X550/3/WD

The War Diaries for the 2nd Battalion are catalogued under five references [X550/3/4-8]. These separate diaries remain under their original reference but the transcriptions have been amalgamated under this reference to provide a composite diary. The war history of the battalion was as follows: The battalion was at Roberts Heights near Pretoria [South Africa] on the outbreak of war and landed at Southampton on 19 Sep 1914. It formed part of 7th Division which was constituted as follows: - 20th Brigade 1st Grenadier Guards [left Aug 1915]; 2nd Scots Guards [left Aug 1915]; 8th Devonshire Regiment [joined May 1915]; 9th Devonshire Regiment [Aug 1915-Sep 1918]; 1st/6th Cheshire Regiment [Jan-Feb 1916]; 2nd Border; 2nd Gordon Highlanders [from Oct 1914]; 1st/6th (Banff & Donside) Gordon Highlanders (Dec 1914-Jan 1916) - 21st Brigade [transferred to 30th Division 19 Dec 1915] 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment [left Dec 1915]; 2nd Yorkshire Regiment [left Dec 1915]; 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers [left Dec 1915]; 2nd Wiltshire regiment [left Dec 1915]; 1st/4th Cameron Highlanders [Apr-Dec 1915] - 22nd Brigade 2nd Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment [Sep 1914-Dec 1915]; 1st/8th Royal Scots Regiment [Nov 1914-Aug 1915]; 2nd Royal Warwickshire Regiment; 1st/7th King's (Liverpool) Regiment [Nov 1915-Jan 1916]; 2nd Royal Irish Regiment [May-Oct 1916]; 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers; 1st South Staffordshire Regiment [left Dec 1915]; 20th (5th City) Manchester Regiment [Dec 1915-Sep 1918]; 24th (Oldham) Manchester Regiment [Dec 1915-May 1916]; 2nd/1st Honourable Artillery Company [from Oct 1916] - 91st Brigade [transferred from 30th Division 20 Dec 1915] 2nd Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment [from Dec 1915]; 1st South Staffordshire Regiment [from Dec 1915]; 21st (6th City) Manchester Regiment [Dec 1915-Sep 1918]; 22nd (7th City) Manchester Regiment [from Dec 1915]; 1st/4th Cameron Highlanders [Dec 1915-Jan 1916] - Divisional Troops 24th (Oldham Pioneers) Manchester Regiment [from May 1916]; 1st/1st Northumberland Hussars (B and C Squadrons left 12 Apr 1915, rest 13 May 1916]; 7th Cyclist Company [left 11 May 1916] The Battalion joined 30th Division on 20 Dec 1915 - 21st Brigade [transferred from 7th Division 19 Dec 1915] 18th King's (Liverpool) Regiment [Feb 1915-Feb 1918]; 2nd/5th Lincolnshire Regiment [May-Jun 1918]; 7th (South Irish Horse) Royal Irish Regiment [from Jul 1918]; 2nd Yorkshire Regiment [Dec 1915-May 1918]; 1st/6th Cheshire Regiment [from Jul 1918]; 2nd Wiltshire Regiment [Dec 1915-May 1918]; 17th (2nd City) Manchester Regiment [Feb-Jun 1918]; 19th (4th City) Manchester Regiment [Dec 1915-Feb 1918]; 2nd/23rd (County of London) London Regiment [from Jul 1918] - 89th Brigade 17th King's Liverpool Regiment [Apr 1915-Jun 1918]; 18th King's (Liverpool) Regiment [Apr-Dec 1915 and Feb-Jun 1918]; 19th King's (Liverpool) Regiment (Apr 1915-Jun 1918]; 20th King's (Liverpool) Regiment [Apr 1915-Feb 1918]; 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment [Dec 1915-Feb 1918]; 7th/8th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers [from Jul 1918]; 2nd South Lancashire Regiment [from Jun 1918]; 2nd/17th (County of London) London Regiment [from Jul 1918] - 90th Brigade 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment [Feb-May 1918]; 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers [Dec 1915-Apr 1918]; 16th (1st City) Manchester Regiment [Apr 1915-Jun 1918]; 17th (2nd City) Manchester Regiment [Apr 1915-Feb 1918]; 18th (3rd City) Manchester Regiment [Apr 1915-Feb 1918]; 19th (4th City) Manchester Regiment [Apr-Dec 1915]; 14th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders [Apr-Jun 1918]; 2nd/14th (County of London) London Regiment [from Jul 1918]; 2nd/15th (County of London) London Regiment [from Jul 1918]; 2nd/16th (County of London) London Regiment [from Jul 1918] - 91st Brigade [transferred to 7th Division 20 Dec 1915] 20th (5th City) Manchester Regiment [Apr-Dec 1915]; 21st (6th City) Manchester Regiment [Apr-Dec 1915]; 22nd (7th City) Manchester Regiment [Apr-Dec 1915]; 23rd (Oldham) Manchester Regiment [Apr-Dec 1915] - Divisional Troops 13th Yorkshire Regiment [Jun 1918 only]; 6th (Pioneers) South Wales Borderers [from Jul 1918]; 11th (St.Helens Pioneers) South Lancashire Regiment [May 1915-Jun 1918]; 7th (Robin Hood) Sherwood Foresters [May-Jun 1918]; 1st/1st Lancashire Hussars [29 Oct 1915-10 May 1916] The Battalion joined 18th [Eastern] Division in May 1918 when it amalgamated with 7th Bedfordshire Regiment - 53rd Brigade 8th Norfolk Regiment [disbanded Feb 1918]; 8th Suffolk Regiment [disbanded Feb 1918]; 10th Essex Regiment; 6th Royal Berkshire Regiment [disbanded Feb 1918]; 8th Royal Berkshire Regiment [from Feb 1918]; 7th Royal West Kent Regiment [from Feb 1918] - 54th Brigade 10th Royal Fusiliers [Sep-Oct 1914]; 11th Royal Fusiliers; 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment [from May 1918]; 7th Bedfordshire Regiment [left May 1918]; 8th Royal Sussex Regiment [Sep 1914-Feb 1915]; 6th Northamptonshire Regiment; 12th Middlesex Regiment [disbanded February 1918] - 55th Brigade 7th Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment ; 7th Buffs; 8th East Surrey Regiment; 7th Royal West Kent Regiment [left Feb 1918] - Divisional Troops 10th Royal Fusiliers [Oct 1914-Mar 1915]; 8th Royal Sussex Regiment [from Feb 1915]; 6th Northamptonshire Regiment [Sep-Nov 1914]; C Squadron Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry [15 Jun 1915-10 May 1916]; 18th Divisional Cyclist Company [8 Dec 1914-21 May 1916]

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