16th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment

The 16th Battalion was formed in April 1917 under the command of Lieut.-Colonel C. Stewart of the 6th H.L.I., with Major H. C. Somerville as 2nd-in-command and Captain S. F. Wood as Adjutant. The latter officer was not appointed until December 1917.

The Battalion together with the 15th Battalion was employed on transport duties in the south of England, their headquarters being at Swindon for many months, afterwards shifting to the other traffic centres.

In the later period of World War 1, as the organization of the country for war became more complete, and as the munition organisation became more visibly the heart of the national effort, formed bodies of men were needed to ensure the adequate transport and supply of those munitions to the troops overseas. Those new units were formed from skilled personnel unfit for field service, were organized as military bodies, and received official designation in the usual manner; and thus there appeared in the Army List the 16th (Transport Workers) Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment. Although it never fought in the field, the unit played its part in securing the success of the national effort in the war.

Refer to the 15th Battalion section for more details.

 


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