63rd (Royal Naval) Division - Order of Battle

Order of Battle

The division initially comprised eight naval battalions named after famous British naval commanders (Anson, Benbow, Collingwood, Drake, Hawke, Hood, Howe, Nelson), plus the Royal Marine Brigade of four battalions from the Royal Marine dépôts at the ports of Deal, Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth.

• 1st (Drake) Battalion
• 2nd (Hawke) Battalion
• 3rd (Benbow) Battalion
• 4th (Collingwood) Battalion
• 5th (Nelson) Battalion
• 6th (Howe) Battalion
• 7th (Hood) Battalion
• 8th (Anson) Battalion
• 9th (Chatham) Battalion RMLI
• 10th (Portsmouth) Battalion RMLI
• 11th (Plymouth) Battalion RMLI
• 12th (Deal) Battalion RMLI

Due to the changing nature of the unit, it was made up of a number of brigades during the war.

1st Royal Naval Brigade

Also known as 1st (Royal Naval) Brigade, 1st Brigade (1914 - July 1916). Replaced by the 190th Brigade (July 1916).

2nd Royal Naval Brigade

Also known as 2nd (Royal Naval) Brigade, 2nd Brigade, 189th Brigade.

3rd Royal Marine Brigade

Also known as 3rd (Royal Marine) Brigade, 188th Brigade.

As the naval character of the division diminished, more regular infantry battalions were included. Other battalions that served with the division include:

• 1st Royal Marines
• 2nd Royal Marines
• 2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment
• 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
• 4th Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment
• 1/4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry
• 10th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers
• 1/1st Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company
• 2/2nd (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment
• 2/4th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment
• 1/28th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Artists' Rifles)