Royal Naval Marine Division 1914

[kelly]

Hi all forum members,

Currently researching PO 495(s) William Copleston of Portsmouth battalion Royal Naval Marinre Division.

I'm in possesion of what appears to be a very short service recored as he died at bloody angle, Gallipoli around 03/05/15.

Knowing his background a little I'm perplexed as to why a naval division should recruit at an inland centre like York where he attested/enlisted on 21/09/14.

I'm sure their are some experts amongst us that can be a little more informative on this and can alay my confusion. All thoughts most welcome.

Regards

Garry

[horatio2]

Portsmouth Battalion of the Royal Naval (not Marine) Division.

There is no reason why the naval service (which includes the RMLI) should not recruit anywhere in the country. So, nothing perplexing about a York enlistment.

Note that his date of k.i.a. is incorrrect, both on his record and on the CWGC. As noted in the RN Division Roll of Honour: "...all Portsmouth Battalion casualties recorded by the CWGC as died on the 6th of May 1915 were most likely killed in the charge up Razor-Back hill, Monash Valley, on the 3rd May 1915, but may have been killed at Anzac Beachhead on any date between 28/4/15 & 3/5/15."

[Graham Stewart]

This link may help you a little regarding the R.N.D., http://en.wikipedia....Naval)_Division - although it doesn't explain that after the debacle at Antwerp, a 'new' R.N.D. was formed from the surviving R.N.V.R. remnants and large numbers who came from the Army. The bulk of the men involved were surplus Kitchener Army recruits within Northern Command and it's Regimental Depots, who were then transferred to the R.N.D., but it's artillery came from members of the Territorial Force, who had been part of the 63rd(2nd Northumbrian)Division, who again were transferred across to the R.N.D., and this Division was then re-titled 63rd(Royal Naval) Division

[horatio2]

It is not strictly correct to imply that these changes to the RND were all a result of the operations at Antwerp. Most happened nearly two years later.

Kitchener Army transfers to RNVR (for the RND) were taking place a month before Antwerp and they served at Antwerp in significant numbers.

Post-Antwerp, the "new RND" required the re-forming of Benbow, Collingwood and Hawke Battalions (mostly interned or POWs) and this was largely achieved through new RNVR volunteers and continuing transfers from Kitchener's Army to RNVR. Portsmouth Battalion also required topping-up with volunteers for RMLI short service to replace POWs.

"Large numbers who came from the Army" (i.e. Army men serving in the RND) did not happen until the RND arrived in France in mid-1916 and was then given a brigade (190 Bde) of Army battalions. Similarly, the RND had no artillery until arriving in the BEF so this was not a post-Antwerp change either.