Strength of a battalion - definitions of strength

[Charles Fair]

I know that the question "how strong was a typical battalion" has come up before. I think some of you may be interested in the attached which pulls together 3 different sets of strength data from 3 different sources in the NA. Each one has a different definition, but they show similar patterns.

Notes and Sources:

• Fighting Strength – taken from 47 Division A&Q War Diary (WO 95 2706-2707) – believed to include all men serving with the battalion in the Divisional area i.e. Ration Strength. The data is usually that on the last day of the month. (n.b. two months are missing)

• Total Strength – taken from "Overseas Monthly Returns of the Territorial Force Serving Abroad" (WO114 52-54). Data is believed to represent the total strength of the battalion in France. It probably includes drafts at the base depot (mainly in 47 Infantry Base Depot) and drafts en route to 47 Division who have not yet been Taken On Strength of the 1/19th. The data is given as being the first day of the following month i.e. the datum for March 1915 is actually the Total Strength as of 1 April 1915. In order to ensure consistency with the Fighting Strength.

• Trench Strength – taken from 141 Brigade War Diary (WO95). Data is believed to represent what in modern terms we would call the ‘bayonet strength’. This includes all officers and men who would be directly involved in action against the enemy but not the supporting elements of the battalion who would normally be in echelon behind the lines. The battalion transport, the RQMS and his party, and the four CQMSs and their parties would not be included in this figure. Data is only available for a few months from late 1915 to mid 1916. Data for late 1916 and 1917 are estimates based on a proportion of the trench strength for 141 Brigade.

I would be interested in comments from the forum as well as any examples from similar research that others may have carried out.

I am trying to find out if the second source above was continued in some other form after Oct 1917. I believe these returns were wrapped up into those for the army as a whole, but cant find a likely file in WO 114.

Charles

19th_London_Strengths_chart_all_sources.doc

[westkent78]

Thank you very much for sharing this piece of research Charles. Very interesting indeed.

You can definitely see the pattern of reinforcement prior to a big engagement and the subsequent rebuilding post-attack.

I can't provide a comparison at present, but it will be interesting to see if the 23rd's numbers broadly mirror the pattern you've established.

I'd been wanting to do something like this, but was unsure where to being, and now you've provided a template.

Best Regards,

Matthew

[Charles Fair]

You can definitely see the pattern of reinforcement prior to a big engagement and the subsequent rebuilding post-attack.

Yes, it suggests that the bn was reinforced heavily before High Wood, and also that a large number of men were ready for immediate reinforcement. The bn was reinforced soon after High Wood before going into action a few days later at Eaucourt L'Abbaye.

It is also interesting to see the weakness of the bn in early 1916. I think this is a reflection of the weakness of recruiting for the TF in 1915. Then after the Military Service Acts of 1916 allowed conscripts to be bunged in anywhere, we start seeing Derby scheme and possibly some early conscripts coming into the bn just in time for High Wood.

I can't provide a comparison at present, but it will be interesting to see if the 23rd's numbers broadly mirror the pattern you've established.

I'd been wanting to do something like this, but was unsure where to being, and now you've provided a template.

Matthew - I can do better than this. I have created a monster spreadsheet for all the units in 141 Bde and a summary of 47 Div. This spreadsheet contains data from the 4 following monthly returns which are found in 47 Division A&Q War Diary (WO 95 2706-2707):

• Fighting Strength – as per the graph. Lists every teeth arm subunit in the div on a given date.

• Monthly total Evacuations of Sick and Wounded. Also includes all supporting elements to the div e.g. RAMC.

• Daily total Killed, Wounded & Missing. This lists for each day total KWM for each unit. No monthly totals, but you can calculate yourself. Also includes all supporting elements.

• Monthly total Reinforcements. tends to be teeth arms only, but sometimes has supporting elements.

For each month you therefore have at least 4 pages of data (sometimes up to about 8). These series of data are generally much more consistent and complete than data given in the bn and bde war diaries which I find very variable.

I have had the vague intention of doing 140 and 142 Bdes and the Div artillery as well, but this is a long way down my list of priorities.

Please email me and I will send the spreadsheet to you. You would be able to use it as a template for the 23rd (and perhaps 142 Bde ). I have much of the above electronically (and photocopies of the rest which I can photo) and could burn a CD with all 4 returns.

Charles

[westkent78]

Pm on its way to you Charles.

[JulianB]

Charles,

Very interesting statistics.

I’m trying to do an in depth study of a specific MGC Company for a 21 month period – from June 1916 when it arrived overseas until March 1918 when it got swallowed up into a MG battalion. I too have looked up all available ‘strength returns’. I have a far from complete picture because if they were sent in each week then I only have some 25%. What is preserved in Brigade, Division and even Corps files is random. There are only slightly more ‘casualty returns’ surviving. I would have liked to create some graphs if I had more data, though I will try to do further searching in the records.

One of my major concerns however is precisely one that Charles has only partly illuminated (for a non military person like me), which is the precise meaning of "trench stregth, total strength, increase, decrease, fighting strength etc".

The Coy War Diary reveals that its strength often fluctuated with temporary additions – usually infantry battalion personnel drafted in as ammunition carriers for specific periods. The greatest strength I have so far is for 9.3.1918 (a week before it became part of the MG Bn) – 11 officers, 186 OR.

Incidentally over this specific period I have identified 38 officers who served with the Coy. Most were transferred on, only 4 died serving with the Coy. I have not yet identified every OR though I have some over 100 definites and 50 odd possibles. (I have not yet looked them up in WO 363 / etc yet as that requires a large dollop of annual leave to be spent at Kew !!). Anyway, it appears that OR deaths comprise about 1/3 strength of the Coy. Statistics for PoWs is virtually impossible though I know the names of 2 officers and 1 NCO, there were “about fourteen” ORs taken on 25.3.1918. Lastly, I have a respectable list of awards for Coy personnel but statistics on ‘origins’ (eg previous units) will have to wait until further research is done.

The correlation with Inf Bns is very interesting. Has anyone else tried this for MG Coys !?

Julian

[Charles Fair]

I’m trying to do an in depth study of a specific MGC Company for a 21 month period – from June 1916 when it arrived overseas until March 1918 when it got swallowed up into a MG battalion. I too have looked up all available ‘strength returns’. I have a far from complete picture because if they were sent in each week then I only have some 25%. ....

The correlation with Inf Bns is very interesting. Has anyone else tried this for MG Coys !?

Julian - I also have the figures for 141 MG Company for the same period. Monthly returns for Total Strength in 47 Div A&Q War Diary. Please email me and I can send you the data - might be an interesting comparison with your figures.

regards

Charles

[squirrel]

Charles - PM on it's way.

[Charles Fair]

Just bumping this up given a query on another thread.

[sandyford]

Charles

In trying to find out how quickly the 6th Batt. N.F. was reinforced after a major battle (St. Julien 26th April 1915 immediately on arriving in F & F.), the War Diary contained the following figures:

"18th August 1915 - Battalion paraded - 16 Officers and 337 O.R."

"27th August 1915 - Trench Strength including machine gunners, signallers & pioneers - 13 Officers & 307 O.R."

"20th September 1915 - Battalion paraded 18 Offiocers & 287 O.R."

The first reinforcements (from Star Roll) arrived on 2nd Oct. 1915

Kate

[stiletto_33853]

Charles,

Interesting data, I have sent you a few snippets and find the Army Form B.213 quite useful. Fortunately the R.B War Diaries have a complete run of these forms filled out weekly. Tied in with the State of the Regiment, which can be found in the Chronicles it gives a good picture.

Andy