Originally raised in 1912 as a Militia formation, it was later re-raised in 1916 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I, the brigade was assigned to the 5th Division and served on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918 before being disbanded.

At this time, the brigade's constituent units were located in Victoria with detachments around Kew, Glenferrie, Northcote, Fitzroy, Abbotsford, and Richmond.

[5] Conceived as a diversion to the Somme, the battle proved disastrous for the Australians and, due to the heavy casualties the division suffered, it was later described as "the worst 24 hours in Australia's entire history".

Early the following year, the collapse of the Russian Empire enabled the Germans to transfer a large number of troops from the Eastern Front to the west, and they subsequently launched the Spring Offensive.

[7] As the offensive drove the Allies back, the brigade was transferred south from Belgium to the Somme, with its infantry battalions manning positions around Villers-Bretonneux, where they were involved in heavy fighting during the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux securing flanking positions to the north of the town, resisting heavy attack.

[4] The fighting around the St Quentin Canal was the brigade's final involvement in the war, as the Australian Corps was withdrawn for rest and reorganisation in early October 1918, and was still out of the line when the armistice was signed in November.

[9] For most of its duration on the Western Front, the brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Clarence John Hobkirk, a British officer originally from the Essex Regiment.

[10] During the war, four 14th Brigade soldiers received the Victoria Cross for their actions: William Currey, John Ryan, Alexander Buckley and Arthur Hall.

The scarcity of employment meant that there were only limited numbers of volunteers as men who had jobs could not afford to risk them by taking time off for military training.

[18] As a result of the provisions of the Defence Act, which initially precluded units of the Militia from being deployed outside Australian territory, throughout the early years of the war the brigade was used as a garrison force, defending mainland Australia and providing training to recruits called up under the provisions of the compulsory training scheme, which was reinstated in January 1940.

[25] The 55th Battalion subsequently served in New Guinea from May to October 1942, undertaking garrison duties around Port Moresby and Milne Bay before carrying out patrols along the Goldie River Valley throughout September,[20] when the 14th Brigade was tasked with keeping lines of communication secure.

[31] In the post war period, the 14th Brigade was briefly re-raised as a part-time formation following the implementation of a conscription scheme that required those called up to serve within the Citizens Military Force.