Infantry Battalion - Establishment

[Old Tom]

Hello,

Has any one a copy of this document? If they have I would be grateful if they cold post a list of those WO,s NCOs and other ranks who were not riflemen or in charge of riflemen. I would like to know more about the numbers of clerks, storemen, cooks etc. Thanks.

Old Tom

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Tom

There were several versions of this establishment. Here is the one current in 1914:

War Establishment of an infantry battalion, August 1914

HQ: Lt-Col commanding, Major 2i/c, Adjutant (captain), Quartermaster (lieutenant).

Sergeant-Major (warrant officer).

Quartermaster-Sergeant, Orderly Room Clerk (sergant or corporal), Sergeant-Drummer, Sergeant-Cook, Transport-Sergeant, Sergeant-Shoemaker, Pioneer-Sergeant, Signaller-Sergeant.

11 Drivers, 10 Pioneers, Signaller-Corporal, 15 Signallers, 16 Stretcher Bearers, 2 MO’s Orderlies, 6 Batmen.

Attached: Medical officer, Armourer-Sergeant AOC, Corporal and 4 Privates RAMC, 4 Drivers ASC.

Machine-Gun Section (2 Vickers guns): Lieutenant, Sergeant, Corporal, 12 Privates, 2 Drivers, Batman.

Four Companies, each: Major or Captain commanding, Captain 2i/c, 4 Subalterns.

Company Sergeant-Major, Company Quartermaster-Sergeant, 8 Sergeants.

10 Corporals, 188 Privates, 4 Drummers, 3 Drivers, 6 Batmen.

(One of the company subalterns also acts as battalion Transport Officer.)

The establishment includes eight lance-sergeants and 49 lance-corporals.

Left at Base: Subaltern, Orderly Room Sergeant, Band Sergeant, Sergeant Master Tailor, 2 Sergeants,

4 Storemen (one per company), 91 Privates.

And here is the version as introduced Feb 1917:

HQ, Fighting portion: Lt-Col cdg, Major 2i/c, Adjutant, Lewis Gun Officer, Signalling Officer, Bombing Officer; Sergeant-Major, Orderly Room Clerk, 2 Gas Orderlies, 13 Signallers,

4 Stretcher Bearers, 9 Runners, 11 Pioneers, 2 Cooks, 6 Batmen..

HQ, Administrative portion: Assistant Adjutant, Quartermaster, Transport Officer; Quartermaster-Sergeant, CQMS, 9 Storemen, 45 Drivers and Grooms, 3 Shoemakers, 3 Tailors, 2 Butchers, Postman, 2 Cooks, 3 Batmen.

Four cmpanies, each: Company HQ: Captain cdg, Captain 2i/c, CSM, CQMS, 4 Signallers, 4 Runners (including Batmen), Cook.

Four platoons per company, each: Subaltern, Platoon Sergeant, Signaller, Batman, Runner.

Four sections per platoon, each: NCO cdg, 9 Privates.

One section consisted of Lewis gunners, one of bombers, one of riflemen and one of rifle bombers.

Ron

[Old Tom]

Ron

Many thanks. You are mine of information.

Old Tom