The Dorset Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958, being the county regiment of Dorset. Until 1951, it was formally called the Dorsetshire Regiment, although usually known as "The Dorsets". In 1958, after service in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II, the Dorset Regiment was amalgamated with the Devonshire Regiment to form the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment. In 2007, it was amalgamated in to The Rifles.
The 6th Battalion was raised on 6th September 1914 at Dorchester. In the fortnight that followed prior to the move to Wareham over 1,000 men joined with three hundred from the County of Dorset, the majority of whom joined D Company.
The Battalion formed part of the 17th Northern Division, whose battalions – mainly from northern regiments – undertook their training in and around the hills, heaths, and pine woods surrounding Bovington in Dorset. Although the Division had been initially selected for Home Defense duties, this decision was reversed and they proceeded to active service in France, landing at Boulogne on 14th July 1915, concentrating near St Omer. They moved into the Southern Ypres salient and, after their initial trench familiarization, went into the line in that area.
In the spring of 1916 they saw action at the Bluff, south east of Ypres on the Comines Canal, before moving south to the Somme. Here they fought in the Battle of Albert, in which the Division captured Fricourt, and in the battle at Delville Wood.
In 1917 they moved to Arras and saw action in The First and Second Battles of the Scarpe and The Capture of Roeux. In late summer they returned to Flanders and fought in The First and Second Battles of Passchendaele.