BEF 1914: Mobilisation and Reservists

6 September , 2012

Grumpy

Thanks for the correction about drummers etc.

Martin

Drummers and buglers, and pipers of HIGHLAND infantry regiments (and Scots Guards) were allowed on the formal establishments. Other pipers would have been paid any extra money out of regimental, rather than Army, funds.

Drums, bugles, cavalry trumpets and pipes were provided out of Army funds on a scale laid down in the Equipment Regulations. Musical instruments for the band were paid for out of regimental funds.

I should also have mentioned that the figures I quoted were of establishments, i.e. authorised strengths. Whilst battalions abroad were usually up to strength, many of those at home were not.

Ron

6 September , 2012

I cannot now lay my hands on the reference, but I have found at least one case in which a man was recruited to a bn of 7th Infantry Division during mobilisation at Lyndhurst. For many years the statement that their was not a reservist in the ranks - thus the helping the reputation of 'Imortal 7th' .Just how common such recruitments were I have now no idea, nor do I have a name. I guess perhaps he would have been a retired soldier and out of time on the reserve. The same division short of equipmnent made up for its shortage of transport with bakers' vans and similar vehicles. What is remarkable is just how well the reservists did.

11 September , 2012

Grumpy

Thanks for the correction about drummers etc.

Martin

Drummers and buglers, and pipers of HIGHLAND infantry regiments (and Scots Guards) were allowed on the formal establishments. Other pipers would have been paid any extra money out of regimental, rather than Army, funds.

Drums, bugles, cavalry trumpets and pipes were provided out of Army funds on a scale laid down in the Equipment Regulations. Musical instruments for the band were paid for out of regimental funds.

I should also have mentioned that the figures I quoted were of establishments, i.e. authorised strengths. Whilst battalions abroad were usually up to strength, many of those at home were not.

Ron

Interesting...would that include the London Scottish, Tyneside Scottish, Liverpool Scottish I wonder...given they were originally kilted I assume they had 'highland' status. Or is 'Highland' status one of geography given the HLI were not kilted. Would the highland Bn of a Lowland regiment have the same status ref pipes and drums?....1/9th (Highlanders) Bn The Royal Scots....MG

12 September , 2012

Not sure if these answer your questions, but very useful anyway

Drummer's Handbook

The Pipes of War

Cheers Mike

12 September , 2012

Interesting...would that include the London Scottish, Tyneside Scottish, Liverpool Scottish I wonder...given they were originally kilted I assume they had 'highland' status.

Only the bands of the Tyneside Scottish were kilted - the remainder dressed as per infantry in general - apart from the glengarry, which was replaced by the Balmoral.

12 September , 2012

Interesting...would that include the London Scottish, Tyneside Scottish, Liverpool Scottish I wonder...given they were originally kilted I assume they had 'highland' status. Or is 'Highland' status one of geography given the HLI were not kilted. Would the highland Bn of a Lowland regiment have the same status ref pipes and drums?....1/9th (Highlanders) Bn The Royal Scots....MG

Martin

The short answer is no.

London Scottish, Tyneside Scottish and Liverpool Scottish were battalions of English reiments. If they wanted pipers, they would have to pay for them themselves. The HLI were not kilted (although they did have pipers who were!) but they were a Lowland regilment, raised in and around Glasgow.

Ron

12 September , 2013

I thought that I would try and resuscitate this thread. The history of the Royal Scots records that War Establishment was 30 Officers and 972 ORs as per the Manual of Infantry Training 1914 and "in peace time a battalion was normally about half this strength". The history of the Black Watch records "200 men left behind under the regulation debarring soldiers under twenty years of age from proceeding on active service"

Some more stats on the number of reservists required (Sources:published histories)

2nd Bn KOSB.................................................700 Reservists 'to be collected'

1st Bn Lincolnshires.......................................543 Reservists joined

1st Bn Queen's Own R West Kent Regt.........22 Officers and 450 ORs, the balance coming from the Reservists... implies 522 Reservists

2nd Bn Manchster Regt..................................600 Reservists

1st Bn Hampshire Regt...................................500 Reservists

2nd Bn Connaught Rangers..........................635 Reservists

1st Bn Royal Irish Rifles.................................200 reservists. Notes this battalion had been stationed in Aden.

1st Bn the Black Watch..................................500 Reservists "almost all of whom had served seven years..."

2nd Bn the Black Watch.................................118 Reservists including 20 based in India.

Any mistakes are mine. MG

1 October , 2013

A summary so far: In the sample of 24 home based battalions, on average a battalion took in 591 Reservists. The Overseas based battalions(sample size of 6) took in 282 Reservists each on avearge.

....mostly sourced from Battalion histories and contributions on this thread...

Home Based Battalions...................................Reservists Received in the first week

2nd Bn York & Lancs......................................640 Reservists

2nd Bn Welsh Regt.........................................571 Reservists

2nd Bn KOSB.................................................700 Reservists 'to be collected'
1st Bn Lincolnshires.......................................543 Reservists joined
1st Bn Queen's Own R West Kent Regt.........522 Reservists...implied from 22 Officers and 450 ORs, the balance coming from the Reservists

2nd Bn Manchster Regt..................................600 Reservists
1st Bn Hampshire Regt...................................500 Reservists
2nd Bn Connaught Rangers..........................635 Reservists

2nd Bn KOYLI................................................605 Reservists

2nd Bn Leinster Regt.....................................505 Reservists

1st Bn The Black Watch.................................500 Reservists "almost all of whom had served seven years..."

1st Bn Devonshire Regt.................................569 Reservists

1st Bn SWB...................................................631 Reservists

2nd Bn Royal Scots.......................................700 Reservists

2nd Bn Border Regt.......................................556 Reservists

2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers.........................500 Reservists

2nd Bn HLI.....................................................700 Reservists

2nd Bn DLI.....................................................685 Reservists

2nd Bn DOWR...............................................710 Reservists

1st Bn Glosters..............................................600 Reservists

1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers....................600 Reservists

2nd Bn RWF..................................................359 Reservists

2nd Bn R Sussex Regt....................................557 Reservists

1st Bn A&SH..................................................700 Reservists

Sub Total of 14,188 reservist in 24 Bns.........591 Reservists on average.

Overseas Based Battalions............................Reservists received in the first week
2nd Bn the Black Watch.................................118 Reservists including 20 based in India.

1st Bn Royal Irish Rifles.................................200 Reservists. Notes this battalion had been stationed in Aden.

1st Bn Welsh Regt.........................................250 Reservists

1st Bn KOYLI..................................................282 Reservists

2nd Bn RMF...................................................202 Reservists

1st Bn RWF....................................................342 Reservists (based in Malta at the outbreak)

Sub Total of 1,394 Reservists in 6 Bns..........232 Reservists on average

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD MORE.

Any mistakes are mine.

23 October , 2013

"Kitchener's Army: The Story of a National Achievement" by Victor Wallace Germains contains a few snippets. He states on page 50 ;

" Most [regular] battalions after dropping "young" soldiers and recruits could show a strength of only 22 Officers and 456 men"

It seems to be a very precise number and might imply Germains had access to some official data. His numbers would imply on a War Establishment of 29 Officers and 971 ORs, the average home based battalion required 515 Reservists, and is consistent with anecdotal evidence that roughly half of the establishment was made up from Reservists.

MG

23 October , 2013

One other snippet....I see that Reservists living overseas in Canada raced to the colours. Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry was almost entirely formed in just eight days in August 1914 from British ex-Servicemen living in Canada. This regiment had over 3,000 volunteers. MG

24 October , 2013

How many of the reservists called up in 1914 would have experienced combat in the colonial wars prior to 1914? I've read recently that in fact very few had seen action, but it would be interesting to establish a figure.

26 October , 2013

Reservists living overseas in Canada raced to the colours.

Technically, these chaps should have shipped back to England and returned to their British units.

Realistically, thousands stayed in Canada and joined the CEF.

26 October , 2013

Technically, these chaps should have shipped back to England and returned to their British units.

Realistically, thousands stayed in Canada and joined the CEF.

There were 3,232 (British) Army Reservist in Canada and one man in Newfoundland who were permitted to carry out their Reserve obligations in Canada. See WO 114/25

10 December , 2013

I thought that I would give an update on my quest to find out how many Reservists were required to mobilise the Line Infantry....

The National Archives has some extremely useful data showing each battalion's strength on the eve of the Great War.The 74 overseas based battalions were on average 2 men above War establishment but the Home based battalions were on average 315 men short. Clearly, for reasons already highlighted both types of battalions needed more that these numbers as unfit and under-aged men were weeded out. Additionally the initial drafts would also include sufficient men for the first reinforcement draft which was typically one Officer and 93 ORs. The most extreme example I can find of a single battalion's requirements is the 2nd Bn DLI which had only 473 men on the eve of the War, so would theoretically require 432 Reservists just to come up to War Establishment. In reality it took in 685 men and assuming 93 were for the first reinforcement, this would imply that another 160 serving men - under 19 year-olds and the unfit - were exchanged for Reservists.

From the perspective of a Regiment, the Welsh Regiment appears to have needed the most on paper with the 1st and 2nd Bns requiring 155 and 401 Reservists respectively but actually took 250 and 571 reservists respectively. Other data shows this Regiment had 1103 Army Reservists on the eve of the War which means it took 74% of its Army Reservists simply to mobilise.

Separately, I received four Regimental histories today (Glosters, Buffs, Somerset LI and East Surreys). Two have provided some more detail which I have added to the list. MG

Two more mobilisation records from the histories of the East Surrey Regiment and the Buffs now brings the total to 26 Home based battalions and 7 Overseas based battalions. A summary so far: In the sample of 34 home based battalions, on average a battalion took in 596 Reservists. The Overseas based battalions(sample size of 8) took in 208 Reservists each on average. The Somerset Light Infantry history makes no mention of the number of Reservists and we already have the Gloucestershires.