The World War.—So 1914 found the Territorial Force. On the outbreak of the World War, Lord Kitchener, who assumed control at the War Office, realized that the existing military forces would not be sufficient, the territorial force being without reserves, and in his scheme of expansion discarded the county system that had been built up, and raised and trained the New Armies.
Soon after the outbreak of the war there were urgent demands for reinforcements in France, and territorial units volunteered readily for overseas service. In his dispatch dated Nov. 20, 1914, which covered the period Oct. 8 to Nov. 20, 1914, Field Marshal Sir John French reported:— "In the period covered by this despatch territorial troops have been used for the first time in the army under my command. The units actually engaged have been the Northumberland, Northamptonshire, North Somerset, Leicestershire and Oxfordshire Regiments of Yeo manly cavalry ; and the London Scottish, Hertfordshire, Honourable Artillery Company and the Queen's Westminster battalions of Terri torial Infantry.
"The conduct and bearing of these units under fire, and the efficient manner in which they carried out the various duties assigned to them, have imbued me with the highest hope as to the value and help of Territorial Troops generally." By Dec. I 2,413 officers and 66,805 other ranks of the territorial army had gone overseas (the 42nd division had proceeded to Egypt and the 43rd and 44th divisions to India, to take over garrison duties, and so permit the regular units to be relieved for active service).
As a complete territorial division, the 46th (North Midland) division was the first to proceed overseas to a theatre of war ; by August 1915 the whole of the original fourteen territorial divisions were overseas, and towards the end of the war there were 21 territorial divisions in the various theatres of war, whilst to the end, one mounted and four infantry territorial divisions were maintained in this country for its defence against invasion.
There has been much controversy over the question whether it was wise that expansion of the military forces of Great Britain should be made through the medium of the "new armies" instead of through the existing organization of the territorial force, but there was a difficulty in the fact that the territorial soldier, unless he voluntarily offered, was not available for service overseas.
Time showed that the territorial soldier was willing and eager to pull his full weight, but the decision had to be made before such knowledge was available.
In France, Flanders, Salonika, Gallipoli, Palestine and Meso potamia territorial divisions served, whilst in India, Egypt, Malta and Gibraltar garrison duty was done, thus relieving regular units. The fourteen first line divisions served as complete divisions overseas in war areas—they were numbered consecutively from 42nd to 56th (except the 45th, a second line division) inclusive, and in addition eight, the 45th, 57th to 62nd, and 66th, second line territorial divisions served overseas. As the war went on, yeomanry units were amalgamated and formed the 74th division which also served overseas.
Reconstruction in 1920.—Demobilization saw the Territorial Force dispersed ; all that remained were rolls of officers in the Army List. But the territorial force had proved its value, and the principle was accepted that in the event of any future war on a national scale, the territorial army would be the basis of expansion —the word "force" being dropped in the new scheme, and "army" substituted. In February 1920, the territorial army was recon structed. The fourteen divisions were maintained, and as time went on various alterations from its pre-war constitution were made. One important truth was accepted, that the defence of these islands is overseas, and to-day, every man joining the territorial army signs up for overseas service. It is now organized on almost identical lines with the regular army, new units such as signal and armoured car companies being introduced by con version from the yeomanry, which has been reduced from Brigades to 2 Brigades. As the air is now so important a factor, territorial air squadrons, and their opposite numbers, air defence brigades, have been formed.
The territorial army to-day can truly be said to be a basic part of the military forces of the country. The training, too, has reached a far higher standard than before the war. At the army manoeuvres of 1925, the 162nd Infantry Brigade (T.A.) was selected to represent the territorial army, and met with the commendation of the Secretary of State for War who stated that the territorial soldier had proved himself indistinguishable from his comrade of the regular army.