72nd Division ( United Kingdom ) 72nd Division was a short - lived infantry division of the British Army during World War I . It served in the Home Defence forces and never went overseas . Home defence . 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 ) . 8th Provisional Brigade . 8th Provisional Brigade was formed mainly from details of regiments from the English Midlands . Brigadier - General W . Thuillier assumed command on 8 September 1915 and established his headquarters at Westcliff - on - Sea , later moving to Southminster . By July 1916 the brigade was under the control of Northern Army of Home Forces , with the following units billeted across Essex : The following were also attached to 8th Provisional Bde : 72nd Division formed . Late in 1916 the War Office decided to form three new home - service divisions and 72nd was the second of these , assembling in Somerset in November . The division was based on 8th Provisional Bde , which moved from Essex and provided four infantry battalions and many of the support units . ( On 1 January 1917 these all received new designations and numbers . ) In addition , 188th ( 2nd Northumbrian ) Brigade , left over after the earlier disbandment of 63rd ( 2nd Northumbrian ) Division , was renumbered and joined 772nd Division . 65th ( 2nd Lowland ) Division , 67th ( 2nd Home Counties ) Division and 68th ( 2nd Welsh ) Dvision provided the personnel for five artillery batteries , while Northern Command and Northern and Southern Armies each loaned a section of guns each until equipment could be issued to the new units . The division had the following composition : 215th Brigade . 215 Brigade was drawn from 8th Provisional Bde : 216th Brigade . 216 Brigade was newly formed : 217th Brigade . 214 Brigade was formed by renumbering 188th ( 2 / 1st Northumbrian ) Bde : Service . After assemblng in Somerset , the new division moved in January 1917 to Bedford , Wellingborough and Northampton to replace 62nd ( 2nd West Riding ) Division , which had gone to the Western Front . In May 1917 the 72nd moved again , to East Anglia With its HQ at Ipswich , the division formed part of Southern Army of Home Forces , and was responsible for the coastal defences from the River Deben to Orford Ness . The division remained here for the remainder of its service . The Military Service Act 1916 swept away the Home / Foreign service distinction , and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service , if medically fit . Henceforth part of the role of the Home Service divisions was physical conditioning to render men fit for drafting overseas , alongside units of the Training Reserve . ' Graduated Battalions ' of the Training Reserve were organised in four companies according to age , from 18 to 19 years . Recruits pprogressed from one to another company every three months , so that every three months there was a company of trained 19 - year - old men available for drafting overseas . In July 1917 it was decided that the Graduated Battalions could serve in a Home Defence role while completing their training . Between July and September 1917 , six Graduated Battalions replaced other units in 72nd Division , and in October these were affiliated to line regiments and adopted territorial designations . Disbandment . During October 1917 the War Office decided to break up the three home service divisions . A number of battalions of 72nd Division were disbanded , and on 21 December the War Office ordered the Commander - in - Chief , Home Forces , to break up the remainder of the division without delay . The Graduated Battalions transferred to other divisions and between January and April 1918 the remainder of the headquarters and supporting units were broken up . The 72nd Division title has never been reactivated .