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203-718: The 17th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Poplar and Stepney Rifles) , was a unit of Britain's Territorial Force formed in 1908 from Volunteer corps dating back to 1859. It saw considerable service on the Western Front , at Salonika and in Palestine during the First World War . It served as a motorised infantry regiment during the Second World War before conversion to an artillery unit in 1947 and subsequent amalgamation in 1967. An invasion scare in 1859 led to

406-472: A brigade attack with howitzer support for 15.45, in which two companies of the 2/17th took part. They worked round the left of the Turkish position, which was then carried at the point of the bayonet. The Turks retired hastily into Jerusalem. The division consolidated its position while the artillery struggled up behind. Next morning it resumed its advance. Approaching Shafat 180th Bde came under machine gun fire from

609-544: A brigade of the West Riding Division , for example, was deployed to watch the east coast while the rest of the division guarded railways and munitions factories inland, and the brigades of the East Anglian Division were widely scattered about East Anglia . On 13 August 1914, Kitchener signalled a willingness to deploy overseas those territorial units in which 80 per cent of the men (reduced to 60 per cent at

812-460: A challenge. The war also exposed the difficulty in relying on auxiliary forces which were not liable for service overseas as a source of reinforcements for the regular army in times of crisis. In 1903, the Director of General Mobilisation and Military Intelligence reported an excess of home defence forces which could not be relied upon to expand the army in foreign campaigns. The utility of such forces

1015-881: A degree of efficiency and attached to regular brigades. There was little logic in the choice of units deployed. Some that had been positively assessed remained at home while less well prepared units were deployed, often without enough equipment and only after being hastily brought up to strength. The first territorial unit to arrive was the 1/14th Battalion ( London Scottish ), London Regiment , in September 1914. By December, twenty-two infantry battalions, seven yeomanry regiments, and one medical and three engineer units had been sent. Territorial battalions were initially allocated to line-of-communication duties for up to three weeks before being assigned to regular army brigades. From February 1915, with 48 infantry battalions in-country, they were sent directly to their host divisions. On arrival at

1218-451: A fine. Recruits were required to attend a minimum of 40 drill periods in their first year and 20 per year thereafter. All members were required to attend between eight and fifteen days of annual camp. The force was liable to serve anywhere in the UK. Members were not required to serve overseas but could volunteer to do so. Haldane, who still regarded the force's primary function to be the expansion of

1421-652: A less formal system of self-discipline than the rigid, hierarchical discipline of the regular army, feeding a professional prejudice against the amateur auxiliary. The regular army had no more faith in the territorials' abilities than it had in those of the force's predecessors. Territorial standards of training and musketry were suspect, and the reputation of the territorial artillery was so poor that there were calls for it to be disbanded. Regular officers, fearing for their career prospects, often resisted postings as territorial adjutants . The Army Council predicted that, even after six months of intensive training on mobilisation,

1624-405: A local territorial identity in their efforts to recruit new members, and used imagery of local scenes under attack to encourage enlistment. In general, the force attracted recruits from the working class, though they were mainly artisans rather than the unskilled labourers who filled the ranks of the regular army. In some units, middle and working classes served together. Units which recruited from

1827-468: A lodgement in the ruins. The survivors of the garrison surrendered at 07.50 after being shelled by trench mortars. 141st Brigade took over holding the new line two days later, until the division was relieved n 13 June. 141st Brigade returned to hold the same line from 3/4 to 25 July. 47th (2nd L) Division was not directly involved in the Third Ypres Offensive that followed, being in reserve during

2030-542: A month before it arrived in France, largely by the attachment of a brigade from the 55th (West Lancashire) Division . It was the first experience in assault for the two battalions that spearheaded the division's attack. They succeeded in reaching the German second line of defences, but when the regular forces on their right did not the territorials were forced to retire with heavy losses. A professionally planned and executed assault by

2233-505: A naval defence against invasion as complacent and a strong home army as essential. A bill sponsored by the NSL in 1909 proposed using the Territorial Force as the framework for a conscripted home army. When that failed, the league became increasingly antagonistic towards the auxiliary. The force was denigrated for its excessive youth, inefficiency and consistently low numbers, and ridiculed in

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2436-434: A peak of 268,000 men in 1909 when invasion scares prompted a surge in recruitment, but by 1913 numbers had declined to less than 246,000, and the officer corps was nearly 20 per cent under-subscribed. In 1910, a third of the force had not completed the minimum level of musketry training. Only 155,000 territorials completed the full 15-day annual camp in 1912, and around 6,000 did not attend at all. In 1909, some 37 per cent of

2639-591: A period of rest, 47th (2nd L) Division was preparing for a move to the Italian Front when it was instead ordered to take part in the final operations on the Western Front. On 1 October elements of the division hurried forward to keep in touch with the retreating Germans until on 4 October it reached a firm German defence line on the Armentières – Wavrin railway embankment covering the approaches to Lille . The advance

2842-417: A platoon, and was unable to provide much flank protection for the neighbouring division which suffered heavy casualties. Two days later 141st Bde captured further German strongpoints, with 1/17th Bn supplying the ' bombers ' who led the attack into the German trenches. After holding its positions, 141st Bde was relieved by 142nd Bde on the night of 28/29 September, but the following night 1/17th Bn went back into

3045-843: A position probably at Colenso and left all the northern part of Natal undefended. We ought also probably to have abandoned Mafeking. One serious deficiency was the low velocity artillery which shot less far than the Boers' excellent guns. Milner wrote:. I dare not speculate on the further progress of the war. The Boers seem to have fought with the greatest courage and determination, and I do not gather that they have lost their power as marksmen On Monday 11 December, General Gatacre 's night attack into strong Boer defences at Stormberg had ended in failure. The enemy had modern rifles, accurate artillery, bandoliers for all, and proven horse commandos. Ganache lost two guns, and 700 men, of whom 500 were prisoners. The senior officers had left them behind. But as usual

3248-611: A proposed new drill hall because the War Office took so long to approve plans, and Essex had to wait five years before it received approval for the construction of new rifle ranges . Good facilities were regarded by the associations as important for efficiency, unit esprit de corps and recruitment, and the authorities' parsimony and apparent obstruction were seen as undermining these. The force failed to retain large numbers of men after their initial enlistment expired, and it consistently fell short of its established strength. It reached

3451-525: A quiet sector of the line, which gave the battalions time to absorb the hundreds of 18-year-old recruits they were sent to fill up their ranks. Many of the men were also incapacitated for some by the Spanish flu epidemic. The Allied Hundred Days Offensive was launched on 8 August at the Battle of Amiens , and 47th (2nd L) Division joined this on 22 August. 140th Brigade was in reserve, ready to exploit any advance, but

3654-730: A rank lower than their regular counterparts. Although the Territorial Force provided many officers for the regular army, very few were appointed to higher commands, despite pre-war promises by Haldane that they would be. In 1918, government efforts to defend the military record on senior territorial promotions failed to acknowledge that most were temporary and in home units. Ian Macpherson , Under-Secretary of State for War, conceded that just ten territorial officers commanded brigades and only three had been promoted to highest grade of General Staff Officer. The territorials received scant recognition for their early enthusiasm. The Army Council refused to grant any special decorations for those who had accepted

3857-402: A recognisable entity distinct from the regular and New Army forces. It suffered some 84,000 casualties during the offensive, and the indiscriminate replacement of these with recruits who had been conscripted into the army rather than volunteering specifically for the Territorial Force marked the beginning of the end for the territorial identity. Fourteen second-line divisions were formed during

4060-720: A regular battalion serving in South Africa. The 15th Middlesex RVC contributed volunteers to those raised by the Rifle Brigade's VBs, who earned the battalion its first Battle honour : South Africa 1900–01 . RVCs were also raised in the Tower Hamlets, the villages of London's East End that constituted the Tower division of the County of Middlesex owing military obligations to the Constable of

4263-471: A reinforcement for the Expeditionary Force. Because the military authorities regarded the Territorial Force as weak and saw no value in an auxiliary that was not liable for foreign service, they prioritised expenditure on the regular army, leaving the force armed with obsolete weapons. On the outbreak of the First World War , Lord Kitchener by-passed the Territorial Force and, with the approval of

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4466-461: A sense of family or club. A similar sentiment was exploited in raising the New Army pals battalions , but in the Territorial Force this was reinforced by a pedigree that New Army units did not possess; most territorial units could trace a lineage back to the early or mid 19th century through units of yeomanry or volunteers which had for generations been a part of local communities and social life. In

4669-588: A short rest at Huj , then followed the advance of the EEF towards Jerusalem, going into the line at Nebi Samwil on 25 November. This position had been captured after heavy fighting by British and Indian troops. 2/17th Londons were posted in Nebi Samwil itself. On 27 November the Turks opened a heavy bombardment on the mosque that crowned the hill, which was held by 2/19th Londons. This was followed by wave after wave of attacks, but

4872-431: A smoke screen with little success. However, Fifth Army was collapsing and 47th (2nd L) Division, with its flank open, was obliged to fall back on successive lines of half-dug trenches. The retirement, with rearguards contesting the German advance throughout, went on for six days and casualties were heavy. The Germans attempted to renew the offensive on 5 April. By now 47th (2nd L) Division had reorganised. Although 140th Bde

5075-782: A structure for collective training. Under this scheme the 15th Middlesex and 2nd Tower Hamlets both joined the East London Brigade , which was administered by the Regimental HQ of the Grenadier Guards . The assembly point for the brigade was at Caterham Barracks , the Guards' depot conveniently situated for the London Defence Positions along the North Downs . Edmund Kennard became the battalion's Honorary Colonel in 1885 and

5278-549: A united people in this country, and in every part of the Empire, and with these forces on our side moral and material success is certain.... Mr Chamberlain is largely responsible for this war. The British government drastically changed their mindset after the Black Week disaster to the realization that the Boer war would not be an easy victory or won by Christmas. They undertook many changes in

5481-462: A yeomanry mounted division, deployed without its horses as infantry, had reinforced British Empire forces engaged in the Gallipoli Campaign . Their landings were chaotic; the 125th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade , for example, landed nearly a week before the other two brigades of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. The infantry were rushed into battle without any opportunity to acclimatise, and

5684-584: The 15th (Civil Service Rifles) and 21st (First Surrey Rifles) Bns . When the German Spring Offensive opened on 21 March, 47th (2nd L) Division had just relieved another formation in the line and was holding the right flank of Third Army. The main blow fell on Fifth Army to the south, but the Londoners were heavily bombarded, particularly with mustard gas, and later in the day the Germans attacked behind

5887-540: The 47th (1/2nd London) Division was one of the few successes in the Battle of Loos on 25 September, but the 46th (North Midland) Division suffered 3,643 casualties in a failed assault against the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13 October. To Lieutenant-General Sir Douglas Haig , commander of the First Army , the 46th Division's failure demonstrated that "some territorial units still need training and discipline". By

6090-568: The 48th (South Midland) and the 49th (West Riding), were among the initial 25 divisions of the Fourth Army , which bore the brunt of the fighting during the four and a half months of the Somme offensive. The 49th Division was committed piecemeal on the first day to the fighting around the Schwaben Redoubt , and two battalions of the 48th Division were attached to the 4th Division and participated in

6293-648: The 58th (2/1st London) and 62nd (2nd West Riding) Divisions were well regarded by the war's end. The 51st (Highland) Division, whose men labelled themselves as "duds" after a slow start, and the two London first-line divisions were among the best in the BEF by 1918. A reputation for dependability resulted in the 48th (South Midland) Division being transferred to Italy to relieve the regular 7th Infantry Division in March 1918. Several territorial divisions overcame poor initial impressions to become effective, dependable formations by

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6496-689: The 8th Hussars , became Lt-Col Commandant on 3 February 1870. Under the 'Localisation of the Forces' scheme introduced by the Cardwell Reforms of 1872, RVCs were brigaded into sub-districts with their local Regular and Militia regiments – Brigade Nos 53 and 54 (Rifle Brigade) for the 26th Middlesex RVC and 1st Tower Hamlets AB, alongside the Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) , the Tower Hamlets Militia , and several other London RVCs. When

6699-473: The Battle of Doiran in Salonika , played a key role in the capture of Jerusalem on 9 December. The yeomanry provided 18 dismounted regiments which fought as infantry and, in 1917, were formed into the 74th (Yeomanry) Division . This division was transferred to France in 1918 along with the 52nd (Lowland) Division. Five brigades of yeomanry fought in the mounted role, and in 1917 three of them were formed into

6902-552: The Battle of Neuve Chapelle . 5th London Bde was brought down from Cassel in London motor buses. Parties from each unit were attached to Regular units in the line, then whole battalions were attached to brigades of 2nd Division at Givenchy for familiarisation in Trench warfare . On 25 April the division took over its own section of the line, with 5th London Bde in the Festubert sector. There

7105-418: The Battle of Pilckem Ridge (31 July–2 August) but spending two periods holding the line (18 August–2 September and 8–17 September), described as 'among the most unpleasant in its experience'. It then took over the line in the quiet Gavrelle – Oppy sector, which was defended by a series of defended localities rather than continuous trench lines. In November the division carried out a long roundabout march to

7308-555: The British Expeditionary Force (BEF). As the territorials completed their training and the threat of invasion receded, complete divisions were deployed to combat theatres. The first to depart was the 46th (North Midland) Division , which arrived on the Western Front in March 1915. By July, all 14 first-line divisions had been deployed overseas. The Northumberland Brigade of the Northumbrian Division became

7511-741: The British War Office assumed the leading role while the Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain stepped back in the cabinet and the Boer War raged on. The reverses and humiliations for the Army hit the London government hard. Chamberlain was eclipsed in Cabinet during December 1899. Ironically Chamberlain had initially been offered the War Office by Lord Salisbury when the government was formed in 1895; had he accepted he would have been at

7714-468: The Cambrai sector where the BEF's Third Army had recently carried out as successful attack with tanks (the Battle of Cambrai ). On 28/29 November 47th (2nd L) Division was put in to defend the recently captured Bourlon Wood but the Germans launched a counterattack on 30 November. 1/17th Londons was the support battalion to 141st Bde in the wood itself and the brigade had suffered badly from gas shelling during

7917-696: The Capture of Eaucourt l'Abbaye on 3 October, and was relieved next day, while the rest of the division carried out Attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt on 7–8 October. It then left the Somme sector for rest and reorganisation. 47th (2nd L) Division moved into the Hill 60 sector of the Ypres Salient in October 1916 and took part in regular raids and crater fighting for a number of months. By early May 1917 preparations were in hand for

8120-588: The Leicestershire associations, threatened to penalise manufacturers who dealt with any institution other than the War Office. The competitive nature of the system led to supply according to highest bidder rather than military necessity and, in consequence, inflated prices. As a result, the territorials were relieved of responsibility for the purchase and supply of equipment in favour of a centralised system in May 1915. Black Week The events were an eye opener for

8323-560: The Nablus road against Jerusalem began on 27 December. This had been expected and 2/17th Londons in Jerusalem were at 10 minutes' notice to march out. When 180th Bde came up from the city to relieve the 179th (2/4th London) Brigade , which had beaten off the initial attacks, it went straight over to the offensive. It had to descend a bare slope and then scale the precipitous hill of Shabb Sala, south of Bire . Having completed this it advanced through

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8526-637: The Northumbrian Division took up positions in the east coast defences, and the following day elements of the Welsh Division were gathered in the area of Pembroke Dock . Some formations assembled close to their bases before moving on to their war stations; the Highland Division , for example, gathered at various locations north of Edinburgh before proceeding to Bedford , north of London. Defence duties resulted in some divisions being dispersed;

8729-590: The Sinai and Palestine Campaign . The EEF comprised forces from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and India, and the British contribution was predominantly territorial. Most of the infantry was provided by the four territorial divisions that had fought at Gallipoli. When the 42nd Division was transferred to France in March 1917, it was replaced in July by the second-line 60th (2/2nd London) Division . The latter, having already fought during

8932-559: The Volunteer Force and the yeomanry . Battalions of the militia and Volunteer Force had been linked with regular army regiments since 1872, and the militia was often used as a source of recruitment into the regular army. The terms of service for all three auxiliaries made service overseas voluntary. The Second Boer War exposed weaknesses in the ability of the regular army to counter guerrilla warfare which required additional manpower to overcome. The only reinforcements available were

9135-596: The War Office and administered by local county territorial associations . The Territorial Force was designed to reinforce the regular army in expeditionary operations abroad, but because of political opposition it was assigned to home defence. Members were liable for service anywhere in the UK and could not be compelled to serve overseas. In the first two months of the First World War , territorials volunteered for foreign service in significant numbers, allowing territorial units to be deployed abroad. They saw their first action on

9338-452: The Western Front during the initial German offensive of 1914 , and the force filled the gap between the near destruction of the regular army that year and the arrival of the New Army in 1915. Territorial units were deployed to Gallipoli in 1915 and, following the failure of that campaign, provided the bulk of the British contribution to allied forces in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign . By

9541-469: The Western Front , and it pushed on with organisation and training. On 2 March 1915 it was ordered to France and on 9–10 March 5th London Brigade embarked and landed at Le Havre . It was sent to a concentration area at Nord preparatory to joining Second Army in the Ypres Salient , but orders were changed and the rest of the division was diverted to Béthune to reinforce First Army after its losses in

9744-451: The XII Corps defence line between the rivers Vardar and Spanc. The battalions and companies were spread along the line, with the 2/17th near Snevce by February 1917, constructing and repairing entrenchments, drainage works and roadmaking. The Bulgarians were quiet in this sector, apart from regular air attacks on the brigade and battalion HQs. During March 60th (2/2nd L) Division moved into

9947-524: The Yeomanry Mounted Division . The yeomanry mounted some of the last cavalry charges ever made by British forces; the Charge at Huj on 8 November 1917 by the 1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry and 1/1st Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars , followed five days later with a charge by the 1/1st Royal Bucks Hussars in the Battle of Mughar Ridge . By the end of a campaign in which the EEF had advanced across

10150-725: The 1/17th Londons completed its demobilisation on 30 June 1919. The following officers commanded 1/17th Londons during the war: The 2nd Line battalion was formed on 31 August 1914. At first the recruits lived at home and trained at Tredegar Road in civilian dress, later in a mixture of available clothing. In January 1915 it joined 2/5th London Brigade in 2/2nd London Division at Reigate in Surrey (these formations were numbered 180th Bde and 60th Division respectively in August) and some old .256-in Japanese Ariska rifles arrived for training, which

10353-463: The 15th Middlesex in the East London Brigade from 1889, and it moved to its final HQ at 66 Tredegar Road, Bow , in 1894. Like the 15th Middlesex, the 2nd Tower Hamlets RVC sent volunteers to the Boer War, earning the battalion the battle honour South Africa 1900–02 . A cadet battalion of four companies was formed for East End boys in the Tower Hamlets on 28 May 1904, with HQ at Mile End. It

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10556-448: The 1880 consolidation of RVCs, the 1st AB became the 3rd Tower Hamlets RVC on 25 May, but changed to 2nd Tower Hamlets RVC on 3 September. It had the following organisation: Like the 15th Middlesex, the battalion had been attached to the Rifle Brigade since 1872, and it too became a volunteer battalion of that regiment on 1 July 1881. Although it ranked as the 10th VB (9th from 1892) it retained its 2nd Tower Hamlets title. The East End

10759-576: The 2nd VB, again without change of title, in 1892). While the sub-districts were often referred to as 'brigades', they were purely administrative organisations and the Volunteers were excluded from the 'mobilisation' part of the Cardwell system. The Stanhope Memorandum of December 1888 proposed a more comprehensive Mobilisation Scheme for Volunteer units, which would assemble in their own brigades at key points in case of war. In peacetime these brigades provided

10962-495: The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Second-line units immediately assumed that the third line would take over their home-based duties, in the belief that second-line divisions would be deployed overseas. Many second-line battalions refused to take recruits who had not accepted the Imperial Service Obligation, a practice that was not officially sanctioned until March 1915 when the option to enlist only for home service

11165-595: The 53rd (Welsh) Division and the 60th (2/2nd London) Division in Palestine were transferred to France and replaced with Indian battalions in 1916. The 75th Division was formed in Egypt in March 1917 with territorial units transferred from India, though it too was subsequently 'indianised'. Several territorial battalions from the 42nd (East Lancashire), 46th (North Midland) and 59th (2nd North Midland) Divisions were reduced to training cadres, demobilised or disbanded shortly before

11368-406: The 54th (East Anglian) Division did not receive any formal instruction about the nature of the campaign for the first four weeks of its participation in it. Some battalions of the 53rd (Welsh) Division were second-line units and had still been supplying replacement drafts to first-line units, and the division was given only two weeks notice that it was to go to Gallipoli. The 42nd Division impressed

11571-401: The 9th Tower Hamlets RVC at London Dock House ( see below ) in 1864, becoming the 26th (The Customs and the Docks) Middlesex RVC, and absorbed the 42nd Middlesex RVC in 1866, doing away with the need for the admin battalion. The 2nd Middlesex Artillery Volunteers , which was recruited in the docks from 1862, was initially attached to the 26th RVC. Edmund Hegan Kennard , MP, a former captain in

11774-411: The BEF before the New Army was ready forced Kitchener to deploy territorial units overseas, compromising the force's ability to defend the homeland. To replace foreign-service units, the Territorial Force was doubled in size by creating a second line which mirrored the organisation of the original, first-line units. Second-line units assumed responsibility for home defence and provided replacement drafts to

11977-418: The Battle of Loos. It went into corps reserve on 15 November, but returned a month later, suffering a steady trickle of casualties to small arms, shellfire and mining . The division took over the Souchez sector on Vimy Ridge on 16 March 1916. This sector had been quiet, but both sides commenced mining. On 26 April a German mine broke 141st Bde's front line, but rifle fire from 1/17th Londons helped to prevent

12180-464: The Boers did not bother to pursue. On the Modder River, Methuen's division of 15,000 frontline troops ran into heavily dug-in Boers on the Magersfontein Heights . The British artillery barrage warned the Boer of the impending assault, led by the Highland Brigade in the monsoon rains in the darkness. At dawn the British were caught by a murderous cross-fire. Major-General Wauchope became a high-ranking casualty. The British casualties were 1000 men to

12383-442: The Boers' 250. The defeat delayed the relief of Kimberley . In Natal, Buller was already pessimistic about the coming battle, although in England they only knew his great reputation. On Friday, December 15, he tried to cross the river. A sortie from Ladysmith might have taken the Boer pickets on Hlangwane Hill , but its significance was overlooked. The British lost 1100 men killed, ten artillery guns lost. A humiliating retreat

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12586-421: The East End frequently. By 1866 the HQ of the 1st AB, 3rd and 10th RVCs had moved to 11 Great Garden Street, Whitechapel . In 1870 the 1st AB and 3rd RVC moved to 1 Granby Street, Bethnal Green , while the 7th RVC was at 2 Purim Place, Cambridge Road, Mile End, and the 10th RVC at 5 Paradise Row, Cambridge Road, Bethnal Green. The 1st AB later moved to Commercial Street and then to Quaker Street, Stepney . In

12789-457: The Expeditionary Force, hoped that up to a quarter of all territorials would volunteer on mobilisation . The Imperial Service Obligation was introduced in 1910 to allow territorials to volunteer in advance. It was illegal to amalgamate or disband territorial units or transfer members between them. The reforms were not received well by the auxiliaries. The exclusion of the militia rendered Haldane's target of just over 314,000 officers and men for

12992-445: The German attack and the defenders seized the crater and consolidated the far lip. Over following weeks 141st Bde had to provide large working parties for the Royal Engineers ' counter-mining. The Germans launched an attack on 21 May, isolating the division's forward trenches and crater positions with a Box barrage and capturing most of them in the confusion; the division suffered additional casualties in counter-attacks trying to regain

13195-403: The German defenders, who began to surrender. High Wood was reported clear of the enemy by 13.00, and operations on either flank had gone well, but 141st Bde was so disorganised from heavy casualties, particularly among officers, that in the afternoon it was temporarily formed into a composite battalion under Lt-Col Norman of the 1/17th. The night was spent in consolidating the captured ground, which

13398-730: The Imperial Service Obligation before the war. The Territorial War Medal , awarded to those who had volunteered for service overseas in the first months of the war, was denied to volunteers who had been held back even though they rendered invaluable service training the rest of the army. Those who served in India received no campaign medal. The three territorial divisions sent to India in 1914 felt penalised by their early readiness. The men were placed on lower, peacetime rates of pay; gunners had to purchase equipment that should have been issued; officers attending courses were not fully reimbursed for their hotel expenses; and non-commissioned officers promoted after arrival had to protest before they received

13601-432: The London County Territorial Association, wrote in the National Review that the country would have to choose between an under-strength voluntary auxiliary and compulsory service. In his opinion, the Territorial Force was the last chance for the volunteer tradition, and its failure would pave the way for conscription. Advocacy for compulsory service was led by the National Service League (NSL), which regarded reliance on

13804-491: The London Regiment. Battlefield amalgamations were a military necessity which threatened the legal protections on territorial unit integrity. Although the territorials were proving their worth in defensive operations, the commanders of the regular formations to which they were attached still did not trust their abilities. The regulars regarded the primary function of the territorials to be the release of regular battalions for offensive operations. The territorials were employed in

14007-400: The Military Service Acts of 1916. These permitted the amalgamation and disbandment of units and the transfer of territorials between them, introduced conscription, and required territorials either to accept the Imperial Service Obligation or leave the force and become liable for conscription. The last recruits to voluntarily enlist in a specific unit of the Territorial Force before the choice

14210-399: The Napoleonic era, and had no tactical doctrine in place to fight against a foe also armed with the same modern weapons, and suffered accordingly. With new, modernized troops came new tactics; only a few months after Black Week, one of the main British cavalry divisions led a flanking march that ended with a victory. Besides equipping the cavalry with rapid-firing rifles instead of lances ,

14413-457: The Principal of Police at the West India Docks , the Inspector-General of Customs, and the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs. The unit joined the 5th Administrative Battalion of Middlesex RVCs when that was formed in August 1860. The 5th AB also included the 42nd ( St Katharine Docks ) Middlesex RVC formed on 19 June 1860. The 5th AB and 26th RVC shared a headquarters (HQ) at the Custom House, City of London . The 26th RVC amalgamated with

14616-512: The RVCs were consolidated into larger battalions in 1880, the 26th Middlesex RVC (by then with 13 companies) was renumbered 15th (The Customs and Docks) Middlesex RVC on 3 September. The Childers Reforms of 1881 took Cardwell's reforms further, and the Volunteers were formally affiliated to their Regular regiment, the 15th Middlesex RVC becoming the 3rd Volunteer Battalion of the Rifle Brigade on 1 July 1881, but keeping its 15th Middlesex title (it became

14819-796: The Sinai, through Palestine, and into Syria, territorial casualties numbered over 32,000 – 3,000 more than those suffered by British regular, Australian, New Zealand and Indian forces combined. The much maligned 46th (North Midland) Division redeemed itself in 1918 in a hazardous attack during the Battle of St Quentin Canal . The operation was successfully spearheaded by the 137th (Staffordshire) Brigade , which included two battalions that were almost disbanded because of their alleged poor performance at Gommecourt two years earlier. The seven untested second-line divisions saw their first actions in 1917. They generally suffered, undeservedly, from poor reputations, although

15022-466: The Territorial Force unattainable. The new terms of service imposed an increased commitment on members compared to that demanded by the previous auxiliary institutions. By 1 June 1908, the force had attracted less than 145,000 recruits. Despite considerable efforts to promote the new organisation to the former auxiliary institutions, less than 40 per cent of all existing auxiliaries transferred into it. The county territorial associations emphasised pride in

15225-461: The Territorial Force. After three attempts to persuade them, Haldane abolished the militia and created the Special Reserve . Crucially, Haldane's efforts were based on the premise that home defence rested with the navy and that the imperative for army reform was to provide an expeditionary capability. His reorganisation of the regular army created a six-division Expeditionary Force, and his plan

15428-617: The Tower of London rather than to the Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex . The 1st Administrative Battalion, Tower Hamlets RVCs was formed in May 1861 to administer the following units: Charles Buxton was promoted to major and then to Lt-Col of the 1st AB on 1 June 1861, when Sir Fowell took the title of Captain-Commandant of the 3rd RVC. followed by Sir Fowell promoted to major on 24 July 1863 and as second Lt-Col on 23 January 1864. Sir Fowell's younger brother, Edward North Buxton , another partner in

15631-452: The War Office dealing with the difficulties in the Cape. Arthur Balfour was acting Prime Minister, and Lord Lansdowne , Secretary for War. Lord Salisbury , grieving at Hatfield for his dead wife, was incapacitated. After Lord Roberts' victories in the first half of 1900 Chamberlain came to be hailed as a great statesman, in part filling the gap left by the gradual retirement of Lord Salisbury,

15834-416: The War Office promise that the second line would no longer be trawled for replacements to be sent to the first line. By this time, second-line battalion establishments had been reduced to 400 men, less than half the number normally serving in an infantry battalion at full strength. It took on average 27 months to prepare a second-line formation for active service, compared to eight months for the first line, and

16037-504: The War Office which, when finally forthcoming, often rejected the associations' plans outright or refused to allocate the full financing requested. In 1909, the Gloucestershire association complained that "most of our association are businessmen and are unable to understand why it takes ten weeks and upwards to reply" after waiting for a response to its proposed purchase of a site for a field ambulance unit. Somerset lost three sites for

16240-452: The Western Front, individual battalions were attached to regular army formations and sent into action, and the territorials were credited with playing a key role in stopping the German offensive. The first complete territorial division to be deployed to a combat zone arrived in France in March 1915. Territorial divisions began participating in offensive operations on the Western Front from June 1915 and at Gallipoli later that year. Because of

16443-546: The amalgamation of 44 territorial battalions and the disbandment of a further 21. In July, the 50th (Northumbrian) Division was left with a single territorial battalion when it was reorganised following heavy losses during the Spring Offensive. Its other territorial battalions, having fought in most battles since the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, were reduced to a cadre or disbanded. All but one battalion in each brigade of

16646-455: The associations assisted in recruiting the New Army alongside their own work raising and equipping territorial units. The Cambridgeshire , Denbighshire and East Riding associations, for example, together raised 11 New Army units in December 1914. The associations performed remarkably well in equipping their units, despite the fact that the War Office prioritised New Army units and, in the case of

16849-586: The attacking brigades were held up short of the 'Green Line' objective. Leading a follow-up night attack on 23/24 August, 1/17th Londons had little difficulty in securing the Green Line, and in fact went beyond it in the confusion of trenches. Although tired, 140th Bde now passed to the temporary command of 58th (2/1st London) Division in a further 2,000 yards (1,800 m) dawn advance on 25 August in which it captured many prisoners. On 30 August 47th (2nd L) Division passed through 12th (Eastern) Division to continue

17052-486: The auxiliaries – nearly 46,000 militiamen served in South Africa and another 74,000 were enlisted into the regular army; some 20,000 men of the Volunteer Force volunteered for active service in South Africa; and the yeomanry provided the nucleus of the separate Imperial Yeomanry for which over 34,000 volunteered. The war placed a significant strain on the regular forces. Against a background of invasion scares in

17255-502: The auxiliary forces and transform the yeomanry from cavalry to mounted infantry . Brodrick's efforts were met with opposition from auxiliary interests in the government, and the yeomanry in particular proved resistant to change. A royal commission on auxiliary forces concluded in 1904 that the volunteer organisations were not fit to defend the country unaided and that the only effective solution would be to introduce conscription . This option, regarded as political suicide by all parties,

17458-505: The battalions serving with the 47th (2nd L) Division. In August the men who had volunteered for home service only, or were unfit for overseas service, were sent to 107th Provisional Battalion ( see below ) and replaced by drafts from the 3rd Line battalions, which later took over the role of finding drafts for the 1st Line. In mid-November the Japanese rifles were handed in and the men received .303-inch Lee-Enfield service rifles. In January 1916

17661-543: The beginning of the war, had been its unique possession". For the 1/6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment , losses during the Battle of the Somme had damaged its "territorial influence". Criticisms of the drafting system were voiced in the House of Commons , and territorial representatives expressed concern that the force's unique character was being lost. Military authorities stated their desire to replenish units with replacements from

17864-456: The brewery, was commissioned as an ensign in the 7th Tower Hamlets RVC on 19 August 1862. Charles Buxton left the 1st AB in the later 1860s, and was appointed Hon Colonel of the 1st (Poplar) Tower Hamlets Artillery Volunteer Corps in August 1870. Unlike the 15th Middlesex, which retained its HQ at Custom House throughout its existence, the 1st Tower Hamlets AB and its constituent RVCs moved around

18067-408: The calling up of the army reserves, raising a force of mounted infantry for better mobility, and most importantly by sending volunteers from home overseas which added more than one hundred thousand additional troops by the end of the war. "The week which extended from December 10th to December 17th, 1899, was the blackest one known during our generation, and the most disastrous for British arms during

18270-530: The century. We had in the short space of seven days lost, beyond all extenuation or excuse, three separate actions. No single defeat was of vital importance in itself, but the cumulative effect, occurring as they did to each of the main British forces in South Africa, was very great. The total loss amounted to about three thousand men and twelve guns, while the indirect effects in the way of loss of prestige to ourselves and increased confidence and more numerous recruits to our enemy were incalculable." During Black Week,

18473-595: The command of Lt-Col J. Godding, CO since 19 March 1913. This process was completed by mid-August, and the London battalions marched to their war stations around St Albans in Hertfordshire , with 5th London Bde grouped round Hatfield . Here the division formed part of Third Army in Central Force for home defence, and carried out its war training. The TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside

18676-486: The construction and maintenance of trenches, and generally performed only supporting actions in the attacks at Neuve Chapelle and Aubers Ridge in early 1915. An exception was the 1/13th Battalion ( Kensington ), London Regiment. During the Battle of Aubers Ridge, the Kensingtons became the first territorial battalion to be deployed in the first wave of a major assault, and was the only battalion to achieve its objective on

18879-482: The country. However, on 10 August 1914 TF units were invited to volunteer for overseas service and the majority did so. On 15 August, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be

19082-427: The county territorial associations and the War Office was often acrimonious. The associations frequently complained about excessive bureaucracy and inadequate finance. The military authorities begrudged the money that could have been spent on the regular army being wasted on what they perceived as an inefficient, amateur auxiliary. Efforts to provide adequate facilities, for example, were undermined by slow responses from

19285-411: The county territorial associations was significantly reduced in the face of opposition to civilian encroachment in military affairs. Instead, the associations were chaired by Lord Lieutenants and run by traditional county military elites. Militia representatives refused to accept Haldane's plans to allocate a proportion of the militia as a reserve for the regular army and incorporate the remainder into

19488-413: The county territorial associations would be unable to cope with the task of recruiting and training large numbers. He also believed that because so few territorials had thus far volunteered for foreign service, the Territorial Force was better suited for home defence than as a means of expanding the army overseas. At the end of July, territorial Special Service Sections began patrolling the east coast. On

19691-441: The courage of the territorials, he criticised the performance of the 53rd and 54th Divisions. His comments failed to recognise the difficulties the two divisions had faced with the loss of many of their trained men transferred to other units before their arrival at Gallipoli. Lieutenant-Colonel E. C. Da Costa, GSO1 of the 54th Division, refuted accusations by Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Stopford , commander of IX Corps , that

19894-408: The creation of the Volunteer Force and huge enthusiasm for joining local Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs). The 26th (Customs & Excise) Middlesex RVC of four companies raised on 9 February 1860 was recruited from customs officers in the London docks. Under the command of Major ( Lieutenant-Colonel from 1861) Ralph William Grey , former MP and Commissioner of Customs, its early officers included

20097-476: The day before the declaration of war, the 1st London Brigade was dispersed by platoons to protect the rail network between London and Southampton. The remainder of the Territorial Force was mobilised on the evening of 4 August 1914, and war stations were quickly occupied by those units with bases located nearby. By 6 August, for example, units of the Wessex Division were concentrated at Plymouth while those of

20300-588: The day. But the Territorial Force had filled the gaps created in the regular army by the German offensive of 1914, and French wrote that it would have been impossible to halt the German advance without it. The 51st (Highland) Division participated in an attack on 15 June 1915 in the Second Action of Givenchy, part of the Second Battle of Artois . The division had lost several of its original battalions to piecemeal deployment and had been brought up to strength only

20503-681: The defensive battles of the initial German offensive during the Race to the Sea . Among the first to see action was the London Scottish, which suffered 640 casualties on 31 October 1914 during the Battle of Messines . It was in action again during the First Battle of Ypres in November, and was praised as a "glorious lead and example" to the rest of the Territorial Force by Field Marshal Sir John French , commander of

20706-463: The desperate fighting, earning further praise from French for their tenacity and determination. Several other territorial battalions attached to regular army formations fought with distinction in the defence of Ypres, at the cost of heavy casualties. The three battalions of the Monmouthshire Regiment were temporarily amalgamated into a single composite battalion, as were three battalions of

20909-496: The division became part of the Emergency Reserve and moved to Sutton Veny to complete its battle training on Salisbury Plain . On 24 April 60th (2/2nd L) Division was ordered to prepare for a move to France, and 180th Bde landed at Le Havre on 23–24 June. After concentrating, the division moved to Vimy Ridge, where first small parties, then companies and finally whole battalions went into the line for familiarisation alongside

21112-502: The division completed its concentration at Moascar on 4 July. It was then sent up to the front line in Palestine to join the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) preparing for the forthcoming Third Battle of Gaza . When the brigades were not in the line during the summer months they carried out thorough training. On 31 October the battalion was with 180th Bde in divisional reserve for the opening Battle of Beersheba , but

21315-480: The division held until it was relieved on 19 September. The next phase of the offensive was the Battle of the Transloy Ridges . 141st Brigade went back into the line before dawn on 29 September, and attacked towards Eaucourt L'Abbaye on 1 October, with 1/17th Londons on the left. The battalion ran into uncut barbed wire ; a few men got through into the German line but were bombed out again. The brigade completed

21518-467: The division lacked attacking spirit and was badly led. Da Costa claimed that its poor performance was entirely due to the way it had been "chucked ashore" and thrown into a poorly-coordinated and ill-defined attack. Following a successful British defence of the Suez Canal , the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) was formed in March 1916 and went over to the offensive against German and Ottoman forces in

21721-481: The division withdrew to the old Hindenburg Line defences that had been captured on the first day of the battle. 47th (2nd L) Division spent the winter in rest and reorganisation, 141st Bde billeted round Bouzincourt . By early 1918 the BEF was suffering a manpower crisis, and infantry brigades were reduced from four to three battalions each. As part of this reorganisation in 47th (2nd L) Division, 1/17th Londons moved from 141st to 140th (4th London) Brigade alongside

21924-473: The division's last casualties on 8 November. Hearing that Tournai on the other side of the river was unoccupied, the Divisional Engineers threw footbridges across on 9 November; 1/17th made its way across them and after wading though marshes set up a bridgehead. The Armistice with Germany on 11 November found the battalion helping to administer the liberated city. Over the following days the division

22127-567: The end of May. Battalion strengths fluctuated throughout training as men were drafted to first-line units. The division was still only at two-thirds strength when it attacked at the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916 alongside the Australian 5th Division . The heavy casualties suffered by the Australians were blamed on the failure of the territorials' assaulting battalions to take a key position. By August 1915, four territorial infantry divisions and

22330-586: The end of the month) had accepted the Imperial Service Obligation. Despite the low uptake before the war, 72 per cent of the rank and file volunteered for foreign service by the end of September. The first full territorial divisions to be deployed overseas were used to free up imperial garrisons. The East Lancashire Division was sent to Egypt in September, and three territorial divisions had been deployed to India by January 1915. Territorial battalions released regular troops stationed at Aden, Cyprus , Gibraltar and Malta . Five regular army divisions were created from

22533-529: The end of the war. The 61st (2nd South Midland) Division, for example, blamed for the failure at Fromelles, was commended by Lieutenant-General Hubert Gough , commander of the Fifth Army , as the best performing of his 11 front-line divisions in the initial onslaught of the German spring offensive in March 1918. As the war progressed, Britain began to struggle with manpower shortages, prompting changes which affected

22736-444: The experienced 51st (Highland) Division . 60th (2/2nd L) Division took over the line from 51st (H) Division on the night of 13 July. Over succeeding weeks the 2/17th alternated in the L1 sector of the line, in support and in reserve with the 2/19th Londons .The 60th Division adopted coloured flashes painted on each side of the steel helmet to aid recognition: 180th Bde used a triangle, which

22939-438: The explosion of 19 huge mines , including a pair under Hill 60 and the 'Caterpillar'. The 300 yards (270 m) wide German front trench system at Hill 60 was so smashed up by the explosions that 140th Bde was able to cross it in 15 minutes, close behind the creeping barrage , and the demoralised defenders surrendered readily. There was harder fighting at the second objective, the 'White Chateau', and it took three attacks to gain

23142-400: The first day's fighting. The 48th Division itself went into action on 16 July, and by the end of September the remaining four territorial divisions – the 47th (1/2nd London), 50th (Northumbrian), 51st (Highland) and 55th (West Lancashire) – had relieved battle-weary units and gone into action. Although the 46th Division's poor performance at Gommecourt cemented a perception that it

23345-451: The first half of the war, territorial casualties were generally replaced with drafts from a battalion's own reserve. Although there were some cases of replacements being sourced from different regions or non-territorial units, in mid-1916 the ranks of the territorial units were still largely populated by men who had volunteered specifically for service as a territorial in their local regiment. The legal protections for this were stripped away by

23548-551: The first line. The second line competed with the New Army for limited resources and was poorly equipped and armed. The provision of replacements to the first line compromised the second line's home defence capabilities until a third line was raised to take over responsibility for territorial recruitment and training. The second line's duties were further complicated by the expectation, later confirmed, that it too would be deployed overseas. Territorial units were initially deployed overseas to free up regular units from non-combat duties. On

23751-415: The first territorial formation larger than a battalion to fight under its own command when it participated in an abortive counter-attack on 26 April 1915 during the Second Battle of Ypres . It suffered 1,954 casualties and earned a personal congratulation from French. The division had deployed only three days earlier; the rest of its units were attached piecemeal to other formations and immediately thrown into

23954-502: The first- and second-line units, but when unable to do so, replacements were sent from the Training Reserve. The system was organised by region, so even if a battalion did not receive replacements from its own regiment they were generally sourced from an appropriate locality, but it did not guarantee unit integrity. After the heavy losses sustained during the Somme offensive, dilution of the territorial identity accelerated because of

24157-435: The flank of 2/17th Londons; the brigade worked round the flank then a company of the 2/17th charged frontally with the bayonet and cleared the position. The following morning, the Turks had retreated. A patrol of 2/19th Londons found Jerusalem abandoned and were offered the keys of the city. On 11 December General Allenby made a ceremonial entry into Jerusalem, where 180th Bde went into billets. The Turkish counter-attack down

24360-428: The force in preference to the new or regular armies. They had elected to join local regiments and been imbued with an esprit de corps during their training in those regiments' own second and later third lines. The strong sense of locality was reinforced by a shared civilian background – it was not uncommon for territorials to be employed in the same office, mill or factory – and many territorial memoirs betray

24563-412: The force throughout its existence. The Territorial Force was established on 1 April 1908 by the amalgamation of the Volunteer Force and the yeomanry. The Volunteer Force battalions became the infantry component of the Territorial Force and were more closely integrated into regular army regimental establishments they had previously been linked to; for example, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Volunteer Battalions of

24766-424: The force would not reach a standard at which two territorial divisions could be considered the equal of one regular division as planned. In 1908 and 1914, it was decided that two of the army's six expeditionary divisions should be retained in the UK for home defence, so ineffective was the Territorial Force perceived to be in the role to which it had been assigned. In 1910, Lord Esher , pro-conscription chairman of

24969-467: The former titan of foreign policy. Chamberlain wanted a tolerant, liberal, civilized Empire, and a generous reconstruction of South Africa. Lord Methuen was on the march to Kimberley, only 25 miles away. Unscreened from the Boer's trenches in the town, the mounted force lost 500 men. But they managed to wheel round to cross the Modder River by nightfall. There he rested from 1 to 7 December, using

25172-422: The forthcoming Battle of Messines . In the weeks leading up to the battle, 141st Bde held the divisional front and carried out preparations for the attacks, including digging new trenches and establishing ration and ammunition dumps. For the attack on 7 June, 1/17th Londons were attached to 140th Bde, and rehearsed the attack behind the lines at Steenvoorde . The attack was heralded at Zero hour (03.10) on 7 June by

25375-464: The front, the territorials would spend several days in further training behind the lines before undergoing a period of trench acclimatisation. When the battalion was considered proficient, or when the pressure to relieve a regular unit became too severe, the territorials were allocated their own sector of the front. The time between arriving at brigade and taking over the trenches varied from between six days to one month. The territorials were thrown into

25578-455: The garrison, supported by the rest of the brigade, drove them all back. Turkish bombardment of the position continued for several days. During the night of 7/8 December the 60th (2/2nd L) Division concentrated for the attack on Jerusalem . After a difficult approach march 180th Bde was in position on the Kustal ridge ready to make its assault at 05.15. Advancing in the centre of the brigade through

25781-433: The government and troops, who had thought that the war could be won very easily. British units were armed with then-modern magazine-fed small arms, the .303 caliber Lee–Enfield and Lee–Metford , and breech-loading field artillery. Boers were armed with the 7mm 1893 Mauser rifle, and fielded German-built breech-loading field artillery. The British, however, were accustomed to fighting tribal wars with tactics more suited to

25984-436: The government called "for able-bodied men willing to abandon their homes and families and risk their lives to serve their country." Even with this dangerous task, many still volunteered either for the regular army or for shorter enlistments. Buller's decisions at Ladysmith caused him to be sacked and replaced with Lord Roberts . It was the end of a career for the man the press dubbed "Sir Reverse" Buller. Another consequence

26187-399: The influx of replacements who had no territorial affiliation. Some units still maintained a regional identity; the 56th (1/1st London) Division, for example, retained its essentially London character despite the fact that the four battalions of its 168th Brigade received replacements from at least 26 different regiments during the battle. Others experienced substantial dilution by the end of

26390-475: The initial attack was so successful that the brigade never came into action. It then followed up through the night with 2/17th Londons in the lead. 180th Brigade led 60th (2/2nd L) Division on towards El Muweileh, where it concentrated on the night of 5/6 November for an attack on the Kauwukah trench system (the Battle of Hareira and Sheria ). When the assault went in, 2/17th Londons were in brigade reserve. The attack

26593-458: The line west of Lake Doiran in preparation for the forthcoming Allied offensive in this sector (the Battle of Doiran 24–5 April and 8–9 May). 180th Brigade was engaged, but 2/17th Londons were mainly in support. The brigade was withdrawn between 26 and 28 May and concentrated to take over a new sector, but on 1 June its orders were changed as the 60th (2/2nd L) Division moved down to Salonika and embarked for Egypt . Disembarking at Alexandria ,

26796-409: The line with 142nd Bde to relieve the 3rd Guards Bde on Hill 70. They were finally relieved by French troops and went into reserve. 141st Brigade was not called upon during the German counter-attacks on 8 October or the British attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13 October. 47th (2nd L) Division spent the next month holding and repairing the battered trenches at the head of the salient created by

26999-497: The lost positions. Afterwards the division was relieved in the line. The BEF was now preparing for its summer 'Big Push' (the Battle of the Somme ). 47th (2nd L) Division was posted back to the Angres sector, which was quiet, but where it carried out numerous raids to distract German attention from the Somme. The division's units were brought up to strength with drafts of reinforcements, and on 1 August it began marching south to join in

27202-403: The military authorities, raised instead the New Army of volunteers to expand the regular army. His decision was based not only on professional prejudice – he regarded the territorials as a joke, led by "middle-aged professional men who were allowed to put on uniform and play at soldiers"  – but also on an appreciation of the constraints imposed by the force's constitution. He feared that

27405-431: The military authorities. Territorial officers and specialists such as doctors, vets, drivers, cooks and dispatch riders received less pay than their counterparts in New Army and regular units. Officers were considered junior to their regular counterparts of the same rank, leading some to remove the 'T' insignia from their uniforms as a badge of inferiority, and commanders of second-line brigades and third-line battalions were

27608-465: The military including military personnel, better mobilization, and better modernization in order to match and then surpass the Boer troops. Many different opinions arose in the United Kingdom. Although there were many doubters who criticized the overall justice of the British cause, the patriots who would end up volunteering, fighting, and winning this conflict were the majority. Following Black Week,

27811-429: The mist, 2/17th Londons surprised a Turkish outpost and took its first objective by 06.30. The neighbouring 2/19th had been held up, resulting in 2/17th being counter-attacked in flank, but this was beaten off. The battalion's enfilade fire then assisted 2/19th onto its objective. Further advance was held up by machine gun fire from a hill south of Lifta . The Brigadier came forward to confer with Lt-Col Dear and arranged

28014-446: The more affluent urban centres contained a significant proportion of well-educated white-collar workers . Territorial officers were predominantly middle class, meaning that in some units there was little to separate officers from other ranks in terms of social status. Territorial officers were regarded as social inferiors by the regular army's more privileged officer corps. The territorials' relatively narrow social spectrum resulted in

28217-438: The new British military doctrine also started using artillery as a defensive unit of the army, and saw innovation in the use of machine guns . These new volunteers served as a "new face, untainted by defeat and accusations of defeatism…to breathe life back into the campaigns and restore hope at home." Other changes enacted by the British immediately following the Black Week disaster were the mobilization of two more divisions,

28420-470: The night across rough country. With Jerusalem safe, the EEF ended operations on 30 December. Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army , created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription . The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry into a unified auxiliary, commanded by

28623-473: The offensive. First it carried out intensive training, then from 1 September 141st Bde began rehearsing across a flagged course representing the ground to be attacked. Between 10 and 12 September it moved into position in High Wood . 47th (2nd L) Division's objective was to capture the remainder of the wood in conjunction with the tank attack at Flers–Courcelette . At 06.30 on 15 September 1/17th Londons attacked as

28826-510: The offensive; the 149th (Northumberland) Brigade, for example, received large numbers of replacements from East Anglia, Northamptonshire , London and the Midlands . By March 1917, a significant proportion of the men in the second-line 61st (2nd South Midland) Division came from outside the South Midlands due to the replacement of losses suffered at the Battle of Fromelles. By the end of the year,

29029-532: The opening battles in France, Kitchener came under pressure to make up the losses. With the New Army not yet ready, he was forced to fall back on the territorials. Despite the preference of General Ian Hamilton , Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces, for the Territorial Force to be deployed to the Western Front in complete brigades and divisions, it was deployed piecemeal. Because of the pressing need for troops, individual battalions were sent as soon as they reached

29232-482: The outbreak of the First World War. It was not considered to be an effective military force by the regular army and was denigrated by the proponents of conscription. Lord Kitchener chose to concentrate the Territorial Force on home defence and raise the New Army to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, a decision which disappointed the territorials. The need to replace heavy losses suffered by

29435-529: The pay increase to which they were entitled. The divisions were still stationed there at the war's end, despite promises made by Kitchener that they would be redeployed to France within a year. Indications that they would be the first to be demobilised proved false when the outbreak of the Third Anglo-Afghan War forced the government to retain some territorial units in India until 1920. The poor treatment of

29638-520: The popular press as the "Territorial Farce". The NSL's president – the former Commander-in-Chief of the Forces , Lord Roberts  – enlisted the support of serving officers in a campaign against it, and in 1913 the Army Council declared its support for conscription. Even prominent members of the force itself favoured compulsory service, and by April 1913 ten county territorial associations had expressed support for it. The relationship between

29841-530: The press, George Wyndham , Under-Secretary of State for War , conceded in Parliament in February 1900 that instead of augmenting the regular army's defence of the British coast, the auxiliary forces were the main defence. The questionable performance of the volunteers, caused by poor standards of efficiency and training, led to doubts in both government and the regular army about the auxiliary's ability to meet such

30044-417: The previous 24 hours. The attack followed a heavy bombardment with high explosive and Mustard gas on the brigade's inadequate trenches. 1/17th Londons were called upon about 11.30 to check one enemy advance, 'which it did by good shooting'. The attacks on Bourlon Wood were driven back, but the Germans broke through a neighbouring formation, threatening the whole Bourlon salient. During the night of 4/5 December

30247-405: The pursuit of the retreating enemy. On 2 September 1/17th Londons were in the leading wave advancing towards St Pierre Vaast Wood. It came under artillery and machine gun fire, but although it had no covering barrage the battalion reached and occupied a German trench overlooking Moislains . Here it found not only that the enemy held the village, but also parts of the same trench and even positions in

30450-485: The rank and file were under 20 years old; in the opinion of the Inspector-General of the Home Forces , this proportion rendered the force too immature to be effective. In 1913, approximately 40,000 territorials were under 19 years old, the minimum age at which they could volunteer for service overseas. Barely seven per cent of the force had accepted the Imperial Service Obligation, seriously compromising its viability as

30653-449: The rear. Although their fire stopped enemy movement across the open, there was a shortage of grenades and the German bombing attacks up the trench were only halted with difficulty and caused serious losses until 141st Bde's reserve battalion mopped up the German parties. 140th Brigade, now down to about 700 men (less than the full strength of a battalion) was withdrawn to rest near Maurepas , later going back by motor bus to Heilly . After

30856-598: The regular army's Gloucestershire Regiment became the regiment's 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions (Territorial Force). The infantry was organised into 14 territorial divisions , each of three brigades . The yeomanry regiments became the mounted component of the Territorial Force, organised into 14 mounted brigades. Brigades and divisions were equipped with integral supporting arms along regular army lines, comprising territorial units of artillery (totalling 182 horse and field batteries), engineers and signals, along with supply, medical and veterinary services. Each territorial unit

31059-530: The regular infantry". There were eight first-line territorial divisions on the Western Front at the start of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916. Two of them, the 46th (North Midland) Division and the 56th (1/1st London) Division , went into action on the first day in a disastrous attack on the Gommecourt Salient , a diversionary operation conducted by the Third Army . Two more territorial divisions,

31262-464: The regulars with its spirit in the Third Battle of Krithia on 4 June. The 155th (South Scottish) Brigade of the 52nd (Lowland) Division assaulted with such determination in July that it overran its objective and came under fire from French allies. The 156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade suffered over 50 per cent casualties in the Battle of Gully Ravine on 28 June, and a battalion of the 54th Division

31465-412: The reshuffle indicated that the Territorial Force had exceeded the expectations of the military authorities, and the territorials' time with the regulars generally resulted in a strong camaraderie and mutual respect between the two. French reported in February 1915 the praise of his commanders for their territorials, who were "fast approaching, if they had not already reached, the standards of efficiency of

31668-421: The rest of the British land forces, bore little resemblance beyond a geographic origin to those that had sailed in 1914 and 1915. By 1918, there was little to differentiate between regular, territorial and New Army divisions. Failure to guarantee the integrity of its units was the most contentious of several grievances felt by the territorials against what they perceived as a hostile and patronising attitude from

31871-441: The right hand battalion of 141st Bde. The four tanks allotted to the division could make no headway through the broken tree stumps, and 1/17th had a desperate fight for every inch of their advance. When the second wave advanced later in the morning five battalions were engaged in the wood. At 11.00 a second artillery bombardment of the wood was arranged and this in conjunction with the divisional trench mortars succeeded in demoralising

32074-530: The river for refreshment. They fully expected Redvers Buller to simultaneously march on Ladysmith in north Natal . These blows they hoped would end the war by Christmas . By Lord Milner 's assessment conveyed to London, 70,000 troops would be needed to complete the business. Milner's concern over losses mitigating success on the field had caused a rethink of the situation in the Transvaal . ...If we had known all we do now, I suppose that we should have taken up

32277-414: The same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. Later the 2nd Line was prepared for overseas service and 3rd Line units were formed to train reinforcements. In October 1914 the 2nd London Division was selected to be sent to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on

32480-517: The same regiment or regimental district, but stressed that the Military Service Acts had removed any obligation to do so and that military expediency sometimes necessitated not doing so. As the availability of men of military age dwindled, it became increasingly difficult to source replacements from some sparsely populated regions. The largely rurally recruited 48th (South Midland) and 54th (East Anglian) Divisions became increasingly diluted as

32683-422: The same trend could be seen in the first-line 48th (South Midland) Division. The indiscriminate replacement of casualties prompted rueful comments about the damage being done to the nature of the Territorial Force. The historian C. R. M. F. Cruttwell , serving with the 1/4th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment , lamented that, by the end of 1916, the battalion had "lost its exclusive Berkshire character which, at

32886-416: The second line often lacked sufficient weapons and ammunition. The desire among the second-line commanders to maintain a level of training and efficiency in readiness for their own deployment led to friction with their first-line counterparts, who accused the second line of holding back the best men and sending sub-standard replacements to the first line. When the regular army suffered high attrition during

33089-494: The second-line units the responsibility for providing replacement drafts to territorial combat units. Territorial battalions were numbered according to line so that, for example, the three lines of the 6th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, became the 1/6th, 2/6th and 3/6th Battalions. In May 1915, territorial divisions were numbered in order of their deployment overseas; the East Lancashire Division, for example, became

33292-452: The summer of 1915, six complete territorial divisions had been deployed to France. Many of the 52 territorial units still attached to regular army formations were returned to their own parent commands. This allowed the professionals to remove from their formations an element made awkward by its specific terms of service. The regulars found the territorials to be slow to move and recuperate, and better in static defence than attack. Nevertheless,

33495-409: The territorials in India resulted in low support across south-west England and the home counties , the regions from which the three divisions were recruited, when the Territorial Force was reconstituted after the war. The county territorial associations experienced a steady erosion of responsibilities as the war progressed. Although disappointed by Kitchener's decision to bypass the Territorial Force,

33698-533: The territorials. The 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) and 65th (2nd Lowland) Divisions had already been disbanded in July 1916 and March 1917 respectively. The remaining four home-based divisions lost their territorial affiliation when they were reconstituted as part of the Training Reserve over the winter of 1917/1918. In early 1918, every brigade in the BEF was reduced from four to three battalions. The reductions targeted second-line and New Army units, and resulted in

33901-739: The troops released by the territorials' deployments. The extent to which territorials accepted the obligation varied considerably between battalions; some registered 90 per cent or more acceptance, others less than 50 per cent. The difficulties were not restricted to the rank and file, and many battalions sailed for foreign service with officers who had been newly promoted or recruited to replace those who had chosen to remain at home. The territorials faced difficulties as they trained up to operational standard. Some artillery units did not get an opportunity to practise with live ammunition until January 1915. Rifle practice suffered due to lack of rifles, practice ammunition and ranges on which to use them. Because there

34104-514: The two London metropolitan boroughs ( Poplar and Stepney ) from which the battalion recruited The battalion left the East London Brigade and joined the 5th London Brigade in the TF's 2nd London Division . The infantry battalions of the 2nd London Division had just reached Perham Down on Salisbury Plain for their annual training when war broke out on 4 August 1914. They immediately returned to their London HQs. 17th Londons mobilised at Tredegar Road under

34307-556: The wadi, then rushing four machine guns posted on a mound beyond. The Turks put up a determined resistance, but the position was quickly taken and 180th Bde pushed its line forwards and drove off a counter-attack at 09.30. The pursuit through the Judaean Hills saw the 60th (2/2nd L) Division advancing by separate brigade groups in support of the Desert Mounted Corps , 180th Bde moving with the main body through Zuheilikah. It had

34510-402: The war progressed, while the more urbanised recruitment areas of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division allowed it to remain essentially a Lancashire formation throughout. By the war's end, very few battalions still retained more than a handful of men who had embarked with them at the start of the war. The territorial units that fought in 1917 and 1918, subject to the same system of replacements as

34713-483: The war's end, the Territorial Force had fielded twenty-three infantry divisions and two mounted divisions on foreign soil. It was demobilised after the war and reconstituted in 1921 as the Territorial Army . The force experienced problems throughout its existence. On establishment, fewer than 40 per cent of the men in the previous auxiliary institutions transferred into it, and it was consistently under strength until

34916-411: The war's end, there was little to distinguish between regular, territorial and New Army formations. The British Army of the late 19th century was a small, professional organisation designed to garrison the empire and maintain order at home, with no capacity to provide an expeditionary force in a major war. It was augmented in its home duties by three part-time volunteer institutions, the militia ,

35119-416: The war's end. The apparent cull of territorial units added to the grievances harboured by the Territorial Force about its treatment by the military authorities. Many territorial battalions had strong individual identities based on the geography of their recruitment. The ranks had been filled by men who, at least until direct voluntary recruitment into the Territorial Force ceased in December 1915, had chosen

35322-466: The war, eight of which were deployed overseas. The first to fight in a major battle was the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division . Its constituent units were raised in September and October 1914, and their training was indicative of the difficulties faced by the second line in general. New recruits paraded without uniforms until October and lived at home until the division assembled in January 1915. The infantry

35525-471: The way it was constituted and recruited, the Territorial Force possessed an identity that was distinct from the regular army and the New Army. This became increasingly diluted as heavy casualties were replaced with conscripted recruits following the introduction of compulsory service in early 1916. The Territorial Force was further eroded as a separate institution when county territorial associations were relieved of most of their administrative responsibilities. By

35728-407: Was a failed unit and the 49th Division's standing was little better, the territorials generally emerged from the Somme with enhanced reputations. This was echoed by Brigadier-General C. B. Prowse, a brigade commander in the 4th Division, who commented, "I did not before think much of the territorials, but by God they can fight." The Battle of the Somme marked the high point of the Territorial Force as

35931-474: Was a success and 180th Bde then pushed on to take the viaduct over the Wadi es Sheria and the water supplies that night. This was delayed because ammunition dumps in the town were exploding and the fires silhouetted the attackers. Lieutenant-Col Dear of the 2/17th agreed with his fellow commanding officers to make the attack when the explosions ended; it went in at 05.30 next morning, the 2/17th charging in silence across

36134-474: Was abolished. The deployment of second-line units overseas was officially endorsed in mid 1915. Until the third line was ready, the conflicting demands to supply drafts, defend the homeland and prepare for deployment caused problems for the second line. In May 1915, Kitchener informed the War Cabinet that the second line was so denuded of trained men as to render it unreliable for home defence. Only in 1916 could

36337-613: Was assigned a specific role either in coastal defence, supplementing 81 territorial companies of the Royal Garrison Artillery manning fixed defences, or as part of the mobile Central Force . Training was managed by a permanent staff of regular army personnel attached to territorial units. Recruits to the Territorial Force had to be aged between 17 and 35. They enlisted for a four-year term which could be extended by an obligatory year in times of crisis. Members could terminate their enlistment on three months' notice and payment of

36540-468: Was black in the case of the 2/17th Bn. During the summer the brigade was engaged in occasional crater-fighting and trench-raiding. 2/17th Londons carried out a raid on the night of 12/13 August, bombing four dugouts and killing numerous Germans, but were unable to secure a prisoner. After five months in the line, 60th (2/2nd L) Division had expected to be joining the Somme Offensive, but on 1 November it

36743-464: Was brought further into question by British military planning; the Royal Navy formed the primary defence against invasion, and studies in 1903 and 1908 concluded that the threat of invasion was negligible, despite popular perceptions to the contrary. The first reform efforts were undertaken in 1901 by William St John Brodrick , Secretary of State for War . They were designed to improve the training of

36946-461: Was carried out on Epsom Downs . In March the division's units supplied large drafts of reinforcements to their 1st Line units before the latter went to France, and a vigorous recruiting campaign was held to replenish the ranks. 2/2nd London Division then moved to the St Albans area, replacing the 1st Line. In May the 2/17th Londons moved to Bishop's Stortford . The division continued to send drafts to

37149-493: Was complicated for all by the need to reorganise the territorial battalions' outdated eight- company structure to the army's standard four-company battalion. On 15 August, county territorial associations began raising second-line units to replace those scheduled for foreign service. The ranks of the second line were filled by those territorials who could not or did not accept the Imperial Service Obligation. In November, associations started raising third-line units to take over from

37352-605: Was disbanded in 1906. When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the various volunteer infantry units in the County of London were formed into a new all-TF London Regiment that had no regular or militia components. The 15th Middlesex and 2nd Tower Hamlets were combined to form a new 17th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Poplar & Stepney) of eight companies with HQ at Tredegar Road. The new title indicated

37555-542: Was engaged in repairing the Tournai– Ath railway, then marched back to the Cysoing area. At the end of the November it moved back to winter quarters at Béthune to await demobilisation . The first parties left for home at the beginning of January 1919 and by 28 March all the units had been reduced to cadre strength. The cadres began moving back to the UK in May to be demobilised, the infantry cadres going to Felixstowe , where

37758-492: Was equipped with old Japanese Arisaka rifles, antique Maxim machine-guns and dummy Lewis guns constructed from wood. The divisional artillery, having initially drilled with cart-mounted logs, was equipped first with obsolete French 90 mm cannons , then with outdated 15-pounder guns and 5-inch howitzers handed down from the first line. The division was not issued with modern weapons until it began intensive training in March 1916, in preparation for its deployment to France at

37961-590: Was for the Territorial Force to reinforce it after six months of training following mobilisation. Representatives of the existing auxiliary forces and elements within the Liberal party opposed any foreign service obligation. To ensure their support, Haldane declared the Territorial Force's purpose to be home defence when he introduced his reforms in Parliament, despite having stressed an overseas role eight days previously. The last-minute change caused significant difficulties for

38164-548: Was grossly overcrowded and it was difficult to find space to hold drills. Many people resented the volunteers using London's public parks, and in June 1881 crowds disrupted a joint inspection of the 2nd Tower Hamlets and 10th Middlesex RVCs being held in Regent's Park . Sir Fowell Buxton retired from the command in 1883 and became the battalion's Hon Colonel in 1884. W.N. Bryan became Lt-Col from 12 October 1889. The battalion served alongside

38367-582: Was heavy fighting in the adjacent sector on 9 and 15–18 May (the Battle of Aubers Ridge ), but although some London units were used in support of the fighting formations, 1/17th Londons was not engaged. On arrival in France the 2nd London Division was generally referred to simply as 'The London Division' to distinguish it from the Regular 2nd Division, but on 15 May the division and its brigades were numbered, becoming 47th (2nd London) Division and 141st (5th London) Brigade respectively. The division's first attack

38570-448: Was holding the front line, 1/17th Londons were with 141st Bde in divisional reserve at Senlis , which came under heavy bombardment. Fighting went on all day, with reserves fed in progressively until the whole division was in the line. The Germans made some gains, and renewed the attack next day, but the line held. 47th Division was relieved on the night of 6/7 April. 47th (2nd L) Division now had three quiet months, resting and then holding

38773-521: Was immediately rejected. Brodrick's successor, H. O. Arnold-Forster , also failed to overcome opposition to his reform efforts. In December 1905, a Liberal government took office, bringing in Richard Haldane as the Secretary of State for War. His vision was for a nation that could be mobilised for war without resorting to conscription – a "real national army, formed by the people". His solution

38976-634: Was in the Battle of Festubert from 24 to 27 May, but again 141st Bde was in support and not closely engaged. In early June, the division took over the Vermelles sector, south of the La Bassée Canal and opposite the mining town of Loos . Loos had been selected for the BEF's Autumn offensive (the Battle of Loos ) and the summer was spent in preparation, including a 1,500 yards (1,400 m) long trench that 141st Bde began digging in No man's land on 27 August. This

39179-700: Was insufficient transport, a motley collection of carts, private vehicles and lorries were pressed into service. The animals used to pull the non-motorised transport or mount the yeomanry ranged in pedigree from half-blind pit ponies to show horses. The Territorial Force competed with the New Army for recruits, and the War Office prioritised the latter for training and equipment. Many of the regular army staff posted to territorial units were recalled to their parent regiments, and those professionals that still remained were transferred to territorial reserve units in January 1915. Training proved difficult for formations that were widely dispersed as part of their defence duties, and

39382-508: Was left in the original British front line while rest of the brigade advanced at 06.30 behind the gas cloud and smoke screen towards Loos. By 09.30 one company of 1/17th Bn had been sent up to reinforce 1/20th Bn in its attack on the Chalk Pit. At the end of the day the brigade had reached the mining spoilheap known as the Loos Crassier, but it was held by only two companies (one from 1/17th) and

39585-452: Was ordered at nightfall although half the army had not yet engaged the enemy. Lord Roberts' son was killed. Buller, at his wits end, advised Ladysmith to surrender, but Sir George White pledged to fight on. Liberal leader Henry Campbell-Bannerman declared from Aberdeen on December 19, The gravity of the situation, the formidable character of the campaign as now disclosed ...these furnish no ground for doubt or for despondency.... We have

39788-483: Was ordered to prepare to move to the Macedonian front . The units were brought up to strength by drafts from England and went by train to Marseille where they embarked for Salonika , The division assembled in camps there in the first half of December, then the brigades were sent up to the line independently. 180th Brigade was sent in two columns starting on 17 and 18 December to the area round Lake Ardzan for employment on

39991-421: Was removed, and who had trained in that unit's third line alongside neighbours and colleagues, had been drafted to their front-line units by May 1916. In September 1916, the regiment-based system for training New Army units was centralised into the Training Reserve. Separately, the 194 territorial third-line units were amalgamated into 87 Reserve Battalions. They retained responsibility for supplying replacements to

40194-480: Was resumed on 16 October, and on 28 October the division accompanied Third Army's commander, Sir William Birdwood on his ceremonial entry into Lille. 140th Brigade resumed its place in the line on 31 October and took up positions along the River Schelde . One night a party of Germans attacked a post held by 1/17th Londons, but the following night they were driven out of the house they occupied. 1/17th Londons suffered

40397-515: Was slaughtered when it advanced too far during an attack on 12 August. The same month, the yeomen of the 2nd Mounted Division suffered 30 per cent casualties during the Battle of Scimitar Hill , and had to be relieved by six dismounted yeomanry brigades which landed in October. The campaign ended in withdrawal in January 1916. Although Hamilton, appointed to command the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in March 1915, praised

40600-523: Was succeeded in command by Lt-Col Arthur W. Chambers; they continued in these positions until the end of the Volunteer Force in 1908. After Black Week in December 1899, the Volunteers were invited to send active service units to assist the Regulars in the Second Boer War . The War Office decided that one company 116 strong could be recruited from the volunteer battalions of any infantry regiment that had

40803-458: Was the Territorial Force, financed, trained and commanded centrally by the War Office and raised, supplied and administered by local county territorial associations . Haldane was able to overcome opposition and pass the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 which created the force, though not without compromise. His plan to give civic, business and trade union leaders a major role in running

41006-621: Was the recruitment within months of 30,863 new troops from Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These were ordered by the Imperial Conference held in 1902. 8400 Canadians volunteered, of which 600 Horse were raised by Lord Strathcona in British Columbia. Of the Australians, 6208 came from New South Wales, 3897 from Victoria, 2903 from Queensland, 1494 from South Australia, 1165 from Western Australia, 796 from Tasmania. About 6000 from New Zealand. The Canadians were eager horsemen, and when

41209-414: Was to be the jumping-off line for the attack, and was equipped with recesses for gas cylinders (the BEF was to use chemical weapons for the first time); a second assembly trench was also dug 50 yards (46 m) behind. The battalions then underwent rehearsals for the roles they were to play in the attack. For the opening assault on 25 September, 1/17th Londons under Lt-Col Godding was in brigade reserve and

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