The brigades' composition was of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Volunteer battalions of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment).

The division was mobilised in early August 1914 when the First World War began and, when asked, most of the men volunteered for Imperial Service.

During the war the brigade was awarded a Victoria Cross belonging to Private Arthur Poulter of the 1/4th Battalion.

Both the brigade and division were disbanded shortly after the end of the war, as was the rest of the Territorial Force.

The brigade was stationed in Iceland,[7] and adopted as its insignia the polar bear on an ice floe.