Battalions of the Regular Army

1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Colchester. Part of 11th Brigade in 4th Division.
Moved to Harrow but landed at Le Havre on 23 August 1914.

2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Mhow, India. Returned to England, arriving at Plymouth 22 December 1914. Moved to Romsey and on 13 February 1915 to Stratford-upon-Avon.
13 February 1915 : attached to 88th Brigade in 29th Division. Moved to Warwick.
Sailed from Avonmouth on 29 March 1915 for Gallipoli, going via Egypt. Landed at Cape Helles on 25 April 1915.
January 1916 : evacuated from Gallipoli to Egypt.
20 March 1916 : landed at Marseilles for service in France.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion
August 1914 : in Winchester. A depot/training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved on mobilisation to Parkhurst (Isle of Wight) and in January 1915 to Gosport for duty with Portsmouth Garrison.

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Winchester. Part of Hampshire Brigade in Wessex Division.
9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. Attached to 4th (Rawalpindi) Brigade in 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division in January 1915.
18 March 1915 : landed at Basra with 33rd Indian Brigade and remained in Mesopotamia and Persia for the rest of the war. Battalion HQ and one Company were captured at Kut-el-Amara on 29 April 1916. The remainder formed a Composite Bn with the 1/5th Bn, the Buffs, and - attached to 35th Indian Brigade - transferred to 14th Indian Division. November 1916, transferred to 36th Indian Brigade.
2 January 1918: entered Persia with Lt Col Matthews' Column. C Company occupied Krasnodovsk on 26 August and pushed on to Merv; D Company occupied Resht and Enzeli. A small detachment under Lt Fisher occupied Baku between 4 August and 15 September 1918. In November Battalion HQ was at Zinjan. In June 1919 two Companies were attached to Lt Col Matthews' Motor Mobile Column and fought at Resht in August 1919.

1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Southampton. Part of Hampshire Brigade in Wessex Division.
9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. Remained in India for the rest of the war.
May 1919: joined 46th Mobile Indian Brigade at Kohat for service in Third Afghan War. Withdrawn in June.
8 November 1919: arrived Southampton.

1/6th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion
August 1914 : in Portsmouth. Bn was Army Troops attached to Wessex Division, later attached to Devon and Cornwall Brigade.
9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. 16 September 1917 : landed at Basra and remained in Mesopotamia for the rest of the war, attached to 52nd Brigade, 17th Indian Division.

1/7th Battalion
August 1914 : in Bournemouth. Part of Hampshire Brigade in Wessex Division.
9 October 1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November 1914. Remained in India until January 1918, when the Bn moved to Aden.

1/8th (Isle of Wight Rifles, Princess Beatrice's) Battalion
August 1914 : in Newport, Isle of Wight.
April 1915 : attached to 163rd Brigade in 54th (East Anglian) Division.
Landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915.
Evacuated from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt, arriving 19 December 1915. Moved into Palestine as part of EEF.

1/9th (Cyclist) Battalion
August 1914 : in Southampton.
November 1915 : joined with three other Cyclist Bns and converted to infantry. This 'Brigade' was originally intended for East Africa.
4 February 1916 : sailed from Devonport to India.
In October 1918, moved to Vladivostock (arriving 28 November) and on into Siberia, where it stayed until November 1919 thence returning to England. It was at Omsk (at 7 January 1919) and Ekaterinberg (from May 1919). The Battalion sailed from Vladivostock on 1 November 1919 and returned home via Canada.
5 December 1919: arrived at Southampton and then disbanded.

2/4th Battalion
Formed at Salisbury Plain in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Became part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in 2nd Wessex Division.
13 December 1914 : sailed for India.
On 29 April 1917 left for Egypt, landing at Suez.
15 May 1917 : attached to 233rd Brigade in 75th Division.
May 1918 : left the Division and moved to France, arriving Marseilles 1 June 1918.
5 June 1918 : attached to 186th Brigade in 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division.

2/5th Battalion
Formed at Salisbury Plain in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Became part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in 2nd Wessex Division. Moved to Lyndhurst.
13 December 1914 : sailed for India.
29 April 1917 : left for Egypt, arriving Ismailia on 5 April 1917. Attached to 232nd Brigade in 75th Division.
August 1918 : disbanded in Palestine.

2/6th (Duke of Connaught's) Battalion
Formed at Portsmouth in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Initially part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in 2nd Wessex Division, but did not proceed with the rest of the Division to India. Moved to Petersfield, then Bournemouth and Hursley Park.
13 February 1915: became a Provisional Battalion. This was known at various times as the Hampshire Brigade Bn, the 84th Provisional Bn, and then the 17th Bn. (see below).

2/7th Battalion
Formed at Bournemouth in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Became part of 2/1st Hampshire Brigade in 2nd Wessex Division<.
13 December 1914 : sailed for India, and in September 1917 left for Mesopotamia, arriving Basra on 11 September 1917. Placed onto Lines of Communication work.
September 1918 : attached to 38th Indian Brigade, 13th Indian Division.

2/8th (Isle of Wight Rifles, Princess Beatrice's) Battalion
Formed at Newport (Isle of Wight) in December 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Moved to Hursley Park and then on to Bournemouth.
1 September 1916 : absorbed by 4th Reserve Bn.

2/9th (Cyclist) Battalion
Formed at Louth in September 1914 as a home service ("second line") unit. Moved to Chichester and later to Bognor. Moved in October 1917 to Sandown. In April 1918 went to Herringfleet and in October 1918 to billets in Lowestoft.

3/4th Battalion
Formed at Winchester in March 1915 as a "third line" unit. Moved to Bournemouth.
8 April 1916 : renamed 4th Reserve Bn at Romsey.
On 1 September 1916, absorbed the 2/8th Bn. Moved to Sutton Veny in February 1917. Absorbed 5th Reserve Bn in June 1917. Moved to Larkhill in October 1917 and in April 1918 went on to Belfast.

3/5th Battalion
Formed at Southampton in March 1915 as a "third line" unit. Moved to Bournemouth later in the year.
8 April 1916 : renamed 5th Reserve Bn at Romsey.
On 1 September 1916, absorbed the 2/6th, 7th Reserve and 3/9th Battalions. Moved to Sutton Veny in February 1917. Absorbed by the 4th Reserve Bn in June 1917.

3/6th Battalion
Not formed.

3/7th Battalion
Formed at Bournemouth in March 1915 as a "third line" unit.
8 April 1916 : renamed 7th Reserve Bn at Romsey.
On 1 September 1916, absorbed the 5th Reserve Battalion.

3/8th Battalion
Not formed.

3/9th Battalion
Formed at Fort Southwick (Portsmouth) in April 1916 as a "third line" unit.
1 September 1916: absorbed into 5th Reserve Battalion.

17th Battalion
Formed at Herne Bay on 1 January 1917 from what had previously been the 84th Provisional Battalion of the TF. It had been formed in June 1915 from "Home Service only" personnel. Moved to Whitstable in October 1917 and on in February 1918 to Southwold.

Battalions of the New Armies

Some lads of a Hampshire battalion outside their hotel billet while undergoing training in England. It is possibly two sections of a platoon with the rather stern-looking staff of their accommodation. We can not confirm but believe they are of the 12th (Service) Battalion. The youth of some of these recruits is very obvious. Note that the Lance-Corporal on the right has the sleeve badge of a sharpshooter.

10th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester in August 1914 as part of K1 and moved to Dublin, attached as Army Troops to 10th (Irish) Divisio. Moved to Mullingar in September.
March 1915 : moved to the Curragh and transferred to 29th Brigade in same Division. Moved to Basingstoke in May 1915.
Sailed from Liverpool on 7 July 1915 and going via Mudros landed at Gallipoli 6 August 1915.
6 October 1915 : landed at Salonika.
2 November 1916 : transferred to 82nd Brigade in 27th Division.

11th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers)
Formed at Winchester in September 1914 as part of K2 and moved to Dublin, attached as Army Troops to 16th (Irish) Division. Moved to Mullingar in September. Became Pioneers to the Division in December 1914. Moved to Kilworth in March 1915 and on to Aldershot in September 1915.
Landed at Le Havre on 18 December 1915.
2 May 1918 : reduced to cadre strength. Returned to England on 18 June 1918 and moved to Lowestoft.
Reconstituted with 13th Bn, the Border Regiment.
Moved to Aldershot on 3 July 1918 and landed at Boulogne on 1 August 1918.

12th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Winchester in October 1914 as part of K3 and attached to 79th Brigade in 26th Division. Moved to Codford but by November 1914 was in billets in Basingstoke. Moved to Bath in March 1915 and on to Sutton Veny in May.
Landed in France in September 1915 but was soon sent to Salonika, arriving 25 November 1915.

13th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Parkhurst ( Isle of Wight) in October 1914 as a Service Battalion of K4 and attached to 96th Brigade, original 32nd Division.
April 1915 : became a Reserve battalion and moved soon afterwards to Wareham. Moved on to Bovington in September 1915.
September 1916 : moved to Wool and converted into 34th Training Reserve Battalion of 8th Reserve Brigade.

14th (Service) Battalion (1st Portsmouth)
Formed at Portsmouth on 3 September 1914 by the Mayor and a local Committee. Adopted by War Office on 30 May 1915.
October 1915 : moved to Witley and attached to 116th Brigade in 39th Division.
Landed at Le Havre 6 March 1916.
22 March 1918 : disbanded in France.

15th (Service) Battalion (2nd Portsmouth)
Formed at Portsmouth on 5 April 1915 by the Mayor and a local Committee. Adopted by War Office on 30 May 1915.
October 1915 : moved to Aldershot and attached to 122nd Brigade in 41st Division. Moved to Marlborough Lines in February 1916 and landed in Farnce in early May.
27 September 1917 : amalgamated at Caestre with dismounted 1/1st Hampshire Yeomanry and renamed as the 15th (Hampshire Yeomanry) Bn.

16th (Reserve) Battalion
Formed in Portsmouth in September 1915 as a Reserve battalion. Moved to Chisledon in January 1916.
September 1916 : converted into 96th Training Reserve Battalion of 22nd Reserve Brigade.

Other Battalions

18th (Home Service) Battalion
Formed in Alton in December 1916 and moved to Aldershot. Went on to Colchester in March 1917 and disbanded there in December of that year.

1st (Garrison) Battalion
Formed in Portland in April 1916 and moved to France. Renamed 19th Garrison Battalion on 31 July 1918.

51st (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 280th Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 33rd Battalion of the Training Reserve. A training unit based at Canterbury, it was part of 201st Brigade in 67th Division. Moved to Foxhall Heath (Ipswich) in March 1918. After the Armistice, the battalion went to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation on the Rhine.

52nd (Graduated) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 281st Graduated Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. Before that it had been 93rd Battalion of the Training Reserve. A training unit based at Canterbury, it was part of 201st Brigade in 67th Division. Moved to Foxhall Heath (Ipswich) in March 1918.

53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion
Up to 27 October 1917, this was known as 37th Young Soldier Battalion and had no regimental affiliation. A basic recruit training unit based at Sutton Veny, it was part of 8th Reserve Brigade. Moved to Rolleston in January 1918.

This page is dedicated to the memory of men like
Alfred Shorter, who served with 2/4th Battalion in India;
Leonard Little, a young conscript who served with 15th (Hampshire Yeomanry) Battalion in 1918;
Leonard Evans, who died while serving with 2nd Battalion on 3 January 1916, having previously trained with 11th Reserve Cavalry Regiment;
and Stanley Cook, a time-expired pre-war regular who was conscripted, only to lose an eye in Mesopotamia in January 1918.
All of these men were researched in detail by fourteeneighteen|research