Officer Training Cadet in Pirbright 1917 please help?

[hamishmck]

Morning all,

I am struggling with this one (whats new) and ask for help please.

I have my GU service record which says he was transferred to Pirbright in 06.10.17 in No 2 Cadet ?at. It could be a d or p so reading dat or pat?

He was transferred from Grantham Machine gun training school and was going into the tanks corps. He was also in OTC and commission in feb 1918.

I cant find anything on this site relating to Pirbright, I am struggling to find much in Google image and in google search.

Usually i am overwhelmed by the available info but have reached a google desert on this one.

I have extended my search to deepcut, aldershot without any joy.

ANy help as to what he was doing here ie daily routines camp life training details and content would be greatly received.

many thanks for help.

[Chris_Baker]

This will give you a starter: http://www.1914-1918.net/training_officers.htm

[hamishmck]

Hi Chris yes thanks for this. I have visited all the usual good sites like the LLT but have found them in this instance, too general and not specific enough for my needs. Where as i have been able to get some detail in the past with my research into his movements and relevant background rather than just dates, places, etc i am getting a blank on this topic.

Might it have been known by a different name or something?

cheers

[rolt968]

I wonder if this might be No. 2 Officer Cadet Battalion? By that stage in the war the officers' course was supposed to last four weeks. However according to James (British Regiments 1914-1918) in July 1917 the Officer Cadet battalions at Pirbright were 11 and 19. No. 2 Battalion was at Pembroke College Cambridge. (The "2" wasn't in Roman Numerals?)

Roger.

[hamishmck]

hi roger thanks for the input,

no its definately written as 2 not roman numerals but it also says pirbright.

but thanks anyway. cheers Hamish

[charlesmessenger]

Hamish

The MGC Officer Cadet Bn was based to Bisley and it is to this that GU was posted to receive training to be an officer. He is also likely to have spent time at Wool in Dorset learning about tanks prior to commissioning in the Tank Corps.

Charles M

[hamishmck]

hi Charles, many thanks for this info and your time and trouble. His record does say Pirbright and after Pirbright he was transferred to Hazeley Down, Winchester in late feb 1918.

I have also read about Bisley for the MGC Officer Cadet Bn too.

thanks hamish

[Keith_history_buff]

Three posts elsewhere that touch on No. 11 Officer Cadet Battalion, Pirbright

Biography of 2nd Lieut. Stanley Frederick Gagg, Posted to No. 11 Officer Cadet Battalion on 7 May 1916, Died of wounds on 8 December 1916
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/7900-british-school-registers-and-rolls-of-honor/page/62/?tab=comments#comment-1635803

Biography of Robert William Harvey. 

Posted on 01/01/17 to No. 2 (Machine Gun Corps) Officer Cadet Battalion, Pirbright, on 03/04/17 transferred to No. 11 Officer Cadet Battalion, Purbright [sic], on 22/10/18 died of pneumonia at Reading War Hospital 
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/243585-robert-harvey-reading-cemetery/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-2455808

Photo taken in 1917 of the Rugby XV of No. 11 Officer Cadet Battalion, Pirbright

9208 Henry Norris enlisted in the South Wales Borderers between 7 and 11 June 1906. (9204 Rutland enlisted 7 June 1906, 9212 Payne enlisted 11 June 1906.) He appears on the 1911 Census in South Africa. 

He does not have a medal index card. There is a one page record among the WO 363 service records on FindMyPast which mentions 9208 H Norris, and indicates that he served at home during WW1. 
9208 Norris via FMP

The document is "Pirbright, Part 2 orders". It mentions him and several others of the instructional staff of No. 11 Officer Cadet Battalion, Pirbright. It mentions that he had been an Acting Sergeant with the 3rd Bn South Wales Borderers. He ''Reported 18/6/17; In Rations 19/6/17"