bluebonnet Posted 10 March , 2011 Share Posted 10 March , 2011 Divisional Depot Btns were situated away from the Front and usually at a Corps Reinforcement Camp. What was the purpose of these establishments and how were they staffed to accomplish that purpose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 10 March , 2011 Share Posted 10 March , 2011 Hello cunliffe I have never come across the terminology "Divisional Depot Battalions". Where did you find it? It may well refer to those cadres (10 officers and 45 other ranks) retained when many infantry battalions were disbanded during the Feb 1918 reorganisation, or to temporary Entrenching Battalions, whose personnel came largely from the same source. Drafts from home were usually sent to Infantry Base Depots, of which there were a dozen or so serving different groups of regiments, and mostly based at Etaples. The permanent staff of these depots were usually found from men who were fit to serve in France, but only on the Lines of Communication: usually after having been wounded. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted 10 March , 2011 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2011 Ron I think they were establised in 1917 for reinforcement to Infantry Divisions in the Field. I found the term mentioned in the Official History by Edmonds-(they were all rushed to the front during The German Spring Offensive in March 1918). Also in Regimental Histories ,in relation to where detached battalions went to first ;after leaving the parent Division in Feb.1918. I have also seen them referred to as Divisional Wings.The Depot was established in F&F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 10 March , 2011 Share Posted 10 March , 2011 I've heard of Depot Battalions in Scotland which were pre-War establishments used to encourage recruiting but I've not come across DDB's before. Antony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted 10 March , 2011 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2011 Antony-Thank you for your interest but I can assure they did exist-not much more that I can say-if you consider that I have got this wrong-please explain to me why.I am sorry about this,I truly am.You will recall that I also referred to this establishment as the Divisional Wing-if you have recourse to 20th Divisions History I think they used this term Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 10 March , 2011 Share Posted 10 March , 2011 Hi Cunliffe, I have just been looking at a soldier's service records, which include the "Casualty Form - Active Service" chronicling his movements overseas. He disembarked in France on 7 December 1918 as posted to 1/5th Cheshire Regt, and reached the 4th Infantry Base Depot at Rouen two days later. This is quite normal: while there on 12 December he was transferred to the 1/5th South Lancs. Regt. and left on being posted to them the same day. Also fairly common procedure, and usually this type of entry is followed by a note of his joining his intended unit. On 13 December, however, he arrived at the 55th Divisional Reinforcement Depot Battalion. He didn't reach the 1/5th S.Lancs. till 6 January 1918. I wonder whether this sort of holding unit is what you describe (may have gone by more than one title)? LST_164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted 10 March , 2011 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2011 I think you have hit the nail on it's head Chris. What then could cause the delay of over three weeks, before he reached the 55th Division's front.?As I said way back ,the unit was a Depot in F&F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Riley Posted 10 March , 2011 Share Posted 10 March , 2011 Had not the training that used to be carried out at Etaples been devolved to the Corps reinforcement system after the 1917 'mutiny'. From memory, I have seen references to 55th Division reinforcement drafts being held back from their battalions for additional training and range work in the divisional rear area as well as being sent forward on working parties (all presumably to induct new drafts to life in the battle area). Unfortunately, I don't have evidence at hand to cite. Cunliffe, just for convenience, can you give some sort of reference in the Official History to 'divisional reinforcement battalions'; I would be interested to see the context. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 10 March , 2011 Share Posted 10 March , 2011 Antony-Thank you for your interest but I can assure they did exist-not much more that I can say-if you consider that I have got this wrong-please explain to me why.I am sorry about this,I truly am.You will recall that I also referred to this establishment as the Divisional Wing-if you have recourse to 20th Divisions History I think they used this term No problems, Cunliffe. I was merely expressing a fact. I'd never heard of them. This is interesting. Cheers, Antony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted 11 March , 2011 Author Share Posted 11 March , 2011 Thank you Ian and Antony-Ian I will try to find a reference for you in the official history BUT I have quite a few books covering 5th Army's Retreat I could be wrong on that one -will try to dig out tthough.As I remember they were all mentionen in footnotes-I remember particularly the 24th DDB. Found it in France&Belgium 1918/ PT1 / p347 footnote re.reinforcements "These units were the 24th Divisional Depot Battalion"----etc..Sorry about print size it seems to do what IT wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Riley Posted 11 March , 2011 Share Posted 11 March , 2011 Thank you Ian and Antony-Ian I will try to find a reference for you in the official history BUT I have quite a few books covering 5th Army's Retreat I could be wrong on that one -will try to dig out tthough.As I remember they were all mentionen in footnotes-I remember particularly the 24th DDB Found it in France&Belgium 1918 PT1 p347 footnote re.reinforcements "These units were the 24th Divisional Depot Battalion"----etc..Sorry about print size it seems to do what IT wants. Cunliffe, Thanks very much. I will look at it later. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted 11 March , 2011 Author Share Posted 11 March , 2011 You are very welcome Ian and thank you for your interest,Now looking at the function of the DDB and how it was managed.Would such a unit have a WD in the L of C Section?? ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted 16 March , 2011 Author Share Posted 16 March , 2011 The Divisional Depot Battalion or Divisional Wing ,as it was also referred to; was the last staging post for all reinforcements prior to joining a Battalion in the line. It was commanded by a "senior"Captain (known as the Wing Commandant) and 3-4 other officers,one of whom was adjutant.A handful of NCOs who looked after the Orderly Room, Drill and Arms practice,etc.Twenty to thirty ORs who were cooks, orderlies, batmen,grooms and even gardeners-all of these men would be classified as "unfit" for field service. The task before them was to finally prepare reinforcements for Front Line service; and having done so sent them forward to their respective Battalions, as required by the parent Dvision.Men returning from long term medical attention were also staged at DDP or Wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Riley Posted 18 March , 2011 Share Posted 18 March , 2011 Cunliffe That is most interesting and describes the function that I suspected the divisional rest camp of having in the 55th Division judging by references in various diaries that imply that there was a holding camp under divisional control in 1917. The 'establishment' (although I suspect that it was ad hoc and unofficial) is most interesting. May I ask where you uncovered it? I have sent you a separate PM Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebonnet Posted 18 March , 2011 Author Share Posted 18 March , 2011 Ian -by "establishment" I presume you mean the Staff of the DDB.The unit as such was not ad hoc.The one thing that I am not sure about is whether the Regular Infantry Divisions had DDBs-I do know that TF and NA Infantry Divisions did eg 20th NA,50th, 55th and 66th TF. I found a letter which confirms that Divisional Wings(Depot Battalions) replaced the Divisional IBDs in 1917.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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