List of Provisional Battalions of the Territorial Force

When the Territorial Force (TF) was created in 1908 it was a part-time volunteer force intended for home defence when the Regular British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was deployed overseas, although a small number of TF units had volunteered for 'Imperial Service'. With the outbreak of World War I the TF was mobilised on 4 August 1914 and went to its war stations. However, on 10 August the TF was invited to volunteer for overseas service, and the majority of men and units did so. Those who did not volunteer or were unfit for overseas service were separated on 15 August to form the basis for reserve units to train the mass of volunteer recruits coming forward. From 31 August these reserve units were termed '2nd Line', distinguished from their 1st Line parents by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate units and formations came into being.Becke, Pt 2a, p. 40.Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.

Provisional units By May 1915 it was decided to prepare the 2nd Line TF units for overseas service, and 3rd Line training units were created to supply reinforcements to the 1st and 2nd Lines. At the same time the remaining home service and unfit personnel were separated and grouped into coast defence brigades, shortly afterwards termed provisional brigades. The provisional infantry battalions were numbered up to 108 (with some gaps in the sequence). Support units (Royal Field Artillery, Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps etc), took the number of the provisional brigade to which they belonged.Army Council Instructions, January 1916, Appendix 18.Frederick, pp. viii–ix, 184–5.'Provisional Brigades and Battalions' at Long, Long Trail.David Porter's work on Provisional Brigades at Great War Forum.

The Military Service Act 1916 swept away the home/foreign service distinction, and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service, if medically fit. The provisional brigades thus became anomalous, and on 1 January 1917 the remaining infantry units became numbered battalions of appropriate regiments.Becke, Pt 2b, p. 105.

Provisional Battalion Formed from Final designationScottish Command1st (Scottish)4th, 5th and 6th Bns, Seaforth Highlanders; 4th Bn Cameron HighlandersAbsorbed into 10th Provisional Bn by 19172nd (Scottish)5th, 6th, 7th, 8th Bns and Shetland Companies, Gordon HighlandersDisbanded 19173rd (Scottish)6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Bns, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders16th Bn, Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersFrederick, p. 63.James, p. 109.4th (Scottish)5th and 6th Bns, Black Watch?Disbanded5th (Scottish)4th and 7th Bns, Black Watch; 5th Bn, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; 9th Bn, Royal ScotsDisbanded 19176th (Scottish)4th, 5th and 6th Bns, Royal ScotsDisbanded 19177th (Scottish)7th and 8th Bns, Royal ScotsDisbanded 19178th (Scottish)8th Bn, Highland Light Infantry (whole battalion)Disbanded 19169th (Scottish)5th, 6th, 7th and 9th Bns, Highland Light Infantry21st Bn, Highland Light InfantryFrederick, p. 258.James, p. 103.10th (Scottish)5th, 6th and 7th Bns, Scottish Rifles15th Bn, Scottish RiflesFrederick, p. 74.James, p. 71.11th (Scottish)4th and 5th Bns, Royal Scots Fusiliers; 8th Bn, Scottish Rifles11th Bn, Royal Scots FusiliersFrederick, p. 255.James, p. 65.12th (Scottish)4th and 5th Bns, King's Own Scottish BorderersDisbanded 1917Northern Command21st4th and 7th Bns, Northumberland Fusiliers35th Bn, Northumberland FusiliersFrederick, p. 278.James, p. 47.22nd5th and 6th Bns, Northumberland Fusiliers36th Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers23rd6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Bns Durham Light Infantry26th Bn Durham Light InfantryFrederick, p. 146.James, p. 101.24th4th and 5th Bns, Yorkshire Regiment18th Bn, Yorkshire RegimentFrederick, p. 107.James, p. 63.25th4th Bn, East Yorkshire Regiment; 5th Bn, Durham Light Infantry27th Bn, Durham Light Infantry26th5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Bns, West Yorkshire Regiment; 4th and 5th Bns, York and Lancaster RegimentDisbanded 191627th4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Bns, West Riding Regiment; 4th and 5th Bns, King's Own Yorkshire Light InfantryDisbanded 191728th4th and 5th Bns, Lincolnshire Regiment; 4th and 5th Bns, Leicestershire Regiment; 5th and 6th Bns, South Staffordshire Regiment13th Bn, Lincolnshire RegimentBecke, Pt 2b, pp. 108–9.Frederick, p. 227.James, p. 54.Simpson, p. 399.29th5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Bns, Sherwood Foresters; 5th and 6th Bns, North Staffordshire Regiment 21st Bn, Sherwood ForestersFrederick, p. 321.James, p. 87.Western Command41st4th and 5th Bns, Royal Lancaster Regiment12th Bn, Royal Lancaster RegimentBecke, Pt 2b, pp. 114–5.Frederick, p. 120James, p. 46.42nd4th, 5th and 12th Bns, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment14th Bn, Loyal North Lancashire RegimentFrederick, p. 191.James, p. 89.43rd5th and 6th Bns, Liverpool Regiment25th Bn, Liverpool RegimentFrederick, p. 128.James, p. 52.44th7th, 8th and 9th Bns, Liverpool Regiment26th Bn, Liverpool Regiment45th6th, 7th and 8th Bns, Lancashire Fusiliers; 5th, 6th, 7th and 10th Bns, Manchester Regiment28th Bn, Manchester RegimentFrederick, p. 133.James, p. 98.46th4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Bns, Cheshire Regiment23rd Bn, Cheshire RegimentFrederick, p. 77.James, p. 66.47th4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Bns, Royal Welsh Fusiliers23rd Bn, Royal Welsh FusiliersFrederick, p. 304.James, p. 68.48th1st, 2nd and 3rd Bns, Monmouthshire Regiment; 1st Bn, Herefordshire Regiment4th Bn Monmouthshire RegimentFrederick, p. 172.James, p. 112.49th10th Bn, Liverpool Regiment; 4th and 5th Bns, South Lancashire Regiment14th Bn, South Lancashire RegimentFrederick, p. 189.James, p. 82.50th4th Bn, Shropshire Light Infantry; Brecknockshire Bn, South Wales BorderersDisbanded 191651st4th, 5th and 6th Bns, Welsh RegimentDisbanded 191752nd5th Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers; 4th and 5th Bns, East Lancashire Regiment; 4th and 5th Bns, Border Regiment; 8th and 9th Bns, Manchester RegimentDisbanded 1916Eastern Command61st4th and 5th Bns, Norfolk Regiment11th Bn, Norfolk RegimentBecke, Pt 2b, pp. 102–3.Frederick, p. 221.James, p. 53.62nd1st Bn Cambridgeshire Regiment; 4th Bn, Northamptonshire Regiment9th Bn, Northamptonshire RegimentFrederick, p. 228.James, p. 89.Regimental History Committee, p. 341.63rd7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Bns, Middlesex Regiment32nd Bn, Middlesex RegimentFrederick, p. 214.James, p. 94.64th4th and 5th Bns, Suffolk RegimentMurphy, pp. 342–3.14th Bn, Suffolk RegimentFrederick, p. 223.James, p. 56.65th4th Bn, Essex Regiment15th Bn, Essex RegimentFrederick, p. 234.James, p. 86.66th5th (part) and 6th Bns, Essex Regiment16th Bn, Essex Regiment67th5th (part) and 7th Bns, Essex Regiment17th Bn, Essex Regiment68th5th Bn, Bedfordshire Regiment; 1st Bn, Hertfordshire Regiment11th Bn, Bedfordshire RegimentFrederick, p. 230.James, p. 60.69th4th and 5th Bns Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)19th Bn, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)Frederick, p. 198.James, p. 44.Wylly, pp. 285–6.70th5th and 6th Bns, East Surrey Regiment15th Bn, Royal Sussex RegimentFrederick, p. 211.James, p. 78.71st4th and 5th Bns, Buffs (East Kent Regiment); 4th and 5th Bns, Royal West Kent RegimentAmalgamated with 69th Provisional Bn 5 June 191672nd4th & 5th Bns, Royal Sussex RegimentDisbanded by 1917Southern Command81st5th, 6th, 7th and 8h Bns, Royal Warwickshire Regiment18th Bn, Royal Warwickshire RegimentFrederick, p. 282.James, p. 49.82nd4th and 6th Bns, Gloucestershire Regiment; 7th and 8th Bns, Worcestershire Regiment17th Bn, Gloucestershire RegimentFrederick, p. 101.James, p. 72.83rd5th Bn, Gloucestershire Regiment; 4th and Buckinghamshire Bns, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry; 4th Bn, Royal Berkshire Regiment10th Bn, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryFrederick, p. 241.James, p. 85.84th4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Bns, Hampshire Regiment17th Bn, Hampshire RegimentJames, p. 80. 85th4th and 5th Bns, Somerset Light Infantry; 4th Bn, Wiltshire Regiment; 4th Bn, Dorsetshire Regiment11th Bn, Somerset Light InfantryFrederick, p. 136.James, p. 57.Lock, pp. 133–4.86th4th, 5th and 6th Bns, Devonshire Regiment; 4th and 5th Bns, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry15th Bn, Devonshire RegimentFrederick, p. 87.James, p. 55.London District100thGrimwade, p. 117.1st, 2nd, 4th and 7th Bns, London Regiment29th Bn, London RegimentFrederick, p. 150.James, p. 117.101st3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th Bns, London Regiment30th Bn, London Regiment102nd9th, 10th and 12th Bns, London RegimentAmalgamated with 100th Provisional Bn to form 29th Bn London Regiment104thHonourable Artillery Company Infantry Bn; 14th and 28th Bns, London RegimentAmalgamated with 101st Provisional Bn105th11th, 13th, 15th and 16th Bns, London RegimentAmalgamated with 107th Provisional Bn to form 31st Bn, London Regiment106th19th, 20th and 22nd Bns, London RegimentAmalgamated with 108th Provisional Bn to form 32nd Bn, London Regiment107th17th, 18th and 21st Bns, London Regiment31st Bn, London Regiment108th23rd and 24th Bns, London Regiment32nd Bn, London Regiment

See also List of units of the British Army Territorial Force (1908)

Footnotes

Notes

References

Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56), London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions, London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, . Capt F. Clive Grimwade, The War History of the 4th Battalion The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) 1914–1919, London: Regimental Headquarters, 1922/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2002, . Brig E.A. James, British Regiments 1914–18, London: Samson Books, 1978, /Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2001, . Maj H.O. Lock, History of the Dorsetshire Regiment, 1914–1919, Part II: The Territorial Units, Dorchester: Henry Ling, 1933/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2002, .

Regimental History Committee, The Northamptonshire Regiment, 1914–1918, Aldershot: Gale & Polden, 1932/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2005, . Maj-Gen C.R. Simpson (ed), The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914–1918, London: Medici Society, 1931//Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2002, . War Office, Army Council Instructions Issued During January 1916, London: HM Stationery Office, 1916. Col H.C. Wylly, History of the Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment in the Great War, Aldershot: Gale & Polden, 1925/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2003, .

External Sources Chris Baker, The Long, Long Trail Great War Forum