Teaching the volunteer Officer Corp

[Jonathan Saunders]

I would be grateful for any help on the following questions:

As a brief intro, I am researching an officer in the Coldstream Guards who volunteered for service in early 1915. He was immediately accepted into the Artist's Rifles, then commissioned into the CG in Nov 1915. He had been born in South Africa and I do not know when the family returned to the UK but his service record states his education as Totnes Grammar School and Exeter University College.

Question 1) as he attended a Grammar school I presume he would not have been part of an officer training unit. Is it possible he would have been part of an OTU at Exeter University or under what other factor would he have been immediately accepted into the Artist's Rifles?

Question 2) Was their a single training establishment for the AR's?

Question 3) Presumably there would have been some square bashing, musketry and bombing courses. What else would he had been taught? Presumably map reading, possibly machine gunning, but would he have been taught military tactics and strategy.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Sigs

A number of Grammar Schools did have OTC units although I am not aware of one being at Totnes GS. Exeter University did have a contingent though.

Dave

[jhill]

I am surprised that your question has not yet provoked a detailed response from one of our many experts. The little I know of the Artists Rifles is what I gathered from the title “Wilfred Owen” by Helen McPhail and Philip Guest in the Battleground Europe series. That little goes like this:

Originally the 1/28th (County of London) battalion, (Artists Rifles), it became an Officers' Training Corps after going to Flanders late in 1914. Its purpose was to provide officers as required while still maintaining a proportion of other ranks. It eventually provided some ten thousand commissioned officers. A third battalion was formed in 1915, which became the 2nd Artists OTC. When Owen arrived in September, 1915 it was well known that 'any gentleman returning from abroad' would be offered a commission.

The drill hall was initially in Tavistock Square and then in Devonshire Street (now Boswell Street). I am transcribing this without knowing the geography. Bear with me! Some of the initial marching and drill took place nearby in Cartwright Gardens. Owen was then moved to Hare Hall Camp, Gildea Park, in Essex. After this he eventually accepted a commission with the Manchester Regiment, which he joined in June, 1916. It seems that most tactical training (if that is a reasonable term) took place with this latter unit.

Perhaps your fellow followed a similar course. I speak only to be corrected by a more knowledgeable person.

[Jonathan Saunders]

James,

Your reply is very much appreciated.

Regards,

Sigs

[rflory]

Signals: If you provide me the name of your officer I can probably tell you in which company/squadron of the Artists Rifles he served. I can also give you whatever the Exeter College Register has on him. Regards. Dick Flory

[Jonathan Saunders]

Dick,

Thanks for your offer - my man is Walter Henry Blythe Pitcher. He won an MC with the Guards and survived the war.

Dave - thanks for your answer too.

Jon

[rflory]

my man is Walter Henry Blythe Pitcher. He won an MC with the Guards and survived the war.

Captain Walter Henry Blythe Pitcher

Joined the 3rd Battalion, Artists Rifles as a Private (Service Number 3397) between 2 Feb and 16 March 1915. Rose to the rank of Sergeant.

Commissioned into the Coldstream Guards on 1 Nov 1915

Wounded on 15 Dec 1917

Received the Military Cross "for conspicuous gallantr and devotion to duty on 9 October 1917 at Broembeke, in leading his company and maintaining direction under most difficult circumstances. During a counter-attack he displayed great initiative, altering his postions to make a defensive flank, which proved of the utmost value."

You earlier mentioned that he had been educated at Exeter College but I can find no mention of him in either of my Exeter College Registers.

Regards. Dick Flory

[Jonathan Saunders]

Dick,

Many thanks. His service record definitely states Totnes Grammar School followed by Exeter University College. I cannot find him on the 1901 census and wonder if he was still living in South Africa at that time. He would have been 16 in 1901 so the clock is ticking for his family to return to Devon and for him to attend the Grammar school. I have spoken with his some of his ex-colleagues and pupils and all were shocked to hear of his South African birth, suggesting he did not speak with an accent so perhaps he lived with his extended family in UK whilst his parents remained in SA, so attending the Grammar school but for some reason absent in March 1901 when the census was taken. I have a pre-WW1 address of Arundel House, Paignton. Such a building still exists and it is Edwardian in style - possibly built for the family when they returned to Edwardian England?? Unfortunatley I live too far from Devon to delve into local records.

My interest is that he was a local teacher from 1911 - 1946 although split by 6 years army service between 1915 and 1921.

Anyway these are all my problems and not yours - I am grateful for your look ups.

Jon

[Jonathan Saunders]

Dick,

I am not quite sure what access you have to college registers but can I ask you if there is anything for a William Thomas Hadlow, formerly of Goldsmith's College, University of London. He died of wounds in April 1918 whilst serving as a Private with 9 Sussex.

Also Harold Fifield Greenhalgh, Isleworth College and possibly University of London. KIA with the AOC, also April 1918.

Many thanks,

Jon