The Yorkshire Regiment

The regiment is perhaps better known as the "Green Howards". This title dates back to the wars of Austrian Succession in the mid 1700s. The Colonel at the time was named Howard. At this time, regiments were often referred to by the name of their Colonel. As the regiment was brigaded with another whose name was also Howard, there was duplication. So this regiment, which wore green facings to its uniform, became the "Green" Howards and the other regiment the "Buff" Howards. The "Green Howards" and the "Buffs" were names still in use in 1914-1918.

Battalions of the Regular Army

1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Barian, Punjab, attached to 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division. Remained in India throughout the war. In November 1914, briefly moved to the Delhi Brigade in 7th (Meerut) Divisional Area before going to the Kohat Brigade on the North West Frontier. Took part in Third Afghan War in 1919.

2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Guernsey. Returned to England and landed at Southampton on 28 August 1914.
28 August 1914 : came under orders of 21st Brigade, 7th Division.
6 October 1914 : landed at Zeebrugge.
20 December 1915 : transferred with the Brigade to 30th Division.
11 May 1918 : transferred to 32nd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division, at the same time absorbing 6th Bn.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Richmond. Remained in UK throughout the war, providing drafts for other battalions. Regimental depot remained at Richmond while battalion moved to war station at West Hartlepool, with detachments at Seaton Carew and South Gare.

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Northallerton. Part of York & Durham Brigade, Northumbrian Division.
18 April 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
14 May 1915 : formation became 150th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division.
16 July 1918 : reduced to cadre strength and moved to Lines of Communication.
16 August 1918 : transferred to 116th Brigade, 39th Division.
6 November 1918 : demobilised.

1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Scarborough. Part of York & Durham Brigade, Northumbrian Division.
17 April 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
Record same as 1/4th except that this battalion was reduced to cadre a day earlier.

2/4th Battalion
Formed at Northallerton on 4 September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Troops began to arrive from 10 September. Supplied first drafts for overseas service in May 1915.
1 March 1915 : came under orders of 189th Brigade, 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division, which was broken up in July 1916.
9 November 1916 : transferred to 220th Brigade, 73rd Division.
July 1917 : reduced in strength; eventually disbanded in England November 1917.

2/5th Battalion
Formed at Scarborough in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Moved to Darlington in November 1914 and Benton in April 1915. Later moved to Catterick. On 1 March 1915 came under orders of 189th Brigade, 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division, which was broken up in July 1916. All category A1 men, now deemed by the Military Service Act to be available for overseas service, were posted. On 9 November 1916, battalion transferred to 220th Brigade, 73rd Division and moved to Blackpool. By January 1917 was at Chelmsford.
29 March 1918 : disbanded in England

3/4th and 3/5th Battalions
Formed in Northallerton and Scarborough, April and March 1915, as depot/training units. First drafts trained by the battalions went to France in early September 1915. Both Battalions moved to Redcar in April 1916. On 1 September 1916 3/4th absorbed 3/5th and was retitled as 4th Reserve Battalion in Northumbrian Reserve Brigade. Moved to Catterick in October 1916, Sutton near Hull in July 1917 and later to Hornsea for work on coastal defence.

18th Battalion
Originally created as the 24th Provisional Bn in June 1915 and manned by "home service only" men sent from the 2/4th and 2/5th Bns. Moved to the North East, with detachments at Cramlington and Blyth. Moved in April 1916 to Clacton-on-Sea. On 1 January 1917, became 18th Bn TF. On 29 April 1917 moved to Margate where it then remained. Demobilisation was not completed until August 1919.

Battalions of the New Armies

6th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Richmond on 25 August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 32nd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division. Moved to Belton Park near Grantham. In April 1915 moved to Witley Camp near Godalming in Surrey. Sailed from Liverpool on 3 July 1915, going via Mudros to Suvla Bay, disembarking there on 6 August 1915.
December 1915 : evacuated from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt via Imbros.
July 1916 : moved to France.
15 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength. Cadre was attached to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division for ten days (19 to 29 June).
30 June 1918 : landed at Folkestone and transferred to 75th Brigade, 25th Division. Moved on to Mytchett near Aldershot. In July 1918 moved on to Margate. Absorbed 19th Bn during August 1918.
9 September 1918 : Brigade redesignated the 236th Brigade, for service in North Russia. Sailed from Dundee 17 October 1918 and arrived at Murmansk 27 November 1918.

7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Richmond in September 1914 as part of K2 and attached to 50th Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division. Moved to Wareham and in May 1915 went on to Romsey.
14 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
19 February 1918 : disbanded in France.

8th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Richmond on 22 September 1914 as part of K3 and in October attached to 69th Brigade, 23rd Division. Moved to Frensham and in February 1915 went on to Folkestone and Maidstone in Kent.
26 August 1915 : landed at Boulogne.

9th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Richmond on 26 September 1914 as part of K3 and in October attached to 69th Brigade, 23rd Division. Moved to Frensham and in February 1915 went on to Folkestone and Maidstone in Kent.
26 August 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
November 1917 : moved with the Division to Italy.
September 1918 : returned to France.
17 September 1918 : attached to 74th Brigade, 25th Division.

10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Richmond on 30 September 1914, as part of K3 and in October attached to 62nd Brigade, 21st Division. Moved to Berkhamsted and in October 1914 went on to Halton Park near Tring. Spent November 1914 to May 1915 in billets in Aylesbury before returning to Halton Park. Moved to Witley Camp in August 1915.
10 September 1915 : landed at Boulogne.
10 February 1918 : disbanded in France, with at least some of the men going to 20th Entrenching Battalion.

11th (Reserve) Battalion
Raised in West Hartlepool in October 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4. Moved to Darlington.
October 1914 : attached to 89th Brigade, original 30th Division.
10 April 1915 : converted into a reserve battalion. Moved in October 1915 to Rugeley Camp in Staffordshire.
On 1 September 1916 was absorbed into Training Reserve battalions of 1st Reserve Brigade and ceased to exist.

12th (Service) Battalion (Teesside Pioneers)
Formed in Middlesbrough on 21 December 1914 by the Mayor and Town. Moved initially to Gosforth and in August 1915 to Cannock Chase. Adopted by War Office on 27 August 1915. Moved in September 1915 to Badajoz Barracks at Aldershot and converted to a Pioneer Battalion, coming under orders of 40th Division.
2 June 1916 : landed at Le Havre.
5 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength.
28 June 1918 : cadre transferred to 17th Bn, the Worcestershire Regiment.

13th (Service) Battalion
Formed in Richmond in July 1915 as a Bantam Bn. Moved to Aldershot in July 1915 and came under orders of 121st Brigade, 40th Division.
2 April 1916 : absorbed the 18th Bn, the Sherwood Foresters.
6 June 1916 : landed at Le Havre.
6 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength. Attached for two weeks to 34th Division and then for another two weeks to 30th Division.
30 June 1918 : transferred to 75th Brigade, 25th Division and absorbed 19th Bn during August 1918.
9 September 1918 : Brigade redesignated the 236th Brigade, for service in North Russia. Sailed from Dundee 17 October 1918 and arrived at Murmansk 27 November 1918.

14th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed at Hummersknott, Darlington, in September 1915 from the depot company of 12th (Service) Battalion. Was based variously at Marton Hall near Harrogate, Gosforth Park and the Old Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne. On 1 September 1916 became 81st Training Reserve Bn in 19th Reserve Brigade.

15th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed from details at Skipton barracks in December 1915. Moved to Rugeley Camp in Staffordshire. On 1 September 1916, became 10th Training Reserve Bn in 2nd Reserve Brigade.

Other Battalions

16th (Labour) Battalion
Formed in June 1916 at Brocklesby Camp in Lincolnshire.
Moved to France on 12 July 1916 and was employed at Cinder Camp, Le Havre, on Lines of Communication work. Became 22nd and 23rd Labour Companies, Labour Corps in May 1917. Latter was at Maubeuge at the Armistice.

17th (Home Service) Battalion
Formed in November 1916 at Blackpool. Attached to 220th Brigade, 73rd Division but disbanded 15 December 1917.

19th Battalion
Formed in Margate in June 1918 and absorbed into 6th Bn in July 1918.

1st Garrison Battalion
Formed in Pontefract in October 1915, then on Christmas Eve 1915 sailed to India where it remained throughout the war. Manned by troops who had been medically rejected for fighting and returned wounded who had been medically downgraded. Known to have been based at Sialkot in 1918.

2nd (Home Service) Garrison Battalion
Formed in Richmond in May 1916 and remained in UK throughout the war. Became 10th Bn, Royal Defence Corps in August 1917.

No 2 Agricultural Company
Formed in Richmond in February 1917 and was later split and redesignated as 407 and 505 Companies of the Labour Corps.