Wednesday 15th December 1915: The adjutant of the 1st Bedfords
tells us that three officers and eighteen other ranks of 16th Battalion Royal
Warwickshire Regiment have joined them for instruction in trench warfare. Large
numbers of new formations are arriving in France at the moment, boosting the
strength of the British Expeditionary Force daily.
Source: X550/2/5
(1) 16th
Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was also known as 3rd Birmingham and was
a pals unit, recruited from men of a specific area, much against War Office
better judgement. It originally formed part of 95th Brigade, 32nd Division and
had landed in France on 21st November. It became part of 15th Brigade from 15th
December before being transferred to 13th Brigade in October 1918. The
Battalion replaced 1st Battalion Dorset Regiment which moved to 95th Brigade in
its place. This was, presumably, an effort to break up a brigade entirely
formed of Birmingham pals battalions so that, if the brigade took heavy
casualties, the effect those casualties on that city would be less.
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