The obvious answer was to annex the Tyneside Irish Brigade.

Redmond, moreover, held that to bring over this brigade to train in Ireland, and to incorporate it bodily in the Sixteenth Division, would please the Tyneside men--for a tremendous welcome would have greeted them in their own country--and would have an excellent effect on Irish opinion generally.

But the proposal was rigorously opposed by the War Office.

It was argued that these men had enlisted technically as Northumberland Fusiliers and Northumberland Fusiliers they must remain.

In reality, as far as one can judge, the War Office were penny wise and pound foolish.