16th (Irish) Division
The British 16th (Irish) Division was a New Army division formed in Ireland in September 1914 as part of the K2 Army Group. The division moved to France in December 1915 and spent the duration of the First World War in action on the Western Front. The division required a substantial refit in England between June and August 1918 which involved the introduction of many non-Irish battalions.
Unit history
Formation
- 47th Brigade
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- 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers (disbanded November 1916)
- 6th (Service) Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (disbanded February 1918)
- 7th (Service) Battalion, The Prince of Wale's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) (disbanded February 1918)
- 6th (Service) Battalion, Connaught Rangers (until June 1918)
- 1st Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers (from November 1916 until April 1918)
- 18th (Service) Battalion (2nd Glamorgan), The Welsh Regiment (from May 1918)
- 14th (Service) Battalion, The Leicestershire Regiment (from June 1918)
- 9th (Service) Battalion, Black Watch (from July 1918)
- 2nd Battalion, The Prince of Wale's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) (from February 1918 until April 1918)
- 48th Brigade
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- 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers (disbanded May 1916)
- 7th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (until August 1917)
- 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers (merged with 9th Battalion October 1917)
- 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers (merged with 8th Battalion October 1917)
- 1st Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers (from May 1916 until November 1916)
- 1st Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers (from October 1917 until April 1918)
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers (from February 1918 until May 1918)
- 22nd (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (from June 1918)
- 18th (Service) Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (from July 1918)
- 11th (Service) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (merged with 8th Battalion August 1917)
- 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (merged with 7th Battalion August 1917)
- 2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (from October 1916 until April 1918)
- 7th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (from August 1917 until October 1917)
- 7th (South Irish Horse) Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (from October 1917 until July 1918)
- 34th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (from June 1918)
- 6th (Service) Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry (from July 1918)
- 18th (Service) Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment (from July 1918)
The 7th and 8th Battalions of the Royal Irish Fusiliers combined to form the 7/8th Battalion in October 1916 which was subsequently disbanded in February 1918. The 7th and 8th Battalions of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers combined to form the 7/8th Battalion in August 1917 which was subsequently disbanded in February 1918.
Battles
