Loyal North Lancs, November 1914

[BobbGilly]

Does anyone know what the Loyal North Lancs 1st Battalion was doing between October 31st and December 12th, 1914? The Battalion Diary covers those members who were fighting, but does not explain what the group who travelled over from Felixtowe via Southampton to Le Harvre on October 31st were doing. They seem to have been in tents somewhere for a few weeks - but I think seeing little or no action, and then elsewhere in better circumstances (officers in a cottage), and only joined the unit on December 12th. Can anyone help? Why were they in Felixtowe?

[Chris_Baker]

They were in Felixstowe because that is where they had completed training with the regiment's 3rd (Reserve) Battalion. It moved there after mobilising at Preston in early August 1914.

See http://www.1914-1918.net/loyals.htm

[BobbGilly]

Thank you - that's really helpful - but how is it that some of the 1st battalion went over in August - why wouldn't they have gone together?

[johndavidswarbrick]

The war diary for the 1st Battalion North Lancs [August 1914 - January 1918]is available as a download from the National Archives:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=8199293&queryType=1&resultcount=5

Click on "add to shopping" and follow the instructions - it will cost you £3.50.

Dave Swarbrick

[BobbGilly]

Thank you Dave, I have already done that - but it states that H. G. Gilliland - the man I am after - joined them on 4-12-14, but I know from his letters that he shipped over on October 31st from Southampton to La Harvre. Am wondering where he was in the intervening time - and the rest of the men who shipped out with him.

[bushfighter]

Bob

Greetings

Units do not travel in one party.

There is always an Advance Party which moves before the main body.

(These days you can also find Pre-Advance Parties and even Pre-Pre-Advance Parties, daft though that sounds.)

Advance Parties perform administrative tasks such as taking over stores, equipment and buildings.

However they could also include men sent on "familiarisation training" which might include attending specialist courses relevant to the new theatre.

(For example today a unit sent into a new environment such as jungle would probably send a number of designated unit instructors on an advance party. These lads - or lasses - would qualify as unit instructors before the main body of the unit arrived.)

However in the situation that you are researching there could be an even simpler solution - a General or a Headquarters wanted some men in France for certain tasks, and so 1 LNL was told to provide them.

Keep digging - the answer might be totally mundane but will still be interesting.

Harry

[Chris_Baker]

I think the answer is mundane. The 31 October party was a reinforcement draft sent from 3rd (Reserve) Bn to replace losses sustained by 1st Bn. All quite normal. Why they did not join it in the field until 12 December is anyone's guess, but that delay would be rather unusual.

[BobbGilly]

I thought it was odd too. His letters imply that he spent a couple of weeks sleeping in his valise but in a very muddy area - but seeing no action. Certainly he does not mention it, and writes several times a week - mostly complaints about the stuff he is sent from home. His biggest problem seems to be to do with all the cigarettes sent to his unit from the UK - thousands of them. He then spends some time with other officers in a cottage - during that time one of the huts in which regular soldiers were billeted was hit by shrapnel and some of them were killed - and that seems to have been the closest he came to any action until he joined the unit - which was resting - on December 12. Meanwhile the Battalion Diary is all about the action they are seeing - but H.G.G. and his men are not there. It is odd - this is a newish field for me, but it doesn't seem like the sort of situation where it was normal for whole units to loll around for six weeks?

[PaulM44]

1321621997[/url]' post='1670541']

I thought it was odd too. His letters imply that he spent a couple of weeks sleeping in his valise but in a very muddy area - but seeing no action. Certainly he does not mention it, and writes several times a week - mostly complaints about the stuff he is sent from home. His biggest problem seems to be to do with all the cigarettes sent to his unit from the UK - thousands of them. He then spends some time with other officers in a cottage - during that time one of the huts in which regular soldiers were billeted was hit by shrapnel and some of them were killed - and that seems to have been the closest he came to any action until he joined the unit - which was resting - on December 12. Meanwhile the Battalion Diary is all about the action they are seeing - but H.G.G. and his men are not there. It is odd - this is a newish field for me, but it doesn't seem like the sort of situation where it was normal for whole units to loll around for six weeks?

I have researched a soldier who was captured the same day as Gilliland. Gilliland is mentioned and quoted on several occasions.

http://www.britishme...=Molloy#p584479

Regards,Paul