The Durham Light Infantry

History

The Durham Light Infantry was formed from the 68th and 106th Regiments of the Line in 1881. A light infantry regiment is equipped with light muskets and equipment for rapid deployment. They adopted the bugle rather than the drum for relaying orders, hence the cap badge.

Each Regiment consists of a number of Battalions of regular soldiers. Typically, they are the 1/1 which is the 1st line of the 1st battalion or 1/2, 1st line 2nd battalion and these will normally serve overseas. Whereas the 2/1 or the 2nd line 1st Battalion will serve at home. Rarely will you get more than four battlions in each line. However, WW1 required such a large expansion of the army that Service Battalions were created. These were named sequentially e.g. 13th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry. Some were created to act as training and reserve battalions for those battalions involved in the fighting.

The Durham Light Infantry raised 11 service battlions in addition to its regular battlions, as well as training, reserve, graduated and works battalions.

Order of Battle

The Battalion was the basic tactical unit of the infantry of the British Army in the Great War of 1914-1918. At full establishment, it consisted of 1,007 men, of whom 30 were officers. It comprised a Battalion Headquarters, and four Companies (A, B, C, D).

As required the battalions are combined to form the Armies.

Four battalions are joined to form a Brigade.

The 68th Brigade consisted of the 13th and 12th DLI and the 10th and 11th Northumberland Fusiliers. The 68th Machine Gun Company and 68th Trench Mortar Battery were added to the Brigade in 1916.

Three Brigades are combined to form a Division.

The 23rd Division consisted of the 68th, 69th and 70th Infantry Brigades, all from the north east of Britain.

Most brigades would stay in their divisions for the majority of the time they fought during WW1.

The division contained its own artillery, medical, pioneer and other support requirements.

The division was moved between theatres of war. The Corps would control a sector and have two or more divisions attached to it.

A number of Corps formed an Army.