The Middlesex Regiment was an Infantry Battalion that would have had an MG Section as part of its Battalion Headquarters. These weapons would have been brigaded when the Machine Gun Corps was formed in 1915. The guns, and crews, would have been formed into a Machine Gun Company.
During the Great War, the Battalions were distributed as follows:
The 2nd Battalion started the Great War as a member of the 23rd Brigade, 8th Infantry Division.
As a unit of the 8th Infantry Division, its MG Section will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.
| 1914 | |
| The division had no existence before the outbreak of War. The first units to arrive (from Malta) assembled on Baddesley Common (near Southampton), and on 2nd October, 1914, Divisional H.Q. and available units moved to Hursley Park (near Winchester), where concentration ws effected. The arrival of the 2/E. Lanc. R. on the 30th October completed the division. The 12 infantry battalions had all been brought back from various overseas stations, viz: - India (3), S. Africa (1), Aden (1), Egypt (3), Malta (3), and Bermuda (1). The mounted troops included an existing yeomanry regiment and a cyclist company, which was formed on mobilization. The Field Artillery was made up by one Horse Artillery Bde. (3 batteries), and the two Field Artillery Bdes., which still remained at home. The two Heavy Batteries were new units formed at Woolwich after the outbreak of War, and the Field Companies came from Cairo and Gibraltar. The three Field Ambulances of the Wessex Division (T.F.) were used; and of the four A.S.C. Companies, one (41) came from Cairo and the other three were new formations.
The division embarked at Southampton on the 4th and 5th November, and disembarked at Havre on the 6th and 7th; it began entraining for the Front on the 8th November, and completed its assembly around Merville by the 12th. Throughout the remainder of the War the 8th Division served on the Western Front in France and Belgium, and was engaged in the following operations:- |
|
| 18 December | Neuve Chapelle (Moated Grange Attack) [IV. Corps]. |
| 1915 | |
| 10 to 13 March | Battle of Neuve Chapelle [IV. Corps, First Army]. |
| 09 May | BATTLE OF AUBERS RIDGE |
| Attack at Fromelles [IV. Corps, First Army]. | |
| 25 September | Bois Grenier [III. Corps, First Army]. |
Its MG Section was transferred on 15 January 1916 to form the 23rd Bde. MG Coy..
The 3rd Battalion was part of the 85th Brigade, attached to the 28th Division. It's MG Section was likely to have been transferred into the 85th MG Coy. which was provisionally formed on 13 March 1916 and formally established on 18 May 1916.
As a unit of the 28th Infantry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.
| The Division had no existence before the outbreak of the Great war.
The Division assembled and mobilized at Hursley, Pitt Hill, and Magdalen Hill Camps (around Winchester) during December, 1914, and January, 1915. The 12 infantry battalions, of which it was composed, came from India (10 from nine different stations), Singapore (1), and Egypt (1); the brigades were formed at Winchester. The mounted troops included a cavalry squadron from an existing yeomanry unit, and a cyclist company, which was formed at Winchester. Of the field artillery brigades: in August, 1914, III. was in India and XXXI. was at Sheffield, whilst CXLVI. was only formed at Winchester. The field companies, signal company, field ambulances, and train, were territorial force units. The 28th Division embarked at Southampton on the 15th-18th January, 1915, disembarked at Le Havre between the 16th-19th January, and concentrated between Bailleul and Hazebrouck by the 22nd January. The 28th Division served on the Western Front in France and Belgium until the middle of October, 1915. It embarked for Egypt in October and November, and, on arrival, it encamped in the neighbourhood of Alexandria. On the 17th November, order were received for the division to embark for Salonika as soon as possiblle. Embarkation began on the 20th November, but it was not until the 4th January, 1916, that all the units had completed disembarkation at Salonika. (The XXXI. and CXLVI. Brigades, R.F.A., proceeded direct from Marseille to Salonika, sailing on the 17th November; these two brigades arrived: XXXI. on 27th November, and CXLVI. on the 2nd December.) | |
| 1915 | |
| BATTLES OF YPRES | |
| 22 and 23 April | Battle of Gravenstafel Ridge [V. Corps, Second Army]. |
| 24 April to 04 May | Battle of St. Julien [V. Corps, Second Army, until 28/4; then Plumer's Force]. |
| 08 to 13 May | Battle of Frezenberg Ridge [V. Corps, Second Army]. |
| 24 and 25 May | Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge [V. Corps, Second Army]. |
| 27 to 05 October | Battle of Loos [I. Corps, First Army]. |
| At noon on the 19th October, the division was ordered to be ready to entrain in 48 hours for an unknown destination. On 21st October, the division beganto entrain for Marseille, and on 24th October the first units sailed from that port. Units began to reach Alexandria on 29th October, and the division (less XXXI. and CXLVI. Bdes., R.F.A.) reached Egypt by 22nd November.
The 28th Division was then sent from Alexandria at Salonika on the 4th January, 1916. | |
Originally within the Middlesex Infantry Brigade of the Home Counties Division, it served at Gibralter from 09 September 1914 until 08 February 1915, when it was returned to England.
The 7th Battalion joined the 23rd Brigade, 8th Infantry Division, from England on 15 March 1915. It amalgamated with the 8th Bn on 23 June 1915 and resumed separate formations on 02 August 1915. It transferred to the 167th Bde, 56th Div., on 08 February 1916.
As a unit of the 8th Infantry Division, its MG Section will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.
| 1915 | |
| 09 May | BATTLE OF AUBERS RIDGE |
| Attack at Fromelles [IV. Corps, First Army]. | |
As a unit of the 56th (1st London) Infantry Division, its MG Section did not take part in any formal battles or engagements.
Its MG Section was transferred on 22 March 1916 to form the 167th Bde. MG Coy..
The 17th Battalion was part of the 6th Brigade, attached to the 2nd Division. It's MG Section was transferred on 04 January 1916 to form the 6th Bde. MG Coy..
As a unit of the 2nd Infantry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.
| 1914 | |
| 23 and 24 August | Battle of Mons [I. Corps]. |
| 24 August to 05 September | RETREAT FROM MONS [I. Corps]. |
| 01 September | Villers Cotterets. |
| 06 to 09 September | Battle of the Marnes [I. Corps]. |
| 13 to 26 September | BATTLE OF THE AISNES [I. Corps]. |
| 13 September | Passage of the Aisne. |
| 20 September | Actions on the Aisne Heights. |
| 19 October to 20 November | BATTLES OF YPRES [I. Corps]. |
| 21 to 24 October | Battle of Langemarck [I. Corps]. |
| 29 to 21 October | Battle of Gheluvet [I. Corps]. |
| 11 November | Battle of Nonne Bosschen [I. Corps]. |
| 1915 | |
| 01 February | Cuinchy |
| 06 February | Cuinchy |
| 15 to 20 May | Battle of Festubert [I. Corps, First Army]. |
| 25 September to 04 October | Battle of Loos [I. Corps, First Army]. |
| 13 to 19 October | Hohenzollern Redoubt [I. Corps, First Army]. |
In 1922, the Machine Gun Corps was disbanded and the guns returned to the Infantry Battalion as a Machine Gun Platoon and then formed as a Machine Gun Company in the early 1930s.
This remained until the formation of Divisional Machine Gun Battalions in 1936 where guns were brigaded once again. The Middlesex was one of those Infantry Regiments converted to this new role.
At the outbreak of War, the 1st Bn was part of the Hong Kong Infantry Brigade. It remained here until captured by the Japanese in Hong Kong on 25 December, 1941.
The 1st Bn was reconstituted from the 2/8th Bn in 1943.
From 01 October, 1943, the 1st Bn was the Divisional Support Battalion to the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division. It reverted to the Divisional MG Battalion establishment from 18 March, 1944, for the rest of the War.
The 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division was mobilised in September 1939 as a Second Line Territorial Army Infantry Division. During its time with the 15th, it was in the following theatres and battles.
| Dates | Theatre | Battles |
| 03 September, 1939, to 13 June, 1944 | United Kingdom | |
| 14 June, 1944, to 31 August, 1945 | North West Europe |
|
For the campaign in France, 1939 to 1940, it was part of the General Headquarters (GHQ) Troops that could be allocated as required.
From 11 November, 1941, until 20 May, 1942, it was the Divisional MG Battalion to the 3rd Infantry Division.
It was reorganised as a Divisional Support Battalion on 01 October, 1943, and remained so until 03 March, 1944, when it reverted to the Divisional MG Battalion establishment. It remained with the 3rd for the rest of the War.
The 3rd Infantry Division was mobilised in September 1939 as a Regular Army Infantry Division. During its time with the 15th, it was in the following theatres and battles.
| Dates | Theatre | Battles |
| 01 June, 1940 to 04 June, 1944 | United Kingdom | |
| 04 June, 1944 to 06 June, 1944 | At Sea | |
| 06 June, 1944 to 31 August, 1945 | North West Europe |
|
For the campaign in France, 1939 to 1940, it was part of the General Headquarters (GHQ) Troops that could be allocated as required.
Between 11 November, 1941 and 09 December, 1943, the 1/7th Bn was the Divisional MG Battalion to the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. It then became a Divisional Support Battalion between 10 December, 1943, until 27 February, 1944, when it became a Divisional MG Battalion again. It remained this way until the end of the War.
The 51st (Highland) Infantry Division was mobilised in September 1939 as a First Line Territorial Army Infantry Division. Whilst the 1/7th Bn was part of it, it was in the following theatres and battles:
| Dates | Theatre | Battles |
| 07 August, 1940, to 16 June, 1942 | United Kingdom | |
| 16 June, 1942, to 11 August, 1942 | At Sea | |
| 12 August, 1942, to 21 November, 1942 | Egypt | |
| 21 November, 1942, to 17 February, 1943 | Libya | |
| 17 February, 1943, to 08 July, 1943 | North Africa |
|
| 08 July, 1943, to 10 July, 1943 | At Sea | |
| 10 July, 1943, to 07 November, 1943 | Sicily |
|
| 07 November, 1943, to 26 November, 1943 | At Sea | |
| 26 November, 1943, to 02 June, 1944 | United Kingdom | |
| 02 June, 1944, to 07 June, 1944 | At Sea | |
| 07 June, 1944, to 31 August, 1945 | North West Europe |
|
At the outbreak of War, the 2/7th Bn was part of the 6th London Infantry Brigade, a Second Line Territorial Army Infantry Brigade. It remained here until 31 March, 1940. It was in the United Kingdom throughout this period.
The Divisional MG Battalion to the 46th (North Midland) Infantry Division from 11 November, 1941 to 01 October, 1942. It was in the United Kingdom for all of this period. The 46th (North Midland) Infantry Division was mobilised in September 1939 as a Second Line Territorial Army Infantry Division.
It formed part of the Eighth Army, 15 Army Group for the Invasion of Siciliy on 10 July, 1943.
On 17 August, 1943, in North Africa, it joined the 1st Infantry Division as the Divisional Support Battalion. It remained as such until 27 May, 1944. It then converted back to a Divisional MG Battalion and remained as such for the rest of the War.
During this time, the 1st Infantry Division was in the following theatres and battles.
| Dates | Theatre | Battles |
| 15 June, 1943 to 04 December, 1943 | North Africa | |
| 05 December, 1943, to 07 December, 1943 | At Sea | |
| 07 December, 1943, to 27 January, 1945 | Italy |
|
| 28 January, 1945, to 01 February, 1945 | At Sea | |
| 02 February, 1945 to 31 August, 1945 | Palestine |
For the campaign in France, 1939 to 1940, it was part of the General Headquarters (GHQ) Troops that could be allocated as required.
From 18 November, 1941, the 1/8th Bn was the Divisional MG Battalion to the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division. The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division was mobilised in September 1939 as a First Line Territorial Army Infantry Division.
It was converted to a Divisional MG Battalion between 01 October, 1942, and 28 February, 1944. It was also renamed the 8th Bn during this time. From the 28 February, 1944, it was converted back to a Divisional MG Battalion until the end of the War.
During the time the 1/8th Bn was part of it, the 43rd Infantry Division was in the following theatres and battles.
| Dates | Theatre | Battles |
| 03 September, 1939, to 17 June, 1944 | United Kingdom | |
| 17 June, 1944, to 24 June, 1944 | At Sea | |
| 24 June, 1944, t0 31 August, 1945 | North West Europe |
|
The Divisional MG Battalion to the 61st Infantry Division between 11 November, 1941, and 20 May, 1942.
The 61st Infantry Division was a Home Defence Division which served in Northern Ireland in 1941-1942. In 1943, the Battalion was reconsituted as the 1st Battalion (to replace the 1st which was lost at Hong Kong) and in September of that year was moved to the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division.
After the Second World War, the MG assets reverted to MG Platoons within support companies of Infantry Battalions.