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List of battalions of the Cheshire Regiment

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This is a list of battalions of the Cheshire Regiment, which existed as an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 2007.

Original composition

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When the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment of Foot became The Cheshire Regiment in 1881 under the Cardwell-Childers reforms of the British Armed Forces, seven pre-existent militia and volunteer battalions of Cheshire were integrated into the structure of the regiment. Volunteer battalions had been created in reaction to a perceived threat of invasion by France in the late 1850s. Organised as "rifle volunteer corps", they were independent of the British Army and composed primarily of the middle class.

Battalion Formed Formerly
Regular
1st 1688 1st Battalion, 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment of Foot
2nd 1858 2nd Battalion, 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment of Foot
Militia
3rd (Militia) 1853 1st Royal Cheshire Light Infantry Militia[1]
4th (Militia) 1853 2nd Royal Cheshire Militia[1]
Volunteers
1st Volunteer 1860 1st Cheshire Rifle Volunteer Corps[2]
2nd (Earl of Chester's) Volunteer 1860 2nd Cheshire Rifle Volunteer Corps[3]
3rd Volunteer 1860 3rd Cheshire Rifle Volunteer Corps[3]
4th Volunteer 1860 4th Cheshire Rifle Volunteer Corps[4]
5th Volunteer 1860 5th Cheshire Rifle Volunteer Corps[5]

Reorganisation

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The Territorial Force (later Territorial Army) was formed in 1908, which the volunteer battalions joined, while the militia battalions transferred to the "Special Reserve". All volunteer battalions were renumbered to create a single sequential order. Also in 1908, the 4th (Militia) Battalion was one of the 23 infantry militia battalions to disband.[6]

Battalion Formerly
4th 1st Volunteer Battalion
5th (Earl of Chester's) Amalgamation of 2nd (Earl of Chester's) and 3rd Volunteer Battalions
6th 4th Volunteer
7th 5th Volunteer

First World War

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The Cheshires fielded 38 battalions and lost 8,413 officers and other ranks during the course of the war.[7] The regiment's territorial components formed duplicate second and third line battalions. As an example, the three-line battalions of the 4th Cheshires were numbered as the 1/4th, 2/4th, and 3/4th respectively, with the third line battalions, being redesignated reserve battalions in 1916. Many battalions of the regiment were formed as part of Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener's appeal for an initial 100,000 men volunteers in 1914. They were referred to as the New Army or Kitchener's Army. The 13th, 15th, 16th, and 17th, New Army battalions, was referred to as a "Pals" battalion because it was predominantly composed of colleagues. The Volunteer Training Corps were raised with overage or reserved occupation men early in the war, and were initially self-organised into many small corps, with a wide variety of names. Recognition of the corps by the authorities brought regulation and as the war continued the small corps were formed into battalion sized units of the county Volunteer Regiment. In 1918 these were linked to county regiments.[8]

Battalion Formed Served Fate
Regular[9][10]
1st 1688 Western Front
2nd 1858 Western Front, Salonika
Special Reserve[9][10]
3rd (Reserve) 1853 Britain
Territorial Force[9][10]
1/4th 1860 Gallipoli, Western Front See Inter-War
1/5th (Earl of Chester's) 1860 Western Front See Inter-War
1/6th 1860 Western Front See Inter-War
1/7th 1860 Gallipoli, Western Front
2/4th Birkenhead, September 1914 Britain Absorbed by 2/7th Battalion, in December 1915
2/5th (Earl of Chester's) Chester, November 1914 Britain Disbanded, in April 1918
2/6th Stockport, September 1914 Britain Disbanded, in September 1917
2/7th Macclesfield, October 1914 Britain Disbanded, in March 1918
3/4th
4th (Reserve) Battalion, from April 1916 		Birkenhead, March 1915 Britain Disbanded, in 1919
3/5th (Earl of Chester's)
5th (Reserve) Battalion, from April 1916 		Chester, March 1915 Britain Absorbed by the 4th (Reserve) Battalion, in September 1916
3/6th
6th (Reserve) Battalion, from April 1916 		Stockport, March 1915 Britain Absorbed by the 4th (Reserve) Battalion, in September 1916
3/7th
7th (Reserve) Battalion, from April 1916 		Macclesfield, March 1915 Britain Absorbed by the 4th (Reserve) Battalion, in September 1916
23rd Happisburgh, January 1917
from 46th Provisional Battalion (Territorial Force) 		Western Front Disbanded, in 1919
New Army[9][10]
8th (Service) Chester, August 1914 Gallipoli, Mesopotamia Disbanded, in 1919
9th (Service) Chester, September 1914 Western Front Disbanded, in 1919
10th (Service) Chester, September 1914 Britain Absorbed by 15th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, in July 1918
11th (Service) Chester, September 1914 Western Front Disbanded, in August 1918
12th (Service) Chester, September 1914 Western Front, Salonika Disbanded, in 1919
13th (Service) Port Sunlight, September 1914 Western Front Disbanded, in February 1918
14th (Reserve) Birkenhead, October 1914 Britain Converted to 50th Training Reserve Battalion, in September 1916
15th (Service) (1st Birkenhead) Birkenhead, November 1914 Western Front Bantam battalion; disbanded, in 1919
16th (Service) (2nd Birkenhead) Birkenhead, December 1914 Western Front Bantam battalion; disbanded, in February 1918
17th (Reserve) Bebington, August 1915 Western Front Bantam battalion formed from depot companies of 16th and 17th (S) Bns; converted to 74th Reserve Bn, in September 1916
Others[9][10]
18th (Labour) Oldham, March 1916 Western Front Became Nos. 56 and 57 Companies, Labour Corps, in April 1917
19th (Labour) Oldham, April 1916 Western Front Became Nos. 58 and 59 Companies, Labour Corps, in April 1917
20th (Labour) Chester, June 1916 Western Front Became Nos. 60 and 61 Companies, Labour Corps, in April 1917
21st (Labour) Chester, August 1916 Western Front Became Nos. 62 and 63 Companies, Labour Corps, in May 1917
22nd (Labour) Chester, December 1916 Western Front Became Nos. 64 and 65 Companies, Labour Corps, in April 1917
24th (Home Service) Mundesley, April 1918 Britain Disbanded, in 1919
1st Garrison Chester, August 1915 Gibraltar Disbanded, in 1919
2nd Garrison Bebington, October 1915 Egypt & Palestine Disbanded, in 1919
3rd (Home Service) Garrison Ramsey, November 1915 Britain Converted to 11th Battalion, Royal Defence Corps, in August 1917
51st (Graduated) October 1917
from 213th Graduated Battalion 		Ireland Disbanded, in 1919
52nd (Graduated) October 1917
from 221st Graduated Battalion 		Ireland Disbanded, in 1919
53rd (Young Soldier) October 1917
from 62nd Training Reserve Battalion 		Britain & Germany Converted to service battalion, then absorbed into 9th Bn, in 1919
Volunteer Training Corps[11]
1st Battalion (Altrincham) Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Hale Disbanded post war
2nd Battalion Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Birkenhead Disbanded post war
3rd Battalion (Chester and Eddisbury) Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Chester Disbanded post war
4th Battalion Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Crewe Disbanded post war
5th Battalion (East Cheshire) Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 5th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Stalybridge Disbanded post war
6th Battalion (Knutsford) Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 6th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Wilmslow Disbanded post war
7th Battalion Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 7th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Macclesfield Disbanded post war
8th Battalion Cheshire Volunteer Regiment Northwich Disbanded 1918
9th Battalion Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 8th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Stockport Disbanded post war
10th Battalion (Wirral) Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 9th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Heswall Disbanded post war
11th Battalion Cheshire Volunteer Regiment
later the 10th Volunteer Battalion, Cheshire Regiment		 Wallasey Disbanded post war

Inter-War

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By 1920, all of the regiment's war-raised battalions had disbanded. The Special Reserve reverted to its militia designation in 1921, then to the Supplementary Reserve in 1924; however, its battalions were effectively placed in 'suspended animation'. As World War II approached, the Territorial Army was reorganised in the mid-1930s, many of its infantry battalions were converted to other roles, especially anti-aircraft.

Battalion Fate
4th Amalgamated with the 5th (Earl of Chester's) Battalion, to create the 4th/5th (Earl of Chester's) Battalion, in 1921[12]
5th (Earl of Chester's) Amalgamated with the 4th Battalion, to create the 4th/5th (Earl of Chester's) Battalion, in 1921[12]
6th Amalgamated with the Cheshire Brigade, RFA and Shropshire Battery, RHA, to form 6th Cheshire & Shropshire Medium Brigade, RGA, in February 1920.

Second World War

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The regiment's expansion during the Second World War was modest compared to 1914–1918. National Defence Companies were combined to create a new "Home Defence" battalion, In addition to this, 26 battalions of the Home Guard were affiliated to the regiment, wearing its cap badge,[13] and also by 1944 one Heavy Anti Aircraft (HAA) battery, and three rocket batteries (Z Battery) forming the whole of the 22nd Anti Aircraft Regiment (Home Guard).[14] Due to the daytime (or shift working) occupations of these men, the batteries required eight times the manpower of an equivalent regular battery.[15] A number of Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) troops were formed from the local battalions to defend specific points, such as factories.[16]

Battalion Formed Served Fate
Regular
1st 1688 North Africa, Malta, North West Europe[17] See Post-World War II
2nd 1858 France, North Africa, Sicily, North West Europe[18] See Post-World War II
Supplementary Reserve
3rd 1853 See Post-World War II
Territorial Army
4th
as a duplicate of 5th (Earl of Chester's) Battalion 		1939 France, Britain[19]
5th (Earl of Chester's)
redesignation of 4th/5th (Earl of Chester's) 		1921 Britain[19] See Post-World War II
6th
as a duplicate of 7th Battalion 		1939 North Africa, Italy, North West Europe[19] See Post-World War II
7th 1860 France, Sicily, Italy[19]
30th (Home Defence)
8th, from 1941 		1939 Italy[19] Disbanded, in 1946
Home Guard[20]
Battalion Headquarters Formation Sign (dark blue on khaki) Battalion Headquarters Formation Sign (dark blue on khaki)
1st Altrincham CH 1 2nd Altrincham CH 2
3rd Knutsford CH 3 4th Birkenhead CH 4
5th Broxton CH 5 6th Chester CH 6
7th Crewe CH 7 8th Congleton CH 8
9th Macclesfield CH 9 10th Wilmslow CH 10
11th Middlewich CH 11 12th Northwich CH 12
13th Sandiway CH 13 14th Tarporley CH 14
15th Runcorn CH 15 16th Wallasey CH 16
17th Haswell CH 17 18th Ellesmere Port CH 18
19th Shotton CH 19 20th Great Sutton CH 20
21st Bebington CH 21 22nd (28 G.P.O.) Chester CH 22
23rd Sale CH 23 24th Nantwich CH 24
35th Staley Bridge CH 35 36th Hyde CH 36
37th Romiley CH 37 38th Stockport CH 38
39th Cheadle CH 39
Home Guard Anti-Aircraft units[14][16]
Formation Sign
(dark blue on khaki)		 Headquarters or Location AA Formation and Designation Formation Sign
(dark blue on khaki)		 Headquarters or Location AA Formation and Designation
CH 71 Birkenhead 71st Battery, 22nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Home Guard) (HAA) CH 101 South Birkenhead 132nd Battery, 22nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Home Guard) (Z battery)
CH 102 Birkenhead 214th Battery, 22nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Home Guard) (Z battery) CH 103 Wallasey 104th Battery, 22nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Home Guard) (Z battery)
CH 1 Ringway,
(Fairy Aviation Co. Ltd)		 A Troop LAA CH 2 Altrinchan,
(Churchill Machine Tool Co. Ltd)		 A Troop LAA
CH 7 Crewe,
(Rolls-Royce Ltd)		 A Troop LAA CH 10 Woodford
(A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd)		 A, B Troops LAA
CH 10 Ringway
(A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd)		 C Troop LAA CH 11 Radway Green,
(Royal Ordnance Factory)		 A, B Troops LAA
CH 12 Plumley, Northwich,
(British Ethyl Corporation Ltd)		 A Troop LAA CH 12 Wade, Northwich,
(Ministry of Supply Factory)		 B Troop LAA
CH 18 Ellesmere Port A Troop LAA CH 38 Stockport,
(Fairy Aviation Co. Ltd)		 A Troop LAA

Post-World War II

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In the immediate post-war period, the army was significantly reduced: nearly all infantry regiments had their first and second battalions amalgamated and the Supplementary Reserve disbanded.

Battalion Fate
1st Placed in suspended animation, in July 1948[19][21]
2nd Renumbered as the 1st Battalion, in July 1948[19][22]
5th (Earl of Chester's) Placed in suspended animation, in 1947[12][19]
6th Disbanded, in 1947[12][19]

When the TAVR was established in 1967, the size of the territorial was greatly reduced, with most infantry battalions being reduced to a company. However, the Cheshire regiment did not receive the same fate; instead both the 4th and 7th battalions disbanded and were concurrently reconstituted as two units:

However, only four years later in 1971, the 4th/7th Battalion was reduced to E Company (Cheshire), Mercian Volunteers. In 1988, a Territorial battalion dedicated to the regiment, was once again raised, namely 3rd (V) Battalion.

Last years

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Under Delivering Security in a Changing World, the Cheshire Regiment was due to amalgamate with the Staffordshire Regiment and Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, to form a new large regiment- The Mercian Regiment.

Battalion Fate
1st Became 1st Battalion, Mercian Regiment in August 2007[21]
3rd (V) Became B and D (Cheshire) Companies, King's and Cheshire Regiment, in July 1999. And then B Coy, 4th Battalion Mercian Regiment in 2007.

References

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  1. ^ a b Parkyn p.220
  2. ^ Westlake p.39
  3. ^ a b Westlake p.40
  4. ^ Westlake p.41
  5. ^ Westlake p.42
  6. ^ "The Cheshire Regiment - 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion". 7 July 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  7. ^ "LLOYD Edward" (PDF). Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  8. ^ Westlake, Ray (2020). Guide to the Volunteer Training Corps 1914-1918. Uckfield: Naval and Military Press. pp. 4–7. ISBN 9781783315390.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Cheshire Regiment". Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Unit History: Cheshire Regiment". Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  11. ^ Westlake pp. 110-111
  12. ^ a b c d "The Cheshire Regiment". Archived from the original on 18 April 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  13. ^ Whittaker p. 141
  14. ^ a b Whittaker p. 108
  15. ^ Whittaker p. 23
  16. ^ a b Whittaker pps. 116-117
  17. ^ "1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment during the Second World War". Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  18. ^ "2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment during the Second World War". Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i "The Second World War and Post War Years". Archived from the original on 1 September 2005. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  20. ^ "History of the Home Guard". Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  21. ^ a b "1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment of Foot / 1st Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment / 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment". Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  22. ^ "2nd Battalion, 22nd Regiment of Foot / 2nd Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment". Archived from the original on 15 June 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2020.

Bibliography

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  • H. G. Parkyn, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Vol. 15, No. 60 (Winter, 1936), Society for Army Historical Research, 1936
  • Ray Westlake. Tracing the Rifle Volunteers: A Guide for Military and Family Historians, Casemate Publishers, 2010
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