73rd Division was a short-lived infantry division of the British Army during World War I. It served in Home Forces and never went overseas.
Home Service
On the outbreak of World War I the Territorial Force (TF) immediately mobilised for home defence, but shortly afterwards (31 August 1914), its units were authorised to raise 2nd battalions formed from those men who had not volunteered for, or were not fit for, overseas service, together with new volunteers, while the 1st Line went overseas to supplement the Regulars. Early in 1915 the 2nd Line TF battalions were also raised to full strength to form new divisions, and began to form Reserve (3rd Line) units to supply drafts. The remaining Home Service men were separated out in May 1915 to form brigades of Coast Defence Battalions (termed Provisional Battalions from June 1915).
9th Provisional Brigade
9th Provisional Brigade was formed in East Kent mainly from details of local units and infantry from Lancashire. It had the following composition:
9th Provisional Yeomanry Squadron formed at Margate on 14 September 1915 from detachments of the 2/1st South Western Mounted Brigade and the Royal East Kent Mounted Rifles and was initially stationed at Whitstable. 9th Provisional Cyclist Company formed at Herne Bay on 8 September 1915 from two platoons of Home Service men (64) drawn from 1/1st and 2/1st Kent Cyclist Battalions, the remainder (113 men) from 1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment; it was temporarily attached to 42nd Provisional Battalion. 9th Provisional Battery and Ammunition Column Royal Field Artillery formed at Hastings on 9 September 1915 and shortly afterwards moved to Herne Bay; it was equipped with four French 90 mm field guns. 9th Provisional Brigade Ammunition Column RFA 9th Provisional Field Company, Royal Engineers 9th Provisional Signal Section, Royal Engineers 41st Provisional Battalion from home service details of the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). 42nd Provisional Battalion formed on 1 September 1915 at Herne Bay from home service details of the 2/4th, 3/4th, 2/5th and 3/5th Battalions of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. 44th Provisional Battalion formed on 1 September 1915 from home service details of 7th, 8th and 9th Battalions of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment and stationed in Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Sandwich. 45th Provisional Battalion formed from home service details of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 10th Battalions, Manchester Regiment, and 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions, Lancashire Fusiliers. 9th Provisional Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps, formed at Ramsgate on 19 September 1915 from the home service details of the 2/1st, 2/2nd and 2/3rd Home Counties Field Ambulances. 9th Provisional Brigade Train Army Service Corps, from home service details from Middlesex and Surrey.
A number of men on the strength of these units were absent on civil employment such as munitions work.
In the autumn of 1915 the brigade was under the command of 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division in Second Army of Central Force. By July 1916 the brigade was under the control of Southern Army of Home Forces, with its battalions billeted as follows: Brigade Headquarters: Margate 41st Provisional Bn: Westgate-on-Sea 42nd Provisional Bn: Broadstairs 44th Provisional Bn: Ramsgate 45th Provisional Bn: Margate
73rd Division formed
Late in 1916 the War Office decided to form three new home-service divisions; 73rd was the last of these, assembling at Blackpool in November. The division was based on 9th Provisional Bde, which moved from Margate and provided four infantry battalions and many of the support units. (On 1 January 1917 these all received new designations and numbers.) In addition, 189th (2nd York and Durham) Brigade, left over after the earlier disbandment of 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division, provided other components. Personnel to help form the other five artillery batteries were transferred from other home service divisions. The rest of the division was composed of new units.
After assembling in Lancashire, 73rd Division moved in early January 1917 to join Southern Army of Home Forces, stationed in Essex and Hertfordshire, with the following composition:
Divisional Headquarters in Chelmsford.