Women's Forage Corps

[asdarley]

I have been shown a photograph of a woman who was a member of the Forage Corps. In the photograph she is wearing what appears to be officers dress, mainly, Sam Browne and insignia on the shoulders. The info I have found suggests that the Forage Corps was a civilian organisation. So would they have had women officers? If so would they have actually come from the ASC?

[Terry_Reeves]

edorc

They were a civilian organisation, but administered by the ASC. They had their own supervisory structure, but they did not receive commissions in terms of the military forces of the period.

TR

[Philip Wilson]

The Forage Committee was formed in 1915 for the supply of forage and other farm produce for troops overseas and at home. The Forage Corps was administered by Colonel H.G.Morgan* which had its HQ at 64 Whitehall Court, London SW1. Other rank personnel were amalgamated with the ASC and were designated Forage Department ASC. Six Forage Department Companies were formed in England, one in Scotland and one in Ireland. The Forage Committee ceased to exist 1 July 1920.

As trench warfare became the norm local stocks of hay were quickly exhausted and supplies had to be sent from the UK.

The Womens Forage Corps, was formed in 1915 and was administered by Colonel Morgan with Mrs Athole Stewart as Superintendant of Women. Some six thousand women worked throughout the UK, gathering forage for Army Horses. Their work involved all aspects of hay production including baling and weighing, as well as driving teams of horses and wagons from farms to railway stations. The manual work was strenuous.

For details of their UK command structure and five grades of workers see 'The Army Service Corps 1902-1918' by Michael Young. ISBN 085052 730 9

The women actually wore uniforms of khaki and green, wore ASC badges and FC shoulder titles.

*During the Boer War Colonel Morgan was Director of Supplies in South Africa - and he was promoted to Brigadier General 18 August 1917.

Brigadier General Sir H.G.Morgan, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO died 8 January 1923. His obituary can be seen in The Times 8.1.1923.

[Philip Wilson]

Correction Morgan died 4.1.1923 - his obit is 8.1.23

[asdarley]

Anyone got a picture of the cap badge? Although Kipling and King describe it there is no picture!

[Fatboy Ken]

A bit late, but here are a few images for you to look at.

 

Eva Gates wears a Supervisor/Officers cap badge; A Star with Wreath encircling the letters FC in script

The other ladies are seen wearing the "FC" badge in their hats, this badge is actually slightly larger than the normal shoulder titles worn by other units of the military.

 

It has been recorded that in some cases, "That women of the FC wore the ASC cap badges, due to the shortages in available badges", but I have yet to see an image to confirm this.

 

 

 

[Fatboy Ken]

Image 1

Supervisor/Officers Bz cap badge with FC in script

Image 2

OHMS  (On His Majesties Service)

I have been told this is an Administrators cap/hat badge from the first/early part of the formation of the F

I have not seen confirmation of its wear yet.

 

[Terry_Reeves]

Thanks for posting Ken.

 

TR

[Fatboy Ken]

Hiya Terry,

 

One more to look at, couldn't find it earlier, but here are 2 women of the FC.

 

Ken

 

[Guest Westcountry lad]

 

This is unnamed area supervisor is one of 8, 6 in England during ww1. My ancestor Ellen Ingrey Green was one of them maybe this lady is her she was 39 when she died. We have no photos of her . Eva gates is another shown above. Are there anymore ‘supervisor’ photos out there?