Entrenching battalions


Entrenching battalions were temporary units formed in the British Army during the First World War. Allocated at Corps level, they were used as pools of men, from which drafts of replacements could be drawn by conventional infantry battalions.
The practice ceased on the Western Front by autumn 1917, due to manpower shortages, but saw a revival at the start of 1918. The reduction in the number of battalions in an infantry brigade resulted in many infantry battalions being disbanded. Following the disbandment of these infantry battalions in February 1918, the pool of men was used to bring the remaining battalions up to strength, and to allocate any remaining manpower surplus to 25 entrenching battalions. These battalions were put to use in improving the existing defences in anticipation of a German offensive, and could be used as a reserve force if needed.
The entrenching battalions were disbanded in April 1918, with their troops apportioned to infantry battalions to make good the losses suffered following Operation Michael, which began the German Spring Offensive of 1918. Many of their war diaries from 1918 have survived and can be consulted at the National Archives at Kew though the 1918 war diaries for the 1st, 6th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 15th and 17th Entrenching Battalions have not survived.
In addition to the entrenching battalions of the British Army, there were also entrenching battalions in both the Canadian Expeditionary Force and the Australian Imperial Force. In addition, the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

Battalions

The following entrenching battalions were formed:
; 1st Entrenching Battalion
; 2nd Entrenching Battalion
; 3rd Entrenching Battalion
; 4th Entrenching Battalion
; 5th Entrenching Battalion
; 6th Entrenching Battalion
; 7th Entrenching Battalion
; 8th Entrenching Battalion
; 9th Entrenching Battalion
; 10th Entrenching Battalion
; 11th Entrenching Battalion
; 12th Entrenching Battalion
; 13th Entrenching Battalion
; 14th Entrenching Battalion
; 15th Entrenching Battalion
; 16th Entrenching Battalion
; 17th Entrenching Battalion
; 18th Entrenching Battalion
; 19th Entrenching Battalion
; 20th Entrenching Battalion
; 21st Entrenching Battalion
; 22nd Entrenching Battalion
; 23rd Entrenching Battalion
; 24th Entrenching Battalion
; 25th Entrenching Battalion