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Battalions of the Regiment and War Diaries on this
site
Between 1914 and 1918, the following Battalions served within
the Bedfordshire Regiment, and their War Diaries can be viewed
by following the links:
1st
Battalion - A pre-war 'Regular' Battalion dating
back to 1688, and later renamed the '16th Regiment of Foot'.
Apart from a few months in Italy during the winter of 1917-1918,
they served on the Western Front from August 1914 until April
1919. For information on the 1st battalion
book I am working on at the moment, here
are more details.
2nd
Battalion - A pre-war 'Regular' dating back to 1858,
which was stationed in South Africa when war broke out. They
served entirely on the Western Front between their arrival in
September 1914 to April 1919.
3rd Battalion - A 'Reserve' Battalion who were initially
a 'Militia' battalion dating back to 1757. They served entirely
around Harwich and Felixstowe in England, providing home defence
and training drafts for front line units.
4th
Battalion - The regiment's second 'Reserve' Battalion
who provided home defence around Harwich and Felixstowe in England,
until mobilised to France in July 1916. They served the rest
of the war on the Western Front within the renowned 63rd (Royal
Naval) Division until April 1919.
5th
Battalion - A 'Territorial' Battalion initially raised
as a 'Rifle Volunteer Battalion' in 1860, becoming the 5th Territorial
Battalion in Haldene's reforms in 1908. They were embodied in
August 1914 and initially provided home defence in East Anglia
and on the Norfolk coast until sent abroad July 1915. They served
in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine until disembodied June 1919.
The 2nd/5th and 3rd/5th Battalions were raised in October 1914
and June 1915 respectively and trained drafts for the front
line 1st/5th Battalion.
6th
Battalion - A 'Service' Battalion raised specifically
for the duration of the war in August 1914, as part of K1. They
remained on the Western Front from August 1915 until it's personnel
transferred into the 1st/1st Hertfordshires in May 1918. An
Officer and NCO cadre trained American Units until the battalion
was finally disbanded completely in August 1918.
7th
Battalion - A 'Service' Battalion raised specifically
for the duration of the war in September 1914 as a part of K2.
They served entirely on the Western Front until the bulk of
the battalion was transferred into the 2nd Battalion in May
1918. A cadre of officers and NCO's were assigned to train American
Units until the battalion was completely disbanded in July 1918.
8th
Battalion - A 'Service' Battalion raised in October
1914 as a part of K3, specifically for the duration of the war.
They served entirely on the Western Front between August 1915
and February 1918, at which time the battalion was disbanded.
The personnel were transferred into the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 7th
Battalions.
9th Battalion - A 'Service' Battalion raised in October
1914 as a part of K4, specifically for the duration of the war.
It remained in England as a "Reserve" Battalion, providing drafts
for the front line units until transferred into the 28th Battalion
Training Reserve in August 1916.
10th Battalion - A 'Service' Battalion raised in December
1914 as a part of K4, specifically for the duration of the war.
It remained in England as a "Reserve" Battalion. The battalion
transferred into the 27th Battalion Training Reserve in September
1916, later becoming the Regiment's 53rd (Young Soldiers) Battalion
in October 1917. From then until the end of hostilities the
battalion provided the initial three months of basic training
for all young soldiers, before sending them onto the 51st and
52nd (Graduated) Battalions. In February 1919 the battalion
became a 'Service' battalion and served in the 2nd Eastern Brigade,
Eastern Division (known as the Bedfordshire Brigade) within
the British Army of the Rhine. They served alongside the 51st
and 52nd Battalions until brought home in August 1919.
11th Battalion - A 'Territorial' Battalion raised in
December 1916 / January 1917 to replace the 68th Provisional
Battalion. The battalion was comprised mostly men over 'active
service' age or unfit for overseas duties, and provided drafts
for the front line units once the soldiers had regained their
'A1' fitness categorisation. Many NCOs and men were assigned
to the battalion purely on paper, serving in POW Camp units
and never physically joining the battalion at its station. It
was also tasked with provided general home defence on the Suffolk
coast until disbanded 31 July 1919.
Transport Workers Battalions - The 12th and 13th Battalions
were raised December 1916 and March 1917 respectively and disbanded
in August and September 1919 respectively. Their H.Q.'s were
based in Croydon and, although dressed as Infantry, they were
never armed. According to a War Cabinet, Port and Transit Executive
Committee document from July 1917 (National Archives reference
CAB 24/21), the 12th battalion worked in the ports of Folkestone.
Rochester (including Chatham and Sittingbourne) Weymouth and
Newhaven, whereas the 13th battalion worked at Boston, Ipswich,
London, Harwich and King's Lynn.
Graduated Battalions - The 51st and 52nd Battalions
were raised initially as Norfolk and Suffolk Battalions respectively
that provided home defence from October 1914. Following the
introduction of conscription and the lowering of minimum service
ages, the 53rd (Young Soldiers) Battalion (formerly the 10th
Battalion) was affiliated to the Regiment in October 1917, to
provide three months basic training for young recruits. After
basic training they were transferred into the Graduated battalions
until ready for active service abroad. Along with the 53rd Battalion,
the 51st and 52nd Battalions became 'Service' battalions in
February 1919 and formed the 2nd Eastern Brigade, Eastern Division
(known as the Bedfordshire Brigade) within the British Army
of the Rhine between March and August 1919, finally being disbanded
in March 1920.
Garrison Battalions - The 1st Battalion was raised
in December 1915 and served in India between February 1916 and
December 1919 until disbanded January 1920. The 2nd Battalion
was raised in December 1916 and served in India between February
1917 and December 1919 until disbanded January 1920. The 3rd
Battalion was raised in January 1917 and served in Burma between
March 1918 and June 1919, thereafter in India from June to December
1919. It was disbanded January 1920.
The 1st and 2nd Volunteer Battalions - Citizen units
formed in November 1914 by patriotic citizens for "non-specific
home defence". Between July and September 1918 they became a
'Special Service' unit that provided defence of the coastline
around Hunstanton due to the acute manpower shortage in France.
The 1st/1st Battalion, the Hertfordshire
Regiment - A territorial unit who were sent to
France as early as November 1914 and remained on the Western
Front throughout the war. They were also called the "Hertfordshire
Guards" due to serving in the 4th Guards Brigade of the veteran
2nd Division for some time and as a result were the only regiment
outside of the Guards to number their Companies numerically,
as opposed to alphabetically.
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