Territorial Bat (or others) going overseas to replace the regulars

[rickpreston@nasuwt.net]

At the beginning or the war a large part or the Army was overseas on its usural deployment of controling the "empire". The 4th Border Reg. were sent out to Burma to replace the 1st Borders,their paths crossed at Malta.

The question is which other units were exchanged like the example above and where did they go?

Richard

[tullybrone]

Hi Richard,

Just look on the Long Long Trail website - Chris has listed the various postings of all British Army Battalions on there. If you take the time to scroll down the Regimental lists all will be revealed.

For example 1/4th Hampshire Regiment also went to India.

Regards

Steve Y

[Steven Broomfield]

Broadly speaking, units of the Wessex Division and the Home Counties Division, plus the second-lines of the Wessex Division. The East Lancashire Division went to the Canal.

[jnickwilliams]

The 1st London Brigade (TA) were recalled to London from their War Service locations at the end of August 1914. Early on 4th September they departed Waterloo for Southampton and embarked that afternoon. Their convoy sailed for Malta at 5.00pm and arrived early on the 13 Sept. The 1/1 Londons went to St Andrews Barracks, the 1/3 Londons to Imtafa, and the 1/4 Londons to a camp at Ghan Tuffieha on the west coast. Their duty was to guard the perimeter of the island. The 1/2 Londons acted as an inlying battalion for the defence of the town and port of Valetta This also allowed the large numbers of recent volunteers to be trained and for the battalions to develop their skills. The day after their arrival, the Regular Infantry departed for the Front.

The 1st London Brigade departed from Malta on 1 January 1915 for Marseilles and then the Western Front, minus 1/1 Londons who remained as stiffening for the new troops. They were replaced by their corresponding 2nd line units.

Nick

[Guest]

A number of TF units departed in the first few months of the War. Some TF infantry battalions started as Line of Communications troops but as casualties mounted and the supply of trained reservists slowed, the TF battalions plugged gaps. Typically they were added to regular Brigades in Regular Divisions as a fifth battalion.

Edit: There were roughly speaking 36 TF battalion sent to India, 12 sent to Egypt, four to Gibraltar, seven to Malta and one to Bermuda in 1914 and early 1915. Many of these subsequently made it to other theatres - the 42nd E Lancs Div for example fought at Gallipoli having done garrison duty in Egypt, and similarly the Middlesex battalions that went to Gib eventually made it to France, being replaced by their own second lines.

There were 74 battalions of the Regular Army spread over the world: India had 51 battalions, Malta 5, Egypt 4, South Africa 4, Gibraltar 2, China 2 and Mauritius, Singapore, Aden, Bermuda, Soudan and Hong Kong one each. Most returned and were replaced by TF units, however eight regular battalions remained in India throughout the war. Of the 43 that departed for the various fronts it appears that they were replaced by a combination on TF units (36 battalions) and locally raised Volunteer units from the British population in India.

Edit 2: One of the most mobile units was the 1/4th Bn KSLI which served sequentially in UK, India, Singapore, Andaman Isles, Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Cape Town, UK and finally got to France in 1917.

Unit..................................................................Embarked.............Comments

Oxfordshire Yeomanry.................................20th Sep 14.............GHQ troops

Northumberland Yeomanry.............................4th Oct 14..............7th Div

Leicestershire Yeomanry..............................2nd Nov 14..............7th Cav Bde

N Somerset Yeomanry..................................2nd Nov 14..............6th Cav Bde

Northamptonshire Yeomanry.........................5th Nov 14...............8th Div

Edit: The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (A Sqn), Herts Yeomanry and Westminster Dragoons all went to Egypt in Sep 14

Warwickshire HA Battery..............................30th Oct 14.............

7th Bn Middlese Regt...................................4th Sep 14.............Garrison Troops Gibraltar (arrived 17th Sep)

8th Bn Middlesex Regt.................................4th Sep 14.............Garrison Troops Gibraltar (arrived 17th Sep)

14th Bn London Ret (London Scottish) .....14th Sep 14.............GHQ troops (arrived 16th Sep 14) - note: First TF unit to disembark overseas and first to serve in France.

6th Bn Welsh Regt.......................................28th Oct 14............L of C troops

Honourable Artillery Company Bn TF..........18th Sep 14............L of C then to 8th Bde 3rd Div

5th Bn Border Regt......................................25th Oct 14............L of C troops

28th Bn London Regt...................................26th Oct 14............became OTC later

5th Bn Royal Highlanders..............................1st Nov 14.............24th Bde 8th Div

16th Co. of London Regt (Q W'minster Rif)...1st Nov 14.............18th Bde 6th Div

10th Bn Liverpool Regt (L'pool Scottish).......1st Nov 14...............9th Bde 3rd Div

13th Bn Co. of London Regt (Kensington)....3rd Nov 14.............25th Bde 8th Div

5th City Bn London Regt...............................4th Nov 14.............11th Bde 4th Div

9th Bn Co. of London Regt (Q Vic Rifles)......4th Nov 14.............13th Bde 5th Div

8th Bn Royal Scots........................................4th Nov 14............22nd Bde 7th Div

9th Bn Highland LI..........................................4th Nov 14............5th Bde, 2nd Div

5th Bn Scottish Rifles.....................................4th Nov 14.............19th Bde 6th Div

4th Bn R Welsh Fus ......................................5th Nov 14..............3rd Bde 1st Div

2nd Bn Monmouthshire Regt TF....................5th Nov 14............12th Bde 7th Div

1st Bn Hertfordshire Regt..............................5th Nov 14..............4th Guards Bde, 2nd Div

4th Bn Suffolk Regt........................................8th Nov 14..............GHQ troops then 20th bde 7th Div

4th Bn Seaforth Highlanders..........................5th Nov 14...............??.....ended up with Dehra Dun Bde 7th Meerut Div in Dec 14

6th Bn Cheshire Regt.....................................9th Nov 14..............GHQ Troops

6th Bn Gordon Highlanders............................9th Nov 14..............20th Bde, 7th Div

West Riding Clearing Hospital.......................30th Oct 14

Source: WO 162 The National Archives.

MG

[rickpreston@nasuwt.net]

Thank you all

Martin I thankyou particually for a most comprehensive answer

All the answers are most helpful

Richard