Enlistment locations (SDGW)

[leigh]

Hi,

Last night i was working through inputting the last of the SDGW data for my list of men from the war.

I found several case where the man was born say York, enlisted Aldershot, and resident York.

In cases such as these did the men travel to enlist in a particulare regt or Bn.?

Most cases the men enlisted locally.

Is there a basic explanation for these guys traveling so far to join up?

Regards

Leigh

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

1. Man enlisted under age or overage.

2. His work meant that he travelled.

3. He was rejected by a local recruitement office and travelled further afield where he wasn't known and no record would have been kept of his previous attempts to enlist.

I have come across all 4.

Ian

[Ken Lees]

1. Man enlisted under age or overage.

2. His work meant that he travelled.

3. He was rejected by a local recruitement office and travelled further afield where he wasn't known and no record would have been kept of his previous attempts to enlist.

I have come across all 4.

But that's only 3

Go on, don't keep us in suspense.

Regards,

Ken

[KONDOA]

May have had previous army service if old enough and Aldershot was their reserve base.Or accompanied an older previous service man to reserve base.

[larneman]

I was wondering if there was any incentives for recuiting offiers/sargents or a required number of recuits aday. Were there any tricks played. Like in the good old, old days putting a shilling in the beer tankard. This lead to only taking a drink with anybody from the army in a tankard with a glass bottom or so the tale in Co. Antrim Glens area goes.

An other question I had was there reserved occupation like in WW2 and if so when did that get introduced.

liam

[leigh]

Cheesr for the replies, I will have a look into the men in question and report back (at some non specified date ) if I find anything posotive.

Regards

LEigh

[Muerrisch]

I was wondering if there was any incentives for recuiting offiers/sargents or a required number of recuits aday. Were there any tricks played.

For a long time, a recruiting sergeant had received 2/6- per recruit attested and accepted. When war broke out and thousands came forward, the sergeant's cut was reduced to, I believe, a shilling.

The ways of the Treasury are as totally predictable now as then.

[Jock Bruce]

I think in some cases the place given as 'Enlistment' in SDGW is the place a man was 'Approved' for service in a particular corps - hence you find 66 ASC casualties who enlisted at Grove Park and that 92 of the 575 AOC casualties enlisted at Woolwich.

These men may have entered the recruiting system much nearer home but were not approved until the corps was satisfied they possessed the requisite trade skills.

But I haven't studied this in enough detail (and don't intend to) to stake my life on it.

Jock

Edited 27 September , 2004 by Jock Bruce

[Bernard_Lewis]

At Swansea Lord K's appeal led to a rush on the primitive recruiting arrangements that then appertained. The Mayor complained to the War Office that some men gave up waiting at Swansea, hopped on a train and found it quicker to enlist at Cardiff - 50 miles away! With a gentle shove from the Mayor it did improve...

Bernard

[leigh]

I just looked up my records, This guy did the rounds.

PERROT JAMES 15421 2nd Bn. Coldstream Guards

Bn. Antwerp

En. Eastham (Near Ellsemere Port guess)

res Port Elliot, western Australia