The division was first formed in October 1914 during the First World War, initially consisting mainly of soldiers of the Regular Army and served on the Western Front throughout the war, sustaining many casualties, before disbandment in 1919.

[2] It was under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Leslie Rundle, and included a brigade division of Royal Artillery, one squadron of cavalry, one company of Royal Engineers, one company of Army Service Corps, a field hospital, and the following infantry brigades and battalions:[3] The 8th Division was a Regular Army division that was formed by combining battalions returning from outposts in the British Empire at the outbreak of the First World War.

Due to the needs of defence against German and Italian forces these units were sent to places of need and reformed as different formations.

Although it had infantry it had no divisional troops due to the shortage of artillery and engineers in the Middle East.

The division, in name only, was composed of administration units and intended to provide internal security within Syria, under the command of the Ninth Army.