Army Council Instruction 1919

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

Pals may be interested in the Below illustrated Document regarding the placement of Previous Regimental/Corps Badges on the Headstones of Men who had died whilst serving with the Labour Corps;This Particular letter refers to the Late; 283140;Private;Harry Williams,{formerly 5431 23rd London Regiment TF};who died as a result of injuries received during his War Service on 25th August 1920;having been discharged from 634 H.S.E.Coy;Labour Corps,Disch;KR392{xvia};13th April 1919;he had previously served with the Royal Defence Corps.He is Buried in Mitcham Cemetery.UK.

The Letter states:

UK.

Imperial War Graves Commission

82 Baker Street

W1.

FV/UK/6/11200/21 29th June 1923

Dear Madam'

With reference to the attached forms,I am instructed to inform you that in accordance with an Army Council Instruction issued in 1919 the custom in cases where a soldier served in a Regiment previous to being transferred to the Labour Corps,has been to engrave the Regimental Badge & Regimental particulars of the original Regiment ,& not of the Labour Corps.

Therefore ,unless you express a wish to the contrary,the particulars of your late....."blank".........,who was serving in the ......"blank"........Labour Corps @the date of his death will be engraved as follows:~

4531 Private

H.Williams

23rd Bn.London Regiment

25th Augustst 1920

Please fill in & return the forms

Yours faithfully

R.D.Turner

For Vice Chairman IWGC

FV/11

Mrs A.Ayliffe*{My note:*his legatee}

48 Devonshire Road

W Merton

SW 19.

[PhilB]

That`s interesting, HB. I wonder if, in the case of a soldier who`d served with different infantry regiments before being killed, a similar option existed. For example, a man serves 3 years with, say, East Lancs, then transfers to the King`s and is KIA a week later. Does he automatically get a King`s headstone badge, or do his NOK have an option? Phil B