Recruitment

[southern wilf]

My grandfather served in the 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) joining in 1910 in Leyton Essex. The next regimental number also comes from this area. It has always puzzled me why he was in a Yorkshire Regiment, did the regiments send around mobile recruiting teams, or was there some sort of central referral?

[punjab612]

I have a similar situation with my Grandfather he was born & lived in Northampton and attested there to join the Northumberland Fusiliers in 1903. His brother, who lived with him, had enlisted two weeks earlier, again in Northampton, into the Rifle Brigade.

Peter

[Andrew Hesketh]

I lack knowledge of the detailed logistics of recruitment (though there are a few members who could wax lyrically on the subject), but will just point out that prior to conscription recruits could select the regiment they wished to join. Therefore you will find men choosing regiments for all sorts of reasons. It can be very difficuly to second-guess the motivation at this distance without further evidence but, for example, I have come across a Welsh man who joined a particular Scottish regiment because he had a fancy for wearing a kilt and, perhaps equally importantly, fancied a long train journey and was taken by the exotic appeal of Scotland.

The next regimental number also comes from this area.

Maybe he joined with a mate?

[southern wilf]

Thanks for the replies punjab and Andrew. I was under the impression that regiments recruited locally but perhaps I will never know.