British Army First World War reserve brigades
The article lists British Army reserve brigades in the First World War. At the start of the war, British Army volunteers in the vast majority of cases joined their local infantry regiments reserve battalion.
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In 1916 when conscription was first introduced for the British Army, the existing regimental system could not cope with the large influx of recruits. By January 1916, when conscription was introduced, 2.6 million men had already volunteered for service, a further 2.3 million were conscripted before the end of the war; by the end of 1918, the army had reached its peak strength of four million men. To train the recruits from 1916 onwards twenty-six reserve brigades were raised, with an official complement of over 208,500 soldiers.
Background
In August 1914, 300,000 men had signed up to fight, and another 450,000 had joined-up by the end of September.[1] Recruitment remained fairly steady through 1914 and early 1915, but it fell dramatically during the later years, especially after the Somme campaign, which resulted in 360,000 casualties.[2] A prominent feature of the early months of volunteering was the formation of Pals battalions.[3] Many of these pals who had lived and worked together, joined up and trained together and were allocated to the same units. The policy of drawing recruits from amongst the local population ensured that, when the Pals battalions suffered casualties, whole towns, villages, neighbourhoods and communities back in Britain were to suffer disproportionate losses. With the introduction of conscription in January 1916, no further Pals battalions were raised.[4] Conscription for single men was introduced in January 1916. Four months later, in May 1916, it was extended to all men aged 18 to 41.[5] The Military Service Act March 1916 specified that men from the ages of 18 to 41 were liable to be called up for service in the army, unless they were married (or widowed with children), or served in one of a number of reserved occupations, which were usually industrial but which also included clergymen and teachers. This legislation did not apply to Ireland, despite its then status as part of the United Kingdom (but see Conscription Crisis of 1918).[6] By January 1916, when conscription was introduced, 2.6 million men had volunteered for service, a further 2.3 million were conscripted before the end of the war; by the end of 1918, the army had reached its peak strength of four million men.[4]
Reserve brigades
At the start of the First World War, most British Army infantry regiments had their own reserve battalions. After conscription was introduced from 1 September 1916 onwards, the reserve infantry battalions were reorganised. The previous regimental system simply could not cope with the influx of recruits and a centralised training and reserve system was introduced.[7]
The reserve battalions still kept their regimental affiliations, cap badges and accoutrements, until 1 September 1916, when the regimental distinctions disappeared and the battalions were re-designated as the 1st to 116th reserve battalion in one of 26 reserve brigades. The Training Reserve had an official complement of 208,500 soldiers.[7]
A development of the scheme was designating of 14 of the battalions as "Young Soldier Battalions". When a recruit had finished training in the Young Soldier Battalion he was sent to one of two associated "Graduated Battalions", in which the four companies were organised by age, 3 monthly steps between 18 and 19 years. As a result, every 3 months, 28 companies of newly trained soldiers were ready for drafting to France. In October 1917 some of the Graduated Battalions were found suitable for Home Service and re-designated with battalion numbers from the 201st upwards.[8]
Another consequence of the centralised training system was that when recruits were posted to a battalion on active service, they would be sent to where there was a vacancy and not their local regiment. This system lasted until May 1917, when the reserve battalions were once again affiliated with a particular regiment and became known as graduated or young soldier battalions of their regiment.[7]
List of brigades
| Reserve brigade number | Original regiment[7][9][10][11] | Reserve battalion number |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Reserve Brigade | 16th (Reserve) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry | 1st |
| 17th (Reserve) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry | 2nd | |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment | 3rd | |
| 11th (Reserve) Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment | 4th | |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment | 5th | |
| 2nd Reserve Brigade | 13th (Reserve) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment | 6th |
| 9th (Reserve) Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment | 7th | |
| 11th (Reserve) Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry | 8th | |
| 11th (Reserve) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment | 9th | |
| 15th (Reserve) Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment | 10th | |
| 3rd Reserve Brigade | 9th (Reserve) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment | 11th |
| 13th (Reserve) Battalion, Sherwood Foresters | 12th | |
| 4th (Reserve) Battalion, Sherwood Foresters | 13th | |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion, Manchester Regiment | 14th | |
| 13th (Reserve) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers | 15th | |
| 4th Reserve Brigade | 11th (Reserve) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment | 16th |
| 11th (Reserve) Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment | 17th | |
| 15th (Reserve) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps | 18th | |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion, Rifle Brigade | 19th | |
| 15th (Reserve) Battalion, Rifle Brigade | 20th | |
| 5th Reserve Brigade | 11th (Reserve) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment | 21st |
| 16th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | 22nd | |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment | 23rd | |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment | 24th | |
| 6th Reserve Brigade | 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Norfolk Regiment | 25th |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment | 26th | |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment | 27th | |
| 8th (Reserve) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment | 28th | |
| 7th Reserve Brigade | 9th (Reserve) Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) | 29th |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment | 30th | |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | 31st | |
| 15th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | 32nd | |
| 8th Reserve Brigade | 13th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment | 33rd |
| 13th (Reserve) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment | 34th | |
| 7th (Reserve) Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment | 35th | |
| 9th (Reserve) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry | 36th | |
| 9th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment | 37th | |
| 9th Reserve Brigade | 11th (Reserve) Battalion, Black Watch | 38th |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders | 39th | |
| 8th (Reserve) Battalion, Cameron Highlanders | 40th | |
| 13th (Reserve) Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders | 41st | |
| 11th (Reserve) Battalion, Gordon Highlanders | 42nd | |
| 10th Reserve Brigade | 10th (Reserve) Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) | 43rd |
| 11th (Reserve) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment | 44th | |
| 9th (Reserve) Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry | 45th | |
| 13th (Reserve) Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment | 46th | |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment | 47th | |
| 11th Reserve Brigade | 9th (Reserve) Battalion, Shropshire Light Infantry | 48th |
| 15th (Reserve) Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment | 49th | |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment | 50th | |
| 10th (Reserve) Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment | 51st | |
| 12th Reserve Brigade | 13th (Reserve) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry | 52nd |
| 9th (Reserve) Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers | 53rd | |
| 18th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Scots | 54th | |
| 9th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers | 55th | |
| 12th (Reserve) Battalion, Scottish Rifles | 56th | |
| 13th Reserve Brigade | 9th (Reserve) Battalion, South Wales Borderers | 57th |
| 12th (Reserve) Battalion, Welsh Regiment | 58th | |
| 13th (Reserve) Battalion, South Wales Borderers | 59th | |
| 20th (Reserve) Battalion (3rd Rhondda), Welsh Regiment | 60th | |
| 21st (Reserve) Battalion, Welsh Regiment | 61st | |
| 14th Reserve Brigade | 12th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers | 62nd |
| 18th and 20th (Reserve) Battalions, Royal Welsh Fusiliers | 63rd | |
| 21st and 22nd (Reserve) Battalions, Royal Welsh Fusiliers | 64th | |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion, South Wales Borderers | 65th | |
| 22nd (Reserve) Battalion, the Welsh Regiment | 66th | |
| 15th Reserve Brigade | 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers | – |
| 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers | – | |
| 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles | – | |
| 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles | – | |
| 5th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles | – | |
| 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers | – | |
| 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers | – | |
| 16th Reserve Brigade | 21st (Reserve) Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment) | 67th |
| 22nd (Reserve) Battalion, the King's (Liverpool Regiment) | 68th | |
| 25th (Reserve) Battalion, Manchester Regiment | 69th | |
| 26th (Reserve) Battalion, Manchester Regiment | 70th | |
| 27th (Reserve) Battalion, the Manchester Regiment | 71st | |
| 17th Reserve Brigade | 21st (Reserve) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers | 72nd |
| 22nd (Reserve) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers | 73rd | |
| 17th (Reserve) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment | 74th | |
| 12th (Reserve) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment | 75th | |
| 12th (Reserve) Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) | 76th | |
| 18th Reserve Brigade | 18th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Scots | 77th |
| 19th (Reserve) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry | 78th | |
| 20th (Reserve) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry | 79th | |
| 19th Reserve Brigade | 32nd (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers | 80th |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment | 81st | |
| 11th (Reserve) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment | 82nd | |
| 12th (Reserve) Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment | 83rd | |
| 20th Reserve Brigade | 29th (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers re-designated "A" Battalion, MGC | 84th |
| 30th (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers re-designated "B" Battalion, MGC | 85th | |
| 31st (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers re-designated "C" Battalion, MGC | 86th | |
| 21st (Reserve) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry re-designated "D" Battalion, MGC | 87th | |
| 21st Reserve Brigade | 19th (Reserve) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment | 88th |
| 20th (Reserve) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment | 89th | |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion (Hull), East Yorkshire Regiment | 90th | |
| 15th (Reserve) Battalions, York & Lancaster Regiment and East Yorkshire Regiment | 91st | |
| 22nd Reserve Brigade | 17th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment | 92nd |
| 15th (Reserve) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment | 93rd | |
| 16th (Reserve) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment | 94th | |
| 11th (Reserve) Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry | 95th | |
| 16th (Reserve) Battalion, (Portsmouth), Hampshire Regiment | 96th | |
| 23rd Reserve Brigade | 12th (Reserve) Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) | 97th |
| 14th (Reserve) Battalion, Essex Regiment | 98th | |
| 12th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal West Kents | 99th | |
| 24th (Reserve) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment | 100th | |
| 27th (Reserve) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment | 101st | |
| 28th (Reserve) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment | 102nd | |
| 24th Reserve Brigade | 27th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | 103rd |
| 28th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | 104th | |
| 29th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | 105th | |
| 30th (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | 106th | |
| 31st (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | 107th | |
| 26th Reserve Brigade | 13th (Reserve) Battalion (Cambridgeshire), Suffolk Regiment | 108th |
| 19th (Reserve) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps | 109th | |
| 22nd (Reserve) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps | 110th | |
| 23rd (Reserve) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps | 111th | |
| 17th (Reserve) Battalion, Rifle Brigade | 112th | |
| 28th Reserve Brigade | "E" Battalion, MGC | 113th |
| "F" Battalion, MGC | 114th | |
| "G" Battalion, MGC | 115th | |
| "H" Battalion, MGC | 116th |
References
- Chandler, (2001) p. 11
- "Battle of the Somme". New Zealand History online. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
- "The Pals Battalions in World War One". BBC History. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
- Tucker & Roberts (2005), p. 504
- Strachen, Hugh Professor. "Britain and World War One, 1901–1918". BBC History. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- Simkin, John. "Pacifism". Spartacus Educational. Archived from the original on 22 April 1999. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
- Baker, Chris. "Training Reserve Battalions". The Long Long Trail. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
- Ward p331-2
- Baker, Chris. "Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- Baker, Chris. "Royal Irish Rifles". The Long Long Trail. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- Baker, Chris. "Royal Irish Fusiliers". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
Bibliography
- Chandler, Malcolm (2001). The Home Front, 1914–18. Heinemann. ISBN 0-435-32729-1.
- Tucker, Spencer; Roberts, Priscilla Mary (2005). World War I: encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1-85109-420-2.
- Ward, S G P (1962) Faithful: The Storey of the Durham Light Infantry. Naval and Military Press. ISBN 9781845741471