Grandfather and his father

[Guest Robert Marsh]

I have located my Grandfather, Allan Gordon Marsh's regimental # which is 658136, Royal Scots, Lance Corporal, enlisted on 30 September 1914, and was transferred to the reserves on 17 April 1919. He was in the 15th Bn of the Royal Scots, following it along as the unit was reduced to cadre level, and ending his military service in the what looks like "861 bay Labour Corps", just prior to transfer to the reserves. The 'Labour Corps' part I am sure of, it is the '861 bay' which I am not sure is a correct reading. Could it mean '861 Bayonet"? Would there have been such a designation? If anyone has additional insight into these units, I would enjoy hearing more.

Also, I have learned that Allan's father, Samuel Marsh, was also a Lance Corporal in the Highland Light Infantry Band in 1896 (when Allan was born in Edinburgh). Where could I find the history of this unit during that timeframe?

Thanks!

[AOK4]

Perhaps it is Coy (Company)?

Jan

[Guest Robert Marsh]

Thanks for the reply. As I look at it (the Form Z21), I forgot to add that it says "861 AE bay Labour Corps"

Also, it says Medical Category, "B2". Know what that meant, by chance?

[HERITAGE PLUS]

For HLI details see www.lightinfantry.org.uk/Regiments

[Chris_Baker]

Medical categories can be found on the main site. If I remember correctly it is a lnk from the "Joining up" page.

[HERITAGE PLUS]

For HLI also see www.regiments.org/milhist for Regimental history including a brief history of the regimental bands.

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

The guy to speak to who is an expert on the Labour Corps is Ivor Lee whose e-mail address is LC1917@aol.com

Ian

[Guest Robert Marsh]

Thanks everyone for the help.

[Ivor Lee]

Robert

Will reply to you offlist but are you sure his 658136 is his Royal Scots number? It sounds like a Labour Corps number for a man who re-enlisted in 1919 when the Army asked for men to serve on burial duties?

[Guest Robert Marsh]

Ivor,

Thanks for you considerable help offline. To complete the thread for others, you did confirm the Reg # to be from his Labour Corps assignment, which apparently happened somewhere after his battle injuries as described on te last page of his notes ".....transferred to the orderly room at the R.B.P.O.W.E. Camp.....etc."

Thanks,

Bob

[Paul Reed]

Thanks for the reply. As I look at it (the Form Z21), I forgot to add that it says "861 AE bay Labour Corps"

I would have said that meant 861 Area Employment Company ; i.e. that "bay" is actually "Coy" as someone has previously mentioned. The writing on these forms is sometimes hard to decipher!

[Guest Robert Marsh]

Thank you, Paul. You are correct that the writing was difficult in its script form to decipher. Mr. Ivor Lee was good enough to view a scanned copy for me and he concurs that it is "AE", standing for Area Employment Company.

I will add also, the medical designation B2, Mr. Lee clarified:

"The medical classification is usually written as B (ii) although I have seen it down as B (2). Although there were some changes to exactly what B (ii) meant at different times during the war its basic meaning is that the man was fit to serve in France but not in a Front line unit. In other words in a support unit like the Labour Corps."

This would 'fit' with the duty assignment after some injuries and being sent for a 'board', which I take to be a medical board of review, mentioned in my grandfather's notes, namely, clerk inthe orderly room at a R.B.P.O.W.E Camp. (Returned British Prisoner of War Establishment) (Thanks to Charles Messenger for this acronym translation)

With everyone's help, this is starting to make sense and is appreciated very much.

Thanks again.

Bob