On the outbreak of World War I the Territorial Force (TF) immediately mobilised for home defence, but shortly afterwards (31 August 1914), its units were authorised to raise 2nd battalions formed from those men who had not volunteered for, or were not fit for, overseas service, together with new volunteers, while the 1st Line went overseas to supplement the Regulars.[1] Early in 1915 the 2nd Line TF battalions were also raised to full strength to form new divisions, and began to form Reserve (3rd Line) units to supply drafts.[2] The remaining Home Service men were separated out in May 1915 to form brigades of Coast Defence Battalions (termed Provisional Battalions from June 1915).[3]
9th Provisional Brigade was formed in East Kent mainly from details of local units and infantry from Lancashire. It had the following composition:[4][3]
9th Provisional Battery and Ammunition Column Royal Field Artillery formed at Hastings on 9 September 1915 and shortly afterwards moved to Herne Bay; it was equipped with four French 90 mm field guns.[7][8]
9th Provisional Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps, formed at Ramsgate on 19 September 1915 from the home service details of the 2/1st, 2/2nd and 2/3rd Home Counties Field Ambulances.[13]
Late in 1916 the War Office decided to form three new home-service divisions; 73rd was the last of these, assembling at Blackpool in November. The division was based on 9th Provisional Bde, which moved from Margate and provided four infantry battalions and many of the support units. (On 1 January 1917 these all received new designations and numbers.) In addition, 189th (2nd York and Durham) Brigade, left over after the earlier disbandment of 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division, provided other components. Personnel to help form the other five artillery batteries were transferred from other home service divisions. The rest of the division was composed of new units.[16][17]
After assembling in Lancashire, 73rd Division moved in early January 1917 to join Southern Army of Home Forces, stationed in Essex and Hertfordshire, with the following composition:[16][17][18]
GOC: Brigadier-General H. Martin (1 November 1916 – 17 March 1917) Brigadier-General W.M. Withycombe (17 March–10 July 1917) Brigadier-General A. Martyn (10 July 1917 – 31 January 1918)
41st Provisional Bn: became 12th Bn King's Own; disbanded 23 March 1918.[16][19][20][21][22]
42nd Provisional Bn: became 14th Bn Loyals; the battalion was gradually drafted and was disbanded on 15 December 1917[16][19][23][24][25]
44th Provisional Bn: became 26th Bn King's (Liverpool); disbanded 29 March 1918.[16][19][26][27][28]
220 Brigade was formed from 189th (2/1st Yorkshire and Durham) Bde:[16]
GOC: Brigadier-General F.F.W. Daniell (1 November 1916 – 27 February 1918)
2/4th Bn Green Howards; the battalion was gradually drafted and reduced to a cadre by the end of July 1917; absorbed into 2/5th Bn on 21 December 1917.[16][42][43][44]
2/5th Bn Green Howards; disbanded 29 March 1918.[16][42][43][44]
17th (Home Service) Bn Green Howards: newly formed at Blackpool; disbanded 15 December 1917.[16][42][43][44]
273rd Bn TR: joined 23 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Bn Durham Light Infantry 1 November 1917; transferred to 69th Division on 15 January 1918.[16][29][45][46][47]
Brigadier-General Royal Artillery: J.J. MacMahon (8 November 1916 – 12 March 1917) W.A. Robinson (12 March–19 November 1917) L.A.C. Gordon (19 November 1917 – 4 February 1918)
HQ: Chelmsford
CCCLIV Field Brigade RFA at Danbury:
A Battery (later 1211 Field Battery); formerly 9th Provisional Battery[16] – 6 × 18-pounder QF guns
The Military Service Act 1916 swept away the Home/Foreign service distinction, and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service, if medically fit. Henceforth part of the role of the Home Service divisions was physical conditioning to render men fit for drafting overseas, alongside units of the Training Reserve. 'Graduated Battalions' of the Training Reserve were organised in four companies according to age, from 18 to 19 years. Recruits progressed from one to another company after three months, so that every three months there was a company of trained 19-year-old men available for drafting overseas. In July 1917 it was decided that the Graduated Battalions could serve in a Home Defence role while completing their training.[58] Between July and September 1917, four Graduated Battalions joined 73rd Division, and in October these were affiliated to line regiments and adopted territorial designations.[16]
Towards the end of 1917 the War Office decided to break up the three home service divisions, and on 22 December 1917 the Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces, was ordered to break up the division as soon as possible. Three battalions left in January, the artillery was broken up in February, and the division ceased to exist on 8 April 1918. Only the divisional engineers remained, and on 22 June 1918 the HQ and field companies went to France for active service on the Western Front.[16]
The 73rd Division title has never been reactivated.
Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (73rd–74th) and 74th and 75th Divisions, London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN1-847347-39-8.
J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-007-3.
Brig E.A. James, British Regiments 1914–18, London: Samson Books, 1978, ISBN 0-906304-03-2/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2001, ISBN 978-1-84342-197-9.
War Office, Army Council Instructions Issued During January 1916, London: HM Stationery Office, 1916.
United Kingdom
British Army
