was part of 220th Brigade in 73rd Division. In March 1918 when 72nd Division was broken up it went to 205th Brigade of 68th Division at Lowestoft. 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 95th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 11th (Reserve) Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry . A basic recruit training unit based at Chisledon, it was part of 22nd Reserve Brigade. On 31 October 1917 when that Brigade was broken up it went to 8th Reserve Brigade at Larkhill.

 

 

Did you know? The famous WW1 cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather and WW2 commander Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery of Alamain were both junior officers in the 1st Royal Warwicks in 1914.

 

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