Connections between regiments.

[sandyford]

In a thread posted within the last few days, someone implied that there were close connections between some regiments particularly in the early days of voluntary enlistment.

I can't remember the actual wording and so have had no luck with a search for this topic looking for links, twinning etc.

Would these links be purely on a geographical basis, for enlistment/transfer reasons?

It is interesting that there seem to be slightly more men transferring from the Sherwood Foresters into 6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers TF than from other regiments, not so many from adjoining county regiments. There is not such a marked difference that I had noticed it before reading the thread. Perhaps it's to do with Territorials.

If these links exist who would be the partner of Northumberland Fusiliers T.F.?

Kate

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

Hi Kate,

There can be various reasons for close connections between Regiments,

historically they may be linked through a shared Action;Geographically through being natural Neighbours,as are the Various Yorkshire/Lancashire Regiments;Through affiliation from pre County days,Many Numbered Regiments had little Connection with the County they took their 1880 name from,so had connections with their previous "Home",with regard to the Territorial Connection,some of the Solely Territorial "TF" Regiments:Cambridgeshire;Hertfordshire;Herefordshire;Monmouthshire,had no Regular "Parent" Battalion,but were closely associated with a County Neighbour{EG:Cambridgeshire Regiment~Suffolk Regiment/Hertfordshire Regt~Bedfordshire Regiment}Men within the same Division,were transferred/posted/attached to units within that Division,where the need was greatest @ the Time,on recuperation from Wounds Etc;so there was a Divisional "Link" between Regiments also,I am sure there are other Connection Reasons~such as the alliance between the RWF & The USMC following the Boxer Rebellion,of 1900

[Davben]

Hi Kate, just to add another dimension my g/father was a sherwood forester and transferred at some point to the 21st lancers , but I really don`t know where the lancers were based or what relation the two regiments had between them if any ?

All I know is that while in the sherwood foresters he was probably in the divisional train , hence having photos of him with horses [ pack horses].

this may have given him a better chance of transfering into cavalry regiments?

Dave B.

[sandyford]

Dave and Harry

Thank you for the information.

On this forum, sometimes a remark in a post reveals a new and previously unconsidered perspective. On the basis of what you have said, when I progress further, I am going to extract all the transfer regiments from my database for 6th N. Fus.TF, in case there are any obvious links.

Dave, was your Grandfather a man who had experience with handling horses before his military service?

Kate

[Davben]

kate, good question ,now we get into the thick of it ! yes he did as the family relations had a farm around the "Bings" area of Derbyshire where he was born

Dave B.

[kingsman64]

Hi

of course "needs must" occurs as well and I am sure during the Great War transfers within divisions where not uncommon in an attempt to balance numbers with no respect for geographical or historical links. For example just before the 7th Northamptons embarked for France 1915 they where found to be over strength and around 70 men where transferred in a balancing exercise the bulk going to the 9th Sussex which just happened to be an under-strength battalion in the same division. Not sure what this would have done for morale and esprit de corps!

I seem to remeber reading in the dark and distant past that an entire battalion of the Liverpool Pals, 18th I think 2nd city battalion where transfered into the Lancashire Hussars Imperial Yeomanry, this was done because both units had suffered so heavily so combining them got a full battalion again. Please Pal's correct me if I am wrong the old grey matter is not what it used to be!

I can't imagine what the shipping clerks and commodity traders of the Liverpool City Battalion felt like when confronted by a couple of hundred pounds of horse flesh! Mind you by 1918 would the IY be serving as foot soldiers, ooops off we go on another thread.

Best regards

[tintin1689]

It was the other way round the Hussars went into the Pals. Many Yeomanry units dismounted and went into infantry battalions who adopted the Yeomanry name as a sub-title. North Irish Horse went to 9th RIF

[cliff brown]

Sandyford's point is a good one. My research into the Cambs Rgt has shown that a lot of men drafted from the home service btns to the Western Front ended up in units in the same division as 1/1st Cambs (39th & later 12th). I then noticed that some big drafts to other rgts were serving in the same Corps at the time. Am I correct in thinking there were Corps and Divisional Reinforcement Camps, where men would be alloted to units in need?

The other link seems to be home service men switched to other units in the same home service division and then drafted to battalions of their new unit or btns in the same overseas division.