71st Division ( United Kingdom ) 71st 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 ) . 6th Provisional Brigade . 6th Provisional Brigade was formed mainly from details of regiments from London and East Anglia , with the following composition : By July 1916 the brigade was under the control of Northern Army of Home Forces , with its battalions billeted across Suffolk as follows : 66th Provisional Battalion at Darsham , attached to 3rd Provisional Bde , later transferred into 6th Provisional Bde . 71st Division formed . Late in 1916 the War Office decided to form three new home - service divisions and 71st was the first of these , assembling in Hampshire and Surrey in November . The division was based on 6th Provisional Bde , which moved from Suffolk and provided four infantry battalions and many of the support units . ( On 1 January 1917 these all received new designations and numbers . ) In addition , 190th ( 2nd Durham Light Infantry ) Brigade , left over after the earlier disbandment of 63rd ( 2nd Northumbrian ) Division , was brought from Catterick and renumbered . 64th ( 2nd Highland ) Division at Catterick also provided a number of artillery batteries . The division had the following composition : 212th Brigade . 212 Brigade was drawn from 6th Provisional Bde : 213th Brigade . 213 Brigade was newly formed : 214th Brigade . 214 Brigade was formed by renumbering 190th ( 2 / 1st Durham Light Infantry ) Bde : Home defence . In the first week of March 1917 , the division moved back to the East Coast and concentrated at Colchester . It now formed part of Southern Army of Home Forces and was responsible for defence of the Essex coast from Mersea Island to Walton - on - the - Naze . In April , 226th Mixed Brigade ( formerly 7th Provisional Brigade ) at Clacton - on - Sea was attached to the Division . 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 71st Division , and in October these were affiliated to line regiments and adopted territorial designations . In October 1917 , 214 Bde was formed into a Special Brigade for service at Murmansk , for which it was filled up with men of A1 medical category , and had a field artillery brigade , cyclist battalions and machine - gun companies added to its strength . However , it never went to Russia , and was still in 71st Division in early 1918 . Disbandment . Towards the end of December 1917 the War Office decided to break up the three home service divisions . A number of battalions of 71st Division were disbanded that month , and on 12 January 1918 the War Office ordered the Commander - in - Chief , Home Forces , to break up the remainder of the division without delay . During February , 214th Special Brigade and 226th Mixed Brigade , with their attached troops , were transferred to 67th ( 2nd Home Counties ) Division , and the six Graduated Battalions were transferred to 64th ( 2nd Highland ) Division . CCCL Field Bde RFA moved to the School of Artillery at Larkhill Garrison and the Field Companies RE went overseas on active service . Disbandment of the remainder of the brigade headquarters and supporting units was complete by 8 April 1918 . The 71st Division title has never been reactivated .