The Division was a formation created by the establishment of the Territorial Force in 1908. Several of the Divisions units left between November 1914 and February 1915 to act as reinforcements to Divisions already in the field. These were gradually replaced by Second-Line units. In November 1914, an order for the Division to proceed to India was eventually cancelled. The Division moved to Gallipoli (less two of its artillery Brigades) arriving there by early July 1915.

July 1915 : sailed from Devonport for Egypt

9 August 1915 : landed at Gallipoli

Gallipoli

After suffering severe losses in manpower strength during the great November 1915 blizzard on Gallipoli, when its total strength was reduced to less than that of a full-strength Brigade, 1916, the Division was moved to Egypt, where it again saw action. It arrived in Egypt by 23rd December 1915.

• 158th Brigade (North Wales)

  • 1/4th (Denbighshire) Bn, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (joined August 1914, left November 1914)

  • 1/5th (Flintshire) Bn, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (joined August 1914)

  • 1/6th (Carnarvonshire and Anglesey) Bn, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (joined August 1914)

  • 1/7th (Merioneth and Montgomery) Bn, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (joined August 1914, left June 1918)

  • 1/1st Bn, the Herefordshire (joined April 1915, left June 1918)

  • 158th Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 26 April 1916, moved into 53 MG Bn 25 April 1918)

  • 158th Trench Mortar Battery (formed 22 July1917)

• 159th Brigade (Cheshire)

  • 1/4th Bn, the Cheshires (joined August 1914, left May 1918)

  • 1/5th Bn, the Cheshires (joined August 1914, left February 1915)

  • 1/6th Bn, the Cheshires (joined August 1914, left November 1914)

  • 1/7th Bn, the Cheshires (joined August 1914, left May 1918)

  • 2/5th Bn, the Cheshires (joined February 1915, left April 1915)

  • 2/6th Bn, the Cheshires (joined November 1914, left April 1915)

  • 1/4th Bn, the Welsh (joined April 1915)

  • 1/5th Bn, the Welsh (joined April 1915, merged with 1/4th July 1918)

  • 159th Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 20 April 1916, moved into 53 MG Bn 25 April 1918)

  • 159th Trench Mortar Battery (joined 28 June 1917)

• 160th (Welsh Border) Brigade

  • 2/4th Bn, the Queen's (joined April 1915)

  • 1/7th (Merioneth and Montgomery) Bn, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (joined June 1918)

  • 1/4th Bn, the Royal Sussex (joined April 1915, left May 1918)

  • 2/4th Bn, the Royal West Kents (joined as The Kent Composite Bn April 1915, left August 1918)

  • 2/10th Bn, the Middlesex (joined April 1915, left November 1917)

  • 1/1st Bn, the Monmouthshire (joined August 1914, left February 1915)

  • 1/2nd Bn, the Monmouthshire (joined August 1914, left November 1914)

  • 1/3rd Bn, the Monmouthshire (joined August 1914, left February 1915)

  • 1/1st Bn, the Herefordshire (joined August 1914, left April 1915)

  • 160th Brigade Machine Gun Company (formed 11 May 1916, moved into 53 MG Bn 25 April 1918)

  • 160th Trench Mortar Battery (joined 26 June 1917)

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• Divisional Troops

  • 2/1st (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined January 1916, disbanded June 1916)

  • 2/2nd (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined January 1916, disbanded June 1916)

  • 2/3rd (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined January 1916, disbanded June 1916)

  • 2/4th (City of London) Bn, the London Regiment (joined January 1916, disbanded June 1916)

  • 155th (Pioneers) (joined 12 August 1918)

  • Cape Corps Machine Gun Company (joined 17 September 1918 and absorbed into Divisional MG Battalion)

  • No 53 Machine Gun Battalion (created 25 April 1918)

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• Divisional Mounted Troops

  • A Squadron , the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (joined 1 February 1917, left 23 August 1917)

  • 53rd (Welsh) Divisional Cyclist Company (Formed May 1915)

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• Divisional Artillery

  • The Divisional Artillery remained in England when the Division moved to Gallipoli. It moved independently to France in November 1915, but rejoined the Division in Egypt in February 1916.

  • CCLXV (I Welsh) (H) Brigade, RFA (broken up December 1916)

  • CCLXVI (II Welsh) Brigade, RFA (partly broken up and redesignated CCLXVII December 1916)

  • CCLXVII (Cheshire) Brigade, RFA (partly broken up and redesignated CCLXV December 1916)

  • CCLXVIII ( IV Welsh) Brigade, RFA (partly broken up and redesignated CCLXVI December 1916)

  • 53rd (Welsh) Divisional Ammunition Column

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• Engineer Units

  • 436th Field Company (joined Aug 1914, renamed from 1st (Welsh) Field Coy)

  • 437th Field Company (joined Dec 1915, renamed from 2/1st (Welsh) Field Coy)

  • 439th Field Company (formed Sep 14, left Apr 18, renamed from 2/1st (Cheshire) Field Coy)

  • 72nd Coy, 3rd Sappers & Miners (joined Aug 1918)

  • 53rd Divisional Signal Company (renamed from 1st Welsh Divisional Signal Company)

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• Field Ambulances

  • 1st (Welsh) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914, left August 1918)

  • 2nd (Welsh) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914, left September 1918)

  • 3rd (Welsh) Field Ambulance (joined August 1914, attached to 54th Division for 1 week in August 1915, left September 1918)

  • 113 CFA (joined July 1918)

  • 170 CFA (joined August 1918)

  • 171 CFA (joined August 1918)

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53rd Divisional Train ASC (The original Divisional Train, composed of 479, 480, 481 and 482 Companies, did not embark for Gallipoli, and was transferred to 11th Division in June 1916. The Train of the 29th Division, itself formerly the Wessex Divisional Train, joined in Egypt in March 1916. It consisted of 246, 247, 248 and 249 TF Companies, ASC. 447, 448, 449 and 450 Companies joined from 42nd Division in March and April 1916, supporting the Gaza operations, but were then transferred to 74th (Yeomanry) Division)

53rd (Welsh) Mobile Veterinary Section

53rd Sanitary Section