Battalions of the Regular Army

1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Lichfield. Part of 18th Brigade in 6th Division. Moved on 7 August to Dunfermline then six days later to Cambridge.
Landed St Nazaire (France) on 10 September 1914.

2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Malta. Returned to England and landed at Southampton on 25 September 1914.
25 September 1914 : attached to 23rd Brigade, 8th Division, forming up at Hursley Park near Winchester.
Landed at Le Havre 5 November 1914.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in York. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved in August 1914 to Whitley Bay and played a part as Tyne Garrison.

4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in York. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved in August 1914 to Falmouth, going on in December 1915 to Redcar and in April 1916 to West Hartlepool, where it played a part as Tees Garrison.

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in York. Part of West Riding Brigade, West Riding Division. Moved on 10 August to Selby, end of the month to Strenshall and late October to York. In March 1915 moved to Gainsborough.
15 April 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
15 May 1915 : formation became 146th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division.

1/6th Battalion
August 1914 : in Bradford. Part of West Riding Brigade, West Riding Division. Moved on 10 August to Selby, end of the month to Strenshall and late October to York. In March 1915 moved to Gainsborough.
Record same as 1/5th Bn.

1/7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion
Carlton Barracks, Leeds. Part of West Riding Brigade, West Riding Division. Moved on 10 August to Selby, end of the month to Strenshall and late October to York. In March 1915 moved to Gainsborough.
Record same as 1/5th Bn.

1/8th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion
Carlton Barracks, Leeds. Part of West Riding Brigade, West Riding Division. Moved on 10 August to Selby, end of the month to Strenshall and late October to York. In March 1915 moved to Gainsborough.
Record same as 1/5th Bn.
30 January 1918 : transferred to 185th Brigade, 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division, absorbing 2/8th Bn and renamed 8th Bn.

2/5th Battalion
Formed at York on 28 September 1914.
1 March 1915 : attached to 185th Brigade, 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division. Moved on 1 March 1915 to Matlock and on in May to Thoresby Park, going on in October 1915 to Retford, November to Newcastle, January 1916 to Salisbury Plain and June 1916 to Somerleyton near Lowestoft. In October 1916 to Bedford and finally landed at Le Havre in January 1917.
13 August 1918 : disbanded in France.

2/6th Battalion
Formed at Bradford on 12 September 1914.
record same as 2/5th Bn.
31 January 1918 : disbanded in France.

2/7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion
Formed at Leeds, 15 September 1914.
1 March 1915 : attached to 185th Brigade, 62nd (2nd west Riding) Division. Moved on 1 March 1915 to Matlock and on in May to Thoresby Park, going on in October 1915 to Retford, November to Newcastle, January 1916 to Salisbury Plain and June 1916 to Somerleyton near Lowestoft. In October 1916 to Bedford and finally landed at Le Havre in January 1917.
16 June 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
Cadre returned to England and was absorbed into 18th York & Lancs on 19 June 1918.

2/8th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion
Formed at Leeds, 14 September 1914.
Moved on 1 March 1915 to Matlock and on in May to Thoresby Park, going on in October 1915 to retford, November to Newcastle, January 1916 to Salisbury Plain and June 1916 to Somerleyton near Lowestoft. In October 1916 to Bedford and finally landed at Le Havre in January 1917.
1 February 1918 : absorbed by 1/8th Bn.

3/4th to 3/8th Battalions
Formed at home stations in March 1915.
8 April 1916 : became Reserve Bns, all being at Clipstone Camp in Nottinghamshire at this time.
1 September 1916 : became 5th (3/5th absorbing 3/6th) and 7th (3/7th absorbing 3/ 8th) Reserve Bns in West Riding Reserve Brigade. Moved to Rugeley on Cannock Chase in October 1917. In summer 1918 5th Battalion moved to Suffolk and 7th Battalion went to Ireland.

Battalions of the New Armies

9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at York on 25 August 1914 as part of K1 and attached to 32nd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division.
3 July 1915 ; sailed from Liverpool for Gallipoli via Mudros and landed at Suvla Bay 6 August 1915.
1 July 1916 : landed at Marseilles.
13 November 1917 : absorbed all 400 men of the 1/1/st Yorkshire Hussars and became 9th (Yorkshire Hussars Yeomanry) Bn.

10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at York on 3 September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 50th Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division.
14 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.

11th (Service) Battalion
Formed at York on 10 October 1914 as part of K3 and attached to 69th Brigade, 23rd Division.
26 August 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
November 1917 : transferred with Division to Italy.

12th (Service) Battalion
Formed at York on 16 September 1914 as part of K3 and attached to 63rd Brigade, 21st Division.
september 1915 : landed at Le Havre.
16 November 1915 : transferred to 9th Brigade, 3rd Division.
17 February 1918 : disbanded in France. Formed 10th Entrenching Bn with 8th East Yorks.

13th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in York in October 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4, attached to 90th Brigade, original 30th Division.
10 April 1915: became a Reserve Battalion.
1 September 1916 : converted into 8th Training Reserve Battalion in 2nd Reserve Brigade.

14th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Falmouth in November 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4, attached to 103rd Brigade, original 34th Division.
10 April 1915: became a Reserve Battalion.
1 September 1916 : absorbed into Training Reserve Battalions in 3rd Reserve Brigade.

15th (Service) Battalion (1st Leeds)
Formed in Leeds in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City.
June 1915 : attached to 93rd Brigade, 31st Division.
December 1915 : moved to Egypt. Went on to France in March 1916.
7 December 1917 : amalgamated with 17th Bn to form 15th/17th Bn.

16th (Service) Battalion (1st Bradford)
Formed in Bradford in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City.
June 1915 : attached to 93rd Brigade, 31st Division.
December 1915 : moved to Egypt. Went on to France in March 1916.
15 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

17th (Service) Battalion (2nd Leeds)
Formed in Leeds in December 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City, as a bantam Bn.
June 1915 : attached to 106th Brigade, 35th Division.
1 February 1916 : landed at Le Havre.
16 November 1917 : left Division for XIX Corps on railway work.
Amalgamated with 15th Bn in December 1917.

18th (Service) Battalion (2nd Bradford)
Formed in Bradford on 22 January 1915 by the Lord Mayor and City.
Record same as 16th Bn.

19th and 20th (Reserve) Battalions
Formed at Clipstone Camp in August 1915 as Reserve Bns.
1 September 1916 : became 88th and 89th Training Reserve Battalions in 21st Reserve Brigade.

21st (Service) Battalion (Wool Textile Pioneers)
Formed in Halifax on 24 September 1915 by the Lord Mayor and City of Leeds.
Moved to Skipton in February 1916.
June 1916 : moved to France.
2 June 1916 : attached to 4th Division as Pioneer Bn.

Other Battalions

22nd (Labour) Battalion
Formed April 1916 at Millington. Moved to France in May 1916 and was attached to Fifth Army as Army Troops. Became 18th and 19th Labour Companies, Labour Corps in May 1917.

23rd Battalion
Formed at Aldeburgh in June 1918 but was soon absorbed into 13th Battalion.

1st (Garrison) Battalion
Formed in August 1915 then to Malta where it remained throughout the war.

2nd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion
Formed March 1916, remaining in UK throughout the war.
Became 7th Bn, Royal Defence Corps in August 1917.

51st (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 242nd Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 10th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 15th (Reserve) Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment. A training unit based at Clipstone Camp, it was part of 207th Brigade in 69th Division. By May 1918 it had moved to Thoresby but by September 1918 had returned to Clipstone.

52nd (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 277th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 9th Battalion of the Training Reserve and up to September 1916 had been the 11th (Reserve) Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment. A training unit based at Clipstone Camp, it was part of 207th Brigade in 69th Division. By May 1918 it had moved to Thoresby but by September 1918 had returned to Clipstone.

53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 6th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 13th (Reserve) Battalion of this regiment (West Yorks). A basic recruit training unit based at Rugeley Camp on Cannock Chase, it was part of 2nd Reserve Brigade. In early 1918 it made the very short move to Brocton Camp but by September 1918 joined the regiment's Graduated Battalions at Clipstone Camp.

This page is dedicated to the memory of men like
Arthur Hesford, who was conscripted and posted to 2nd Battalion, only to be taken prisoner of war within a few days of arrival; Thomas Walsh, enlisted into the 10th Battalion on 1 September 1914, who suffered such mental torment from action in March 1916 that he was soon discharged; John Fearnley, died of wounds received at Gillemont Farm in August 1917 while serving with 17th Battalion; and Alfred Scruton, who served at home with 22nd (Labour) Battalion before being discharged as a result of sickness.
All of these men were researched in detail by fourteeneighteen|research