Western Command (United Kingdom)

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Western Command
File:Western Command (United Kingdom) Badge.jpg
Active 1793–1972
Country  United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg British Army
Type Command
Garrison/HQ Devonport (1793-1907)
Chester (1907-1972)

Western Command was a command of the British Army.

Nineteenth century

File:Admirality House, Devonport.jpg
Government House, Devonport, command headquarters from 1793 to 1907
Watergate House, Chester, command headquarters from 1907 to 1938
File:Former Bank of Scotland offices, Handbridge, Chester - DSC08032.JPG
Capital House, Chester, command headquarters from 1938 to 1972

Great Britain was divided into military districts on the outbreak of war with France in 1793.[1] The role of Western District Commander, which was doubled hatted with that of Lieutenant-Governor of Plymouth, was based at Government House, Mount Wise in Devonport.[2][3] In January 1876 a ‘Mobilization Scheme for the forces in Great Britain and Ireland’ was published, with the ‘Active Army’ divided into eight army corps based on the District Commands. This scheme disappeared in 1881, when the districts were retitled ‘District Commands.[4] By the 1890s the command included the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset and all of South Wales.[5]

Twentieth century

Western Command was established in 1905 and was originally called the Welsh & Midland Command before changing its name in 1906.[6] In 1907 Western Command relocated to Watergate House in Chester.[7] In 1938, after a brief stay in temporary accommodation at Boughton, it moved to a new purpose-built neo-Georgian property known as Capital House at Queen's Park in Chester.[8]

First World War

Army Order No 324, issued on 21 August 1914, authorised the formation of a 'New Army' of six Divisions, manned by volunteers who had responded to Earl Kitchener's appeal (hence the First New Army was known as 'K1'). Each division was to be under the administration of one of the Home Commands, and Western Command formed what became the 13th (Western) Division.[9] It was followed by 19th (Western) Division of K2 in September 1914.[10]

Second World War

In 1939, under Lieutenant General Robert Haining, the command consisted of Welsh, West Lancashire, and East Lancashire Areas, each commanding two divisions plus other troops.[11] It covered Wales and the Counties of Cumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Cheshire, and Beachley, Gloucestershire as well as the Isle of Man and the coast defence garrisons of Berehaven, Queenstown and (for the purpose of technical training only) Lough Swilly.[12]

Regular Troops reporting to the Command included:[12]

During 1943-44, the 80th Infantry (Reserve) Division was assigned to the Command as its training formation. On 1 September 1944, the division was replaced by the 38th Infantry (Reserve) Division, which took over the training role.[13][14]

Post War

The Command was merged into HQ UK Land Forces (HQ UKLF) in 1972[15] and the property handed over to the Royal Army Pay Corps.[8]

General Officers Commanding-in-Chief

GOCs and GOCinCs have included:[16][17][18]
General Officer Commanding Western District

General Officer Commanding Western Command

References

  1. ↑ Robert Burnham and Ron McGuigan, The British Army Against Napoleon: Facts, Lists and Trivia, 1805–1815 (2010) p. 7.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Army List 1876–1881.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack 1907
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Chester Walls
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Leo Niehorster, Western Command, orbat.com, accessed December 2008
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Patriot Files
  13. ↑ Forty 2013, Reserve Divisions.
  14. ↑ Joslen 2003, pp. 65, 103.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Whitaker's Almanacks 1905 - 1972
  17. ↑ Western Command at Regiments.org
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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