Battle Honours - Aisne 1914, La Bassée 1914, Armentières 1914

When the British Army was reorganised, with regiments being amalgamated and county names being allocated instead of numbers, the 11th Regiment of Foot became the Devonshire Regiment. It was under this title that the Devons went into the Great War.

1^st Battalion

When war broke out at the beginning of August 1914, the men of the Devonshire Regiment, 1st Battalion were stationed in Jersey. They proceeded to France landing at Le Havre on 21^sto f August. The regiment was made up of 21 officers, 446 other ranks and on 22^nd August, were joined by 569 army reservists from Exeter plus 5 more officers and 10 more serving men. Over the next few days the regiment marched to Rouen, where they set sail on 2^nd September for St. Nazaire. On the 14^thSeptember 1914 the 1st Battalion joined the 8th Brigade, comingunder the 3rd Division. Here they joined the firing line on 15^th September where the first casualties were sustained.

On the 30^thof September they transferred to 14th Brigade, 5th Division, under General Smith-Dorrien. They “pursued to some purpose over the Marne and Aisne”, and in Oct 1914 at the Battle of La Bassee the 1st Devons made the pace so hot that at one time they were half a mile in front of the rest of the Division. The attack on 17^thOctober gave the Devons odds of about 40 to 1. Through all the month of October the Devons were acting as the Line of Communication, this might be called the “connecting line”, between the French and British armies. Supposing this join to be the weak link, the Germans flung all their fury at it. For 16 days at Givenchy the Devons held that weak spot losing their Colonel and nearly all their other officers and a great many other ranks, but they stuck with it till they were relieved by fresh troops. When the survivors marched back into camp they were applauded by the whole army and described as magnificent but weary. On 30^th October the regiment took the stand at Festubert: the battalion on the left fled but the Devons never wavered.

The fierce fighting continued on into November until finally settling down on 22^nd, when troops gradually began digging in and creating more substantial trenches. This period of engagement became known as the “first battle of Ypres”.

2^nd Battalion

August 1914 found the 2nd Battalion in Cairo, Egypt. The regiment was recalled and returned to England on 1^st October 1914 where it came under orders of 23rd Brigade in 8th Division. On 6^thNovember 1914 the regiment landed at Le Havre and was engaged in various actions including the attack on Moated Grange (Neuve Chapelle area) on 18th December.

3rd (Reserve) Battalion

August 1914 found the reserve battalion in Exeter but it was moved to Plymouth on 8th August, returning on 28^thof the same month. Eventually the battalion was moved to Devonport in May 1915.

During 1914 to 1918, the Devons expanded from the peacetime strength of 3 battalions to 25 battalions, some of which took an active part in the war whilst other battalions were raised for home service.

Kitchener`s 1914 call for recruits saw many men of the county respond, and a detachment of men was attached to the new 5^th Devonshire Regiment and was sent to Tidworth and Bulford Camps on Salisbury Plain for training. In October the Teignmouth Post reported that 40 of these men had volunteered for foreign service. More than 200 men were sent to the Home Service Battalion.

Battalions of the Territorial Force

1/4th Battalion

In August 1914 the battalion was in Exeter as part of Devon & Cornwall Brigade, Wessex Division. On 9^thOctober 1914 the battalion sailed for India, landing at Karachi on 11^thNovember 1914. Here it came under orders of 3rd (Lahore) Divisional Area at Ferozepore.

1/5th (Prince of Wales's) Battalion

In August 1914 the battalion was based in Millbay, Plymouth as part of Devon & Cornwall Brigade, Wessex Division. On 9^thOctober 1914 the battalion sailed for India, landing at Karachi 11^thNovember 1914. Here it came under orders of 3rd (Lahore) Divisional Area at Multan.

1/6th Battalion

In August 1914 the battalion was based in Barnstaple and attached as Army Troops to Wessex Division. On 16^thSeptember 1914 it came under orders of Devon and Cornwall Brigade. On 9^th October 1914it sailed for India, landing at Karachi on 11^thNovember 1914. Here it came under orders of 3rd (Lahore) Divisional Area at Lahore.

1/7^th (Cyclist) Battalion

In August 1914 the battalion was in Exeter, but was unallotted to a higher formation. The battalion moved to Seaton Carew on North East coastal defences and by 1916 was at Bawdsey in Suffolk.

2/4^th Battalion

The battalion was formed at Exeter in September 1914 as a Second Line battalion. It Became part of 2nd Devon and Cornwall Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division. On 12^th December 1914 the battalion sailed for India and came under orders of the Southern Brigade, 9th (Secunderabad) Division.

2/5th (Prince of Wales's) Battalion

The battalion was formed at Plymouth in September 1914 as a Second Line battalion. It became part of 2nd Devon and Cornwall Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division.

2/6^th Battalion

The battalion was formed at Barnstaple on 16^thSeptember 1914 as a Second Line battalion, becoming part of 2nd Devon and Cornwall Brigade, 2nd Wessex Division. On 12^th December 1914 it sailed for India, where it came under orders of 6th (Poona) Divisional Area at Bombay.

2/7th (Cyclist) Battalion

This battalion was formed at Totnes in October 1914, and remained in UK throughout the war.

Battalions of the New Armies

8th (Service) Battalion

The battalion was formed at Exeter on 19^thAugust 1914 as part of K1 and attached as Divisional Troops to 14th (Light) Division.