Men in TA prior to 1914 but Posted after 1916

[londons]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what typically happened to the many men who joined TA units prior to 1914 but for whatever reason (medically unfit, reserved occupation, unwilling to volunteer, objectors etc) didn't get conscripted until the Military Service Act in 1916 (i believe)?

My man joined the 6th Battalion of the City of London Rifles in 1912 or 1913 with a number of 1349. However, he didn't get conscripted until 1916 and then posted overseas in 1917. When the 1st Bn 6th London were first posted what would have happened to him when the unit went overseas without him? That is where did he go between his unit going overseas and the time of his conscription? I do know that he remained in the UK up until 1917 and after the MSA in 1916 was compulsory conscripted and sent without choice to a reserve battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (the 7th RWR).

From the time his original unit were sent overseas without him until he was conscripted would he have stayed with the 6th Londons but put in a different battalion?

I hope someone can tell me what is the most likely thing to have happened as it may well have applied to alot of men.

Many thanks,

Lee

[SteveE]

Lee

I reckon this link to the Long Long Trail should answer your questions..... http://www.1914-1918.net/tf.htm

Regards

Steve

[londons]

Lee

I reckon this link to the Long Long Trail should answer your questions..... http://www.1914-1918.net/tf.htm

Regards

Steve

Thanks for your help Steve.

I guess i now have to find out whether my man was conscripted or time expired. Do you know what would have been the options if he time expired before the military service act? I do know my man was stationed at home in March 1916 as he was stationed at Southwold in 1916 when his son (my grandfather) was born as it states it on his birth certificate. I think it likely he was moved from the 1st 6th Londons to the 2nd and / or 3rd 6th Londons when his original units went overseas?

[Ken Lees]

If he was conscripted he can't have been serving in the Territorial Force at that time.

[SteveE]

I guess i now have to find out whether my man was conscripted or time expired. Do you know what would have been the options if he time expired before the military service act? I do know my man was stationed at home in March 1916 as he was stationed at Southwold in 1916 when his son (my grandfather) was born as it states it on his birth certificate. I think it likely he was moved from the 1st 6th Londons to the 2nd and / or 3rd 6th Londons when his original units went overseas?

Lee

I guess the first thing to do would be to try and ascertain when he enlisted in the 6th Londons.

A Territorial normally signed on for a term of 4 years but there was a sub-clause that stated "That, if your term of 4 years' service expires when a proclamation ordering the Army Reserve to be called out on permanent service is in force, you may be required to prolong your service for a further period not exceeding 12 months" so he could have been serving for five years from date of enlistment.

The Military Service Act of 1916, although introducing conscription, also had the effect of negating the Territorial Forces Act. This meant that any man in the Territorial Force who hadn't signed the Imperial Service obligation to serve overseas now became 'eligible' to be transferred wherever required.

I suspect that your man didn't sign the Imperial Service obligation so, when it was formed, he was posted to the 2/6th Battalion, this from the LLT....

2/6th (City of London) Battalion (Rifles)

Formed in London in August 1914. Moved in October to Walton-on-Thames, then Burgess Hill in November where placed under orders of 2/1st London Brigade in 2/1st London Division.

Moved to Norwich in May 1915 and formation retitled as 174th Brigade in 58th (2/1st London) Division. Moved on to Ipswich next month, then Stowmarket and Sudbury and then to Sutton Veny in July 1916.

I'm guessing he was actually still serving when he was transferred from the 2/6th Londons to the 7th Royal Warwickshires in June 1917 and posted to the 1st Garrison Battalion so I'm not convinced conscription, time-expired etc. have anything to do with this man's service.

His enlistment date would help confirm whether this was a possibility.

Regards

Steve

[MBrockway]

Lee,

This Topic here:

Grt Grandfather - Royal Fusiliers/London Regiment, Preliminary research, further info required ...

... will cast much light on your questions.

It's about a TF soldier enlisted in 1911 not deemed A1 fit at Embodiment and then refusing to volunteer for further service when time expired in 1916 (i.e. 4 years + 1). He therefore came under the regulations of the Military Service Act.

In main difference is this man was sent to Malta on garrison duties for part of his time rather than remaining in Blighty.

His Service Records are available on Ancestry, so you can see the paper trail as a worked example.

Cheers,

Mark

[londons]

Lee,

This Topic here:

Grt Grandfather - Royal Fusiliers/London Regiment, Preliminary research, further info required ...

... will cast much light on your questions.

It's about a TF soldier enlisted in 1911 not deemed A1 fit at Embodiment and then refusing to volunteer for further service when time expired in 1916 (i.e. 4 years + 1). He therefore came under the regulations of the Military Service Act.

In main difference is this man was sent to Malta on garrison duties for part of his time rather than remaining in Blighty.

His Service Records are available on Ancestry, so you can see the paper trail as a worked example.

Cheers,

Mark

Many thanks Mark, Ken and Steve,

My great grandfather joined the 6th Londons prior to 1914 with the number 1349 and I have been told that this number could line up with 1912 - 1913. He was born in 1895 so i'm not sure what the minimum age was. He likely joined the 6th Londons as the Amalgamated Press helped form part of the regiment and his father was a manager at the AP.

Do these dates throw any more light on it?

Thanks again,

Lee