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SPECIAL BRIGADE, ROYAL ENGINEERS

ORDER OF BATTLE IN THE GREAT WAR OF 1914-1918

1915:

1916:

1st Battalion 2nd Battalion
  • "A" Company: Sections 1-6
  • "E" Company: Sections 25-30
    • "B" Company: Sections 7-12
    • "F" Company: Sections 31-36
    • "C" Company: Sections 13-18
    • "G" Company: Sections 37-42
    • "D" Company: Sections 19-24
    • "H" Company: Sections 43-48
       
    3rd Battalion 4th Battalion
    • "J" Company: Sections 49-54
  • "N" Company: Sections 72-78
  • "K" Company: Sections 55-60
  • "O" Company: Sections 79-84
  • "L" Company: Sections 61-66
  • "P" Company: Sections 85-90
  • "M" Company: Sections 67-72
  • "Q" Company: Sections 91-96
  •    
    5th (Mortar) Battalion  
  • No. 1 Company: Sections A-D
  •  
  • No. 2 Company: Sections E-H
  •  
  • No. 3 Company: Sections J-M
  •  
  • No. 4 Company: Sections N-Q
  •  
  • "Z" Company: Sections 1-4
  •  

    1917:

    1st Battalion 2nd Battalion
  • "A" Company: Sections 1-5
  • "E" Company: Sections 21-25
  • "B" Company: Sections 6-10
  • "F" Company: Sections 26-30
  • "C" Company: Sections 11-15
  • "G" Company: Sections 31-35
  • "D" Company: Sections 16-20
  • "H" Company: Sections 36-40
  •    
    3rd Battalion 4th Battalion
  • "J" Company: Sections 41-45
  • "N" Company: Sections 61-65
  • "K" Company: Sections 46-50
  • "O" Company: Sections 66-70
  • "L" Company: Sections 51-55
  • "P" Company: Sections 71-75
  • "M" Company: Sections 56-60
  • "Q" Company: Sections 76-80
  • NOTES:

    Companies "A" through "Q" in the 1st through 4th Battalions were cylinder companies consisting of 7 officers, 12 non-commissioned officers and 206 other ranks for a total of 225 all ranks, broken down as follows:

    (1) Captain (Officer Commanding)

    (1)Lieutenant (2nd-in-Command)

    (5) Lieutenants or 2nd Lieutenants (Section Commanders)

    (1) Company Sergeant Major

    (11) Sergeants

    (200) Other Ranks

    (6) Drivers

    In the 5th Battalion companies 1 through 4 were Stokes mortar companies consisting of 6 officers, 26 non-commissioned officers and 307 other ranks for a total of 339 all ranks, broken down as follows:

    (1) Captain (Officer Commanding)

    (1) Lieutenant (2nd-in-Command)

    (4) Lieutenants or 2nd Lieutenants (Section Commanders)

    (1) Company Sergeant Major

    (12) Sergeants (Sub-Section Commanders)

    (1) Clerk

    (13) Sergeants

    (288) Other Ranks

    (8) Drivers

    "Z" Company was the flame projector company with a total strength of 350+ all ranks.

    REFERENCE:

    RICHTER, D. CHEMICAL SOLDIERS: British Gas Warfare in World War One. Leo Cooper, London, 1994.