Help on service Record - 2nd Dragoon Guards

[Saxon79]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some help on a service record of my great-great uncle Charles Rigby b. Liverpool 1890.

As you can see from the attached image (sorry for the size) it says he was attested to the 2nd Dragoon (Guards?) 14/09/1914

Gen Ser: Cav - General Service: Cavalry ?

Scottish Cav: Depot 31/10/1914. - Anyone know what no. 6 (Scottish) Cavalry Depot was?

1st Res. Cav: Regt - 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment?

Finally would anyone have any idea why he would have been discharged 01/05/1915 as "services no longer required."

On the other page it states he served at Home and on page one of his record says he joined the "service cavalry". It has his occupation as a bus vendor(?).

Anyone know what he would have actually done and why his services were no longer required by 1915?

Thanks,

Dave

[ralphjd]

Paragraph 392 Kings Regulations relates to procedure on various classes of discharge and notes in sub headings e.g (i) (ii) etc in this case it is (xxv) but my reference book does not include this para unfortunately. Not a lot of help am I. Ralph.

[Patrick ODwyer]

With that number he may have been a reservist or more probably a previously invalided soldier. It seems attested shortly after the outbreak of war. The Depot was where a man would go to be kitted out. Each cavalry depot usually served four regiments. The reserve regiment was where reserves were held before posting to the unit overseas. Each one served different units (again often four plus some yeomanry). XXV is 'services no longer required' - perhaps he was unfit in some way but as he was beyond his period of service he did not need to be dismissed on those grounds and was just 'let go'. Are there any medical papers?

[squirrel]

King's regulations para 392 xxv - "Only applicable to a soldier who cannot be discharged under any other heading."

To be confirmed by OC and authorised by GOC in C.

[Saxon79]

Cheers fellas.

I've just checked again on ancestry and it's his pensions record I've saved. It's only 5 pages long but does show his mendical record as being passed at fit for service in 2nd Dragoon guards on 14/09/1914.

It states he had no previous military service so can't be an invalided soldier.

Looking again at the record his occupation is a news vendor. I.m suprised that he went from being a dock labourer in 1911 to a news vendor in 1914 to a member of the 2nd Dragoon Guards. Can't imagine how or why he ended up in a cavalry regiment.

[Patrick ODwyer]

The number may be right for that time. I am always thinking Hussars and Dragoons numbers probably run slightly behind (I'll check my records). Cavalry were recrited from all sorts of jobs. Lots of city boys in them. I notice he was only born in 1890 so it is pretty hard to explain his discharge unless he was unfit in some way, shape or form. He was a volunteer.