Territorial Force at War, 1914-16

This is the final volume in a trilogy which examines the invaluable contribution of auxiliary volunteer forces to the defence of Great Britain before and during World War I. The sometimes tumultuous relationship between the territorials and the War Office, and how the Territorial Forces's mobilization training was prejudiced by the official priority awarded to Kitchener's New Army, is explored alongside the early experiences of those Territorial Force units that were sent to France independently, as well as those of the complete divisions deployed to the Western Front in 1915. Although providing crucial support to the regular divisions during the battles of 1915, the Regular Army's traditional bias against the auxiliary quickly became apparent in the way Territorial Force units were used. The development of their capability and how their fighting power was forged and subsequently sustained are analyzed in the context of their use during the Battle of the Somme, the Gallipoli Campaign and the later experience in the desert. William Mitchinson reveals that, despite the heavy losses and the official bias against Territorial Force recruitment, the units were able to retain their Territorial Force characteristics until after the opening of the Somme. Although by 1917 and 1918 the bulk of the men were no longer volunteer territorials, Mitchinson demonstrates that many Territorial Force divisions continued to be comprised of men drawn from their original catchment areas. The Territorial Force at War, 1914-16 is the first attempt to offer a comprehensive assessment of the importance, the training, the preparedness and the fighting power of the Territorial Force until it reached its apogee in 1916. Despite the obstacles thrown into their path, the final volume in this trilogy illustrates that the oft-derided Territorial Force formations were as effective as those of the Regular and New Armies.