Post 1918

[borstal]

I accept that this is slightly off topic but am hoping that somebody can enlighten me.

The Recruitment Registers for the period 1919-20 generally show enlistment terms totalling 12 yrs, i.e. a period under the colours followed by a period in the reserve, a reversion to the old pre 1914 practise.

However, in some instances an enlistment is for a period of 1, 2, or 4 years only with no time in the reserve. In all these instances there is a reference to an "Army Order", i.e. AO258 1919. Some of these Orders date from 1918, others from either 1919 or 1920.

Can anybody give me information as to exactly what these Orders encompassed.

[Muerrisch]

I do not have the orders, but what happened was "order, counter-order, disorder". The army was to too quick to demobilise men [not quick enough for the men, but that is another story], and nearly threw the baby out with the bath water. There followed a mad scramble of expedients to persuade men to stay on, to re-enlist, or to accept various short term enlistments.

Sound familiar, anyone?