attestation, mobilisation, enlistment

[JulianB]

ActuallyI see thast Lee has almost pre empted me. However I remain confused by the entyries I have seen in various service records.

For exaple I read a file on a man who was attested on 11.12.1915, then 'to army reserve' on 12.12.1915. He was mobilised on 26.7.1916 and posted on 27.6.1916. Transferred (to another unit) on 12.10.1916, then went overseas etc etc

What does 'attestation' mean and is there a difference between that and 'enlistment'. Why the gap between (in this case) posted to army reserve and mobilisation.

Would he have been in uniform in that period, or still a civvy.

explanations gratefully received (and I'll have aother look at Lee's topic)

Jlian

[MIDMED]

Enlistment is voluntery entry into the regular or part time armed forces

The small British regular army numbered only 166,300 men (eight divisions) at the outbreak of war and had started to cross the channel in support of are French and Belgium allies in August 1914.

The Regular army reserve was mobilesed. for example a recently discharged soldier would be in the reserve with an obligation to return to the colours in an national emergency.

In the case of a Territorial he would be mobilised with an obligation for home service only . Then embodied into the regular armed force to serve overseas . The term embodied and disembodied refers to T.F men who were serving before 1916 only.

by 1915 many men who were eligible for service had not come forward and enlisted. It became obvious to the Government that voluntary enlistment alone could not replace casualties and at the same time satisfy the rapidly expanding armed forces demand for recruits.

On October 11th, 1915, Lord Derby was appointed Director-General of Recruiting, he devised a scheme, referred to as the Derby Scheme for raising the numbers of men aged 18 to 41 who could continue to enlist voluntarily and attest with an obligation to join the armed forces within six months.

Attestment was a form of enlistment ,a recruit swears his oath to king and country with an obligation to serve with the armed forces for the wars duration. In the case of a Derby Scheme volunteer he would attest, then return home in affect being in the army reserve then mobilsed when called up.

By February 1916 (the Derby Scheme having been dispensed with) wholesale conscription of men eligible for military service within Britain was introduced in the form of the so-called Military Service Act (M.S.A). From this time the volunteer nature of the British Army brigades rapidly ended. You got called up, attested (short service) into the armed forces for the wars duration trained and then posted . Many Derby volunteers entered the armed force alongside the first M.S.A conscripts in the first half of 1916.

Voluntary enlistment into the Territorials ceased in 1916 and reinforcments were M.S.A conscripts with an obligation to serve overseas, embodiement was dispenced with. i.e men who were called up after Feb 1916 and then posted to a T.F unit were not disembodied.

Nationwide the athletic, the weed, the good, the bad and indifferent were called up then trained and equipped within twelve weeks.There- after the men were in general posted as drafts of reinforcements to many different units within the armed forces.

At the wars end for the most part concscripts who attested for the wars duration were discharged...Regulars were discharged to reserve Z. ... Pre war or early war volunteer territorials were disembodied.

You will find many variations of the above as many men were posted through many different regular, new army and territorial units. By 1917 "you go were your put "mentality emerged from within the war office and even a short spell away from the front could find you on your return serving in a completely different battalion.

Rather simplistic and general but hope of some help.

MIDMED

[Guest C729LEE]

JB/MM

That was some answer - and completely what I was wondering.

Great minds think alike JB.

Lee

[Graham Stewart]

Julian,

This is the document you would receive on being called up as a conscript under the Military Services Act of 1916. The Territorials were actually embodied as Midmed points out, but the actual act of embodiement was carried out on the 5th August 1914, and I have an actual Embodiement Form which I'll post later as I haven't scanned it into my computer yet.

Graham.

[Graham Stewart]

Julian,

This is Army Form E.635 "Territorial Force - Embodiement - Notice to Join", which belonged to 240 Frederick Jessop, 19th(County of London)Bn, London Regiment, who went onto survive the war and was eventually disembodied.

Graham.

[Muerrisch]

Well done Graham, nice posts: I have often wondered what the forms said. Thank you [even if nobody else appreciates you!]

[JulianB]

Thank you all very much, particularly Midmed and Graham.

I now have a much clearer picture. Inheriting or looking up records is fine but that information needs to be put into context.

Julian

[Tom Morgan]

Just for completeness, here's Army Form Z21 Certificate of Discharge/Transfer to Reserve/Disembodiment/Demobilisation (delete as required.)

[Muerrisch]

you will see elsewhere I have been inspired [no less] to ask Pals to consider a Form database using scans. Please give favourable consideration, all you gents and ladies with originals or good scans etc.

[marina]

Enlistment is voluntery entry into the regular or part time armed forces

Rather simplistic and general but hope of some help.

MIDMED

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly what I needed to know - Julian asked the very question that was on my mind , so you've killed two birds with one stone!

Marina

[marina]

you will see elsewhere I have been inspired [no less] to ask Pals to consider a Form database using scans.  Please give favourable consideration, all you gents and ladies with originals or good scans etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a really good idea.

Marina

[Muerrisch]

Enlistment is voluntery entry into the regular or part time armed forces

MIDMED

Not quite: conscripts were 'deemed to have enlisted' you will find.