Not all fighting?

[Guest Fumsup]

Hello all. I'm new to the forum but hoping I will find an answer to several questions I have since researching the service history of my grandfather. He served in the 4th battalion Grenadier Guards from late 1915 to 1919 when he came home. His records indicate he was hospitalised once in 1918 (cause unspecified) but came home physically sound. Unfortunately he died when I was young and had no chance to talk to him about his war experiences. His record seems quite remarkable given the length of time he served and his avoidance of wounds - apart from front line duty, might he have been employed in any other way? I have heard a part of a battalion would be kept behind to form a basis of replacement if heavy losses were incurred; would this be a 'full time' job? Also I believe some members of a battalion would be used for supply duty. Would this keep them from out of the front line? The only other alternatives I can think of are sniper or medical staff. Far from belittling his service, until I can find out exactly what he did it would be incredible if he went through the war doing normal duty without real harm, but I suppose it happened in many cases. Thankyou for any hepl.

[PhilB]

F, my service was not in the infantry, but for what it`s worth:-

There were numerous jobs other than pure infanteering - butcher, signaller, cook, clerk, servant, armourer, stretcher bearer, pioneer, sniper etc. Some of these would keep you out of the front line and most were semi-permanent. The composition of the cadre, kept back from battle, was, I think, not fixed. On the supply question - infantrymen tended to be used as general purpose pack animals for getting stuff up to the front, and for any other labouring type jobs like trench repair and road mending. It seems to have been a significant and unwelcome part of their existence! Phil B